In addition, the main Town of Westlock office will be closed Monday, Dec. 14, while the Family and Community Support Services office will only be open by appointment and the Community Bus will be changing service to travel for primary health services.
Last Tuesday’s provincial COVID-19 update introduced CMOH Order 41-2020 which prohibits indoor and outdoor social gatherings and makes masks mandatory across Alberta for at least the next four weeks.
Town of Westlock CAO Simone Wiley explained that this new order amends CMOH Order 38-2020, so all municipalities are currently operating under both 41-2020 and 38-2020. Provincial orders supersede municipal bylaws which means that while this provincial order is in place, it overrides the town’s face covering bylaw enacted in October.
For the town, closing the facilities means that 34 full, part-time and casual employees have been temporarily laid off. Facilities like the pool and RSC had already been operating on reduced hours following measures introduced by the province at the end of November.
“It’s very hard timing to have to do this, but we have no choice. The fiscal reality is that we have to lay people off,” said Wiley.
In November the province had recommended businesses allow staff to work from home, which the town took to heart. Now, come Monday, only three staffers will actually be in the main office, compared to the normal compliment of 16. Public works staffing is unaffected.
“We had closed the main office to the public previously, so it’s not as big of a transition for us as we were on appointment only. Now with our office closing Monday we’ll have three people just circumstantially working out of the office,” she said.
Also town council’s Dec. 14 meeting will be conducted entirely via Zoom — since the fall council had been meeting in person at council chambers and broadcasting it to the public.
For more on the current provincial and town regulations visit: www.westlock.ca/p/bylaws-and-policies
County office also closes
Westlock County’s main office, as well the public works shop will be closed to the public starting Monday.
County communications officer Adrienne Finnegan said they’ll still have some staff working in the main office to help ratepayers, answer the phone and take payments.
“Some staff will be working from home, we are just in the process of figuring out those logistics,” said Finnegan via e-mail.
At the county’s final budget Dec. 11, council was in attendance in person or Zoom, their choice, as restrictions began Monday.
As for this coming week and moving forward, the reeve, deputy reeve and CAO will be in chambers in person, distanced of course, and potentially necessary staff as well. Finnegan said they’re still working out some details for who is working from home and who still needs to be in the office.
Tawatinaw opens with restrictions
The county’s lone rec facility, the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill, saw its bunny hill and tubing hill open this past weekend, while the rest of the hill, weather permitting, was slated to open Dec. 18.
Tawatinaw Valley Ski Club business manager Victoria Harrison said they’ll be limiting the number of people entering and exiting the chalet — bathrooms will still be open but we they’ll be monitoring and counting people as they come in and out so they’re staying within their occupancy limits.
Guests will be able to come inside to order take out from the café. As well, guests will be picking up their lift tickets from an outside window and if they require other help from guest services, they will be helped from an outside window.
“Until we get any other updates or news, these are the new restrictions that we have in place. At the moment we have not been told that we need to restrict the number of people on the hill at any one time,” said Harrison in an e-mail.
“Masks are mandatory no matter where you are on the property. In the chalet, rental shop, line ups, lifts or while at the bottom of the hill. Guests will be asked to stay in their family cohorts and social distance from other guests while enjoying activities.”
Village office closes
The Village of Clyde office will also close Dec. 14 and signs have been posted giving instruction for people needing immediate attention.
In an e-mail, CAO Ron Cust said administrative support is working from home until the lockdown changes, or they receive new instructions from Alberta Health Services — access to the main office will only occur by appointment.
Bill payments can be made through the door at the village office where the documents will be retrieved three times daily — processing may take an extra day.
“We are encouraging all residents to access the online bill payment system, it is quick and easy. If residents need assistance setting up they can call and one of the staff will get everything set up,” Cust wrote.
All council and council committee meetings will continue virtually as per the Municipal Government Act guidelines and Municipal Affairs instructions.
The fire station and operations will continue within the COVID-19 best practices as per village fire chief James Hoetimer’s jurisdiction and in partnership with Westlock County.
Curbside pickup at library
The Westlock Municipal Library also closed its doors at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, but will continue serving the public as best they can under the current rules.
Despite closing, library director Lisa Old said they’ll continue to offer curbside pickup of materials, as well as all of its online resources and virtual programming — the library’s WiFi will still be operating, although patrons would have to access it from outside the building. More information is available at the library’s website and Facebook page.
“We’re going back to the way it was in the summer. At least it’s a lot easier this time,” said Old. “We’re going to continue with the hours we have right now with staff in the building — they’ll be here 9:30 to 4 and of course closed for lunch, from Monday to Friday. So people can call, put items on hold, customers can go to our website and put items on hold.”
