FORT ASSINIBOINE - Woodlands County councillors believe they can still deliver the bylaw enforcement the municipality needs, as well as what residents expect ,despite a drastic reduction in resources.
That was the consensus of councillors at their Dec. 17 Fort Assiniboine meeting as they unanimously instructed the administration to enter into a service agreement with Lac Ste. Anne County to provide bylaw enforcement services. The agreement with Lac Ste. Anne County is for 80 hours a month at a price tag of $85,000.
As part of the agreement, Woodlands County will transfer the title of the two vehicles used by its former peace officers for $70,000 which Lac Ste. Anne will pay for over the next three years in the form of a $23,000 credit annually for the bylaw service. The county has budgeted $125,000 in 2020 for bylaw services.
When the county was doing its bylaw enforcement in-house its two members were roughly providing 320 hours of service.
Chief administrative officer Gordon Frank noted Lac Ste. Anne peace officers were qualified to enforce local bylaws as well as provincial legislation.
Any revenue from fines collected would come to Woodlands County.
Whitecourt East Coun. Jim Rennie asked how the 80 hours would be distributed.
For the most part, Frank said that would be up to the county.
"They will provide us with a monthly report indicating how much time is spent," he said. "The number of patrols made in the designated areas, the number of tickets issued, monetary fines, etcetera."
Frank added if they write a ticket that gets challenged in court, the time they spend testifying will count towards the 80 hours.
Having said that, he said the county can always ask for additional service.
For the most part, Rennie said the county's bylaw officers' time was directed at investigating complaints and random speed enforcement.
"I can assume for the random speed enforcement we can still count on the RCMP?" he asked.
Frank said they could always ask for the Alberta Sheriffs as well as the three RCMP detachments (Whitecourt, Mayerthorpe and Barrhead) that serve Woodlands County to target certain traffic infractions or areas, in the end, it, whether they complied, would be up to them.
Fort Assiniboine/Timeu Coun. Dale Kluin asked if 20 hours is enough to enforce the county's bylaws, specifically referencing the amendments they made to the Community Standards Bylaw which prohibits idling for more than 20 minutes, which has been in an issue in Blue Ridge and Fort Assiniboine.
"The initial intent is to start with 80 hours and add additional hours if needed," Frank said.
Both Kluin and Whitecourt Central Coun. Ron Govenlock expressed their concerns about ensuring the peace officers enforce the issues the county is concerned about.
"There has to be some control," Kluin said.
Frank said he has met with the peace officers give them a list of priorities and complaints the county received.
"The only thing that hasn't been addressed is dog complaints. We are working with our dog catcher to look at her contract, but we haven't done anything at an administrative level," he said, adding in the meanwhile dog complaints will be dealt with through the Lac Ste. Anne peace officers.
Govenlock reiterated it is important that the contracted peace officers enforce the bylaws keeping in mind the county's philosophy.
"When it comes to law enforcement the priority is to serve and protect, and educate," he said. "Penalizing should be the last resort and I hope my residents and I will be comfortable with their style of law enforcement."
Frank responded he believed the two counties had a similar philosophy regarding law enforcement but noted it is the officers in the field who make the decision.
