Fluoride flourishes in Hinton

After hearing from the public and receiving a report from administration, Hinton council voted in favour of continuing to add fluoride to the town’s water supply.

In a report to council on Nov. 15, infrastructure services director Mike Schwirtz presented findings of a public information process to seek input into the question: “should the Town of Hinton continue fluoridating its municipal water supply?”

Schwirtz’ reported findings: “It appears that there is sufficient data to prove that it (fluoride) does reduce tooth decay, but insufficient data to suggest that it is harmful to your health.”

Each councillor and the mayor cited reasons to continue adding fluoride to Hinton’s water supply.

One reason Mayor Glenn Taylor cited in particular was that national and international health agencies and dental associations throughout the world support the addition of fluouride to water supplies.

Fohn Festival continues to grow

Coun. Janice Callihoo presented Mayor Glenn Taylor and council with small gifts as a token of appreciation for the town’s continued support of the Fohn Festival.

Callihoo stated that the festival is celebrating its fifth year in Hinton and more than 5,000 people attended the event last year as it continues to grow.   

Volunteers, the Chamber of Commerce and many local corporations help make the festival a success, Callihoo added.

The annual festival “promotes public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural diversity in Hinton,” according to its billing.

Traffic confusion in Drinnan shopping district

Mayor Glenn Taylor noted that where traffic comes in from the west of the Drinnan district and circles around one way, people are unable to see the signs until it is too late to go back.

Taylor asked Jean Anne Fraser, planning and technical services representative, to look into having the problem rectified. 

Premier thanks councillor

A letter of gratitude was received from Premier Alison Redford thanking Coun. Janice Callihoo and Robin Campbell, the MLA for West Yellowhead, for their letter of congratulations regarding the premier’s recent leadership victory.

Redford wrote: “I deeply appreciate your warm wishes as I begin my term in office.”

Two-day workshop to help build hope

In a letter to Rhonda West, legislative and administrative services co-ordinator, Geke Duncan of the MS Society and Canadian Paraplegic Association stated they will be bringing a two-day workshop to Hinton on Nov. 21 and 22 .

The program is called “Discovering the Power in Me” and it will give people the tools to build hope, Duncan said.

A maximum of 20 people can attend this course and it is geared toward people with physical limitations, people who have had emotional/mental trauma in their lives (loss of job, divorce, illness, depression, loss of a loved one, recovering from an accident, etc.) but Duncan says they want to offer this course to all residents of Hinton.

Support for including Jasper in landfill authority

The Town of Hinton is committed to pursuing partnerships in waste management and reduction, said Mike Schwirtz, infrastructure services director.

He stated that Jasper’s application to join the West Yellowhead Region Landfill Authority is seen as one of those partnerships that could lead to opportunities for the region as a whole to work together to reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill.

Schwirtz added that if acceptance of the recommendation by the three current landfill partner municipalities (Hinton, Edson and Yellowhead county) occurs, detailed negotiations between these municipalities and Jasper would begin.

Schwirtz presented council with a recommendation to support Jasper’s application. Council unanimously supported the recommendation.