Muni acquires $300,000 grader
The municipality has purchased a new grader that it expects to arrive in the next three to four months.
The $299,600 Caterpillar Model 140M3—which boasts the latest emissions reduction technology—was purchased from Finning Canada.
Late last year, council approved the reallocation of funds to acquire a new grader, after operations staff experienced numerous breakdowns and problems with the one the municipality currently owns.
That reallocation means that instead of purchasing a tandem truck this year and a new refuse truck next year, the municipality will purchase a grader in 2015, a refuse truck in 2016 and a tandem truck in 2017.
The reason for the reallocation is that the municipality’s grader is integral to its snow removal efforts and without it, the operations department has to rent one, which can be difficult during the winter season.
Last December, Bruce Thompson, director of operations, explained this to council, saying “In this region when everyone needs their grader, everyone needs it, there’s no borrowing, there’s no opportunity to share.”
Thompson said he’s excited to have the new piece of machinery in town.
Grant funds debated
For the past few weeks, council has been reviewing applications for the municipality’s $5,000 Economic Development Fund, and debating whether any of the applications meet the fund’s guidelines.
The municipality received three applications: from Habitat for the Arts, the Jasper Folk Music Festival and the Jasper Pride Festival Society.
The pride festival is requesting $5,000 to hire a one-time contractor to develop a business plan for the festival, the music festival is requesting $5,000 to rent generators, lighting and portable toilets and Habitat is requesting $1,650 for marketing and promotion of its brand new summer art camp.
The Economic Development Fund was established in 2002 to assist in the economic enhancement or promotion of the municipality. It is for one-time purchases that will help the sustainability of an event.
Following the application process, it is up to council whether an applicant’s request meets the goals of the fund. It is also under council’s discretion how much money is allotted to eligible applicants.
During the May 5 meeting, council requested that each of the applicants appear at the next committee-of-the-whole meeting to present their requests. Council will make its decision on May 19.
Choosing to change the Charter
Council is still debating whether to join a movement to lobby the Canadian government to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
By passing a declaration of support, Jasper’s town council would be the first in Alberta to join councils from more than a dozen other Canadian communities—including Vancouver, B.C., Montreal, Que. and Yellowknife, NWT—in showing support for environmental rights.
This movement began with David Suzuki, who travelled across the country last fall, launching his Blue Dot Campaign.
“I think supporting this declaration is still completely in line with everything the municipality does now to support a healthy, sustainable community—there’s so many things in here that we already do,” said Janet Cooper, Jasper’s environmental stewardship coordinator. “For example, the right to breathe clean air, we’ve passed an anti-idling bylaw, and if you go through, there’s numerous other examples with everything that we’re doing through the Environmental Stewardship program, jointly with Parks.”
Following its first appearance on the agenda, council requested Parks Canada’s support for the declaration, as it is Parks that has jurisdiction over the environment, as well as land use planning and development, not the municipality.
The municipality received that support and now council is poised to make a decision on whether to make the declaration or not at its May 19 meeting.
“I think in taking a stand and passing this in this form it will really show leadership, because we would be the first community in Alberta to make this declaration,” said Cooper.
Nicole Veerman
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