Council Notes - June 6th, 2023

Council Notes - June 6th, 2023

Delegations. Edson RCMP Staff Sergeant Christian Delisle presented Council with the 2022-2023 Year End Report. This included crime statistics, priorities, budget, and resource levels. The full report can be viewed at www.edson.ca/rcmp.

Edson Seniors Transportation Society (ESTS) Executive Director Dawn Mitchell gave a presentation to Council on the Society’s activities over the past year, including ridership, finances, and fundraising efforts for a new bus. The Town of Edson provides a grant to ESTS, which is the largest revenue source for the group.

Transportation Study Update. Council has accepted the Transportation Study Update and Council Engagement Report as information. Transportation Planning Consultant Steve Power presented some findings to date, including some perceived challenges with transportation in the area. Public engagement is ongoing for the project and a final report is expected later this year.

Traffic Bylaw. The updated Traffic Bylaw has passed second and third reading and is now in effect. Bylaw 2291 consolidates a number of traffic related bylaws and includes some notable changes, such as allowing OHV use within the Town of Edson (shortest distance in and out of Town), designating truck routes, and the clarification of the definition of a Recreational Vehicle. The bylaw also includes a number of regulations surrounding OHV use in the community. The full bylaw can be found at www.edson.ca/bylaws.

Temporary Tax Payment Due Date and Penalty Dates. Due to the wildfires and evacuation in May, tax notices were delayed. Council has approved the following deadline amendments for this year only.

• Taxes due – July 31, 2023.
• First penalty run – August 1, 2023.
• Second penalty run – September 1, 2023. 

Disposal of Surplus Property Policy. Council has approved the Disposal of Surplus Property Policy which sets thresholds, criteria, responsibilities, and procedures for such disposal.

Citizen Budget Survey Results. Each year, the Town of Edson conducts a Citizen Budget survey to collect data on public satisfaction with municipal services, as well as residents’ taxation/service level preferences. This data is then utilized by managers and Council as they set priorities and develop the budget for the following year. The full results can be found at www.edson.ca/budget.

Recycling Council of Alberta Conference. Authorization has been given to Council members to attend the Recycling Council of Alberta 2023 Circular Economy Conference on October 18-20, 2023.

Information Items. Council has accepted 3 items related to the RCMP Q4 report as information. The 2023 Q4 Community Letter, Q4 Edson Policing Report, and the Q4 Edson Municipal Crime Statistics.

Closed Session Items. Following the Closed Session, Council passed three motions.

• Six members were appointed to the Family and Community Support Services Advisory Board, effective immediately.
• Councillor Peter Taylor was appointed to the FCSS Advisory Board until the next Organizational Meeting.
• Mayor Zahara was authorized to approve adjustments to CAO Beveridge’s contract as per the details discussed in the closed session. 

Next meeting - The next Committee of the Whole meeting is set for June 13, 2023, at 7:00 pm. The next Council meeting is scheduled for June 20, 2023, at 7:00 pm.

Agenda/Information package HERE

App users view the video HERE