The following are highlights from the January 13, 2020 regular meeting of council.
Delegation: Jennifer Woods, Dementia Friendly Community Project
Jennifer Woods, coordinator for the Dementia Friendly Community Project, presented to Council with information about the program. The project is currently funded by a 2019 federal grant. Ms. Woods made a request for a formal collaboration with the Town, including the use of Town branding as part of an awareness campaign. Council voted to formally support the project.
CAO Report – Staff Health and Safety Audit
As a member of the Alberta Municipal Health & Safety Association, the Town has been working towards receiving an official Certificate of Recognition. Following an internal safety audit in late 2019, the Town received a passing grade of 81%, surpassing the minimum grade required for COR certification. Council accepted this as information.
Town of Innisfail 2018-2021 Strategic Plan Update
In late 2019, Council and administration engaged in a mid-point review of the Town’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan to make appropriate adjustments that reflect the current reality of the community. Following this review, the Strategic Plan was updated; on Monday, Council approved the updated Town of Innisfail 2018-2021 Strategic Plan as presented.
2020 FCSS Funding Recommendations
Following a review by the Innisfail Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Advisory Board in late 2019, a report was presented to Council on Monday by the Town’s FCSS Coordinator, Karen Bradbury. The report contained a breakdown of all 2020 funding applicants and endorsed those which best fulfilled the needs of the community. Council approved the proposed funding recommendations. The report also outlined the Innisfail FCSS’s strategy to meet programming gaps, created in part by a decrease in year-over-year funding from the Government of Alberta. Inisfail FCSS has already applied for new provincial government grants which will be allocated in the spring.
LUB Amendment – Retail Use within Established Industrial District (I-ES)
The Town has received a request for a zoning change to a portion of the south-west industrial area. The applicant is looking to establish a retail operation within an existing building. Current zoning does not allow for retail operations within the district and so a change in zoning is required to accommodate the business. After a brief discussion, Council gave first reading and set a public hearing for Monday, Feb. 10, 2020.
PACE Bus, Community Bus Out-of-Province Service
Following a review in November of 2019, the Town’s Transportation Committee presented recommendations to Council on Monday. Specifically, the committee recommended that the standard operating hours of the PACE bus be changed to better reflect current ridership patterns. The bus will still be available for special events that fall outside of regular hours with service on these occasions provided at the discretion of the bus operator, the Innisfail Legion (Branch #104). It was also recommended that the Town’s community bus be limited to trips within the province. Providing the bus for out-of-province use would require the Town to make major changes to its fleet insurance and compliance requirements to meet federal standards. Council approved the changes as presented.
