BONNYVILLE – Before the new reeve and councillors of the MD of Bonnyville took their oaths to serve the ratepayers of the district, the first organizational meeting with new council members started with a prayer for the MD and council led by Barry Kalinski.
The Council members sworn in to serve the MD of Bonnyville for the next four years were Reeve Barry Kalinski, Coun. Josh Crick for Ward 1, Coun. Darcy Skarsen Ward 2, Coun. Mike Krywiak for Ward 3, Coun. Don Slipchuk for Ward 4, Coun. Dana Swigart for Ward 5, and Coun. Ben Fadeyiw Ward 6.
With much to discuss during the first meeting, councillors quickly got down to business deciding which councillors will fill the role of deputy reeve.
During the meeting Swigart was appointed to serve as deputy reeve for a six-month term until April 30. On May 1, Fadeyiw will take over the position until Oct. 31 for the following term.
Planning ahead, council approved the schedule for 2022 regular meetings, meetings of the whole and the organizational meeting to be held next October. A notable change purposed by administration to begin future meetings a half an hour earlier, starting at 9 a.m., was also adopted by council.
Council members also took turns selecting which of the 26 committees requiring a reeve or councillor appointment that they will sit on for the 2021-22 term. An updated committee and board member list will be released by the MD for the upcoming term.
Stalled fire halls
Moving into the regular meeting, administration updated council on the stalled fire hall construction on Fort Kent and the fire hall and grader shop in Ardmore that remain inaccessible to the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) departments.
According to MD administration, due to the lack of work being completed on the new fire halls, the MD had issued a Notice of Default against the original contractor, RPC Group Inc. A letter outlining deficiencies and requesting a schedule of completion was sent on Sept. 17.
After receiving no response from the contractor, the MD further issued a Termination of the Right of Work letter on Sept. 29, 2021. This step effectively removed RPC from completing the work.
The MD of Bonnyville will now take over both projects to complete outstanding items as soon as possible.
Grynn Contracting has now been hired to complete the parking lot at both construction sites. Whereas interior work still needing to be completed will be done by MD employees and local contractors to finish as required.
Administration anticipates the fire halls will be ready for the BRFA stations to move into by Dec. 1. Both facilities were originally set to be completed by end of November 2020.
Public information sessions set for 2022 Municipal budgets
MD residents and ratepayers will have the chance to look at the proposed 2022 Municipal Budget during four upcoming public information sessions, and a questions-and-answer period prior to the next regular council meeting.
Before the public sessions begin, council will spend three days in the beginning of November carrying out budget deliberations. After holding four consultations with the public collecting feedback from the community, administration hopes to have a final draft of the 2022 budget ready to be approved by council on Dec. 8.
The first opportunity MD residents will have to review the proposed budget will take place on Nov. 12 at the MD building at the beginning of the next regular council meeting.
The public session with take the form of an hour-long question-and-answer period on the 2022 budget to accommodate residents in the Bonnyville area.
Approving the locations and dates suggested by administration, the first two sessions will be held on Nov. 27. One of the public consultations will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in Ardmore and the other in Cherry Grove from 2 to 4 p.m.
The third session will be held Nov. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. in La Corey, while the fourth and final meeting will be held on Nov. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Glendon.
