Rural Mental Health Advocacy– Council will bring a Rural Mental Health Advocacy Resolution to the next regional Pembina Zone 3 meeting. The resolution outlines the need to advocate to all levels of government the importance of bringing more mental health professionals to rural areas, student loan forgiveness opportunities for rural practitioners, and a regulated governing body for counselling therapists.
Thank You to Health Care Workers – Council approved a letter of thanks to Yellowhead Region Health Care Workers in appreciation of their hard work, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter will be distributed to local health care workers through the Community Care Foundation of Edson & District.
Community Care Foundation – In May, Council was invited to appoint a delegate to the Community Care Foundation of Edson & District’s Board. The Community Care Foundation has been a registered charity in the Edson area since 1996, raising funds for healthcare. Council voted to accept the invitation as information but will not appoint a council member to sit on the board.
Ag Services Business Plan – Council approved the proposed Agricultural Service Strategic Business Plan for 2022-2027. The plan details ten strategies to accomplish goals such as weed control, pest control, the promotion of soil and water conservation, the increase of agricultural issue awareness, and the enhancement of the well-being of the agricultural community.
Structure Plans Amendments – Council passed the Branch Corner Area Structure Plan Amendment and the Edson East Area Structure Plan Amendment. Both amendments required updates to align them with the County’s Land Use Bylaw. A Public Hearing was held for each amendment – no public input was received.
Lease Request – Council received a request from a resident to lease portions of County-owned land (NE-5-53-19-W5) for grazing cattle. Council declined the request as this property is designated a protection district in the Land Use Bylaw.
Dust Control Policy – Council approved the revised Dust Control Policy 3200.02 to align with dust control practices already in place. The revisions include the Elk River and Wolf Lake roads, specifically areas where poor road alignments are considered hazardous due to dusty conditions, major intersections, and approximately every 5 km.
Speed Limits – Council gave first reading to Bylaw 14.22 to amend Bylaw 18.21 (Authorize Speed Limits on Certain Highways). The proposed amendment will change the maximum speed for vehicles in a multi-lot subdivision to 50 km/hr instead of 60 km/hr.
Grave Flats Bridge Replacement – A Bailey Bridge will be installed in the interim to replace an older bridge on the Grave Flats Road following an engineering report that recommended that the bridge be closed until the bridge was repaired or removed. The Bailey Bridge will allow recreational traffic to safely cross the Cardinal River tributary at this location.
Assessment Review Board (ARB) – The County’s Assessment Review Board (ARB) will be replaced by an external organization that specializes in assessment appeals. The Capital Region Assessment Services Commission (CRASC) provides trained panelists to facilitate hearings when a complaint is filed. Yellowhead County will join the organization for a three-year period, ending in 2024.
Tourism Corridor Options – Yellowhead County has hired a consulting company to help identify areas for potential tourism development opportunities west of Hinton in Yellowhead County. The areas are based on existing plans, known as the West Yellowhead Corridor, that were created in conjunction with the province that could facilitate tourism and recreation development in the future.
The next scheduled regular Council meeting is July 26, 2022 at 9:30 AM.
The next scheduled Governance & Priorities meeting is July 19, 2022.