HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-02-09 Council MinutesAGENDA FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COMBINED MEETING FRIDAY,
FEBURARY 9TH, 1990
1 Call to Order
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2 Welcome by Reeve Hoff
3. Introduction of Members of Parliament and Members of
Legislative Assembly
Gary Severtson M.L.A. Innisfail Constituency sends his
regrets
4 Possible Items for Discussion
FCSS - Community Resource counsellor Program
Drumheller Health Unit - Homemaker Program
Proposed New Ambulance Act & Concern about costs
due to need of having EMT or Pari - Medics on staff
Is there an on -going trend on the part of the Province to
transfer more and more responsibility to Local Governments?
Example - Will Local Governments be responsible for '
Building Inspections in future
Concerns about GST
5. Date for Next Meeting
6 Adjournment !
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COMBINED MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH 1990
A meeting of the Local Government Officials was held in the M D
of Kneehill Office, Three Hills Alberta on Friday February
9th , 1990
The following were present for the meeting
Arnold Malone, M.P.
Louise Feltham, M P (after 2 00 P M)
Mrs Connie Osterman, M L A
Stan Schumacher, M L.A.
M D of Kneehill
Reeve Otto Hoff, Councillors Code, Boake, Marz, Mueller, Vickery
and Hogg
J C Jeffery, Administrator
Mrs Jean Wilkinson, Assistant Administrator
City of Drumheller
Mayor Jim Fisher
Ray Romenetz Administrator
Town of Three Hills
Councillor Brenda Dormer
Brian Torpy, Administrator
Town of Trochu
Mayor Al Gehring,
Councillor Peter Verhesen
Village of Linden
Mayor Joyce McDonald
Councillors Moon and Dyck
Ross Dean, Administrator
Vi l l age of Acme
Councillor Ed Heck
Village of Carbon
Councillors Fox and Ohlhauser
Three Hills School Division
Chairperson Maureen Kubenic
Trustee Price
Trustee Bigelow (after 3 00 P M )
Drumheller Hospital
Jim Ramsbottom, Administrator
Trochu Hospital
Peter Verhesen, Administrator `
Elnora Hospital
Pat Matthews, Administrator
Three Hills Hospital
Board Member Pauls
Brian L Sather, Administrator
Drumheller Health Unit
Bonnie McMillan, Administrator
Reeve Hoff called the meeting to order and welcomed Mr. Malone,
Member of Parliament and Mrs. Osterman and Mr Schumacher,
Members of Legislature to the meeting
There was discussion about the FCSS Community Resource worker
program being operated by the M D of Kneehill and the six towns
and villages
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COMBINED MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH, 1990
Comments made by Acme, Linden Trochu, Three Hills and the Three
HIlls School Division indicated the program is helpful to the
poll people and students of the area
There was discussion about how the success of the program could
be better evaluated as there are some concerns being expressed
and councillors must be in a position to account to their
ratepayers for the money being expended to operate the program
Due to the confidentially of the work done by the resource
workers the only evaluation is coming from feedback from the
school teachers
Mrs Kubenic indicated the school division is very happy because
having the workers available has taken a heavy burden off the
teachers who are not trained to counsel students or parents with
family problems
It appears the program is aiming at a preventative type program
rather than crisis counselling
Mrs McMillan suggested the Steering Committee might contact
Mental Health for assistance in drafting an evaluation
questionnaire
There was discussion about whether the counsellors, because of
the confidential nature of their work and not being able to
discuss a student's problem with the parents, unless the student
would allow it, might be undermining the standards and rules set
by the parents
The following points were noted
a self evaluation of the program is not a true picture.
as more people are getting involved in the program parents as
well as children will make use of the counsellors
children must have some professional person to go to to discuss
their problems if they cannot discuss them with their parents.
would hope the counsellors would work with the parents as well as
with the children
must ensure the counsellors hired for the program are very
competent
Steering committee should develop a policy statement for the
counsellors to work from
having only three counsellors to cover the entire area is not
sufficient
resource workers are working in the community as well as the
schools and are able to direct people to other help which is
available if they are unable to assist with the problem
must do an annual review of the program to ensure the counsellors
are meeting the needs of the community
resource worker in Trochu previously had an office in the Trochu
School but is now also working out of the Town Office and it
appears more adults are making use of her services
Mrs Louise Feltham M P entered the meeting at this time and was
welcomed by Reeve Hoff.
The Homemaker Program operated by the Drumheller Health Unit was
discussed in some detail
Mrs McMillan noted
the demand for the service exceeds the supply
did receive more funding from the Province but had to cut back
the program again because it was in a deficit position
Usually have a case load of about 381 people was up to 430
before but now try to stay at 380 to 400
a person likely has to be over 75 years of age or severely
disabled in order to get assistance under the program
high ratio of people over 75 in this area and as well a fairly
high number of people over 65 and less young people so it would
appear the young people are leaving the area
have people doing light housekeeping on a weekly basis but no
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COMBINED MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH 1990
heavy housecleaning
cut out meals on wheels some time ago
There was discussion with Mrs Osterman with regard to the
funding for the Homemaker program
There was discussion regarding the Proposed Ambulance Act and the
requirement if the act is passed to provide a Basic Life Support
Service which means a service must at least have E M T -A on
staff
It was noted there have been a number of amendments proposed to
the act
Mr Schumacher indicated the recommendations to the Province by
his committee was that every Albertan should have access to an
ambulance service with EMT -A technicans
Mr Ramsbottom noted the act does not address transfer of out
patients, costs of in- patient transfer as it affects hospital
budgets, and it does not address STARS which is very very
expensive, and he wondered if the Province and the people can
afford to pay for provision of this kind of a service
There was discussion about the costs which will be incurred by
services which are staffed by volunteers and the problems which
will be incurred by the Town of Three Hills and the Kneehill
Ambulance Service because of this requirement
There was discussion with Mrs Osterman and Mr Schumacher with
regard to apparent trend of the Province to transfer more and
more responsibility for various types of services to the local
governments and whether this trend will continue
There was also discussion about the need for the Province to cut
down the paper flow i.e. the massive number of glossy booklets
brochures (which are very expensive) and letters which come from
the Province and in many cases do not even get read
There was also discussion about the cost of setting up Family Day
as another statutory holiday
It was suggested local governments or groups are likely
able to undertake necessary studies in order to get Provincial
funding at the local level at a much less cost than that spent by
the Province to undertake the study, and the study in most cases
would be more relevant to the issue
There was concern expressed that regulations such as building
inspections, gas inspections, plumbing, etc as well as bridge
inspections should not be handled at a local level as there might
be inconsistency in application of the rules
It would be hard for someone living in the community to shut down
a business or stop construction of a home, etc
Feel this should be handled at the provincial level.
There was discussion about the GST and the concerns about levying
such a tax.
Mr. Ramsbottom noted everyone appears to
to date have not seen any of our Alberta
up in the House of Commons and saying Al
tax
Mr Malone spoke at length about GST and
Sale Tax is wrong, is a very complicated
changed
be against the tax, but
representatives standing
berta is against this
noted the Manufactures
system and must be
GST has two principles
1 to remove a tax which is a cost of doing business
2. adds element of choice as to how and when you pay the new
tax
Lark Bigelow entered the meeting at this time
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COMBINED MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH. 1990
Mr Malone noted the Federal Government gets about $18 Billion
presently from the sale tax and these dollars must be replaced by
some other form of tax
Mrs Louise Feltham gave a slide presentation on the G S T,
government spending the existing federal government debt and how
same is being reduced by the Government
It was suggested
The Federal Government should provide leadership to the people by
showing more restraint (i e by the Members of Parliament and
their staff)
If the tax is implemented the Government must ensure Health Units
are exempt from the tax as well as schools
Despite getting rebates of some of the tax it will cause
increased paper flow, reduce cash flow and many many problems for
people, businesses and government agencies etc and people cannot
handle this tax.
concern there is no cap on the amount of the tax, it could go up
every year
tax on goods may be all right but the tax on service is not good
and appears to be a form of double taxation
if the tax is implemented the Federal Government must ensure
funds for education are not diminshed and money is not used to
pay for the administration work - schools must be exempt from the
tax if it is implemented.
concern about reduced cash flow for everyone
should look at how the tax would affect everyone - all groups -
not just a business
the administration work required to keep track of the GST
may result in some administrations having to purchase more
computers and hire more staff
tax could create major problems for small businesses and people
Mrs Kubenic expressed to the Province on behalf of the Three
HIlls School Division their concerns about the distance learning
project and line costs which are being incurred
Also expressed concern that they are unable to do any long range
capital planning as each year they do not know what their funding
from the Province will be
It was noted this is a good meeting and very helpful
A vote of thanks was exstended to the Members of Parliament and
the Members of the Legislative Assembly
Mrs Osterman noted the Province has designated the Big Horn
Sheep as the Provincial Animal and presented those present with a
pin
Date for Next Year's Meeting
The meeting then adjourned.
- Friday, February 8th 1991
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Mrs. Jean Wilkinson, Assistant Administrator
Time 4 30 P.M
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