ADDRESSED TO:

PM42514018

February 5,

12, 19, 26

Manning Adult Learning INTERNET CAFÉ: Open every Friday from 10:00am-4:00pm for E-mail help, Typing skills, Internet search, Social media, EI help, Job search,

Resume writing and basic computer skills. For further information call 780.836.2664

February 6 PAPER GROWS ON TREES: Reduce, recycle, repurpose your paper into a homemade paper Valentine Card with artist Rhonda Warren at the Peace River

Museum 12:30pm-2:30pm. $10 fee. Please Pre-register by calling: 780.624.4261

February 7,

14, 21, 28

Hotchkiss Community Club Whist Drive. Beat the winter blues, every Sunday at the Hotchkiss Hall, doors open at 7:00 pm. games begin at 7:30 pm.

February 09 County of Northern Lights Council Meeting begins at 8:45 am.

February 10 Wolverines of the Boreal Forest: Presentation at 7:00pm at the Peace River Muse-um. See: www.peaceriver.ca/museum or call 780.624.4261 for more information.

February 12 FREE SWIM at the Peace Regional Pool, 7207 98St. Peace River. From 6:30pm-8:30pm. For pool information call: 780.624.3720, Sponsored by DMI

February 13 Fancy Nancy Tea Party at the Dixonville Community Library from 2:00pm-4:00pm. To contact the Library call 780.971.2593 or email: librarian@dixonvillelibrary.ab.ca

February 15 FAMILY DAY The County Office is closed.

February 22 FREE SWIM at the Peace Regional Pool, 7207 98St. Peace River. From 6:30pm-8:30pm. For pool information call; 780.624.3720

Sponsored by AUPE (food bank donations appreciated)

February 23 County of Northern Lights Council Meeting begins at 9:00 am.

February 27 Finding Our Voices-A Self-Esteem Workshop from 10:00am-1:00pm at the Peace River Municipal Library on Saturday,

February 27th. For further information or to register call 780.625.1459

February 29 Happy Birthday to all you Leap Year Babies! Have an AWESOME day!

March 4, 5, &

6

Alberta Pond Hockey Championships at Lac Cardinal on March 4, 5, & 6, 2016. Visit: www.albertapondhockey.com

March 9 Working Well Workshop at 5:30pm: Hosted by the Grimshaw Gravels Aquifer Management Advisory Association. Pre-registration is required. No fee. Supper included. Please call Barb at the MD of Peace at 780.338.3845

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**COMMUNITY NEWS ** COMMUNITY NEWS **

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Check your left over seeds, throw out ones that are too old, and make a list of what you need before ordering.

Order seeds and plants early to avoid substitution and to be able to start longer season items indoors.

Draw your garden plan and keep your bird feeders well stocked… Have no fear, Spring is near! Gardening Tips

In This Issue Council Highlights

February Council Meetings

Planning & Development

Manning Regional

Airport

County in Bloom

Water/Wastewater & Truckfill Services Bylaw

Public Works

Working Well Workshop

Community Events

COUNTY OF NORTHERN LIGHTS NEWSLETTER February 2016

FEBRUARY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 begins at 8:45 a.m.

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 begins at 9:00 a.m.

Information for Residents, Businesses and Visitors, can be found on our website:

www.countyofnorthernlights.com

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

BYLAWS & POLICIES

Council gave first reading to Bylaw #15-61-352, a bylaw to regulate and define the use of solar collectors within the County.

Council gave third and final reading to the Line of Credit Bylaw #16-15-353, a bylaw for the purpose of establishing a line of credit for general operating expenditures. This type of bylaw is renewed annually to ensure cash flow throughout the year.

Council gave third and final reading to an updated Water/Wastewater & Truckfill Services Bylaw #16-40-354. Article on page 3.

Council adopted Schedule A-Schedule of Fees, which was updated to include the over-consumption charges for metered water at the truckfill stations.

DECISIONS

Council moved to grant $750 to assist the Peace Regional RCMP Community Advisory Committee in purchasing two SafePace Radar Signs for the Region.

Council moved to donate a County ceramic knife set for a silent auction item at a MS Society fundraiser held at the Peace River Curling Club.

Council moved to send representation to the Peace River PHC Enhancement Mental Health & Addictions Focus Group session in Peace River.

Council moved to enter into an agreement with Daishowa-

Marubeni International Ltd., that would see the County pay for 50% of the modifications needed for bridge file #BF75471, which is located in the Keg River area.

County Council received a letter from the Town of Manning Mayor, Sunni-Jeanne Walker, regarding the fact that the Town Council unanimously passed a motion to initiate negotiations for amalgamation proceedings with the County of Northern Lights. On Tuesday, January 26th, the County Council moved to assign Reeve Cheryl Anderson and Deputy Terry Ungarian with Councillor Brenda Yasinski as alternate to a joint committee to do the necessary research and documentation preparation for a submission to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. The Town of Manning anticipates that they will submit a grant application for the Alberta Community Partnership Grant program to pay for consultant fees and public forum opportunities.

Council moved to assign Reeve Anderson to participate in sessions concerning the Enhancement of Primary Health Care for seniors in the Peace River area.

DELEGATIONS

Sergeant Dave Marentette of the Manning RCMP consulted with Council on 2016 policing priorities. Council determined that police community relations is a high priority and includes the delivery of the DARE program. Other priorities included property crime, traffic control during construction and drug enforcement.

Pictured below, Manning Fire Chief Larry Brolly, visits Council with the water tank that will be a water source for fires within the County.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

The County’s Land Use planning efforts are divided into long range comprehensive plan-ning projects and short term current planning activities.

Comprehensive planning activities include statutory & non-statutory planning projects that develop over longer time frames which result in policies that help guide Councils’ decision making and day to day planning activities.

Short term planning activities include resident inquiry responses and review of development permit applications and subdivision applications.

ACTIVITY BREAKDOWN FOR 2015

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING

Subdivision Endorsement Review Project: Completed in April, 2015

Proposed Agricultural Operation Practises Act Administrative Procedures Regulation: Completed June, 2015

Amending the Land Use Bylaw to include Solar Panels: Completion date set for 2016.

CURRENT PLANNING

2 Inter-municipal Development Reviews

21 Subdivisions

8 Rezoning's

46 Development Permit Applications

44 inquiries related to Land Use Bylaws, Subdivision and Development Permits.

Planning and Development inquiries can be directed to Gloria Dechant, Development Officer. Call the County Office at 780.836.3348 or 1.888.525.3481 or email: dechantg@countyofnorthernlights.com

AIRPORT

NEWS

The Manning Municipal

Airport continues to be a

viable and valuable

resource for providing

medical, forestry,

business and pleasure

craft landings and

departures here in the

north.

The 2015 landings and

departures are graphed

here as a review of the

year’s activities.

The airport is open 365

days a year, has a 5580’

X 100’ asphalt runway

and a newly renovated

lighting system.

Have no fear, Spring is near! ● Keep an eye out for upcoming County in Bloom workshops ●

● ‘TURNING your SPOILS into SOIL’ ●

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At the January 12th Council meeting, the County of Northern Lights Council adopted changes to the Water, Wastewater & Truckfill Services Bylaw #16-40-354.

The purpose of the bylaw change is to bring in a variable rate cost of water to the truckfills, so that the truckfills have the same rate as the other direct users of the water system.

The new rate system for truckfills is $3.73 per cubic meter of water for the first 20 cubic meters per month; after the first 20 cubic meters, the cost of water is $7.47 per cubic meter.

To address the concern of potable water haulers who deliver water to residential customers within the County, the new bylaw change, will allow licensed potable water haulers to apply for a rebate on the over 20

cubic meter rate for water. This will allow the potable haulers to maintain their existing water rates to their residential customers.

The rate changes for water after the first 20 cubic meters per month for truckfill users takes effect Monday, February 1st, 2016.

(20 cubic meters = 4400 Imperial gallons or 5283 US gallons)

UTILITY CUSTOMERS

Automatic Bank Withdrawal

Convenient

Reliable

Cost Effective

Applications to enroll for

automatic bank withdrawal for

utility customers can be found on

the County website: www.countyofnorthernlights.com

If you are interested, require

further information or assistance,

need an application mailed or

faxed, please call the County

Office at 780.836.3348 or

1.888.525.3481 and ask for

Vicki.

WATER, WASTEWATER & TRUCKFILL SERVICES

BYLAW #16-40-354 WORKING WELL

WORKSHOP

The Grimshaw Gravel Aquifer Advisory Association is hosting a free Working Well Workshop on Wednesday, March 9th at 5:30pm at the Legion Hall in Grimshaw .

Working Well is a collaborative effort, led by Alberta Environment and Parks with the support of: Alberta Agriculture & Forestry, Alberta Health, Alberta Water Well Drilling Association, and Environmental Public Health.

Working Well’s vision is to educate citizens to ensure safe and secure groundwater supplies for water well users in Alberta.

Their Objectives are:

Awareness - To help water well owners recognize that management of private wells is their responsibility, and to understand the potential impacts of human activities on groundwater.

Knowledge - To help well own-ers gain a basic understanding of groundwater science, how a water well works, and how a well should be managed.

Practice Change - To help well owners acquire the knowledge and skills to adopt recommended water well management practices.

The workshop is free, but citizens that wish to attend must pre-register by calling the MD of Peace at 780.338.3845.

PUBLIC WORKS

Public works crews are grading and snow-plowing in areas as needed. Regular road and equipment maintenance continues as usual. Workers are also burning brush piles, doing some hand brushing, signage and building a storage shed by the Dixonville Shop.

Please continue to slow down and use caution around equipment, workers and construction sites.

Snowplow flags can be purchased at the County Office, Peace River & Grimshaw UFA’s , Dixonville General Store and the Keg River Landfill.

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