Fourth Avenue and Main Street!

We're finally seeing some action on our streets and sidewalks program.  Here's what's happening;

Fourth Avenue:  

While repairing a water main break last winter, we found some very old water pipes under Fourth Avenue between Main Street and Fifth Street.  They even found a connection to the CN Station which was demolished nearly forty years ago! 

Council decided to have the road completely dug up, all the old pipes replaced with new material, new fill placed and packed, then paved.  That project is very close to being completed once the paving crews arrive to pave that section. 

When the paving crews are here, they will also pave the areas left by crews repairing other water main breaks around town.

Main Street Sidewalks: 

Our sidewalk replacement program has been ongoing all summer and we have many blocks of shiny new sidewalks to show for it.  We were holding off on the Main Street section of sidewalks in hopes that the provincial government would renew their grant program which paid for the upgrades to Main Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Such was not the case.  The MSI Grants (Municipal Sustainability Initiatives) continue to be reduced, every year.  We decided that we couldn't wait any longer! 

The worst sections of the Main Street sidewalks are being replaced right now.  Other renovations, including the replacement of the rest of the sidewalks between Second Avenue and Third Avenue on Main Street will have to wait, until Beiseker has enough funds to pay for them!

Overall, I would like to thank all of you for your patience and understanding during these two construction projects.  And I would also like to thank all the drivers for avoiding those areas now prepared to be patch-paved.  Those areas should be paved along with Fourth Avenue in the coming days.

Sidewalk Work in Beiseker

Most Beisekerites have noticed that our sidewalk replacement program is underway.

This phase of the project is replacement only.  There will be no new sidewalks constructed during this phase, just older ones replaced.

Our soil conditions and the amount of salts in our well water severely shortened the life of sidewalks within the village.  With Beiseker now using river water, and better concrete mixes, it is hoped that the newly constructed sidewalks will last considerably longer.

Some of you have asked when the new construction phase will start.  Village council is working on a strategic plan which will assign a priority to all new sidewalk construction.  First we need to get accurate estimates on the cost of the new construction.  This quite possibly could mean the new sidewalk construction phase may not start until 2016.

Thank you for you patience while these old sidewalks are dug up and removed and forms are set for the new sidewalks.  We're hoping to have this phase of sidewalk replacement finished in a few weeks, weather permitting.

Excellent Turnout at our Spring Town Hall Meeting!

I was very impressed with the number of citizens who came out to our Spring Town Hall Meeting!  It was good to see!  After a short regular meeting of Council we opened the floor for questions from those assembled.  Topics addressed included streets, frost boils, the Bassano Station, storm water drainage, taxes, illegally parked vehicles, cluttered laneways, sidewalk construction, and house numbers.  I think we on council answered the questions fairly and accurately. 

One ratepayer had a question about mill-rates, assessments,  and taxes.  I realized that he might not be alone in his misunderstanding of that relationship.  We will try to clarify that issue before our tax notices come out, later this spring.

I was impressed by the numbers of citizens who came to Beiseker's defense when one citizen told us that our village was a terrible place to live.  Us five councilors and our village staff members  were moved by those positive comments that followed, and the applause they generated.  I think now we'll work harder to make our village an even better place to live.

I'm looking into some of the other inquiries made last night, and I will try to provide answers to you here, on Facebook, or in the Mainline Express newsletter.

Thank you all for coming!

Great Town Hall Meeting

We held our usual fall Town Hall Meeting at the Beiseker Community Centre.  It gives a chance for ratepayers to sit through an abbreviated council meeting then participate in a question and answer session with members of Village Council.

The main topics:

• The Bassano Station issue was the first up.  Although village council has very little control over the Centennial Railway Museum's project, residents were most concerned the building would soon become abandoned.   With part of the roof missing and it not being closed in around the foundation,  residents were wondering of its future.  We on council could give them few answers.
• One resident was concerned that issues brought to the attention of council were not being followed up.   Was the village office writing a note to the person who brought the issue to council's attention, outlining actions taken?  We were able to indicate that, in most cases, the follow-up was done by either phone call or letter.
• We were asked why we lengthened the time residents have to clear their sidewalks of snow from 48 hours to 72 hours.  We explained that it gives the residents a bit longer to remove the snow in case they can't get on the shovel right away.
• Another resident was wondering if there was a bylaw preventing parked vehicles from blocking laneways.  We indicated to them that this was a part of the province's Traffic Safety Act.  I've taken a  couple of quick tours around the area mentioned, but found no vehicles blocking laneways.  Vehicles can be parked between the garage and the lane if there is room.  The laneways should remain clear at all times.
• Residents wondered why we weren't collecting tie-down fees at the Beiseker Airport.  I was able to tell them it was a clerical error, which would be corrected in the next few days.
• Also discussed during or right after the meeting were the removal of some of the village's aging poplar trees, water drainage flows, potholes, and recycling fees.

Overall, I was pleased with the meeting.  I like to have residents attend our regular council meetings, but I know that for many that just isn't possible.  Town Hall Meetings make it a little easier. I think it is important that all village residents to stay in touch with their village council throughout the year. 

Slippery, Icy Sidewalks!

I'm getting numerous calls from Beiseker residents concerned about the letters they are receiving, regarding removal of ice from their sidewalks.  The Village is threatening them with a $250 fine if they ignore the ice and snow buildup on their front sidewalk.

I once again assure you that we just want compliance.  If you get a letter, please phone our Municipal Enforcement Officer Donna (her number is on the letter) and explain the situation to her.  As long as people are trying to deal with the ice with some chipping, sand, kitty litter, or ice-melt, fines will not be issued - but you must talk it over with Donna.

Also remember that sand is available free of charge at the Public Works compound, over by the Recycle Bins.

Let It Snow!

Snow has been the subject of more debates and arguments this year than ever before!  Who shovels it?  Where do we put it? When do we shovel it? Where do we shovel it?

On and on it goes!  I've already gone over the Village's policy of snow removal on here, a few weeks ago. 

First off, though, I thought the Public Works Department did an absolutely stellar job removing that dump of snow from Main Street, last weekend.  They started around 5 a.m. Sunday morning and had Main Street looking pretty ship shape by Monday afternoon!  Well done group!

This week, we're discussing the removal of snow from the sidewalk in front of homes.  Our newly updated bylaw gives residents 72 hours to clear the snow from their walks along in front of their homes.  After that period of time, the Village can remove the snow and charge the homeowner $1.00 per foot (30 cm.) of sidewalk!   Last Monday night, we discussed levying a fine along with the removal charge. 

Now, most Beisekerites are really good at removing the snow from the public sidewalk, but there are a few properties where the snow sits on the sidewalk all winter and waits for the spring thaw.   We have a fairly large population of seniors here in the village, and I think it's unfair to make them walk through knee deep snow or over slippery ice, just to get down the the block!

Village council is addressing the issue of ice covered intersections and road crossings, but we still have a few property owners who leave the snow piling up.

I'm asking for everyone's help here.  If you have noticed a sidewalk that has yet to be cleared this fall please phone the village office with the address (403 947 3774). Let's get some of these chronic problems cleared up, before we get too much more snow!

UPDATE:  One of the worst offenders in town is the Telus building at the corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue.  I am determined to solve that one before Spring is sprung! Any ideas?

Keeping Beiseker Moving

In my opinion, Beiseker has more unfinished streets than any other municipality in our area.  By unfinished, I mean unpaved.  We've had so many other issues to deal with, lately, that our streets have taken a backseat. I believe the time is come to start improving our streets in this village.

There are three areas of concern that I can see;

1. Seventh Street remains unpaved, many years after the petition was presented to stop that project.
2. Part of every Avenue (except First Avenue and Fifth Avenue) are unpaved.
3. Beacon Heights Road south from the entrance to Beacon Heights to the junction with First Avenue is full of potholes, washboard, and generates a huge amount of dust every summer despite the very best effort of our Public Works department.

If re-elected, I will encourage Council to revisit those three projects. I will press Council to ask our engineers to gather us some up-to-date figures on the cost of paving each of these streets.

With those figures in hand, we will be able to create a priority list for the improvements.

Our sidewalk rehabilitation program is almost complete, with very few sections left to replace.  I would like to see a portion of our streets improvement program (which is funded by the provincial government) set aside for paving.

I will also propose council meet with the residents along Seventh Street to discuss their street, and the cost of that project.  Nothing should be done to improve that street until the majority of folks who live there agree.

Sidewalk Replacement

Older sidewalks in Beiseker have a problem.  The cement is deteriorating faster than in other areas of Alberta, possibly due to soil conditions here. There are many sidewalks in the village that have disintegrated completely.

Village Council has been working on a program to replace dilapidated sidewalks throughout the village, but this has become very expensive!

Every year, Council budgets for the replacement of sidewalks. We are gradually catching up on the deterioration but it's taking a long time. Council has traditionally shied away from declaring sidewalk replacement as a local improvement, therefore charging frontage tax on the new concrete. That means that those folks who get a new sidewalk in front of the residence do not have to pay a frontage tax. But that also means that the cost of that sidewalk must be taken from General Revenue.

Every year, Council goes over list created by the Public Works Foreman and decides which sidewalks will be replaced during the current construction season.  This is a very difficult descision to make.

If you have a sidewalk in front of your home which is badly cracked and/or heaving, as I do, my advice to you is to have patience. It will eventually be replaced through the Sidewalk Replacement Program.

The other option. is to circulate a petition amongst your neighbors asking for the sidewalk. on your street to be replaced. When the petition is presented to Council with the appropriate number of bona fide signatures, council must (by law) consider the request.

Very Short Town Hall Meeting!

Lasting less than an hour, I think that was the shortest Town Hall meeting I've ever attended! 

We only had about a dozen folks attend our second annual Town Hall meeting at the Community Centre. The crowd was small, but the questions were good! We had questions about the repairs on Main Street, water rates, storm water drainage, and sidewalk replacement.  I think we were able to answer all the questions well.

Over the next few days, I will try and address each area of concern here on my blog.

And I want to thank those people who gave up part of their Monday evening to join as at the town hall meeting. I very much appreciate your participation!

Village Updates: Sewer Lines and Snow

Sewer lines and snow removal were just two of the topics we talked about at last Monday's Council Meeting.  It was that morning that Premier Redford enacted the writ and called an election for April 23.  Mayor Rowe was obliged to ask for a leave of absence while he campaigns for that election.  I am now Acting Mayor until April 23. 

• Sewage:  Good news, our Public Works foreman reported that the revised pumping system at the sewage lift station (behind the seed cleaning plant) was installed and is working perfectly!  We also learned that the village has received a grant to twin the sewage force main from the lift station to our lagoon system on the east side of Highway 9.  Both of those things will help prevent sewage back-ups at the lift station during high water flow events.
• Snow Removal: Council also passed a bylaw that will permit the village to shovel off snow covered walks if the resident of the adjoining property hasn't done so within 48 hours of the end of the snowfall.  The cost of the snow clearing would then be assigned to the property owner.  It was passed unanimously.
• Water Truck Repairs:  Public Works repaired and cleaned up the old truck they use to water the trees and flowers throughout the village each summer.  The old truck looks much improved.
• Sidewalk Replacement:  Council started discussions with Public Works on which sidewalks in the village need replacement.  If you have any ideas on this subject please contact me through this blog or phone the Village Office at 403-947-3774.  Remember we only have a small budget to work with and we would like to avoid a local improvement!
• Census Shock:  We were very surprised to find out that the Federal Government has declared that the Village of Beiseker has actually lost citizens since the last census in 2006, dropping from 804 to 785.  This will cost the Village when we apply for "per-capita grants"!  But it will also save us money when we have to pay for a service based on our population.
• Water Meter Installation:  The installation program for our new water meters is winding down.  These new meters should help us account for most of the water we buy from Aqua 7.  Something I found most shocking was that some of the old meters had been bypassed by the property owners!  That means that property would have been only paying the minimum amount for their water!  In my mind that's theft!  I don't know who the culprits were and I don't want to know, but the new meters are tamper proof!
• Budget Talks:  The water loss problem will the biggest hurdle for council while they prepare the 2012 budget.  Tens of thousands of dollars worth of water was not accounted for.  The Village bought the water but did not sell it!  Paying for that lost water is going to impact our 2012 budget.  Stay tuned.

Are Local Improvements the Answer?

I have received responses to my post yesterday on paving streets in the village.  Other problems have been mentioned such as sidewalks and existing paved streets in need of big-time repair or replacement.

Other municipalities have addressed these kind of issues by declaring them a "Local Improvement".  That means that part of the cost of the major repair or replacement of the street or sidewalk can be assigned to the property taxes of those residences fronting onto the sidewalk or street being repaired or replaced.  It is called a frontage tax.  Taxpayers pay a couple of dollars per foot of frontage per year for a period of years or they are given the option of paying it off outright.

This is quite common in a city's or town's older residential areas where the streets and sidewalks have seriously deteriorated.  The cost of streets and sidewalks in new areas are paid for by the developer and added on to the price of the new homes there.

Taxpayers along the street being repaired or replaced have the right to cancel the project by petitioning the municipal council.  This is what happened along Seventh Street a few years ago.

Local Improvements are a way to go to get some of these projects done sooner than the village could otherwise.  The village has to wait for street improvement grants to be issued by the province before such work can proceed.  At our present rate, all existing street and sidewalk issues would be completed well into the 2030s!  And that's not counting any new issues which might pop up!

Let me know what you think.

Chinook Crescent

We have curb along Chinook Crescent!  Looks good too!  This project is not going as fast as we at Council had figured!  I think because it's such a "small" project that we may get shunted down the priority list.  Council has asked the contractors to make sure the folks along there have a sidewalk to walk on this winter even if it means putting down a temporary asphalt one until spring.  We've had many good weather days lately but the street was deserted of any workers.  Let's hope they can get more of the project done before the snow flies!

Again, thank you to Bill and his Public Works team for working with the engineers and keeping Council informed on the project.  And a huge thank you to all those residents along Chinook Crescent who have had to live with this disruption on their street.