CLEARWATER COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MEETING MINUTES 

NOVEMBER 12, 2015 

LESLIEVILLE ELKS HALL

1.0 Welcome 

1. At 7:05 p.m. President Marianne Cole welcomed all those in attendance. Attendees introduced themselves and stated where they were from. 

2.0 Guest Speaker 

2. Marianne Cole welcomed our guest speaker, Don Bester, president of Alberta Surface Rights Group. Don spoke about the concern over orphan wells and who is liable to clean up well sites. There have been 18 oil companies that have gone into bankruptcy since January 2015. Landowners have been told that they would be made whole when letting oil companies on their land. Landowners are no longer protected through sec. 36. Banks may want an environmental assessment before selling your land. There was a concern raised regarding clubroot infection in the county with soil being moved into the county. Residents in the county have had land infected through oil activity through rigmats.

3.0 Approval of Agenda 

3. Marion Schafer moved to approve the agenda. Lawrence Stewart seconded. Carried.

4.0 Approval of minutes of last annual meeting. 

4. Jack Leslie moved to approve the minutes as recorded. Laverne Ahlstrom seconded. Carried. 

5.0 Financial Report. 

5. Sharon Rubeling read the financial report. Dan Warkentin moved to approve the financial report as presented. Ken Qually seconded. Carried.

6.0 Business arising from the minutes. 

6.1 September letter to county and succeeding events. Marianne Cole had written a letter to council on September 15, 2015 expressing several concerns, including the CAO salary. This letter was discussed at the council meeting on October 13, 2015. Marianne had written another letter disputing the response to our concerns in the agenda for the meeting on October 12, 2015. Marianne attended the meeting on October 13, 2015 and attempted to have a discussion with Pat Alexander and Rudy Huisman. There has been no response to the letter of October 12, 2015. 

6.2 Business Cards. The new business cards are now available and can be distributed. 

6.3 Phone call to reeve of Brazeau County. Marianne Cole called and he is unable to commit to come and speak at a meeting. 

6.4 Letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs re: linear tax pooling. Marianne Cole wrote a letter to the Minister on November 4, 2015. 

6.5 Phone call re: speaker from Municipal Affairs. Municipal Affairs will not send a speaker out to speak to our members at a meeting. 

6.6 Farmers Ticket – overweight ticket. No further action will be taken at this time. 

6.7 Di-Corp issue. Marianne Cole e-mailed a letter to Di-Corp. cc: Rick Emmons and Alberta Transportation concerning no signage on highway 598 and on the Di-Corp site.

7.0 New Business 

7.1 Election of Officers. 

President – Laverne Ahlstrom nominated Marianne Cole for president. Ken Qually moved that nominations cease. Al Gaetz seconded. Carried. 

Vice President – Jack Leslie nominated Helge Nome. Ken Qually moved that nominations cease. Dennis Ross seconded. Carried. 

Secretary – Coral Ahlstrom nominated Susan Durand. Dan Warkentin moved that nominations cease. Marion Shafer seconded. Carried. 

Treasurer – Ken Qually nominated Sharon Rubeling. Sharon Rubeling nominated Dan Warkentin- he declined. Ken Qually moved nominations cease. Al Gaetz seconded. Carried. 

Directors – Ken Qually, Jack Leslie, Trish Bingham, Dan Warkentin and Jim Foesier will let their names stand as directors. Laverne Ahlstrom moved that we accept those named. Helge Nome seconded. Carried. 

7.2 Report on council – Helge Nome. Council is introducing an interim budget. The budgeting process should be an open process with the public. 18 million has not yet been committed to the office project. There is a concern that motions made after an in-camera session are being made after public and reporters have left the meeting. 

7.3 Upcoming meetings. 

November 17th West Central Stakeholders meeting about water use at Lou Soppit Centre @ 6:00. 

November 18th Open house at Hardendale hall 6-8 concerning the development of a gravel pit. 

November 24 or 25th Associated Aggregates open house at Dovercourt Hall 4-7 concerning a gravel pit.

8.0 Next Meeting. The next meeting will be January 14, 2016 at the Leslieville Elks Hall.

9.0 Adjournment. Dan Warkentin moved the meeting be adjourned at 9:40p.m.