County doesn't support new landfill funding

to all of my to all of my Christmas Card Artwork Contest Winners

WillowWillow Cash

Joshua

Ella

Shelby Coy

Shelby Emmy

Thank you to all participating students of Tofield School, CW Sears School and Jack Stuart School, for your tremendous entries! Choosing just one “stand out” from each class with so many wonderful works of art proved to be nearly impossible, resulting in several ties! A veryMerryChristmas

to all, and best wishesto for the New Year!

Jackie Lovely Ja MLA, CAMROSE

CONSTITUENCY OFFICE: #104 #1 , 4870-51 Street, Camrose, AB T4V 1S1 Phone 780.672.0000 Fax 780.672.6945 Email Camrose@assembly.ab.ca

County doesn’t support new landfill funding

By Murray Green

Camrose County council discussed items pertaining to the Camrose Regional Solid Waste Authority (CRSWA), on December 13. The waste authority board governs the Camrose landfill and includes three municipal partners; the City of Camrose (the managing partner), Camrose County and the Village of Bittern Lake.

Over the past number of years, the CRSWA has been dealing with a shortfall of funds in the closure and post closure reserve for the landfill. The CRSWA agreement would dissolve when the landfill closes and change to a transfer site.

According to environmental regulations, any landfill must establish and fund a reserve account to cover the future costs of the site after it is no longer used as a landfill. In 2021, the CRSWA requested a one-time cash injection of $50,000 from Camrose County to cover it’s share of the unfunded liability (The City of Camrose portion was $1,955,652 and the Village of Bittern Lake was $6,000). During this 2022 fiscal year, the Authority made the decision to transition the landfill to a transfer site and proceed with closure of the landfill. The decision to transition from a landfill to a transfer site accelerated the final closure of the current landfill, which resulted in the need to fund the liability of $3,000,000 in 2023.

As there are insufficient funds in the reserve account, the CRSWA approached its member municipalities requesting a cash contribution. Camrose County’s portion is $75,000.

The City of Camrose will contribute $2,917,600 and the Village of Bittern Lake has been asked to contribute $7,400. This request was discussed openly at the County council meeting and they approved the unbudgeted expenditure to come from the 2022 budget year surplus. The determining factor in this issue was that as a member of this authority Camrose County is responsible to contribute a share of these costs arising from past use of the landfill.

The second item related to the Camrose Regional Landfill on the agenda was the request for funding of the construction of the proposed transfer site building. The cost estimate provided to the County by the CRSWA for the project is $3.355 million.

“I think the cost is too high. I’d like to see it down to about $1.7 million, half the amount. They don’t need a big fancy building at a transfer site that will be open only four days a week. I’m not comfortable with that amount,” said councillor Don Simpson, County’s representative on the authority.

The County’s share of this project would be $208,000 (the City of Camrose would contribute $2,376,400, and the Village of Bittern Lake would be asked to contribute $15,600). Council discussed this request at length, and although council agrees that a transfer site is the best option moving forward, the cost of the project was deemed excessive.

The $208,000 represents a one per cent increase in property taxes to each ratepayer in Camrose County (or a 14 per cent increase in the County taxpayer funded capital projects for 2023).

Council made a decision to deny the request to approve the proposed funding for the construction of a transfer site building and has requested the CRSWA to review the project for a change in scope or cost savings which would then be considered at a future council meeting.

“What would happen if we pull out of the landfill agreement?” asked councillor Carl Bergstrom.

He was told by administration that the County has to give a year’s notice or the authority dissolves.

The next agenda item requested council approve the 2023-24 operational budget for the Camrose Regional Landfill. The proposed budget shows a deficit of approximately $320,000 in each year (County’s share would be more than $25,000), to be funded by a cash injection from the municipal partners.

“The City of Camrose wants us to increase our share of payments. I told the city’s manager of financial services Travis Bouck that these numbers don’t make sense to me at all. We operate at three transfer stations, pay employees and staff, haul all of our garbage to West Dried Meat Lake Landfill, pick up garbage in three communities, operate recycling facilities and our entire budget is $290,000,” said administrator Paul King.

One of the objectives of the Camrose Regional Landfill is that it be fully funded by tipping fees and not require the use of municipal tax revenue to fund landfill operations. The Landfill Authority Agreement states (section 6e) that the authority shall not incur an annual operational deficit greater than $5,000. Consequently, council denied approval of the proposed budget and sent it back for review to meet the details of the agreement.

Council discussed the tipping fees for County residents. Historically, Camrose County residents have been able to take residential waste to the City Landfill and Camrose County pays the bill. In the last year, the tipping fees have increased from $70 to $100/ tonne (July 2022) and will rise to $150/tonne (January 2023) (in 2020 the fee was $40/tonne). A minimum charge was also instituted. As a result, the monthly bills for County residential garbage have increased from $22,000 in 2020 to approximately $40,000 in 2022.

Continued on page 14

In this past year, 2022, The Bethany Group has marked its 100th anniversary as an organization As this year draws to a close, we want to extend our thanks and appreciation for this support to the entire community. A big thank you to residents and their families, churches and community organizations, staff, and the various levels of government that fund our programs. We also extend to all our hopes, prayers, and best wishes for this season. For those of you who celebrate Christmas, a "Merry Christmas" and to all "Happy Holidays" or warm seasonal greetings. May your hearts be cheered and may you find encouragement and joy in these, the challenging days of winter. Our hopes and prayers are that you may find the resolve and strength to rise to the challenges of the time and be able to live with purpose and in peace. May God bless you all. Warmly, The Bethany Group Governing Board and The Bethany Group Senior Leadership Team

ank You, ank You ou

and ank You Again!

Al & Kendra

We’ve had a memorable year meeting the mobility needs and daily living needs of people in this community and well beyond. We wi you the ha ie and healthie of holi ys! Be safe and treasure the company of family and iends!

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Ballet Camrose dancers Autumn Steinke, front, Irish Snow, Adelyn Skinner and Annabelle Day in the back, took part in the VIBE dance event held at the downtown studio on November 26. The students learned and shared their tap dance routines.

County denies new landfill funding

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Continued from page 13

The expected amount for 2023 at the increased tipping fee is approximately $60,000. As a result, Camrose County council passed a motion to cease covering tipping fees for residents at the City Landfill. Council recognizes that this is a change to service and results in an out-of-pocket cost for residents who continue to choose to use the City Landfill.

Alternatives for residents are available, which include the Kelsey Transfer Site, Kingman Transfer Site, Meeting Creek Transfer Site and the West Dried Meat Lake Regional Landfill (see the County website for hours and locations). Residential garbage disposal is free for County residents at all those sites, and the cost to the County (paid by the ratepayers as a whole) for residents to use these services is $15/tonne, compared to $150/tonne at the City Landfill.

Council feels it is not a justifiable use of ratepayer dollars to pay the City Landfill $150/tonne when the alternatives (although admittedly inconvenient for some ratepayers) would cost one 10th of that price. As a member of the CRSWA, the City Landfill remains available to County ratepayers who choose to use this service; however, the user will now pay at the landfill for this service. It is important to note that the City of Camrose is diverting City waste to the West Dried Meat Lake Regional Landfill.