February 22 Lamont Leader

Fire destroys Hilliard mobile home

Family safe and firefighters stop blaze from damaging post office building

BY JOHN MATHER

Fire and Rescue Units from both Mundare and Chipman responded to a fire that destroyed a mobile home in Hilliard, Feb. 12.

The fire was called in at 2:32 am. “It was too late when we got there and the home was totally destroyed, said Mundare Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Glenda Dales, whose department sent three units and 12 firefighters to combat the blaze.

An additional two units and eight firefighters responded from the Chipman Fire and Rescue.

Dales said high winds gusting upwards of 60 kph also posed a prob-

lem in battling the blaze but she said firefighters did a great job in preventing it from reaching the next door Canada Post Office.

While not sure of the exact cause, she suspects it may have been an electrical issue.

The residents of the home were able to escape without injury and they are staying with friends in Hilliard.

Dale said the Mundare Fire and Rescue was also called out for traffic accidents on Highway 16 over the Family Day weekend as it is suspected people drove faster than winter conditions warranted.

Dales also wants drivers to be aware

that highway traffic rules change on March 1. When passing emergency vehicles on the side of the highway no matter what lane drivers may be in they have to slow down to 60 kph. Under existing regulations drivers are currently forced to slow to 60 kph in the lane nearest the parked emergency vehicles. The regulations also apply when passing tow trucks.

“It’s all designed to keep our emergency personnel safer,” said Dales.

Bruderheim kept families busy on Family Day

BY JANA SEMENIUK

An afternoon jam packed full of events and activities kept families entertained in Bruderheim on Family Day.

Beginning at 1 p.m., the Edmonton Synchronized Skating Club came out to give several performances both by single skaters and three different groups who each performed twice. Dozens of spectators filled the bleachers as the skaters, from ages seven to 16, gave beautiful costumed performances.

After the skating demonstration, families made their way to Walker School where stations were set up for bird feeder making and colouring by the Chipman 4-H Club. The feeders were made in paper muffin cups by first pouring in a liquid mixture of melted peanut butter and lard, then filled with bird seed. A small loop of twine was added to one end, and the feeder placed in a cooler to harden.

Free Family Bingo took up the remaining afternoon at the Community Hall where at least 60 people gathered

to play. The Town of Bruderheim donated the prizes which included a variety of chocolate bars with bags of potato chips and cheezies for winners to pick from. The first winner of the afternoon was four-year-old Maverick Mercer who picked his prizes from the prize cart handled by Bruderheim Director of Legislative Services Sherry Cote.

The Bingo caller was Lions Club member Dave Calder who volunteered for the event with several other club members. The Lions also donated the use of their bingo machine. Bruderheim Mayor Karl Hauch said he was very happy with the turnout for Family Day.

“It was a fantastic day for Bruderheim,” said Hauch. “From the synchronized skating from Edmonton, to the bingo here at the Hall with a full house and tons of kids having a great time and getting lots of prizes. It was a great collaboration between the AG Society, the Lions Club, and the Town of Bruderheim.”

An old barbecue sits outside a mobile home in Hilliard destroyed by fire Feb. 12. Photo by Crystal Moren.

The Edmonton Synchronized Skaters gave a brilliant performance at the Karol Maschmeyer Arena for Family Day. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

A group of children takes in chalkboard colouring at Walker School during the Bird Feeder-making event.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Free family bingo drew a large crowd of at least 60 people to the Bruderheim Community Hall on Family Day.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

RCMP to host open houses in Lamont County Police meeting with citizens before finalizing its priority list

BY JOHN MATHER

The Fort Saskatchewan RCMP will be hosting a series of public open houses throughout Lamont County in the next month, which will be used to help shape the detachment’s priorities during the next year.

Staff Sergeant Terry Hyggen told Lamont Council Feb. 14, there will be an open house at the Lamont Rec. Centre meeting room March 2, at 7 p.m.

There will be a second open house in Chipman at the town hall on March 7 at 7 p.m.; and the third will be held on March 20 at the Bruderheim Community Hall at 7 p.m.

“Each detachment starts planning its priorities and before finalizing that, we like to meet with our residents and find out what their concerns

are and what we should focus on in the coming year,” said Hyggen.

“We want to have a town hall meeting here in Lamont that is open to the public. I’ll come out and speak to the public and we’ll try to identify certain priorities people  have here in Lamont.”

He said the police recognized communities had unique challenges and the RCMP wanted to hear what they are.

“While we want to try and tackle those challenges, we realize we can’t make everything a priority for our detachment.

He said last year they had five priorities but that number could be reduced.

“We certainly want to hear from the people so we can try to focus our resources,” Hyggen said.

Councillor Al Harvey said it was a good thing the police came out to meet with people but was the Lamont meeting going to be restricted only to Lamont residents?

Hyggen replied anyone could attend the meetings.

“I hope we have residents of the County come to the meeting.We want to provide ample opportunity for people from the area to come out and meet with us.”

Council passed a motion to waive the rental fee for the hall and added they would advertise the meeting.

Hyggen added there would also be a town hall meeting in Fort Saskatchewan on March 8.

“It is just to discuss with people about policing in the area.”

Copper pipe stolen from Fort Sask. ice rink cooling system

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Fort Saskatchewan

RCMP are looking for the public’s assistance with information on a theft that occurred at the Jubilee Recreation Centre in Fort Saskatchewan overnight between Feb. 13 and 14th.

The ice rink’s cooling system was damaged when copper pipe was stolen by an unknown number of suspects.

While the value of the copper pipe was unde-

termined, Fort Saskatchewan RCMP said in a press release the damage to the cooling system was valued at $125,000.

If you have any information about this crime or those responsible, please call the Fort Saskatchewan RCMP at 780-992-6100 or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-5458477 (TIPS), online at

www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 TIPS" available through the APPLE APP of Google Play Store.

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If you are insured with another insurer and would like to have your existing farm policy reviewed and quoted with all of our competitive farm markets please don’t hesitate to contact Jason Fournier at 780-998-2501 or via email jason@smithinsuranceservice.com. We can assure our experienced farm team will meet your service expectations while providing tailored coverages for your farm’s needs. CONTACTUSFORACOMPETITIVEQUOTETODAY.

Fort Saskatchewan ~ Lamont ~ Smoky Lake

Bruderheim School Custodian Paulina Sullano stands proudly with her gift basket given by the grade two class in appreciation for Sullano's work in the school. The week-long appreciation effort gave each class a chance to take part in the morning announcements recognizing Sullano in addition to presenting her with a gift basket.

Custodian honoured at Bruderheim School

First to arrive, last to leave school each day

BY JANA SEMENIUK

For the second year, Bruderheim School has honoured their hardworking school custodian, Paulina Sullano, every day for a week giving each class an opportunity to show their appreciation with words during the morning announcements and a gift basket.

The grade two class had the final day, Feb. 17, where students Miles

Elk Island Wild U9 Tournament

Feb. 25-26 @ Lamont Arena

Elk Island Game Times:

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Everyone is welcome to stop in and cheer on our hockey team!

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We are seeking a fulltime administrative assistant to meet the need for Customer Service. Working Monday through Friday 8-4.

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Assist in the preparation of correspondence, documents, presentations and reports

Draft agendas, record and distribute meeting notes, and track action items

Schedule appointments, organize and attend meetings, make training and travel arrangements

Receive and track inquiries, and coordinate responses

Maintain file systems and reference material, and perform data entry

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Qualifications:

High School diploma and a minimum of one year of related work experience (consideration may be given to candidates with more extensive experience)

Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Electronic Document Management systems

Experience in office administrative procedures, knowledge of municipal government procedures and practices is an asset

Excellent organizational and time management skills, including attention to detail

Excellent interpersonal, customer service, and communication skills

The ability to work independently, maintain discretion and confidentiality

This competition will close March 3, 2023 at 4pm.

Send resume stating competition number Adm01-23

Town of Bruderheim

Box 280

Bruderheim, AB T0B 0S0

Fax to 780-796-3037

Email to sharron.sinclair@bruderheim.ca

Thank you for your interest in the Town of Bruderheim. We contact only candidates selected for interviews

and Peyton made the announcement.

“Miss Paulina, the custodian of our school. She is always the first to arrive each morning and the last to leave. She cleans up our school and makes everything so shiny.

“She is a friend to everyone and always has a beautiful smile on her face. We love you Miss Paulina. Thank you for everything you do,” they said.

While Sullano received her gift basket, she shared her thoughts

with the Lamont Leader “I feel so proud and happy,” she said. “I feel loved by everybody. From small to big.” Sullano has been the school custodian at Bruderheim School for the past five years.

If you or someone you know is turning 100 or has recently turned 100, please contact the Town Office at 780-895-2010 or general@lamont.ca by May 23, 2023.

Each resident to achieve this milestone will have a leaf put on the Recognition Tree and a tree will be planted in their honor.

4 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

BY HAZEL ANAKA

The home WIFI saga continues. After more days being unable to connect to the internet and a couple more calls to MCSNet, I decided to replace the mesh router we’ve had for a few years. I haven’t taken the time to search for the original receipt for the Linksys mesh system but it seems like only yesterday that I bought it.

As with most products, the quality of this item has deteriorated as the price to purchase it has steadily increased. At the risk of sounding like an angry old curmudgeon who misses the good old days, let me remind you that chest freezers lasted upwards of twenty-five years. Likewise with washers, dryers, stoves, fridges. Console TVs lasted forever as well. Small appliances like irons, kettles, hair dryers, and anything you can name lasted well

FROM WHERE I SIT: The Soap Opera Continues

past the one-year warranty and often a decade or two.

I’ve been told that WIFI routers typically last a couple of years. The fact that this one may be four years old is supposed to make me grateful, I suppose. So, on Friday, I go to Best Buy to buy a new mesh router. If you’re still managing with a single, cheap(?) router, bless you. We had to switch to a mesh system when we did the addition to our house which effectively doubled the square footage. This product is supposed to make WIFI accessible anywhere in your home. The diagram on the box shows WIFI in the basement and on the main floor and on the second story. They go so far as to claim the number of square feet it’ll cover. Of course, they also cover their butts by talking about the signal being impeded by walls. Hell, yes….where I come from we have walls. It’s not a downtown open concept loft where you can see the entire space from one spot.

I spent a lot of time at the store explaining our situation and asking relevant questions. I nar-

rowed my choice down to the Google Nest WIFI Pro ($529.99) and Nighthawk ($399.99). I spoke to someone from the Geek Squad. Both she and the salesperson said the options were virtually interchangeable because they all work the same way but they preferred the Google one because like Apple they built good stuff and offer great support. The Google choice offered coverage of 6600 square feet, more than double what we need.

I’m not a happy camper but I do drive away thinking our problem has been solved for another couple years at least. Worst case scenario, I have 30 days to return it.

I should say that in one of my calls to MCSNet I asked about a more permanent, onetime fix to the situation by running another cable from the radio on our TV tower. We never get to the point of talking about the cost of installation and the ongoing monthly charges but I was willing to do it to put this mess to rest once and for all. However, it wouldn’t have worked in my situation because I would

have had to run an ethernet cable into my computer. Number one, that doesn’t sound wireless to me and number two, my laptop doesn’t have the necessary port to plug in the cable. Nor are these ports likely to make a comeback in future Apple designed products.

I leave Edmonton earlier than I might have because I knew I had to do the setup of the system and thought I should get to it. Three and half hours later, when I still can’t connect to WIFI, I call MCSNet again. The lovely Josh

can’t believe how much I spent on the system (highest he’s heard of in 13 years of doing this work). He also says I’ve done everything right and have gone well beyond what anyone should have to do to troubleshoot a problem themselves. The last and final test would be to try bypassing the router and seeing if we can get connectivity. I’ve already said my laptop doesn’t have the necessary port so I pull my Lenovo out of retirement and begin charging it so we could do the test using it. In the meantime, I hope I can

LAMONT UNITED CHURCH 5306 - 51 Ave., Lamont, AB 780-895-2145

Rev. Deborah Brill S

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Everyone Welcome!

AA Meetings Thursdays at 8:00 pm

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Lutheran Church

20577 TWP 550 Fort. Sask. (7km East of Josephburg) 780-998-1874

Pastor Rev. Jeff Dul

Worship Service 9:30 am

Sunday School (during service)

Coffee after Service

Josephburg Community Church 21380 Township Road 550 Josephburg, Alberta 780-998-9331 josephburgchurch@albertacom.com

Sunday Worship 10:30am

All are Welcome!

Fellowship & coffee following service

Pastor Brad Diprose

Worship Leader Debra Morris

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February 22, 2023 - 5

find my password and not have to endure hours of booting up and installing updates as is the Windows way. I needn’t have worried. It couldn’t connect to the internet directly either.

So, now nearly a month after I first started calling to complain, my case is being ‘escalated’ to the next level. Even if this becomes a priority, it’s the long weekend which means umpteen more days before anything happens and someone comes to inspect/replace/burn the existing equipment on the tower. The soap opera continues, from where I sit.

DEERPOSEFORPHOTONEAR

Lamont Alliance Church

5007 44 st., Lamont 780-895-2879

Sunday Service 10 am

SUNDAYMORNINGS @ 10 AM

Pastor Darren Anderson

Check out: www.lamontalliance.com

ROMANCATHOLICCHURCH SERVICES

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Skaro 1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays @ 9:00 am St. Michael the Archangel, St. Michael 2nd, and 4th Sundays @ 9:00 am

Administrative Office:

Our Lady of the Angels Parish 10004 ~ 101 St., Fort Sask. 780.998.3288

Email: olangels.ftsask@caedm.ca www.olafortsask.caedm.ca

Bruderheim Community Church 4904 Queen Street 780-796-3775

Sunday Worship 10:30 am S

Pastor Wayne Larson

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday,

This small group of mule deer were photographed as they decided where they would go next after loitering along the railway tracks and Highway 15 near Chipman, Feb. 13. Photo by Crystal Moren

CHIPMAN

Rouleau report really no surprise

BY JOHN MATHER

Well what did you do on the Sunday afternoon of a long weekend? For myself I spent the afternoon wading through the summary of the Report of the Public Inquiry into the 2022 Public Order Emergency.

This is the five-volume mega read on the Freedom Convoy and the Federal government’s use of the Emergency Act. The summary (Vol. 1) totals out at 276 pages.

In his report The Honourable Paul S. Rouleau, the commissioner of the Inquiry agreed the Federal Liberals and Justin Trudeau were justified in using the Emergency Act to quell the three-week protests that clogged Ottawa’s downtown streets last February.

Now it should come as no surprise that a Liberal appointed Ontario judge would find no issue with the Liberal deity Trudeau using a big bat to swat a flea.

After all, those mean nasty truckers were clogging downtown streets with their honking horns, bouncy castles and generally happy-go-lucky demonstrators protesting pandemic restrictions many of them disagreed with.

This fight had been festering in the Canadian public ever since the government started issuing various restrictions to try and combat the pandemic and forcing people to take a vaccine many were unsure off.

There were also many mixed messages produced. The vaccines worked… then maybe they just helped a bit, masks were good… masks didn’t do any good.

And Trudeau had no problem calling these people names and he and members of his government did refuse to meet with the demonstrators even though both Conservative and NDP elected members did.

Rouleau did call out Trudeau for this, suggesting his illadvised outburst didn’t help the cause of unity in the country.

But in fairness to Rouleau, he had a narrow set of parameters to make his decision.

He was to look at the Freedom Convoy and its effects on Ottawa. Did it pose a threat to Canada’s national security? Did it threaten Canada’s economic security? Did blockades, while not necessarily related but similar in cause, at border crossings at Windsor, Ont., and Coutts, Ab., pose similar issues?

For 2,000 pages of his report, Rouleau throws security forces from the Ottawa Police Service, the Ottawa Police Services Board, the OPP, the RCMP and the Parliamentary Protective Service under the bus for their lack of communications in coming up with a cohesive plan to remove the blockade.

CONTINUED

CONTINUED

He also chastised them for failing to realize the size and scope of the oncoming protest as it made its way across the country despite there being lots of intelligence on it.

But Rouleau couldn’t really look at the underlying causes of the convoy in making his recommendations, even though the report does provide a good deal of background information on the build up to the Freedom Convoy.

For one and half years as Canadians were hamstrung by various restrictions levelled at both the provincial and federal level, truckers were free to move goods and services across the U.S, border without having to show proof of vaccinations.

Many truckers, because of the nature of their jobs, couldn't get vaccinations.

They were essential services to Canada bringing fresh fruit and vegetables from Florida, California, Arizona and New Mexico… trundling needed auto parts back and forth from manufacturers in Ontario to auto factories in the U.S.

But suddenly as restrictions were easing in 2021, they were forced to show proof of vaccination when they crossed the border.

This was a decision directly made by Trudeau and his henchperson at Health Canada, Theresa Tam.

That put many truckers out of work. It was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, leading to the convoy being formed

from various locations across the country.

I hesitated for a long time before I took the vaccine that had only been developed in months. Simple research on most vaccines showed they take years of development and trials before being put into human bodies. But not with Covid. It was whisked out in less than a year.

Now having got the vaccine I have suffered no outward after effects. However, I know several people who have not had the shot to this day and they haven’t had so much as a headache in the three years since the pandemic began.

I had no problem wearing a mask when it was legislated to do so, but I can understand some people feeling that it also infringed on their rights.

And I understand the arguments from those who complied with all the restrictions quite readily and argued those who opposed them were selfish and not looking out for others.

It was a no win situation and I fully expect the Liberal government realized this. They used the pandemic as a wedge issue doing their very best to divide the country.

Rouleau actually points this out stating there was too much politics at play while the ultimate decisions about what to do were being made.

The result was they got a convoy which overwhelmed the nation’s capital.

The Federal govern-

ment’s never had issue with railway blockades a few years earlier when protestors disrupted rail traffic across the country setting fire on train tracks in southern Ontario and Alberta. They had no problem with people demonstrating for Black Lives Matter and wanting to defund the police department which would allow total anarchy in the streets. They had no problem when pipeline construction projects were targeted by demonstrators resulting in damage and disruption.

On no! Those were righteous, lefty causes!

But damn, bring those stinky, noisy trucks into downtown Ottawa with the bouncy castles and hot tubs and something drastic had to be done.

Trudeau was the cause of this issue.

He’s been let off the hook by the inquiry.

It was no surprise. Trudeau seems to have a teflon coating when it comes to dodging controversy. He gets in positions of conflict yet comes out smelling like a rose.

So this voluminous report will now be pushed to a back corner office where it will possibly be studied by some academics in future years long after Trudeau is removed from the scene.

In summary, a lot of taxpayer money has been wasted in the time it took to hold this inquiry and write the report.

The appointment of a Liberal judge signalled a free ride right from the start.

Statistics help to understand Alberta’s health care system

The health care sector employs 247,100 Albertans – about 11% of total employment in the province.

About 88,800 of these jobs are in the ambulatory health care services sub-sector, while 107,800 are employed in the hospitals sub- sector and 50,500 are employed in nursing and residential care facilities.

Some of the key occupations with the highest percentage of employment in the sector are: registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates, and licensed practical nurses.

In 2020, the health care sector contributed $16.7 billion to provincial GDP, which represents 5.4% of the provincial total.

Within the three health care-related sub-sectors: ambulatory health care services, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, employment prospects will be good between 2021 and 2023. This outlook is based the following factors: the presence of ongoing labour shortages within these sub-sectors, related recruitment and retention challenges, and the growing and ageing population.

Provincial Overview

Employment in the health care sector as a whole has increased by +16,300 jobs (+7%) from 2020 to 2021.

In the 2019-20 provincial budget, health care spending increased by one percent for a total of $20.6 billion. The two previous provincial budgets had increased health care spending by about three percent each.

Administration costs, research and education, ambulance services and support services all saw decreases to their budgets in 2019-20. In 2020, Alberta spent about $1.5 billion and set aside a further $1.25 billion in its 2020-21 budget as a contingency fund for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a four percent increase overall to the health budget in 2021-22.

In October 2020, the provincial government introduced cost-cutting

measures including the planned lay-offs for between 9,700 and 11,000

Alberta Health Services (AHS) employees, most of whom work in laboratory, linen, cleaning and in-patient food services. Additionally, AHS hired staff to roll out COVID19 immunizations in 2021, and has announced a plan to spend $3.1 million for hiring up to 25 nurse practitioners.

Sector Trends

Alberta's population and its proportion of residents aged 65+ are predicted to increase over the next 20 years, contributing demand for health care occupations.

For the nursing and residential care facilities sub-sector, employment increased by +12,200 jobs (+31.8%) from 2020 to 2021. Employment in the

hospitals sub-sector decreased by -7,500 jobs (-7%) from 2020 to 2021, while employment in the ambulatory health care services sub-sector increased by +11,600 jobs (+15%).

Within the health care sector, women are overrepresented compared to their percentage of the general working population in all other industries. Women represent 81% of the employment in the health care industry in Alberta. Women represent 75.7% of the ambulatory health care services sub-sector, 84% of the hopsitals sub-sector and 86% of the nursing and residential care facilities sub-sector.

The core age working population (25-54 years old) makes up about 73% of employment in the

health care sector in Alberta.

Approximately 38,900 people work in this occupation across Alberta. Of these, 69% are full-time workers (compared to 81% for all occupations) and 31% are part-time workers compared to 19% for all occupations.

Most registered nurses work in hospitals (67%) while 19% work in ambulatory care and 9% work in nursing and residential care facilities.

The job vacancy rate for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Alberta increased by 100% from the end of 2020 to the third quarter of 2021.

Alberta nurses recently ratified a new fouryear collective bargaining agreement that includes a 4.25% pay increase over the course of the contract, and a one-time lump sum pay-

ment of one per cent for 2021 in recognition of nurses' contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be $5 million a year toward recruitment and retention strategies in rural and remote areas, and $2.5 million a year for relocation assistance. There will also be more psychological and mental health supports for

nurses and the creation of a union-employer workload advisory committee.

Over the past year (2021) rural areas have seen long wait times for physician appointments, where there was no emergency doctor on site in rural hospitals, and long wait times for ambulances.

Saluting our hard working health care workers

Premier Smith’s government commits $158 million to health care worker shortage

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping has announced that Premier Danielle Smith has committed $158 million in its upcoming budget to address shortages in health care workers.

"We still have significant health staffing

issues now and we do have our projections — we're still going to have issues in the future. So we need to address that,"

Copping said. $90 million of the funding will go toward programs directed to recruit and retain physicians in Alberta, said the

Health Minister. $29 million will go rurally to serve remote communities. $7 million will go to the recruitment of internationally-trained nurses from the UK and USA, and $1 million more is intended to support nurses moving to Alberta.

"Things aren't going to change overnight, but we have laid the foundation for a strong and sustainable health system that provides every Albertan with access to a health home," he said.

Copping said his government’s plan is to: retain and support,

attract, grow, strengthen, and evolve; through new approaches to remote delivery care and surgical staffing. There will be more support for intensive care units and emergency department staffing, he said, including a dedication to path-

ways for immigration. The complete Alberta budget under the leadership of Premier Smith will be released next Tuesday, Feb. 28.

THERAPY HELPS EMS WITH PTSD

Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers recognize more and more the benefit of having psychologists and therapists who are trained in providing therapy and counselling for First Responders.

In turn, many First Responder agencies have increased their funding support to help their staff overcome the cumulative harm of chronic trauma exposure.

First Responders include 9-1-1 Dispatch Operators, Coroners, Crime Scene Technicians, and Morticians. Nurses and physicians who work 'in the field' may also be First Responders.

First Responders are the people who run towards danger, who are there in the aftermath of tragedy, and who subsume themselves in the details of what went wrong, in order to find ways to better protect, rescue and heal in the future.

First Responders are typically found at the scene of accidents, natural disasters, human conflict, and at events were there is the potential for illness or injury.

As a result, a First Responders’ contact with the public often involves emotionally distressing situations.  On a daily basis they are expected to deal with sights and experiences most people will never know.

A First Responder's job is to protect and preserve life, property, evidence, and the environmentand in some situations

these mandates are in conflict, resulting in the potential for further distress.

First Responders are also everyday people. They have the same challenges and struggles with spouses and partners, friends, children, personal history, workplace demands, and life stressors as any other person.  Due to their employment, these common difficulties are often magnified by shift work, disrupted sleep patterns, and a sometimes unappreciative public.

They are expected to 'remain calm under pressure at all times'.  They are expected to be the consummate professionals, no matter what is going on around them, what people say to them, or how they may personally feel threatened or attacked.

Unlike for the average citizen, if a First Responder slips, or has a bad day, someone else may be permanently injured, suffer illness needlessly, or die.  Even when a First Responder does everything correctly their actions may be reviewed and judged by others who have no real understanding of the experience or the job.

To do all this, many First Responders learn to box up their emotions and thoughts.  They attempt to segregate their work life from their home life.  They find the only people who can understand how they are feeling are their work colleagues. Yet, while colleagues may be a

great support, they may also send the message that emotional distress is not something to be shared, even acknowledged.  This may leave a First Responder isolated and alone to deal with their distress.

Too often police, firefighters, paramedics / EMTs, child welfare workers and other First Responders are left to their own resources to try to understand and deal with the impact their distressed emotions.  Distressed emotions triggered by daily

exposure to accidents and injury, illness and neglect, abuse and trauma.

It is very likely that the effort to deny or minimize distress eventually weakens a persons general psychological health.  This weakening may make a person susceptible to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses.

The findings so far shows that First Responders are at high risk for depression, anxiety, family dysfunction,

Thank You

negative work-site interactions / bullying, substance use /abuse, PTSD, and toxic stress.  Over time, ongoing toxic stress leads to increased rates of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and other medical illnesses.  Most concerning, the suicide rate for EMT/paramedics and police is very much higher than the general popu-

lation.

The psychologists and therapists must have considerable training and experience in trauma counselling, along with helping First Responders deal with the common co-morbid issues of insomnia, depression, anxiety, family difficulties, and substance abuse challenges.

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Canadian Animal Blood Bank (CABB) held a blood donor drive Feb 16 at West Wind Veterinary Hospital in Sherwood Park, where locals brought in their dogs to make a donation.

Regional Manager of CABB in the Edmonton area, Ashley Kaban, said the program has been collecting blood from dogs in Canada for more than 25 years.

“Although we are called the Animal Blood Bank, we only collect blood from dogs,” she said, adding that the organization will help in collecting blood from other animals when needed. She said animal blood is specific to the animal, and every sample is tested for 12 blood born diseases, including heartworm and lyme disease, at no cost to the owner. Although dogs have several types of blood, Kaban said the most important aspect is a showing of positive or negative while blood typing.

“When we're doing our blood typing, we just test for the DEA One Gene, whether it's positive or negative,” Kaban said. “If you're a negative blood type, you're a universal donor, (but) you can only (receive) negative blood. But if you're the positive, you can (receive) negative and positive blood and 60 percent of dogs have the positive blood type.”

There are a number of prerequisites that must be met before a dog can be accepted as a donor. Kaban said the dog must be over 55 pounds, between the ages of one and eight, in addition to having a good level of maturity.

“Sometimes (with) one year old dogs, their maturity level isn't always there. They're just too bouncy or wiggly and they just need time to mature,” she said, adding that donors are retired by age 10.

In terms of the process, Kaban said she uses lots of treats to make the experience positive for the dogs. She said prep work takes about 10 minutes which includes a sample of blood drawn

for testing while the owner waits. The dog is lifted onto a table outfitted with a pad to lay on and at least two to three people there to hold them.

“They have to sit really still because we go into the jugular vein in the neck with a large needle (and) we don't want to cause any damage,” said Kaban, adding the entire collection, which takes approximately 18 percent of the dog’s blood volume, lasts five to 10 minutes.

She said the dog’s blood will replenish in about 30 days allowing them to donate more than once a year.

“We collect every three months and usually the (dog’s) whole blood

amount is replenished within 30 days,” she said.

Despite the program being in Canada more than two decades, Kaban said CABB still regularly finds their supply short as the need outweighs the availability of blood.

“We collect, all over Canada, about 150 units a month, and a unit is a full-size unit like a full blood bag. And we're still anywhere between 40 to 60 units short a month,” she said. “We can't keep up with the supply and demand.”

Meanwhile Finn, a three-year-old mixed breed dog, came to the clinic with his owner to make his second donation. Owner Sarah Cameron said she got the idea to sign up Finn for the blood donation program after her friend made the suggestion.

Cameron added that

another of her dogs was previously in need of several blood transfusions after a surgery.

“We have four dogs and Blue had some unfortunate issues and actually needed a couple of transfusions after a surgery,” she said.

“I never really gave much thought to blood

for dogs, but he needed it. And Finn is a big dog, and he’s young so (I thought) we’ll give it a try.”

Cameron said Finn did well for his first donation.

“He was a rock star,” she said. “He had a great time. He was here for the treats.”

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta),

Finn is held still on a table while making his second blood donation to the Canadian Animal Blood Bank Feb. 16 at West Wind Veterinary Hospital. L-R: Vet Tech Jen Ludorf, Finn's owner Sarah Cameron and CABB Regional Manager Ashley Kaban.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Together, we can keep the St. Michael Landfill a clean, environmentally friendly part of our planet!

The St Michael Landfill site, St. Michael Regional Solid Waste Commission is a Class II facility that accepts non-hazardous materials.

Every load brought to the landfill site is weighed and directed to the proper disposal area. Household garbage goes to the working face with separate areas for; antifreeze, batteries, concrete, electronic waste, household hazardous waste, metal, plastic fertilizer bottles, oil containers, paints, tires, waste oil, waste oil filters, and wood branches. The working face is compacted daily and covered.

We do not charge for household refuse generated during the routine operations of a family dwelling.

We want the residents of the Lamont District to be able to use the landfill safely and in an environmentally sustainable way for years to come so we require proof of residency.

if you are new to the Lamont County Region, please bring a copy of your tax notice, power bill, natural gas or water bill with your municipal or civic address and/or legal description, as the land owners are listed in the computer. This will allow us to make sure people from out of our area using your landfill as dumping grounds.

Recycling

The St Michael Landfill Site operates a basic recycling program.

There are designated areas that allow residents to drop off of recyclable items and keep these items from being landfilled.

Here are some of the things we can recycle for you

Anti-freeze

Batteries

Concrete

E-waste (anything that plugs in)

Fertilizer & Pesticide Agricultural Chemical Bottles (triple rinsed caps and booklets removed)

Metal Propane Tanks (up to 100 lbs.)

Tree Branches

Tires

Waste Oil

Waste Oil Containers

Waste Oil Filters

W help you identify and dispose of Household Hazardous Waste before it contaminates our land and water.

Never pour household hazardous waste products down the drain and never mix with your regular trash

The St. Michael Landfill operates a year round Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and Material Recovery program to ensure proper disposal of these potentially harmful chemicals and compounds from your home.

Bring it to us for proper and safe disposal. Any questions or tips about reducing your HHW, please phone 780-702-9880 visit our website.

Loads coming to the Landfill must be Tarped & Secured

We

Pricing

Non-Resident

Household Waste $80/metric tonne$25 minimum charge. *Must be bagged.

Fridges/Freezers $10/ea

Box Springs & Mattresses $12/ea

Roofing Material $80/metric tonne

Construction & Demolition $80/metric tonne

Resident

White Goods: freezers and refrigerators with the doors and lids removed

If you have any questions about recyclable materials, please call the site at 780.702.9880

Household Waste no charge. *Must be bagged.

Fridges/Freezers $10/ea

Box Springs & Mattresses $12/ea

Roofing Material $40/metric tonne

Construction & Demolition $40/metric tonne

Large Unsorted Loads $80/metric tonne in addition to the above charges

Operating Hours:

Tuesday to Saturday from

All

The

It s good for the health of our earth!

Sorry, we are not registered to accept these items therefore they are prohibited

Left: The Fortner family of Mundare try snowshoeing at Mundare’s Victory Park on Family Day, Feb. 20.  Tanya Fortner and husband Chad, hold Aria’s hands as she gets accustomed to the snowshoes. Right: Tamika McEwen, 11, releases a curling rock while using the broom for balance under the watchful eye of her mom. The pair were taking part in the open house at the Mundare Curling Club during Family Day, Feb, 20.

Left: These Chipman youth gathered around the fire sitting on hay bales or standing to cook wieners for their lunch while others enjoyed games inside the village’s community hall. Right: Lucas Jamieson, 5, from Chipman, is using all his power to suck a piece of paper onto a straw in order to move and drop it into a nearby bowl as friend Ty Ausman, 7, from Chipman watches.

Feeding livestock for the future

CALVING SEASON

has arrived! Give your calves a KICK START with our liquid vitamin and MINERAL supplement. FRESH START’s patented combination of chelated minerals is what makes this product superior to the traditional liquid vitamins on the market.

FRESH START

has become a go-to liquid supplement for newborn, weak /cold calves, and an energy booster for troubled cattle.

Formula eeds™ Mineral

All Formula Feeds Mineral packs use Amino Acid chelated in a balanced formula to maximize absorption of chelates into the blood stream.

We use high-quality chelates and mineral in our product, which is why we have the best rate of absorption, within 15 minutes of ingestion, compared to many of the common brands clients have tried with less success.

•Helps Maintain overall Health in Cattle

•Helps with Conception Rates

•Carcass Weight Increase

•Maximizes Calf Strength at Birth

•Increased Weaning Rate

•Changes in Hoof Strength and Hair Shine

We have a YEAR-ROUND Mineral Program, Breeder Pack, Equine & Sheep Mineral all in this line. We also have options for reducing your Feed Costs by Improving your Livestocks’ Gut Health with our Probiotics. Please call for more information on any of the products we carry.

Glen: 780-385-0878 Lori: 780-608-6810 or visit us at: yarhamsales.ca

Classifieds Affordable Advertising with L

CLASSIFIED AD RATES

$14 minimum for first 25 words, 45¢ per word thereafter (G.S.T. not included)

PICTURE BOLD $10 $5

ALL CLASSIFIED ADS MUST BE PREPAID BEFORE INSERTION unless customer has an account in good standing.

LAMONT LEADER

Ph. 780-895-2780

Email: lmtleader

BUILDINGS FOR SALE

INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008

BUILT WITH CONCRETE POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds & more, sales@integritybuilt.com 1866-974-7678 www.integritybuilt.com.

COMING EVENTS

COIN SHOW and SALE –Canada’s largest. 11 & 12 March, 10am–4:30pm. Lions Centre 11113 – 113 St, Edmonton. Free market evaluations. Dealers from across Canada, auctions, displays, coin striking. Family friendly. www.edmontoncoinclub.com.

FIREARMS WANTED FOR OUR 2023 AUCTION PRO-

GRAM: Rifles, Shotguns,Handguns, Antiques, Militaria, Collections, Estates, Single Items for Auction, or Possible Purchase: Toll-Free 1-800694-2609, Email Us @ sales@switzersauction.com or Visit Us @ www.switzersauction.com.

FOR RENT

Large, quiet, non-smoking 2 bedroom apartment in Killam. For viewing, call Chuck at 780-263-7290

FEED AND SEED

ALBERTA FEED GRAIN: Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888483-8789.

WE BUY DAMAGED

GRAIN - Heated, Mixed, Tough, Light, Bugs, Spring Thrashed....Barley, Wheat, Oats, Peas, Flax, Canola. "On Farm Pickup". Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252.

FOR SALE

2013 Ford F350 Lariat Dually. Very good shape. Call 780385-1029.

Small square and big round hay bales. Call 780-385-1029

For sale by owner, 2000 sq. ft. home, 3 full bathrooms, 4 bedrooms on 80 acres, fenced & cross-fenced. Double attached garage. Phone; 780-363-3939

For sale by owner: 80 acres of farmland by St. Michael. ENW3355184. $300,000.00. Call Ron @ 780-887-8012.

HEALTH

HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1844-453-5372.

HELP WANTED

Full Time Individual wanted. Viking Insurance Services Wage negotiable on experience.

Email resume to viking01@telus.net

See display ad in this paper for further details.

HELP WANTED

APIARIES OF ALBERTA are looking for Five Apiary Technicians $17-$20/hr depending on experience for full time (40+hrs/wk) employment March thru October 2023. Must have a min of 3 years (seasons) working fulltime on Canadian style commercial apiary in the minimum capacity of Apiary Assistant. Also required, two positions for Apiary Worker (NOC8431) $15-$17/hr, experience required. Work includes assisting Apiary Technician with all duties in the bees and honey harvesting. Gerard 780-6624449 RR4 Tofield, AB. gsieben@mcsnet.ca

Brian’s Greenhouse U-Pick Fruits and Berries Farm is looking to hire 2 people for seasonal for 2023. Must be able and capable working weekends and shift work, as well as be able to lift and have their own transportation or valid driver’s license. Will train at the site by March 15, work can start April 1. For more information, contact Brian at 780-678-0053 for more information, appointments, and directions.

MEMORIAL

In Loving Memory of Stewart William Law

A Wonderful Husband, Father, and Grandpa

December 3, 1941February 17, 2018

Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day. Unseen, Unheard, But always nearby. Still loved, still missed, And very dear.

SERVICES

Need to re-order:

•Company Forms?

•Invoices?

•Envelopes?

•Business Cards?

•Bookmarks?

•Magnets?

•Score Cards?

•Stamps?

•Certificates?

•Receipts?

•Posters?

•Invitations?

•Calendars?

•Letterheads?

•Menus?

And more!

Call your local paper with your print order today!

WEEKLY REVIEW

780-336-3422

vikingreview@gmail.com

TOFILED

MERCURY

780-662-4046 adsmercury@gmail.com

LAMONT LEADER

780-895-2780 lmtleader@gmail.com

_______________________

Carpet and Upholstery cleaning - residential and commercial. Truck mount unit, sewer backup, and flood cleaning. Auto and RV Cleaning. Call John and Sheri at Fancy Shine Auto and Carpet Care at 780-384-3087

Roy's Handyman Services. Flooring, Trim work, basement finishing, decks, fences, kitchen cabinet installs and carpentry work. Call 780232-3097

Shane’s Stucco & Drywall Service Shane Hollar Stucco (Traditional & Acrylic), Drywall, Stone, Textured Ceilings, Tile and Spray Painting

780-336-4832 shanes.stucco@gmail.com

CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/licensing loss? Travel/business opportunities? Be embarrassed?

Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver. Record purge. File destruction. Free consultation. 1-800-347-2540. www.accesslegalmjf.com.

3 papers for the price of 1!

SERVICES

Painting

Quality Residential and Commercial Painting Betty Tkaczyk 780-632-8749 or 780-688-3564

Drywall Taping/Texturing

35+ Years. No Job too small Experienced drywall taper/texturer here to help you with any job big or small. Don't want to do it yourself, give me a call! Based in Killam but willing to travel.

Hand taper by trade but have experience with boxes, roller/flusher, taping tube. No bazooka exp. Have own tools (10-12" boxes, pump, angle box, roller, flusher, hand tools, etc.) Also do ceiling texture. Non- drinker, just want to work. Willing to work with existing taping crew. Call 780-385- 2106 or 780-3851251.

GET BACK ON TRACK!

Bad credit? Bills?

Unemployed? Need Money?

We Lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 1-877-9871420. www.pioneerwest.com.

PRIVATE MORTGAGE

LENDER. All real estate types considered. No credit checks done. Deal direct with lender and get quick approval. Toll free 1-866-405-1228 www.firstandsecondmortgages.ca.

WANTED

To rent, prime farm land in Andrew, Mundare, Wostok area. Different rental options available, call or text 780-9754615 07p

Wanted '60 - '65 Ford Falcon Parts Car. Call/ Text Brian 780-905-5265

TM6/7p

Stop Relying on Facebook and Word of Mouth.

Advertise your Events in Three Papers for the price of one!

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, February 22, 2023

18 rinks attend Andrew Farmer’s Bonspiel

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Andrew Curling Club held their Farmer’s Bonspiel this past weekend where 18 curling rinks, some from as far away as Athabasca, came out to battle for first place.

Andrew Curling Club President Chris Shandro said he was very happy with the turnout.

“We had 18 teams this weekend, which is really nice,” said Shandro. “We had 14 last year just after COVID restrictions were lifted, so 18 is a great turnout.”

Shandro said there were several prizes for silent auction, raffle and door prizes donated by local businesses, including two sponsorships in the Platinum category which is a value of $1,000 or more and four in the Gold level valued at $500 or more. Winners and

runner-ups of the bonspiel in each of the three events, A, B and C, also chose their own prizes.

The curlers played all weekend and enjoyed a banquet Sat. night catered by Tom’s Catering with karaoke entertainment by Jay Kozak.

Shandro added that having the Farmer’s Bonspiel is a blessing after the club shut down in 2012 beginning a hiatus that lasted five years.

“(There was) just not enough interest. Kids that were in town grew up and they went to Edmonton to go to college and university, and there wasn't really an interest (in local curling),” said Shandro.

“Once people finished university and they moved back, then there was enough people to start the club back up

again.”

Curler Herman Sieker, who participated in the Farmer’s Bonspiel with his team, credits Shandro with getting the club up and running again.

“Chris did a real good job getting us back up and running,” he said.

“Clubs that close don’t (get back up). When you lose them, you lose them.”

Meanwhile, a group of four players, who travelled several kilometers, met up in Andrew Feb. 17 where playing in the annual bonspiel has become a tradition for them over the past few years.

Britney Lopushinsky, one of the four, said the group has been curling together for the past five years and meeting at the Andrew Farmer’s Bonspiel gives them an opportunity to connect.

“We are a bunch of friends from university. The Andrew bonspiel is the first one that we did together in 2019 before the pandemic and then we started curling in a league together,” said Lopushinsky.

“Now everyone has gotten jobs. One of them is being a doctor in Edson right now, in his third year. I've moved to Lethbridge for (the past) four years so we're a bit scattered and we (thought) if we’re going to do one we’ve got to do Andrew.”

Winners of the A event

was the Stodola team with skip Tim Stodola, third Mark Malica, second Anton Shumansky and lead Mike Rudko.

Runner up in the A event was the Urichuk team with skip Valerian Urichuk, third Myron Fill, second Brian Savitsky and lead Ron Bilyk.

Winners of the B event was Andrychuk team with skip Dustin Andrychuk, third Jon Sikora, second James Sikora and lead Lindsay Sikora.

Runner up in the B event was the Harsulla

team with skip Brandice Harsulla, third Jayme Hennig, second Breanna Sorotsky and lead Whitney Joubert.

Winners of the C event was the Andruchow team with skip Garth Andruchow, third Ryan Rude, second Jordan Rude and lead Travis Schmidt.

Runner up in the C event was the Kolotylo team with skip Brylan Kolotylo, third Katlynn Kolotylo, second Teagan Tychkowsky and lead Robyn Urichuk.

HELP WANTED

Vegreville Family Dental, located next to the Boston Pizza in Vegreville is looking for a very enthusiastic Registered Dental Hygienist to join our team on a part time or full time basis. Our practice is committed to and focused on providing excellent quality patient care.

We are looking for someone who is professional, reliable, possesses excellent interpersonal skills, is warm and friendly with patients. We offer competitive wages commensurate with experience as well as a great and friendly work environment! We are willing to compensate for travel as well. If this opportunity sounds interesting to you, please apply to vegredental@gmail.com. All applications will be treated confidential. Thank you!

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, February 22, 2023 - 17

A team of friends travel hours each year to attend the Andrew Farmer's Bonspiel and curl together. L-R: Megan Ogle from Edmonton, Britney Lopushinsky from Lethbridge, Dan Serediak from Edmonton, and Michael Thiessen from Edson. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Lamont Town Councilor/Elk Island Public School Trustee Colleen Holowaychuk sweeps with her husband and fellow teammate Mike Mullany after the rock is released by Herman Sieker Feb. 17 at the Andrew Farmer's Bonspiel.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

The winner of the A event was the Stodola team L-R: Lead Mike Rudko, second Anton Shumanksy, third Mark Malica, and skip Tim Stodola. Photo: Brianne Kolotylo

EIPS

announces new Superintendent/CEO

Division mum on costs to hire and number of candidates

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Elk Island Public Schools has announced its new Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) but will not disclose the costs to hire her or how many candidates vied for the position.

Sandra Stoddard, who is currently the Associate Superintendent of Supports for Students at EIPS since 2017, will step into the role of

Squeeze

Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer as of July 1.

Stoddard has previously held positions in teaching, consulting and leadership with Edmonton Public Schools, The International Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development as well as Alberta Children and Youth Services.

EIPS Board Chair Trina

U11 Elk Island Wild tie CNN at Bruderheim

Elk Island U11 Wild (5-9-3) skated to a 4-4 tie with CNN on Sunday in Bruderheim with Zachary Vandelannoite making 42 saves.

The teams exchanged leads four times in the contest with CNN scoring the lone third period goal to tie the score.

Sawyer Hanson and Barrett Danilkewich both scored twice for Wild. Assists went to; Mary Sobkow, Austin Klita, Kayden King, and Jace Zanatta.

Boymook cited Stoddard’s background in school operations and leadership as important to her new role.

In a press release, EIPS said they hired Sloan Consultants Ltd. to facilitate the search for the new superintendent but would not answer questions around how much was spent on the contract with Sloan or how many candidates vied for the position.

“The information you requested is confidential,” said EIPS Communications Director Laura McNabb.

Current superintendent, Mark Liguiori, announced his retirement earlier this year effective June 30.

Services Ltd.

Viking Insurance in Viking is looking for a Full-Time Individual who can provide a high level of customer service, has attention to detail with strong communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities: Obtain and write new business, process and change policies online, handle money.

Qualifications: Able to work with others including the public, good computer skills, insurance industry experience an asset, ability to achieve General Insurance Level 1 licence.

Wage negotiable on experience.

Email resume to: viking01@telus.net

Application deadline: Until suitable candidate is found. We thank everyone for their applications, however, only those chosen for interview will be contacted.

Unreserved Real Estate & Retirement Auction Sale for Nick's Oilfield Welding

Starts Opening

March 31, 2023 & Closes on April 4th, 2023

Real Estate & Equipment Located in Killam, Alberta Street Address: 5607 51st Ave

Legal: Plan 6031MC, Block A, Lot 1 & 2

Selling a Behlen 40'x60' Commercial Building on a 110'x158.5' Double Lot with Hwy #13 Frontage. The Building has 2 - 12'W by 13'H Over Head Doors on the North Side and 1 - 14'W by 13' H

Overhead Door on the East Side, Plus 2 Man Doors. It also has a Natural Gas Boiler with Cement Floor & Radiant Heat, 125 Amp Service, Exhaust Fans, Office Space, Storage Above the Office & Washroom plus Eavestroughs & Telephone Service.

2022 Taxes: $2,452.33

Viewing by Appointment - Please Contact Nick at (780) 385-2342

Killam is a thriving, vibrant town with a population 989, located within the Flagstaff County, at the busy intersection of Hwy 36 & Hwy 13 in east central Alberta. The Town offers a full range of all the amenities you are looking for! Including an active hospital, public school, RCMP office and a strong, competitive retail sector.

Real Estate Transactions are being Handled by Morrison Realty

Kim Hughes (403) 704-3141 & Allen Olson (403) 783-0556

Real Estate Terms & Conditions: 10 % Down on Sale Day. Balance & Possession on or before May 4th,

Allen B. Olson Auction Service Ltd.

Rimbey & Hwy #16 East/Rge Rd 185, Alberta

(780) 208-2508 - Hwy #16 East/Rge Rd 185

(403) 843-2747 Rimbey - Toll Free 1-855-783-0556

Email: abolson@telusplanet.net - Homepage: allenolsonauction.com

*

#16/Rge Rd 185

Spring Consignment Sale

April 7th to 11th

Rimbey

Spring Consignment Sale

April 21st to 25th

Ron Fiveland of Westerose, AB

April 28th to May 2nd

Joe & Maria Beckman of Yellowhead County, AB

Real Estate

June 22nd to 26th

Gary Bagstad of Rocky Mountain House, AB

June 23rd to 27th

Nick’s Oilfield Welding

Sandra Stoddard

BY JOHN MATHER

During its regular council meeting Feb. 14, Lamont Council was provided an update of its asset conditions.

Director of Operations and Infrastructure Tyler Edworthy told council the Town had identified 2,512 data points and 485 non linear assets.

The data points were captured in the Town’s GIS system and showed linear assets such as utility and transportation infrastructure. The non linear assets include such things as HVAC systems, and park amenities, he explained.

“Condition assessments were identified and then through the capital improvements and maintenance activities combined with third party inspections the useful life can then be updated and included in our priority reports,” he said.

“This will be ongoing forever as we continually update our maintenance.”

He added the Town could add updated data on their own and the

receives updates from admin

software then identifies all the infrastructure and can filter maps showing various pieces of infrastructure separately.

Councillor Al Harvey congratulated the administrations for their efforts in putting the condition assessment together.

“I look forward to being able to tie these documents into our budgeting deliberations,” he said.

Council then passed a motion accepting the update as information.

The council also received a grant application update.

Edworthy reported to council administration reviewed 42 funding sources and submitted seven applications for grant funding to date for 2023.

“We’re constantly looking for additional funding sources and then apply for them,” he added.

He further explained the Climate Resilience Capacity Building Program covers 100 per cent of the cost to develop a study that will iden-

tify risk and potential community impacts as it relates to climate change. This study, if approved for funding, Edworthy added, will provide information required to apply for the Disaster mitigation and adaptation fund. This (DMAF) is a project-based grant to support infrastructure projects designed to mitigate current and future climate related risks and disasters

“The fund has a minimum value of $1-million so its important we get some studies completed so we can apply for this grant.

“Grants like this can have a significant impact on our climate resiliency moving forward.”

Edworthy further outlined some other grants administration was studying to further benefit the community.

Many of them, he said, required council approve an energy audit of current facilities to identify the potential Green House Gas (GHG) reduction and return of investment.

The Green House Gas

Reduction Pathway Feasibility Study (GHGRPFS) provides up to 80 per cent funding for the study that would identify the potential GHG reduction and return on investment for facility retrofit projects.

Council passed two motions, one to accept the grant application as information and the second to approve up to $25,000 to apply for the GHGRPFS, both which were passed.

Vehicle/Equipment Auctions – Fire Services

Lamont County Fire Services has five (5) trucks & one (1) digital mobile radio available for bid on GovDeals: https://govdeals.ca/lamontcountyab (each asset has a full description and pictures). Or see https://www.lamontcounty.ca/public-tenders for more details.

Farming Rental & Custom Tenders – March 1

Submission Deadline

Lamont County is seeking land rental and custom farming tenders for three properties as below:

1. NE-27-55-16-W4 (cultivated rental) – from May 1 to Nov. 30, 2023;

2. NW-2-56-16-W4 (Hay and Pasture rental) – from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2023; and

3. NE-23-57-20-W4 – to be custom farmed (Hay) for 2023. Sealed tenders must be submitted as separate bids by 12:00 p.m. on March 1 to Lamont County’s Agricultural Fieldman.

See: lamontcounty.ca/public-tenders for more details and steps to submit a tender. Any additional questions can be directed to agservices@lamontcounty.ca

KFRN, FCSS and CALC Programs (Lamont County Community Services and Family Resource Network)

See all current monthly Community Services programs using the QR codes or visit: lamontcounty.ca/ community-programming

https://grazingschool4women.com

Coyotes – Livestock Protection

Predators such as coyotes are prevalent in Lamont County and are part of the natural landscape. Animal losses are generally low across the provinc e, but typically individual producers may have significant losses in any given year.

Coyotes can be resident or transient, even though they are a territorial species, though other scavenger species and birds may be a sign of coyote presence. Managing predation is the best way to protect flocks, as there is no single tool or preventative measure that is effective for all flocks and all predators—fences (including electric) may protect pastured animals or birthing yards, and can offer some protection to farmed animals.

It is important producers practice good husbandry practices. If you are lambing or calving, do so in well lit areas and very lighted premises. Please remove all after birth materials—as theses invite predation into the yards.

Under the Pest and Nuisance Act, landowners/ producers are responsible for dealing with these pests. Hunting is allowed on privately-owned property (with permission of the landowner). Predation should still be reported to Lamont County Agricultural Services at 780-895-2585 or contact about control.

Canadian Firearms Safety Course (Lamont County)

In Partnership with Lamont County’s Community Adult Learning Council (CALC), the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (non-restricted) is being offered at the Bruderheim Fire Hall starting 9 a.m. on March 11.

Cost: $140.00

Age restrictions: 12 years old and older (minors are welcome to bring a parent/guardian).

Call or text Dan at 1-825-439-5208 to reserve your seat.

(Current programs include: Snow Angels, Parents and Tots, Youth Group, Meals in Motion, Youth Retreat, Family Fun Night, Digital Skills workshops, Seniors Bus Trips, Income Tax Program, CALC kitchens /connections, and the KFRN monthly programs newsletter.)

Posters are added to the website and Facebook once the events are finalized.

See the QR link below for full posters.

Register by March 23 for the two-day camp using the QR Code above or signup.com/go/djcsAdm

For help or assistance in filing your taxes, please contact FCSS at 780-895-2233 Ext. 226.

Homestyle meals for seniors and low-income households ($10 per meal bi-weekly menus). Contact 780-895-2233 Ext. 226 to place order or learn more about the program.

Register at www.lamontcountyadultlearns.com or email Cheryl.b@lamontcounty.ca / phone 780895-2233 Ext. 233

In February, visit the Andrew Lions Den on Wednesdays for coffee and technical support (from 10-11 a.m.) to help enhance your digital device skills and answer any questions you may have.

Next Agricultural Service Board (ASB) Meeting

The next ASB meeting is on March 15, starting at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome to attend at the Lamont County Administration Building or virtually through Microsoft Teams (link): lamontcounty.ca/departments/agricultural-services/agendas-minutes-asb.

Next Council Meeting

The next Regular Council Meeting is on Tuesday, February 28, starting at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome to attend at the Lamont County Administration Building or virtually through Microsoft Teams (link): lamontcounty.ca/governance/agendas-minutes.

Please Note – inFocus is also available for viewing online at: www.lamontcounty.ca/communications (for those wanting to view the weekly submission as fullsized PDF and to access hyperlinks).

If spotted, contact Lamont County Ag. Services for control options and coordination.