After a back and forth discussion, and a round of motions, council finally voted to put $6,000 towards a second Christmas fireworks celebration.
After a back and forth discussion, and a round of motions, council finally voted to put $6,000 towards a second Christmas fireworks celebration.
Last summer, Canada Day fireworks were cancelled due to weather and the town was unable to get a refund on their purchase. The display was instead postponed until November and became part of the 2016 Olds Fashioned Christmas Light-Up celebrations.
The Olds Fashioned Christmas Coordinating Team said in a letter to council that the event was well received by the community, and requested an allocation of $6,000 for a subsequent Christmas fireworks display.
There was initial discussion about the possibility of contributing $3,000 towards the event, and some councillors were concerned with setting an expectation of Christmas fireworks funding moving forward. Council decided however, that the request made for this year was tied specifically to the Canada 150 celebrations and was therefore a one-time allocation.
The funds will be paid from an unbudgeted $40,000 reserve of the ATCO franchise fee profits, which go specifically to support heritage, arts and culture in Olds.
The 2017 Olds Fashioned Christmas fireworks show will light up the sky on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Also coming out of the ATCO franchise fee reserve will be $5,625 to buy and install 75 Canada flags along the two main streets in the community in celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary.
Chief operating officer Doug Wagstaff confirmed that the flags would be reused each following summer for Canada Day celebrations.
April 28 proclaimed National Day of Mourning for workers
Council voted to proclaim April 28 as a National Day of Mourning in the Town of Olds, in honour of workers who have been killed, injured or disabled on the job.
In 2016, 144 women and men in Alberta died as a result of workplace injury or illness, according to the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta.
On April 28, WCB-Alberta offices across the province will be lowering their flags to half-mast, as will the Town of Olds.
More information can be found on the WCB-Alberta website at www.wcb.ab.ca
Chief operating officer Doug Wagstaff has been appointed as the town's representative on the Mountain View Summer Games Legacy Foundation's board of directors for an interim two-year term.
Following the 1983 Alberta Summer Games, which was hosted by Mountain View County, the foundation was established for the purpose of using surplus funds to promote the development of sports and arts at an elite level. Each year, accrued interest on the fund's $120,000 principal is distributed.
The foundation's operations have decreased over the past decade, with high board turnover and lack of interest, as discussed at the Feb. 17 Municipal Area Partnership meeting. As such the MAP passed a recommendation that an administrative appointment be made by each member. Appointments will be made for Mountain View County, Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, Sundre, Cremona and Olds College. The foundation will make a report on its progress in October 2017.
Policies and procedures meetings are held monthly at 3 p.m. on the third Monday, which will fall on Oct. 16 this year. As the next municipal election will be held on the same day, the October meeting has been cancelled in order to allow council and staff to participate as required.
