MINUTES Friday, September 6, 2019 Culver City Room, City Hall

910 – Fourth Avenue South, Lethbridge PRESENT: Reeve Lorne Hickey, Chair Lethbridge County Mayor Ed Weistra Village of Barons Reeve Ross Ford, Vice Chair County of Warner Mayor Jim Willett Village of Coutts Mayor Albert Elias Village of Glenwood Mayor Ruth Goodwin Town of Black Diamond Mayor Dwight Davis Village of Hill Spring Mayor Gordon Reynolds Town of Bow Island Mayor Trevor Lewington Village of Stirling Mayor Maggie Kronen Town of Cardston Deputy Mayor Colette Glynn Village of Warner Mayor Dennis Cassie Town of Coalhurst Mayor Blair Painter Municipality of Mayor Brent Feyter Town of Fort Macleod Crowsnest Pass Mayor Peggy Losey Town of Milk River Mayor Don McDowell Town of Nobleford Reeve Jim Bester County of Cardston Mayor Cathy Moore Town of Picture Butte Mayor Don Anderberg Town of Pincher Creek Reeve Brian Hammond MD of Pincher Creek Mayor Andrew Prokop Town of Taber Deputy Reeve Tamara Miyanaga MD of Taber Mayor Margaret Plumtree Town of Vauxhall Reeve Maryanne Sandberg MD of Willow Creek Mayor Thomas Grant Town of Vulcan

Grant Hunter, MLA Minister of RedTape Barney Reeves Reduction/Taber- Warner I.D 04 Waterton Lakes

National Park Guests: Lisa Lambert, Rep Lethbridge West Tanya Thorn AUMA, VP Nathan Neudorf, MLA Lethbridge East Brian Brewin RMA

1.0 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS Reeve Lorne Hickey called the meeting to order at 1:05 pm. Round table introductions.

2.0 ADDITIONS TO / APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 6.6 Additional information regarding speed changes – Mayor Blair Painter 6.7 Waterton Springs Campground – Barney Reeves 6.8 Reassess linear assessment and School Tax discussion – Mayor Don McDowell

3.0 ADDITIONS TO / APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

4.0 BUSINESS ITEMS ARISING FROM MINUTES

5.0 REPORTS

5.1 MP Reports – No report

5.2 MLA Reports –

Nathan Neudorf • 13 Bills have been passed in the spring session. • Impressed with how active Cabinet Ministers have been in touring . • Please see attached handout highlighting the platform promises that have been accomplished.

Grant Hunter • Continuing to identify all the red tape we have in Alberta. • Passed Interim Supply Bill – same funding levels. • Discussed the Mackinnon report that had been released. • Budget will be coming forward in the next session.

Lisa Lambert, representative for Shannon Phillips • Official opposition budget town hall meetings to be held in Lethbridge – all will be invited.

Mayors and Reeves of Southwest Alberta Page 2 September 6, 2019 Minutes

6.0 REPORTS 6.1 Alberta Southwest Regional Alliance Report – Barney Reeves • Developed a new program – Energizing. Focus is retention of young people in the AG industry. • Held a resource round table with 24 representatives in attendance. Many discussions took place including the lack of rural broadband services. • Discussed the Mackinnon report, no mention of REDAs.

6.2 SouthGrow – Mayor Jim Willett • SouthGrow received a letter from Premiere acknowledging the importance of REDAs. • A breakdown of the Mackinnon report was included in the electronic package sent out with the September agenda. • Congratulated the City of Lethbridge on the second Peaks to Prairie EV charging station.

6.3 RMA – Brian Brewin • Discussed shallow gas – if you have shallow gas wells you will be contacted by Municipal Affairs • Discussed AG plastics recycling – 20 sites have been chosen.

6.4 AUMA – Tanya Thorn • AUMA has submitted red tape reduction suggestions. • Balanced budget plan scenario seems to see capital grants increasing in the next couple of years and then dropping back down to what it was in 2018. • Discussed MSI and looking at a new municipal funding framework. • Suggest all municipalities take to their MLA’s about the importance of funding. • Edible cannabis products will be legalized in October. • Discussed recycling.

6.5 Oldman Watershed Council – Shannon Frank • Reminder: Land and Water is the basis of our province. • Had a very productive summer. Busy pulling weeds, planting trees and engaging with many communities. • Discussed public AG literacy – seeing public perception is one of the largest concerns for producers. • Invested in Agriculture stewardships in different counties.

Mayors and Reeves of Southwest Alberta Page 3 September 6, 2019 Minutes 6.6 Highway #3 Association- Mayor Gordon Reynolds • Offering memberships to a number of industry and trucking companies. • Highway #3 will see a major increase in traffic due to the closure of the TransCanada highway between Field and Golden. • City of Medicine Hat has rejoined the Highway #3 Association.

6.7 Waterton Springs Campground – Barney Reeves • Previous lease of the Waterton Springs campground is now over. • The land is owned by the Nature Conservatory. • Waterton has suggested running the campground but has been told that there is a lot of work to be done to the land in order for the campground to continue to be used. • Waterton is concerned because the Waterton Springs Campground is vital in providing short term housing to those visiting as well as staff. • Motion – to write a letter to the Minister of Environment and Parks asking for the campground to be ran by Waterton. - Carried

6.8 Reassess linear assessment and School tax discussion – Mayor Don McDowell • Discussed the cost each municipality incurs when sending out tax notices. • Discussed ideas to offset these costs.

7.0 NEXT MEETING DATE Friday, October 4, 2019 at 1:00 – Culver City Room of Lethbridge City Hall

8.0 ADJOURNMENT: Moved Mayor Don McDowell to adjourn meeting at 3:00 pm. Carried

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Mayors and Reeves of Southwest Alberta Page 4 September 6, 2019 Minutes