Council approved overnight, on-street parking restrictions for parts of the downtown core to improve snow removal operations. The restrictions are implemented seasonally from November 15 to March 31 and are enforced from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. A map of the area is available at
banff.ca/snow. These restrictions were also in place last year, and allowed crews to better clear roads before regular business hours. Council also voted adjust the budget and move up the retrofit of an existing snow plow so it will work a new truck. It was moved from the 2019 budget to the 2018 budget. That retrofit will be reviewed during the upcoming service level review.
Council voted to amend the 2017 fleet capital reserve by $24,000 to purchase a two ton diesel truck with a hook lift system, replacing a one ton gas truck that’s been in use since 2003. The additional cost is to outfit the new truck with a hook lift system, which allows staff to more efficiently swap out seasonal equipment attachments. Without this system, staff would require eight hours, as well as the use of a crane truck, to change attachments. With the hook lift system, attachments can be changed in approximately 30 minutes. The updated vehicle will also be more fuel efficient, with an estimated 52% decrease in fuel costs.
Council approved signing the Alberta South Central Mutual Aid Agreement. In 1991, the Town entered into the Bow Corridor Emergency Mutual Aid Agreement with several communities that would allow access to resources if a state of local emergency (SOLE) was declared. Since then, it’s been determined that a SOLE not need to be declared to receive the benefits of mutual aid assistance. The new South Central Mutual Aid Agreement has 26 member municipalities, improvement districts, municipal districts, first nations communities and summer villages. Activation of the agreement is done by activating an emergency plan, and does not require the declaration of a state of local emergency.
Council approved entering into a contractual agreement with Lake Louise/Yoho/Kootenay Field Unit to provide fire inspection services. The Town has been providing fire inspection services for federally owned buildings in Banff National Park (Banff Field Unit) since 2015. There is a potential annual revenue of $15,400 from this contract.
Council received the police service and fire services benchmarking reports as information. In 2012, the Town of Banff and 12 other municipalities began collecting and sharing data to identify and share best practices to ultimately improve municipal services in Alberta. The documents are a comprehensive look at how the Town of Banff’s services match up to other communities. Council also voted to bring back a new service level request that recommends council approve an increase of one police officer in 2019 and one officer in 2020.
Councillor Stavros Karlos made a notice of motion for the Town of Banff to establish a comprehensive strategy to pedestrianize the 100 and 200 blocks of Banff Avenue, while noting that as he will not be on council in the next term, he cannot bring his motion forward to a future agenda. Any councillor may make notice that he or she will bring forward a motion to a future meeting for consideration.
This was the final meeting of council for the 2013-2017 term.
Election Day is Monday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Banff Town Hall. The new council will be sworn in on Monday, October 23. The regular meeting and annual organization meeting will be postponed to Monday, October 30. Both meetings are at 2 p.m. in the council chamber.