Five-year dispatch contract signed with City of Calgary
The Town of Canmore signed a five-year contract with the City of Calgary to continue using their dispatch and call services.
The contract will cost $305,000 over the length of the deal for $61,000 per year.
According to a staff report, Canmore was previously with the Foothill Regional Emergency Services Commission until 2019. However, the recommendations from the Dillon-Fire-Rescue Master Plan and an internal review in 2018 saw the Town look for other options to possibly improve the service.
Calgary was awarded a two-year contract and saw “marked improvements in call evaluation times, technical advances, customer support and cost certainty,” per the staff report.
Canmore Fire-Rescue Chief Walter Gahler said they’re “meeting or exceeding standards for call evaluation and call dispatch.”
An added bonus is the monthly meetings with other Calgary customers in the region such as the MD Bighorn, Stoney Nakoda First Nation and the Town of Cochrane.
Gahler said the year-end statistics will be coming to council in the coming weeks, but they’ve continued to see a four to five per cent increase in calls each year.
Borrowing approved for infrastructure projects
A pair of borrowing bylaws for utility infrastructure projects were given second and third readings by Canmore council.
The South Bow River loop feeder main is for phase two of construction to connect the Three Sisters area to the wastewater treatment plant, per the staff report.
The total cost is $3.3 million, with $3 million coming from debt and $300,000 from the water utility reserve.
The second project is the water main connection upgrade on Old Canmore Road. The project is funded through $130,000 in debt and $170,000 from the water utility reserve.
Chelsey Richardson, the Town’s manager of finance, said the debt will be taken closer to the completion of the projects.
The term for repayment on both projects is 15 years.
Community Social Development operational budget changes
Town council approved allocating up to $50,000 in grants, donations and contributions to offset expenses to three local services.
The Family and Community Support Services, Family Resource Network and Community Social Development operating budgets will use the funds to provide services after receiving grant funding.
Among the programs being helped will be $7,000 from Crossway Victory Thrift to FRN to help with the Social Connection Programs for Canmore youth and children. A $2,500 donation has also been received for prevention-based programming.
A series of other grants have also been applied for and council will be updated on the progress at the monthly committee of the whole meeting.
Canmore Library board appointments
Canmore council appointed a new member and an alternate member to the Canmore Library Board.
Donna Balmain was confirmed by town council after receiving a letter of nomination from Anne Baker, the chair of the library board.
The term will run until the end of October, 2022.
