A false alarm bylaw will be instituted in the City of Wetaskiwin; city council gave second and third reading to a draft bylaw during its Oct. 24 meeting.
The bylaw was first before council on Sept. 26 where it passed first reading. However, not all councillors were satisfied with the proposed bylaw, including differences in commercial and residential penalties.
Monetary penalties are now condensed into one fee schedule.
Coun. Patricia MacQuarrie, who attended the meeting via Skype, was pleased, saying a fee schedule would allow council to adjust rates in the future without having to go back and reopen the entire bylaw for discussion.
Festival road closure
Certain roads within the city will close for two days this winter to accommodate the Santa Claus Parade and the Wetaskiwin Winter Warm-up.
For the parade, the roads closure encompasses: Main Street starting at 53rd Street and ending in the Recreation Grounds, and for staging, 53rd Street from 50th Avenue going north to 54th Avenue.
For the Winter Warm-up: 49th Avenue from 54th Street (including the intersection) going west to 55th Street and it may also include 54th Street from 50th Avenue south to 49th Avenue.
“We will close the whole roundabout,” said Coun. Tyler Gandam
Administration was directed to handle notification letters to residents.
Audio/visual upgrades
City of Wetaskiwin council meetings may be getting a technological makeover.
Council has instructed administration to look into the costs and other resources needed to possibly record council meetings as well as broadcast them live.
Cost implications will be included in the 2017 budget process.
“Were the city to record the meetings and make those recordings available to the public it would provide additional transparency to the public and accommodate those not able to be in attendance,” said city manager Dave Burgess.