CARSTAIRS - Council has approved a new emergency services employee policy designed to provide those employees with opportunities to attend conferences and training sessions in support of their respective roles.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Carstairs’ emergency services employees are community peace officers and bylaw officers.
“It is very important the we keep our employees up on everything,” mayor Lance Colby told the Albertan. “We feel that the more information that our employees can get about their jobs and how to do their jobs is better for the town and for them.”
The policy statement guiding the new legislation states that the town “encourages and supports the attendance of emergency service employees at annual conferences, seminars and other special development and training sessions during their employment.”
There are two governing principles in the new policy: “Town of Carstairs considers it important that employees, during their employment develop knowledge and awareness of issues pertaining to their roles in emergency service” and that council “recognizes that certain conferences are available to all emergency service employees to attend on an annual basis, but such conferences must provide education and training pertaining to the employee’s role.”
The policy’s guidelines state that all emergency service employees are entitled to attend the Alberta Association of Community Peace Officers conference and that Alberta Municipal Enforcement Association conference.
“Employees shall attend conferences on a rotational basis every second year,” the policy states.
Regarding reporting following the conferences, the employee is “expected to provide their supervisor with a written summary” and “conference materials or handouts which are of a benefit to all employees shall be copied and made available to them.”
Inspection policies updated
Meanwhile, council also approved changes to the existing sidewalk inspection and walking path inspection policies.
That also took place during the recent council meeting.
The sidewalk inspection policy calls for the town to inspect all sidewalks in the municipality on an annual basis.
Council removed the guideline that called on the operational services committee to review the policy and inspection policy annually.
All other policy guidelines remain in place, including that consideration of the following conditions will “guide the priority assessment of sidewalks for street improvements: the anticipated amount of use; the condition of the sidewalk; any previous damage or injuries as a result of the sidewalk condition; and the intended primary use of the sidewalk.”
Council approved the exact same change to the walking path inspection policy and retained the same guidelines.
Rick Blair, the town's chief administrative officer, said the changes to the sidewalk and walking path inspection policies are essentially updates to the existing policies.
Family violence prevention proclamation
Council also approved a request from Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society for the municipality to proclaim the month of November as Family Violence Prevention Month in Carstairs.
The proclamation states, in part, that, “It takes all of us working together to promote healthy relationships and create safer communities in our province.”
