CARSTAIRS - Town of Carstairs council has approved an update of the municipality’s protective service committee policy. The move came during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The committee acts in an advisory capacity to town council and makes recommendations, liaisons with various emergency service agencies, and assists in the establishment of lines of communication between the various protective services agencies and the community.
It is comprised of the Carstairs Fire Department, Citizens on Patrol, Carstairs Emergency Management Agency, and bylaw enforcement/peace officers/RCMP.
The committee meets at least four times a year.
“The committee shall conduct its business in an efficient, timely, and if necessary confidential manner,” the updated policy states.
“Administrative agencies and community groups invited to attend the meetings will be asked to leave the meetings from time to time to accommodate the confidentiality of all agencies and community groups as required.”
The updated policy now includes the Carstairs Emergency Management Agency as one of the protective service agencies the committee works with. The update was approved by way of motion.
Arena ice in early
In other council news, councillors accepted various committee reports as information.
Minutes of the recent legislative and emergency services committee meeting included an update on the local arena.
“A decision has been made on putting the ice in early this year,” the report reads. “The town is committed to Aug. 5 to start the plant at the arena, with a start date of Aug. 15 for minor hockey skating school, which has added three more teams this year.
“The skating camp and adult user will put us at 100 per cent booked this fall with local groups. The Grizzlys and Colts have asked but not committed yet to early ice time.”
Installing the ice early will impact staffing, the report states.
“Putting in the ice at the arena early brought up the question regarding transitioning the park employees over to the arena earlier and how will this affects the Parks Department to perform their fall prep duties with mowing and spraying of weeds.”
Council also received reports from the external relations committee, the policies and governance committee and Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission.
Dog park work progressing
In other news, councillors were given an update on the proposed new dog park to be located in south Carstairs.
A delegation from the dog park committee made a presentation at the June 24 council meeting.
“They have their plans together for fencing, trees, shrubs, signage, benches and dog stations,” said CAO Carl McDonnell. “They are looking to get started on some construction in the last week of July or first week of August.”
Heritage Festival officials also updated council, saying this year’s festival was a success, he said.
“They were happy with the number of people who showed up,” he said.
