Here are some highlights from the November 19, 2024, Town Council meeting. This is not an official record of the meeting. For more information – including the full agenda listing – you can read the Regular Council Meeting Agenda and its attachments.
Funding approved for new Town branding and municipal website project
Council took the next step toward the development of a new brand and municipal website for Coalhurst by approving a budget of up to $60,000 to complete the work. Funds for the project will come from the Operational Projects Reserve and will not impact taxation.
Once complete, the new brand will include a new Town logo, colours, fonts, brand guidelines, public communication assets, and a brand voice document, which will guide the language and tone the Town uses for all its corporate communication efforts.
As part of the project, the Town will be seeking public input to ensure the new brand appropriately reflects the community’s values and vision for Coalhurst, honouring our town’s rich history while also looking toward a big and bright future of continued growth, community pride, and sustainability. Public engagement is planned to take place early in the New Year and the new brand is expected to be launched within the first quarter of 2025.
At the same time, the Town will be working on the development of a new municipal website to modernize and improve user experience and accessibility of www.coalhurst.ca.
The intention of the new brand and website is to improve Coalhurst’s public image and digital presence, identifying what makes our community unique within the southern Alberta region, and what makes this an ideal place to live, visit, and do business.
Although the final brand will be informed by public input, feedback from Council, and guiding documents such as Council’s Strategic Plan 2022 – 2025, it will also be grounded in the new community aesthetic Council endorsed last month, using a modern approach to popular design in the 1930s.
Specialized contractors will be used to complete both components of the project to deliver timely and professional products within the approved budget. Town staff will oversee the work and help guide the process.
To offset costs, the Town is also applying for a grant through the Northern and Regional Economic Development program (funded by the Alberta government), which if successful, could fund up to 50% of the project. Results of the grant application are expected to be received in Spring 2025.
The Town encourages residents to stay tuned to the Town’s website, Facebook page, and Town Newsletter for updates on this work and how you can be involved.
Coalhurst Fire Department to receive new uniforms and protective gear
This past summer, the Coalhurst Fire Department sent six members and the Town’s new Wildland Fire Truck to Jasper to assist with wildfire fighting efforts. Thanks to that deployment, the Town has received approximately $38,000 in unanticipated revenue for the use of its resources.
Following a request from the Fire Chief, those funds will be used to purchase a much-needed replacement washer and dryer for the Fire Department, as well as new and upgraded uniforms and personal protective gear, including fire fighting coveralls, boots, shirts and pants, dress uniforms, and various other clothing items.
The new clothing will make it easier and more comfortable for Coalhurst Volunteer Fire Fighters to attend longer emergencies, particularly when responding to calls like major grass fires that require long periods of time moving through fields and uneven terrain.
Any funds left over from the unanticipated revenue will go into the Fire Department Reserve to be used for future projects.
Community Grant Program update
Council approved two Community Support Grant applications, including $2,000 for the Friends of Coalhurst High School Society to support the upcoming Breakfast with Santa event, as well as $1,000 for the Coalhurst First Responders Society to assist with its upcoming Christmas Open House.
Approximately $3,000 remains in the 2024 Community Grant Program fund and is available for applications. Residents, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to apply. In order for Council to consider applications this calendar year, they must be submitted to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
Administration report
Park Enterprises (Coalhurst’s building permit contractor) has a new online application system that went live two weeks ago. Instead of applicants filling in a PDF application with information (that often leaves much to be followed up on), they are now guided through an application that has them fill out the necessary information to issue the permit. The system then sends a completed application to Park who can then proceed with permit issuance, without having to chase down information that should have been included on the original application.
They have based their application model on the Alberta Safety Codes Authority (ASCA) application, as it is the most comprehensive and covers the largest area. However, the applications still have the logo, contact information, and FOIP Statement for each applicable municipality. The new system has already shown a drastic decrease in required follow-ups for permit issuance resulting in faster issuance times for applicants.
Future development of the system will eventually lead to a portal where contractors can manage their permits, autofill their frequent information, request inspections, and view reports.
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