Red Deer Minute: Council Gifts, Shelter Hearing, and Toys For Tickets

Red Deer Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Red Deer politics

This Week In Red Deer:

• On Wednesday, at 5:00 pm, the Public Art Commission will meet. The Commission will elect a new Chair and Vice-Chair before going into a closed meeting. Away from the public eye, they will discuss the finalists for the City Hall art mural and the Public Art Community Grant.
  
  
• This month, you can pay your City-issued parking tickets with a new, unwrapped toy of equal or greater value than the amount of the ticket. The toys will be donated to the Red Deer Christmas Bureau for distribution to families in need. Toys can be dropped off at City Hall on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm until November 30th and must be accompanied by a receipt showing the value of the toy.
  
  
• Agri-Trade will be happening from Wednesday to Friday at Westerner Park. This is one of the biggest Farm Equipment Trade Shows in North America. Tickets are $15 and are available online. Children under 12 get in free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• The City announced the details of the new snow and ice clearing pilot program. Residential streets will now be included in 24-hour snow and ice control operations, shortening the time to clear Green and Grey Routes from an average of 24 days to 7 days. The pilot program also increases service levels for trail clearing, includes quicker transit stop clearing, and puts a focus on pre-treatment and sanding for major roadways, hills, and bridges. The City will be launching a public consultation process through Engage Red Deer to gather feedback on how the new program is going.
  
  
• A motion to eliminate the Council recognition policy (in which incoming and outgoing Councillors receive gifts) was defeated. Councillors Cindy Jefferies, Victor Doerksen, and Kraymer Barnstable supported discontinuing the tradition, while Mayor Ken Johnston and Councillor Vesna Higham argued in favour of the sentimental value of their Council gifts. To reduce costs, it was suggested to replace the current gift - a ring that could cost up to $2,400 - with a pin with a top value of $500. This policy will be applied to future elected officials.
  
  
• City Council has approved the first reading of a Land Use Bylaw Amendment to extend the temporary shelter's operations at its current location at Cannery Row. The shelter was previously approved to operate until February 1st, 2024, with the assumption that a permanent shelter would be up and running by then. But, as of yet, there are still no details on a permanent shelter, and the organization operating the temporary shelter, the Safe Harbour Society, says their intake is higher than ever. A public hearing is scheduled for December 4th.

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