OUTLOOK - The town council of Outlook met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 26. Present were Councillors Sharon Bruce, Kyle McLeod, Justin Turton, Ryan Husband, and Kevin Grotheim, as well as Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Trew and Assistant Administrator Rachel Sillers.
Attending the meeting virtually was Mayor Maureen Weiterman, who was ill, and absent from the meeting was Councillor Bob Stephenson.
The meeting was broadcast on the Town of Outlook's Facebook page.
A number of topics and items were discussed, including the following highlights.
Communications
CAO Trew touched on a presentation recently held that highlighted the CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) Housing Accelerator Fund. The Fund – launching in summer 2023 – provides incentive funding to local governments to boost housing supply across Canada.
The program provides incentive funding to local governments encouraging initiatives aimed at increasing housing supply. It also supports the development of complete, low-carbon and climate-resilient communities that are affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse.
Trew attended the presentation held by CMHC and reported that it may be an avenue for the Town to obtain some money. Once funds are received, it's said that Council would then decide what to do with the money, which could possibly be as much as $250,000. It was theorized that it could be used for current community projects in town, such as the Mann Street subdivision.
Unfinished Business
Council next discussed the Highway Mains Replacement Project. Touching on a bit of background on this project, it was explained that the Town approved the replacement of the remainder of water, sewer and storm sewer mains, including services in two phases in the 2022/2023 Capital Budget. The decision was made with the knowledge that the Ministry of Highways plans a major rehabilitation of Highway 15 through the Town of Outlook in the next five years.
The Town tasked Associated Engineering with coming up with plans to shape the highway's utility main job into two phases, and the Town estimated that each phase of the project would cost approximately $1.6 million to a total of as much as $3.5 million. The Town budgeted the project with those numbers in mind.
The tendering process for Phase One is complete, and the lowest bid came in at $1,883,000 from Con-Tech General Contractors. This was awarded last September and the work began that fall. The original estimate was for Phase Two to cost $1.832 million. It was said, though, that Con-Tech came in very close to the estimate in all items except the largest one, that being service connection rehabilitation, which was found to be 250% of the estimate that Associated Engineering had.
After some miscommunication, or rather lack of communication between contractors, it was found that there was no possibility of completing the service connection rehabilitation in 2023. Town administration met with all parties voicing displeasure, and both administration and Associated Engineering have recommended scrapping the service connection rehab for 2023. Instead, they're looking at doing just part of the highway rehabilitation.
Following some hearty discussion of the matter, including disappointment over the clashing numbers and lack of contractor communication connected with the project, a motion was made for Council to award the contract for Phase Two without service line rehabilitation of the Town of Outlook, McKenzie Street and Saskatchewan Avenue water and sewer main improvements to Con-Tech General Contractors Ltd. for a tender bid price of $1,064,232. The motion was carried.
New Business
Council carried the motion that Peggy Gordon be appointed to the local library board as a representative.
As well, discussing writeoffs related to building inspections, $4460 was asked to be written off, which was carried.
Ending the meeting was a non-arm's length payment matter, in which $94 was carried and paid to Councillor Grotheim for mileage related to the recent SUMA convention.
Council then discussed a land matter in-camera.
