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RCMP SRO provides update during latest Stettler town council meeting

And other highlights of March 21 council meeting
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Stettler town hall.(File photo)

The Stettler RCMP school resource officer (SRO) and his commanding officer presented an update to town council during its March 21 meeting.

Cst. Ben Witmer, who started in the role at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, informed council that as of now the “program has been going well.”

“I’m spending the first year making the program what I want it to be,” said Witmer.

According to Witmer, his focus so far has been getting inside the classrooms and spending time with the kids in the school. Sometimes those activities even take him outdoors like when he joins groups of kids for cross country running, while wearing full uniform.

“Everything I’m hearing is positive,” said Coun. Gord Lawlor.

“Where you are aiming is exactly where it needs to be.”

Staff Sgt. Jon England, the interim-commanding officer of the Stettler RCMP detachment, agreed that Witmer is doing ” a fantastic job.”

“I let him pretty well run his own program,” said England.

When asked by council how he was being received at the school, Witmer replied that most of the older kids are comfortable with his presence, but “some of the younger ones are concerned” and still not quite sure what to make of him.

After Witmer concluded his SRO report, England gave a brief update on the town-hall meeting to take place at the Stettler Recreation Centre (SRC) on March 22 which would help set the community policing plan for 2023-24.

Rink board

After nearly three-decades of use, the rink boards in the SRC are being replaced.

The project was approved in the 2023 capital budget for $386,000; however, after the tendering process it doesn’t appear as if the town will be spending all of those funds.

Four companies bid on the project, with the highest coming in at just under $594,500. The lowest, and winning tender, was awarded to Ontario-based Omnisport Inc. for a base-price of $310,473.

Being added to the tender are just over $31,000 for new aluminum supports, $2,500 for gap-closures, and G.S.T.

The Omnisport Inc. tender includes dismantling the existing rink boards and the installation of the new ones.

Public Works equipment

The 2022 and 2023 capital budgets each included $120,000 for two trucks for the town to update its fleet.

As the vehicle market has been “unpredictable” post-COVID, administration only prepared and submitted three tenders to three local dealerships so as to definitively remain within budget.

The three trucks tendered were a one-ton regular cab 4x4, one half-ton crew cab, and one half-ton extended cab.

For the one-ton truck, only two tenders were received, with Stettler Dodge offering the low tender of $60,758. Three tenders were received for the half-ton crew-cab, with Stettler Dodge again offering the low bid of $53,283.

For the final truck, the half-ton extended cab, only two tenders were received, with the low bid only being slightly lower than the other. The low-bid was offered by Gary Moe Chevrolet for $58,875.25.

Administration noted that the 2022 budget for the vehicles had been carried forward to the 2023 year and that with the pricing received it should be possible to purchase the fourth vehicle within budget as well.

Council approved the three truck purchases as presented.

Also in the 2023 budget was $55,000 for the purchase of a new skid steer.

While eight tenders were received for the new equipment, only seven were presented as one did not meet specifications.

Four of the units offered on tender were evaluated by staff, with the evaluations also being included in the agenda package.

After some deliberation, and due to a significant difference in pricing, council chose, at administration recommendation, to go with the low tender and purchase the CASE skid steer from Rocky Mountain Equipment.

The total cost of the machine is $84,700, however the town is getting $50,000 in trade-in value for an older machine they are getting rid of.

In total, the budget expenditure for the skid steer will be $36,300, excluding G.S.T.

The plan going forward is for the town to purchase a new machine every other year.



Kevin Sabo

About the Author: Kevin Sabo

I’m Kevin Sabo. I’ve been a resident of the Castor area for the last 12 years and counting, first coming out here in my previous career as an EMT.
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