The Town of Stettler’s waste management provider was an item added during council’s July 19 meeting.
Chief executive officer Greg Switenky requested the item be placed as a verbal addition to discuss the current contract and how it is not meeting the needs of the contractor with the soaring gas prices.
“We want to be responsible and ensure our contractor remains whole,” said Switenky.
“We want to recognize the excessively high increases.”
Switenky was looking for permission from council to approach the local contractor, C and S Disposal, and determine the additional costs they have endured over the last several months to come to an agreeable additional levy to assist them as long as the fuel prices remain high.
According to Switenky, the extra cost to the town is anticipated to be around $12,000 for the balance of the year, though final numbers still need to be nailed down.
“I’m totally in favour of looking after a vendor that has looked after us,” said Coun. Gord Lawlor.
“I think they will will approve the voluntary levy, I’ll be prepared to make that a motion.”
Switenky noted that when the contract was negotiated diesel prices were around $1.28/l, however prices shot up in the spring of 2022 before coming down some in July. He also said that in the contract fuel was largest line item, and was only getting larger.
As of July 21, according to popular fuel-price tracking app GasBuddy, diesel in Stettler is $1.89/l, down from a high of over $2.00/l.
Though the name changed, C and S Disposal is the same family that has been serving Stettler’s waste removal needs for over a decade. Previously, the contract was run by CAN-PAK, operated by the father of the owners of C and S Disposal.
Switenky also noted that when the contract was re-tendered, not only was the company local, based out of Alix, but also the one contractor that prove they were taking their recycling where they said they were.
“There’s a trust factor here,” said Switenky.
The motion put forward by Coun. Lawlor passed unanimously.
Central Alberta Selects
With the announcement that the Settler Lightning will not be participating in the upcoming 2022-2023 hockey season, the Town of Stettler’s Parks and Leisure Department has proactively been trying to fill the ice time.
One option presented to council is letting the Central Alberta Selects “AA” league based out of Lacombe use the ice at a discounted rate.
The league has used the ice in the past, however because of their high-level classification they have been charged the non-subsidized rate of $160 per hour. Teams such as the Lightning, which are part of the Stettler Minor Hockey Association, are subsidized 50 per cent.
It is also noted in the council request for decision that as the Stettler Minor Hockey Association boundaries fall within the boundaries Stettler players can try out, and play for those teams.
To help make use of the available ice time, Parks and Leisure Department made the recommendation to allow the Central Alberta Selects to rent Stettler ice time at the SRC for $110/hr plus GST.
Comparatively, other arenas the teams play in are Lacombe, which charges $103/hr, and Blackfalds, which charges $140.25/hr.
The recommendation was carried in a motion by Coun. Lawlor.