Rocky View County (RVC) council appointed Randy Smith as the Director of Disaster Services on May 27.
Smith has been the acting interim director since Jan. 6, when he resigned from his position with the Innisfil Fire and Rescue Service, located in Ontario, on Jan. 3, 2014.
The position was vacated by Ted Gard after he retired on Aug. 30.
Smith takes the helm at a rocky time for the County’s Fire Services. RVC officials and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 4794 entered into negotiations in the fall of 2010 and began arbitration on Feb. 23, 2013.
The negotiations resulted in changes implemented by the County that saw layoffs, shifts and crew reductions, fire stations being shut down because of lack of staff and increased emergency response times.
Three years ago, Rocky View County Fire Department operated with as many as seven firefighters per shift over a 24-hour period.
Over the course of the past four years, since the fire department unionized in April 2010, the number of firefighters has been reduced to four per shift, on a rotating schedule of one day on, two days off, one day on, four days off for full-time firefighters.
On Feb. 29, 2012, seven full-time firefighters and one chief fire marshal were laid off.
Responsibilities for the manager of community services include overseeing fire, enforcement, community services and other departments.
Fire guardians appointed
RVC council appointed 53 Fire Guardians on May 27, five local Fire Guardians and 48 Community Services Fire Guardians.
The Local Fire Guardians are: Ray Nichols in Division 1, Murray Talks in Division 6, Gordon Mowat in Division 4, Clayton Elhard in Division 6 and Rick Hagel in Division 6.
The Fire Guardian will be authorized to issue fire permits within the county of Rocky View, and due to the size of the county, RVC has typically used residents from the community.
“A Fire Guardian is a member of the public and a Community Services fire guardian is a staff member,” explained Grant Kaiser, manager of communications with RVC.
“Since many of our agricultural field officers (and similar staff) are out in the community interacting with people every day, it only makes sense for them to be able to issue a fire permit while they’re there. It’s a terrific convenience for residents. Having multiple guardians provides better and faster service, and they can cover each other off for vacations, sick days, etc.”
A full list of Community Services Fire Guardians is available on the county’s website www.rockyview.ca
Redesignation approved
RVC council went against a staff recommendation and approved a business development redesignation that would allow a home-based business that had outgrown the parameters to remain on the land, on May 27.
Administration recommended refusal, as the application was not in accordance with the County Plan because the land and the business no longer fit the description of a home-based business.
The land in question belongs to Malcom Strong, who owns MDL Landscaping, which administration said has outgrown his home-based business license.
Strong agreed, stating that his business continues to grow eight per cent per year and employs 30 employees.
The land is located outside Cochrane, one kilometre east of Highway 22 and north of Highway 567.
“We find that we are still growing at eight per cent per year,” he said.
“I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.”
Strong argued that his current land was the perfect location and the next suitable area was 30 miles away.
“I would like you to approve it so I can stay in the area,” he said.
Numerous letters in opposition were filed, which stated that the applicant had continued his business without the proper permits.
“We oppose the application based on the history of the applicant not adhering to conditions of past developments permit or to the conditions placed on him by the (development authority board) a letter submitted to council stated, which was signed by 10 residents.
The complaints included oil disposal, burning of waste, dust suppression and traffic to the site.
Strong denied these claims.Those who wrote in opposition were not present at the May 27 council meeting.
Council voted unanimously in favour of the redesignation.
“I think this is a great example spontaneous generation of growth without contribution,” Reeve Margaret Bahcheli said. “It’s a natural site for natural growth.”
East Balzac road division
Council approved a consolidation of a closed road allowance be split between two adjacent land owners, on May 27.
The road allowance is located on the west side of the approved Racing and Entertainment Centre in East Balzac.
The total area is 1.58 hectares of land to be split between the two land owners.
“The original road ran through the middle of a single property,” Kaiser said. “It was closed, and no agreement was in place to transfer the land, since there was only one possible place to transfer it – to the property owner (the racetrack).”
The road closed in 2008 and the intent was to consolidate the land with the adjacent properties to form one large parcel to facilitate the construction of the racetrack.
“Then the racetrack property owner sold half the land, and used the road as the property line,” Kaiser said.
“That created a problem as to which side got the road allowance land. The County decided the only fair thing to do was to split the road up the middle – half to the east property and half to the west. Both property owners agreed.”
