Richard Froese
South Peace News

Big Lakes County has selected five Town of High Prairie capital projects to provide money under the Inter-municipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) between the two municipalities.

At its regular meeting Aug. 28, Big Lakes council passed a motion to provide funding for upgrades to the water treatment plant, a water truck fill station, back-up power at the reservoir, bank stabilization at the reservoir and replacing a water line at the south river crossing on the West Prairie River.

Under the ICF agreement, Big Lakes provides a maximum $800,000 in funding for capital projects that are mutually beneficial to both municipalities – up to 50 per cent of the funding per project selected by Big Lakes council.

High Prairie CAO Bill McKennan presented the proposed projects as a delegation.

Combined, the five supported projects allocate $1,103,000, according to documents presented by McKennan.

Big Lakes council will later determine its allocation to each project.

Both municipalities are working to schedule an ICF committee meeting in the coming months to review the agreement and clarify what types of projects qualify for Big Lakes funding.

During discussion, several council members questioned some of the proposed capital projects such as a new vehicle for a peace officer, pick-up trucks, an alarm system for the High Prairie Aquatic Centre, overhead doors for the High Prairie fire hall and chiller gaskets for the arena compressor.

South Sunset House – Gilwood Councillor Ann Stewart was the first to speak.

“I thought it was for infrastructure only – not for vehicles and recreation,” Stewart said.

“Vehicles are not infrastructure.”

McKennan disagreed.

“We consider this all infrastructure,” he said.

He added the vehicles are used for staff to operate and maintain infrastructure.

Faust Councillor Robert Nygaard agreed with McKennan.

However, Reeve Tyler Airth agreed with Stewart that funding should be for infrastructure only.

Stewart suggested the agreement needed to clarify what qualifies.

“I think we need to back to the ICF,” Stewart said.

Grouard Councillor Jeff Chalifoux agreed.

“We should decide what qualifies for capital.”

Airth also agreed.

“Are we funding things beneficial to Big Lakes?” he asked.

“Hopefully, we can move forward with negotiations. We want to meet with the Town and have negotiations of the ICF.

“We want to know what is mutually beneficial for Big Lakes and High Prairie.”