Rocky View County council approved an additional $1 million to cover a budget shortfall for snow and ice control and flood mitigation.
Last winter, maintenance crews were faced with extreme conditions and unusually large amounts of precipitation. The severe drifting, coupled with this spring’s flooding problems, increased crews’ workload and resulted in a budget deficit.
“It was a perfect storm of events where we had heavy snowfall (last winter), no chinooks, deep frost and then we had heavy rains in the spring,” said Howard Bell, the County’s maintenance manager.
The budget adjustment will cover the costs of the additional contractors, salt and sand, spring sweeping, equipment maintenance and flood control.
All were necessary, according to County staff, because of the high precipitation, which amounted to 33 cm of snow and 36 mm of rain above the yearly averages of 105.8 cm and 238.8 mm, respectively.
After much discussion, council also approved $200,000 to ease flooding in the Cochrane Lakes area, where high water levels are threatening several homes.
“I would like to give (infrastructure and operations) some tools,” said Division 9 Councillor Paul McLean. “Without any money all we can do is watch our residents get flooded out… and throw our hands up.”
The money will be used to try to lower the water levels in the lake, which is under Alberta Environment’s jurisdiction.
Several councillors expressed concern about the Cochrane Lakes request, citing lack of notice and information about how the money would be spent.
Ultimately, only Division 7 Councillor Lois Habberfield voted against the budget increase.
“This is $200,000 without a report from our infrastructure and operations department,” said Habberfield. “Just to put money in there without knowing if it will make one iota of difference is not responsible.”
Habberfield suggested waiting to increase the budget until council reconvenes in September and staff submits a report.
Division 3 Councillor Margaret Bahcheli disagreed, saying the County has been helping flood-threatened residents in other divisions.
“I am going to support it because administration has been dealing with this on a one-by-one basis right across a number of divisions,” she said.
“It is reactive to an emergent situation.”
