Utility Committee Minutes

Friday, November 04, 2022

9:30 A.m. - 5:00 P.m.

River Valley Room, 1st floor, City Hall

Present:

• T. Cartmell, 
• A. Paquette, 
• M. Janz, 
• A. Salvador, 
• A. Stevenson, 
• and K. Tang

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1.

Call to Order and Related Business

1.1

Call to Order and Land Acknowledgement

Councillor T. Cartmell called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m., Friday, November 4, 2022, and acknowledged that Utility Committee meets on the traditional land of Treaty 6 Territory. The Chair also acknowledged the diverse Indigenous peoples whose ancestors' footsteps have marked this territory for centuries such as: Cree, Dene, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Nakota Sioux, as well as Metis and Inuit, and now settlers from around the world.

1.2

Roll Call

Councillor T. Cartmell conducted roll call and confirmed the attendance of Members of Utility Committee. 

Councillors K. Principe, E. Rutherford and J. Wright; and J. Abekah, S. Parsons, B. Webster and Julie Vizbar, Office of the City Clerk, were also in attendance.

1.3

Adoption of Agenda

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the November 4, 2022, Utility Committee meeting agenda be adopted.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the August 26, 2022, Utility Committee meeting minutes be approved.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

1.5

Protocol Items

1.

Steinhauer School (T. Cartmell)

Councillor T. Cartmell, on behalf of Utility Committee, welcomed the Grade 6 class from Steinhauer School in Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiasohtsi, and their teacher M. Rogers.

2.

Items for Discussion and Related Business

2.1

Select Items for Debate

The following items were selected for debate: 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3.

2.2

Vote on Reports not Selected for Debate

All items were selected for debate.

2.3

Requests to Speak

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the Utility Committee hear from the following speakers, in panels when appropriate:

  • 7.2 Watershed Management Update - North Saskatchewan River Regional Plan Status Update
    
    1. K. Schole, Smoke Lake County & North Saskatchewan Heritage River Initiative
    2. L. Duncan, North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
    3. S. Neufeld, EPCOR 
  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

2.4

Requests for Specific Time on Agenda

There were no requests for items to be dealt with at a specific time on the agenda.

3.

Councillor Inquiries

There were no Councillor Inquiries.

4.

Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting

There were no Reports to be Dealt with at a Different Meeting.

5.

Requests to Reschedule Reports

There were no Requests to Reschedule Reports. 

6.

Unfinished Business

There was no Unfinished Business on the agenda.

7.

Public Reports

7.1

Epcor Water Services Inc. Proposed Improvements to Financial and Regulatory Reporting

The following members of EPCOR's delegation made a presentation and answered questions:

• D. Manning
• S. Appukuttan

J.  Beckett, Utility Advisor, made a presentation and answered questions.

The following member of EPCOR's delegation answered questions:

• S. Bradford

• Moved by: K. Tang

  That the November 4, 2022, Financial and Corporate Services report FCS01533, be received for information.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)
• Moved by: K. Tang

  That Administration work with EPCOR Water Services Inc. to include the size of the workforce including actual and forecast full-time equivalents (FTEs) in its future Performance Based Rates (PBR) applications.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.2

Watershed Management Update - North Saskatchewan River Regional Plan Status Update

The following members of Administration’s delegation made a presentation:

• K. Snyder, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Tomaras, Urban Planning and Economy

The following public speakers made presentations and answered questions:

• K. Schole, Smoky Lake County & North Saskatchewan Heritage River Initiative
• L. Duncan, North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
• S.Neufeld, EPCOR

The following members of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• K. Snyder, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Tomaras, Urban Planning and Economy
• D. Koleyak, Urban Planning and Economy
• C. Hodgson, Office of the City Manager (Legal Services)

• Moved by: A. Stevenson

  That the November 4, 2022, Urban Planning and Economy report UPE00797, be received for information.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

7.3

Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility Business Plan - Annual Update

The following member of Administration’s delegation made a presentation and answered questions:

• C. Felske, Integrated Infrastructure Services

J. Beckett, Utility Advisor, made a presentation and answered questions.

The following member of Administration’s delegation answered questions:

• A. Laughlin, Deputy City Manager, Integrated Infrastructure Services

• Moved by: A. Paquette

  That the November 4, 2022, Integrated Infrastructure Services report, IIS01397, be received for information.

  
  

  In Favour (6)

  A. Paquette, T. Cartmell, A. Salvador, M. Janz, K. Tang, and A. Stevenson

  
  
  
  Carried (6 to 0)

8.

Responses to Councillor Inquiries

There were no Responses to Councillor Inquiries on the agenda.

9.

Private Reports

There were no Private Reports on the agenda.

10.

Motions Pending

There were no Motions Pending on the agenda.

11.

Notices of Motion and Motions without Customary Notice

Councillor T. Cartmell asked whether there were any Notices of Motion. There were none. 

12.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 11:57 a.m., Friday, November 4, 2022.