Water Valley Community Association

Water Valley Library

Community Sponsors and Area Businesses

WATER VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Meeting Minutes, April 8, 2008

1. In attendance:

Ally Wise, Dave Smith, Lorna Oltrop, Brad Teigen, Don Oltrop, Elise Gareau-Smith, Judy O'Leary, Tim Clinton, Dick Jarand, Stacy Miller, Mike Petersen and special guests from the Cochrane Lake Gas Co-op Larry Want and Ben Grainger.

2. Minutes:

Approval of the minutes of the last meeting moved by Ally Wise seconded by Lorna Oltrop

3.Cochrane Lake Gas Co-op Presentation

  • Co-op has resurveyed and picked a new location for the tower that will be used for high speed internet transmission and remote gas meter reading for a 17 km radius
  • Water Valley is one of two test sites selected by a joint venture of nine gas co-ops
  • Tower will be 85-95' high in an area of land 8 meters by 8 meters
  • There will also be an 8' x 10' shed 10' high
  • Co-op will arrange for soil testing prior to construction and will share results with WVCA
  • Co-op will contact appropriate authorities about adding conduit to old school house
  • Fencing around the tower could be required by the WVCA
  • Co-op was asking for approval from the WVCA to sign off on the development permit so they can go to the county; normal advertising by the county would follow
  • The next step would be a surface lease agreement which would include negotiated agreements on:
    • Liability
    • Compensation to the WVCA
    • Land reclamation
    • Other uses of the tower
    • Fencing
  • Signing the surface lease agreement would provide permission to start construction
  • Mike Petersen, adjacent land owner, raised concerns about the facility blocking a walking path and shining light into his house
  • Moved by Judy O'Leary that we sign the development agreement, seconded by Ally Wise. Approved.

4.Treasurer

  • Dave Smith resigned as Treasurer. Thanks to Dave for all his hard work.
  • Stacy Miller was acclaimed as the new treasurer

5. Old Business

a. Stud Auction

  • Approximately $10,000 was raised
  • Moved by Brad Teigen to give the auctioneers a $100 honorarium each, seconded by Ally Wise, approved.

b. New Building Drawings

  • Preliminary drawings have been received but are not satisfactory so further work has been halted

ACTION: Dick Jarand and Tim Clinton to review plans and make recommendations about how to proceed

c. Letter to Karen Shurma

  • Letter approved

ACTION: Judy O'Leary to mail letter on letterhead with cheque

d. Visit from county

ACTION: Ally Wise to contact Michelle Honeyman to invite her to attend our next meeting to discuss library funding

e. Camping rules/concerns re noise

  • In October Mike Petersen, who lives next to the community hall grounds, had expressed concern about noise from camping on the community hall grounds
  • In response new camping rules were drafted and approved

ACTION: Ally Wise to email new rules to Mike Petersen

f. Fireworks

  • Mike Petersen expressed concern about the effect of noise from the annual fireworks at Water Valley Days on his horses
  • WVCA noted his concerns but did not feel it was necessary to cancel the fireworks and recommended that he find help to care for his horses if he needs to be away at that time

ACTION: Ally Wise to provide Mike with past copies of WVCA minutes

g. Light Pole near school

  • Noted that an announcement approving the new pole was in the Mountainview Gazette

h. Letter to MLAs about library funding

  • Parkland Regional Library had recommended that library boards send a letter to their MLAs requesting more sustainable library funding

ACTION: Lorna Oltrop to draft letter for Ally Wide to sign and send to MLA

6. New Business

a. Cremona Rec Board Grant

  • Funding is available for non-capital projects
  • Decided to request funds for the following:
    • Video LCD projector for use at presentations and to rent out for events
    • New vacuum cleaner
    • New Water Valley info sign

ACTION: Brad Teigen to investigate costs of a new vacuum and to identify any other needs for the hall

ACTION: Tim Clinton to investigate specs and costs for the projector

b. Ball diamond

  • Request received to use the ball diamond to teach young children how to play ball on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 for one hour

ACTION: Ally Wise to get contact information from Mike Petersen to discuss changing ball schedules on that night

c. Bituma reunion (August long weekend 2008)

  • Organizers requested a tarp or tent
  • Organizers also asked if the WVCA would like to run the bar for them. Request was turned down due to insufficient volunteers right before water Valley Days. It was suggested that they could approach a group like the Lions to see if they are interested

ACTION: Ally Wise to check on rental costs for Water Valley Days tent to see if it could be rented for two weeks and costs shared with Bituma reunion

d. Approval of spending/cash floats

  • Concerns raised about spending not being pre-approved by WVCA executive
  • Suggested that we
    • Have an annual budget
    • Specify a maximum amount that can be spent without prior approval of the WVCA,
    • Have a list of cheques issued each month provided at each meeting
    • Develop a policy on cash floats

ACTION: Dick Jarand and Stacy Miller to review treasurer guidelines and bring forward a proposal to our next meeting

e. Website

  • Agreed that minutes should be posted on the website as well as archived at the library
  • Advertising on the website need to be updated
  • Website in general needs some improvement

ACTION: Ally Wise to make sure advertising on website is up to date and to post minutes on the website; Tim Clinton to review website and bring forward suggestions for improvement

f. Professionalism

  • Concerns raised that comments about matters discussed at meetings are not always very professional and lead to unpleasant rumours
  • Agreed that any discussion of meetings/WVCA business should be kept at a very professional level as should any emails among members about WVCA business

g. Signing officers

  • Moved by Lorna Oltrop, seconded by Ally Wise that the signing officers be changed as follows:
    • WVCA: Ally Wise, Stacy Miller, Veronica Ramsay
    • Library: Lorna Oltrop, Stacy Miller

ACTION: Ally Wise and Stacy Miller to go to the bank to change the WVCA signing authority and Lorna Oltrop and Stacy Miller to do the same for the library banking.