The City of St. Albert has re-organized some of its departments and let go at least two staff members as a result.
Legal Services is being combined with Legislative Services, with chief legislative officer Chris Belke leaving, while Environment will combine with Utilities, with environment director Leah Kongsrude leaving.
"We did a minor re-organization on Tuesday for efficiencies," confirmed city manager Kevin Scoble. He declined to give the specifics of which departments had been re-organized, saying he would not be commenting on personnel matters.
Off-site levies updated
City council approved St. Albert's updated off-site levies on March 19 after receiving an annual report from city engineer Aleks Cieply.The city has roughly 1,000 hectares remaining in its net development area. Last year saw the development of 34.5 hectares.
Updated levies see minor increases to roadway, storm and sanitary levies and a minor decrease for water.
The city adjusts its off-site levy rates annually based on how much net developable land is left and what infrastructure development took place in the previous year. The levies themselves are charged to developers in order to cover the costs of new or expanded infrastructure.
The city added one additional sanitary infrastructure project west of Ray Gibbon Drive to its off-site levy bylaw for 2018, for a lift station in Lakeview Business District.
Cieply said including that project in the bylaw would make sure the costs are allocated appropriately during development.
Traffic noise study information session
St. Albert will host an information session Tuesday for a traffic noise study that will take place this summer.The study will happen along arterial and collector roads throughout St. Albert. Data collected will be used to assess the impacts of traffic noise and determine if the city needs to change its current noise policies or engineering standards.
The study will be conducted by consultant GHD Limited.
The city will be sending letters to some participants asking if they would like to participate in the study by granting GHD Limited access to their property so noise-monitoring equipment can be set up in their yard.
GHD Limited is expected to collect data between May and June, with a final report being prepared in August.
The information session is slated to run from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Red Willow Place.
Councillor vice-chair of regional committee
Coun. Jacquie Hansen has been appointed as the vice-chair of the Sturgeon River Watershed Alliance steering committee.Hansen said on March 19 she volunteered for the role and she's happy to be a part of a "really motivated group."
"We're envisioning a plan that is really over 25 years but we will be reporting on it every one to two years," she said of the work the committee is undertaking.
"The steering committee has started work on developing a vision for (the) Sturgeon watershed, for which action plans will be reviewed."
