Christine and Roger Mercier are gratefultheir home was saved and no one was hurtwhen fire destroyed four outbuildings in theiryard west of Legal April 29. They appreciatethe offers of help and good wishes from neigh-bors and friends, but they are hurting at the lossof items that can not be replaced.

“We’re trying to make lists of all the stuffthat was lost,” said Christine the day after thefire. “But things with sentimental value, howcan you replace them?”

She patted their dog, Bella, and said, “Sheknows we’re upset. She’s hardly left us today.”

Merciers live on an acreage that wasRoger’s parents (Robert and Edna Mercier)home farm. The yard, and particularly theworkshop, were filled with memories of them.

On April 29 they went to Westlock to buychicken feed. While there they got a call fromtheir nephew, Real Montpetit, who told themtheir workshop was on fire.

“We were only gone half an hour,” saidChristine. “We turned around and camestraight back.”

They returned to a yard filled with fire,emergency responders, firefighters and police.

“The police and the fire department werevery, very helpful,” Christine said. “Theycouldn’t have been more kind. Two Victim Ser-vices support people came. It was very nice tohave them. We were very shook up.”

Sturgeon County Protective Services deputyfire chief of Operations & Fire Prevention BradReid said the fire started shortly after 3:00 p.m.Fire crews from Sturgeon County DistrictHalls of Legal, Bon Accord and Namao, aswell as crews from the Morinville Fire Depart-ment, responded to the fire call.

“Crews arrived to find a barn and multipleoutbuildings on fire which were ignited by thegrass fire,” said Reid. “They worked for sever-al hours to extinguish both the grass and struc-ture fires. Nobody was hurt in the incident andthe residence on the property was protectedfrom the fire by fire crews and suffered nodamage.”

Four buildings and everything in them weredestroyed: the workshop, an old feed barn, asmall pig barn and the old large pig barn.Sparks from the fire landed on the roof of thehouse and ignited a tree beside it. Firefighterskept the house safe and cut down the burningtree.

Christine said the Fire Marshall consideredthe blaze an accident. She said it may havebegun from the burn barrel they had attemptedto light four days earlier but it had not caught

and burned. It is possible the barrel was smol-dering inside and the wind caused it to flare up.

“We’re lucky no one was hurt and the houseis okay,” said Christine. “The biggest loss wasthe workshop.” It held a new tractor, Roger’svintage motorcycle, the rototiller and thou-sands of dollars worth of tools.

Also lost were a couple of bikes belongingto Brandon and Cynthia Gaudet’s children. TheGaudet’s are like family to Christine and

Roger. Brandon was helping Roger restore hisvintage bike, and the children would comeover to ride their bicycles around the acreage.Gaudets set up a Go Fund Me page forMerciers.

Roger suffers from a heart condition andChristine had a knee replacement two monthsago, so they have slowed down a little. She isthe manager of the Morinville Farmers’ Marketand an enthusiastic gardener. The new green-

house they set up five days ago now has holesin it.

Still, she plans to share her acre of gardenwith a few friends, so they can all have freshvegetables. With any luck, it will be a betteryear for gardening than 2019 was.

“Last year was so wet it was a disaster,” shesaid. “We could have won a prize for the bestthistles, I think.”

For now they are waiting for their insurancecompany to call and assess the damages. Afterthat, they can arrange for the site to be cleanedup.

“Looking at it makes us sad and upset,”Christine said. “The tractor was my husband’spride and joy. You don’t expect this to happento you. It’s one of those things you’re neverprepared for.”

Fire claims fourbuildings buthome saved Vol. 22 No. 25 Morinville-Gibbons, Alberta May 6, 2020

email: morinville@shaw.caPH: 780-939-3309Fax: 780-939-3093

www.cowleynewspapers.com

The charred remains of a new tractor, vintage motorcycle, rototiller and many tools stand where the Mercier workshop burnedwest of Legal April 29.

3Box 3005, 10126 - 100 Ave.Morinville, AB T8R 1R9

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A U D I T E D C I R C U L A T I O N C O V E R I N G :Morinvi l le , Legal , Bon Accord, Gibbons,

Edmonton Garr ison, & the res idents of SturgeonCounty rural , hamlets & subdiv is ions .

Tiana Beck enjoys the sunshine as she pulls weeds from the flower bed around the Morinville Estates Manufactured HomeCommunity sign April 29.

Springat last

Page A2, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

59118 RGE RD 260Rural Westlock County, Alberta Gorgeous family home! Renovated in 2010this 1966 sqft 3 +1 bdr, bung has too manyfeatures to mention. Kitchen boasts vaulted

ceilings, double oven, huge island, china cabinet & through patiodoors, it leads out onto two-tierd deck. Fireplaces up stairs & down addwarmth to finished bsmt & upstairs LR. Work from home with cozyheated tile floor in office. Could be converted back to a double attachedgarage. Comes with a wet bar downstairs, a home theatre, projector,speakers & amplifier for those weekend family movie nights. Outsideyou will find an incredible 40x60 shop, lined, insulated & heated,complete with mezzanine. You will also find a 44x60 airplane shed!Can be used as machine shed or cold storage. $526,000Trent Muller, BrokerCell: 780-349-0381Enail: trentmuller@mullerrealty.ca

YOUR OWN PRIVATE 5 ACRES WITH UTILITIESCampgrounds closed? Buy your ownprivate, gorgeous 5 Acre treed yardsite withpower and gas just about 1/8 mile off thehighway and about an hour north of

Edmonton, near Thorhild. Beautiful large mature trees surroundthe parcel of land with an open clearing facing south which has abeautiful view of the surrounding countryside while blocking the nwwinds and offering lots of privacy. Weekend getaway, live therewith your tiny home or build your dream home. REDUCED!Only $59,900. Call Heather for more information.

10 ACRES WITH SHOP AND ALL UTILITIESBeautiful 10 ac mature yardsite with40'x30' metal clad shop withconcrete floor, older hip roof barnwith new metal roof & several otherbuildings. Power, gas, a well & septic

all ready for you to build your dream home or bring in a mobilehome. Located just 12 miles NW of Thorhild. Great weekendgetaway or future home. The adjoining 150 ac is also for sale if alarger property is wanted. $124,900. Call Heather to view.

PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP ON 9.09 ACRES BY WASKATENAU

3+1 bdrm bungalow with m/f laundry.Upgrades in the past 11 years includegourmet kitchen with industrial gas stovewith 2 ovens, island with granite, loads of

counter & storage space, hardwood, ceramic & carpet flooring,central air, furnace, HWT, metal roof, insulation upgrade & bathrenos. Bsmt partially finished just a few years ago with FR,bedroom & 2 pce ensuite. 32'x24' det’d garage with 2 carports,storage sheds, chicken coop, garden shed & 11 yr old metal clad80'x40' shop (one third heated with concrete floor, the remaindercold storage). Gorgeous yardsite, paved driveway, surrounded bylarge, mature shelterbelt. City water, flower beds, garden spot,shrubs complete this property. Adjacent to Waskatenau with lessthan 1/2 mile of gravel and a quick drive to Redwater or FortSaskatchewan. $424, 900. Call Heather to view.

AFFORDABLE HOUSE IN THORHILD Good solid 2 bedroom home with windows,furnace, HWT, metal roof, electrical & stuccoall replaced in about 2003 to 2006. There isoriginal hardwood flooring in the LR &bedrooms. A little paint & refinishing of the

hardwood will make this a great home. Full unfinished basementoffers lots of storage space. There is storage shed which could bea small detached garage & lots of room for a garden, park an RVor build a new garage. Good location in the Hamlet of Thorhild,close to shopping, for this very affordable home. Only $69,900.Call Heather to view.

150 ACRES OF GRAIN LAND IN THORHILDGreat opportunity here to increase yourgrain land holdings or build your dreamhome and start your own farm. 150 acres ofgood productive soil. Approximately 100acres open grain land and the remainder is

natural bush areas. Small dugout on property. Power runs alongthe road in front of most of this quarter. Land could be subdividedagain. Located about 12 miles NW of Thorhild. Adjoining 10 acreyardsite with shop and utilities is also for sale. $335,000. CallHeather for more info.

LAND OF ALL SIZES• 135’x42’ serviced mobile home lot in Thorhild - $13,900• 10,000 sq ft commercial lot in Legal - $69,900• 5 Ac with Power and Gas near Thorhild - $59,900.• 160 Ac grainland between Morinville & St Albert - $799,900.• 3 quarters of good quality farm land in the Abee area. $1,500,000.

Call Heather or Glenn for more info on any of these

IRP ApprovedAgent

HALF MILE OF LAKEFRONTON HALF MOON LAKE

A rare opportunity for a one of a kind property! Ahalf mile of lakefront on south side of Half Moon

Lake, only a half hour north of Edmonton. Swimming, boating, fishing,hunting, snowmobiling, horseback riding right on your doorstep. 78.63acs is bordered on north side by lake & on south side by crown land.Property is mostly treed with lots of cleared trails throughout. 1422 sqft home was built in 2009 & could be used as weekend getaway or yearround home. There is one bdrm on main floor & second bdrm on upperfloor. There is a full unfinished bsmt that could easily be developed ifmore space is needed. There is an insulated 50'x30' shop & 200'x80'indoor riding arena with 40'x20' attached barn & 60'x20' covered leanto. Property is all set up on solar with a back up generator. $1,390,000.Call Heather for more info.

HOUSE AND SHOP IN THORHILD Well maintained original owner, 3+1 bedroom,1024 sq ft bungalow and shop on 130'x100' lotin Thorhild. Basement has just been reno’d andhas a second kitchen, family room, bedroom,laundry area and 3 pce bath. The 43'x26' metal

clad shop is heated with both a gas furnace and wood stove. Two10'x10' doors and high ceilings offer room to park an RV or truck. Theyard features a built in brick bbq, back deck, huge garden area, RVhookup for your guests, lots of parking and grass. A great property withroom for everything. Rent out bsmt for extra income. $175,000. CallHeather to view.

ONLY $64,900 IN THORHILDVery cute & well kept 2 bdrm manufacturedhome on its own lot in Thorhild. No lot rentalfees. Upgrades in past few years includefurnace, HWT, shingles & some flooring.

Private fenced yard is at the end of cul-de-sac so there's very littletraffic. Greenhouse & two storage sheds complete property. Thorhild isabout 45 min N of Edmonton & only about 20 min to Redwater wherethere is a hospital. Just about everything you need is here includingdentist, grocery store, hardware store, gas stations, medical office withnurse practitioner & even outdoor swimming pool. This home is inmove in condition! Call Heather to view.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITYIN THORHILD

Triplex with two 2 bedroom suites & one 3bedroom site. It sits on 100' x 130' lot with two

double det’d garages. Only 20 min to Redwater which has NWR &many other industries in the Heartland Industrial Area. Seller wasgetting around $2500 a month rent. $158,800 Call Heather to view.

4 BEDROOM CONDO WITH GARAGE Lovely end unit 4 bdrm, 3 bath condo withattached insulated garage. Features openconcept main floor with beautiful gas fireplace,decorative ceiling accent over dining area, plentyof cabinets, 2 pce bath & access to garage. Upper

floor has 3 bdrms, 4 pce bath with soaker tub & 3 pce ensuite. Bsmtis fully finished with FR, 2 pce bath, storage room & 4th bdrm. Patiodoor leads from LR to a covered back deck facing greenspace.$235,000. Call Glenn to view.

65 ACRES WITH HOUSE AND SHOPSBY REDWATER

Pride of ownership bordering Town ofRedwater with city water. Formerly operatedas a welding/ manufacturing /millwrightbusiness in 5800 sq ft shop. It has officespace, washroom, 3 phase power, 14'x14' o/h

door, in-floor heat, 10 hp air throughout & built in monorail crane. 4500sq ft metal quonset with 20'x14' o/h door, cement piles & beams inplace for a frame crane. Almost 1800 sq ft, 3 bdrm, 2 bath home withcovered front deck. 30'x50' att’d garage. Chain link fenced yard,double det'd garage, machine shed & storage sheds complete theyardsite. Remainder of land is crop land. Run your own business,indoor storage facility or great for a car enthusiast. $1,295,000. CallHeather for more information.

3 ACRES IN BUSBY The convenience of city water &community sewer but privacy of 3 ac atend of a dead end road in Busby withmany mature trees. In about 2004 two

mobile homes were moved here & placed on metal screw piles &almost completely renovated. New windows, flooring, kitchencabinets, new pre-finished drywall, wood stove, vinyl siding &metal roof were installed. In 2014 one furnace was replaced &HWTs are only 2 years old. Cute country home featuring largeopen kitchen/LR with wood stove, 3 bdrms, 2 baths & large FR(that leads to back covered deck). Fenced yard, 2 storage sheds& plenty of room to build garage. Busby is a great place to raisea family with a good school & playground just a few steps fromthis home. Active community with lots of family functions. CallHeather to view. $199,900.

4 BDRMS WITH DOUBLE GARAGE INMORINVILLE

Very well kept home featuring central air,hardwood & ceramic flooring, solid oak cabinets

with lots of roll out drawers, two 4 pce baths (one has swirlpool tub),on demand hot water, & 2 stage high efficiency furnace. FR isroughed in for future fireplace. Upgrades in past 8 years includegarage shingles, fence, central air, furnace, on demand hot water,appliances, window blinds, toilets & sinks. Fully fenced back yard hasa newer deck with pergola, gas line for bbq, & 24'x24' garage. Lotsof storage in the large crawl space area. Great home at an affordableprice. $299,900. Call Glenn to view.

40 ACRES OF NATIVE BUSH LAND Nature lover or hunter's delight just about 20min north of Edmonton. 40.28 ac of nativeforest with an older double wide

manufactured home & a tiny house. Main home has had someupgrades over the years including siding, windows, furnace &flooring. It features a huge back entrance, large LR &kitchen/dining area, good size MB with walk in closet & 3 pceensuite along with two additional bdrms. Tiny house has power &is heated with wood stove. Great start to a hobby farm withgreenhouse & lots of pens for chickens, turkeys or quail.Gorgeous treed setting with lots of hunting potential or just enjoynature right out your doorstep. Perfect weekend getaway or buildyour dream home. $259,900. Call Glenn to view.

SOLD

REDUCED

Sally Ridley take a nap as she goes for a walk around Morinville with her Nanaand Papa, Barb and Mike Penton.

The percent ofchange in the Townof Gibbons mill ratefor farmland wasincorrectly reportedin the April 29 edi-tion of The FreePress.

The farmlandmill rate increasedtwo percent from2019 to 2020.

Correction

THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Page A3

Lilian Schick School in Bon Accord vice principal Rachel MacLeod (foreground)and teacher Jack Delong share a positive message on the school sign April 22.

--photo by Rachel MacLeod

Despite some hesitation by some of Council,Sturgeon County Council unanimously passedthird reading of the 2020 Taxation Rates with a0% increase in municipal property taxes.

Coun. Kristin Toms advocated for maintain-ing the 1.18% hike contemplated in the budg-et, noting, “I appreciate the idea of the zero percent from a psychological perspective,” but feltretaining the original 1.18% would allow forsome potential economic stimulus later on.

Mayor Alanna Hnatiw pointed out the origi-nal budgeted tax increase was for the increasedpolicing costs faced by municipalities “andthose costs are still there.” She added the $20average saving would not make a big differ-ence.

Coun. Patrick Tighe suggested a .5% rateadjustment adding Council was “really goingto bat for residents given current economictimes.”

A media release following the meetingnotes, “the decision to keep rates steady with a0% increase balances the need to support localratepayers while focusing on key capital and

operating initiatives to support the local econ-omy. Additionally, for those experiencingfinancial hardship due to the COVID-19 pan-demic and to reduce the economic impact onresidents and business owners, Sturgeon Coun-ty is eliminating late payment charges for prop-erty taxes for July and August in 2020 for thosewho register with the County as having beenfinancially impacted by COVID-19.”

It quotes the Mayor as stating, “We encour-age taxpayers who are able to continue payingtheir tax and utility bills on time to do so, butwe recognize the financial hardship many resi-dents are currently facing. For those who planon using our 2020 tax payment extension dead-line without penalty from June 30 to August31, we are asking for an informal registrationof these intentions with the County as it willallow us to track and anticipate potentialimpacts to County finances.”

Property owners can expect to receive their2020 Property Assessment and TaxationNotices by mail in the latter part of May.

No tax rate hike by Sturgeon County

Page A4, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The staff and residents ofWest Country Hearth(WCH) in Villeneuve werethrilled when a parade ofover 70 vehicles honkedthrough the property in grat-itude on April 30.

Community members,the Calahoo Fire Depart-ment, Sturgeon CountyMayor Alanna Hnatiw andCouncillor Neal Comeau allcame out to show theirappreciation and support forthe staff who continue tomake WCH a safe placeduring the challenges ofCOVID-19.

Organizer Dixie Soetaertsaid, “I just thought it wouldbe a nice gesture to showthe staff we appreciate themand be a bit of fun for theresidents.”

Chair of the foundation,Colleen Soetaert expressedher appreciation to all whocame out. “This is an amaz-ing community, everyonewants to do what they can.Driving by, honking andwaving in support, made theevent a tremendous suc-cess.”

The Calahoo Fire Department participates in the parade as a Drive by ofEncouragement and Appreciation takes place at West Country Hearth in Villeneuve.

Chantelle Borle with her children,Ryker (6), Ella (4), and Griffin (2)provide enthusiastic support asthey participated in a Drive by ofEncouragement and Appreciationat West Country Hearth inVilleneuve on April 30.

Drive by parade offers encouragement, appreciation

Sturgeon County was given a clean bill ofhealth by the auditor Metrix Group, LLP as the2019 annual audited financial statement werepresented and approved by Council at their reg-ular meeting April 28.

“The County remains in good financial con-dition,” stated Phil Dirks, CPA, CA of MetrixGroup LLP, “with moderate debt levels, lowtaxes and low spending.”

The 2019 audit showed no new debt issuedand $3,430,050 in debt repaid, bringing thepercentage of debt to just under 25% of allow-able debt, down from 30% in 2018. As of theend of December 2019 the total debt shown inthe statements was $27,383,965 of the over-$110 million debt limit allowed.

The median for the group of similar munici-palities was at 18% for debt utilized in 2018.Coun. Kristin Toms suggested the inclusion ofStrathcona County in the similar municipalities“blows the comparators”. Dirks noted Munici-pal Affairs is not going to prepare the compara-tor charts any more which will allow themunicipalities to set comparators that are moresignificant to them.

He noted Sturgeon County’s taxes per capitaare at the “low end of averages” and spendingper capita is “well below averages”.

Senior Accountant Financial ServicesMadisyn Gabriel told Council “Sturgeon Coun-ty’s practice and policy on budgeting for rev-enue is conservative, therefore contributing to avariance at year end in actual revenue versusbudgeted revenue. A conservative approach inbudgeting minimizes the risk of running anannual deficit.

“In 2019 the budget was passed with signif-icant tax growth revenue and expendituresrelating to the Sturgeon Refinery. SturgeonRefinery was not commissioned during 2019and no tax revenue collected, resulting in a $30million variance from budget.” Though the rev-enue was budgeted ($95,969,034) the County’soperations expenses budget had only anticipat-ed spending $62,713,957 with actual expendi-tures coming in at $64,910,526.

The Sturgeon County 2019 Annual AuditedFinancial Statements will be published on theSturgeon County website.

Despite refinery notcoming on stream,County financialstatement positive

THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Page A5

LCJ Greenhouses and GiftsLCJ Greenhouses and GiftsCelebrate Mom this Mother’s Day

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Parts of three still-standing concrete block walls hold the remains of one of the buildings burned west of LegalApril 29. Story on front page.

Namao School principal Darwin Krips stands by the schoolsign with messages for students April 22.

For the third consecutive week another caseof COVID-19 was reported in the Sturgeonregion, raising the total to 12.

As of May 1 the Sturgeon County regionhad 12 reported cases of COVID-19. Ten of thepeople have already recovered. There were twoactive cases and zero deaths reported.

Sturgeon County is the only one in TheReview and The Free Press circulation areaswith reported cases of COVID-19. Both theThorhild and Smoky Lake county regions con-tinue to have zero reported cases.

For reporting purposes, each countyincludes the urban communities within it. Theabove data were taken from the Government ofAlberta website May 1.

For front line workers who arekeeping the community runningsmoothly, one local businesswants to return the favor by help-ing to keep your vehicle runningsmoothly.

AB’L Auto Electric repair shophas partnered with suppliers toextend a free service to local frontline workers.

“Attention front line workers.We want to thank our hard work-ing grocery store employees,restaurant employees, certifiedcaregivers, first responders and allhospital staff. You provide servic-

es we all greatly appreciate,”states the business.

“In partnership with NAPA andBlue Water, AB’L Auto ElectricLtd. would like to offer you a freeoil change with up to 6 liters ofregular oil, filter and a peace ofmind inspection,” states the busi-ness. To access the free deal, “pro-vide identification that showswhat industry you belong to andwe will keep you on the road safe-ly!”

For details contact AB’L AutoElectric at 780-939-4656.

Sturgeon regionCOVID-19cases rise to 12

Front line workers offered freeoil change at AB’L Auto Electric

Page A6, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Sturgeon County Council directed Adminis-tration to cancel public engagements and eventsfrom May 1 through to July 31 due to Covid-19at their regular Council meeting April 28.

There are exceptions for events where Gov-ernment of Alberta physical distancing direc-tives can be accommodated and these will pro-ceed. They include the County’s tree program,rain barrel and composter pick ups and house-hold hazardous waste round-up.

Director Corporate Services Jesse Sopkonoted, “The Government of Alberta has restrict-ed gatherings to protect Albertans’ health andlimit the spread of Covid-19.”

“On April 24 the Chief Medical Officer ofHealth announced that restrictions on gather-ings will be in effect for the foreseeable futureand apply to all summer events and festivals inAlberta, including arts and cultural festivals,agricultural fairs and rodeos, educational semi-nars and workshops, group volunteering initia-tives and other informal events,” Sopko added.

Despite the province announcing some eas-ing of restrictions on May 1, gatherings of morethan 15 people remain restricted whether in anindoor or outdoor location. Many high profilefestivals and events in Alberta have cancelledtheir events amid the pandemic includingEdmonton K-days, Calgary Stampede, TheWorks Visual Arts festival, Fringe Festival andFolk Festival.

Council also directed Administration tobring back a Request for Decision to the June30 Council meeting to decide on the status ofpublic engagements and events scheduled fromAugust 1 to September 30 based on healthdirectives at that time.

Sturgeon cancelsmany events, butsome exceptionswill go ahead

A Sturgeon County farmer combines grain left in the field over winter on the west side of Lily Lake Road north of Twp 570April 28.

Lay off of staff will save the Town of Morinville more than half a mil-lion dollars.

Communications and Marketing senior strategist Tracy Dalzell-Heiseadvised the town normally employees 93 full time and part time people,which equates to a 89.3 FTE (full time equivalency). One third of them,31 FTE’s, were temporarily laid off April 20.

The town’s 40 casual staff, who mostly work inCommunity Services, filling positions such as pro-gram staff and fitness instructors, are tentatively laidoff pending resumption of programs.

As well, the seasonal hiring of 31 positions wasdelayed and there is a temporary ban placed on newhires.

Those staffing adjustments, anticipated to lastfrom April 20 to June 30, create a projected savingstotal of $590,180. That breaks down as follows: tem-porary layoff of 31 staff $365,800; delay of hiring 31seasonal staff $146,000; temporary ban on new hires$19,000.

According to administration’s report to council onApril 28, on the staffing level adjustments taken as aresult of closure of facilities due to the COVID-19pandemic also indicates that the 2020 approved oper-ating budget includes $10,628,745 in salaries /wages/benefits. This averages out to $2,043,989 for a 10week period, with the staff cuts resulting in a savingof almost 29% over the normal average for that time.

The above numbers are related to the town’s oper-ational budget and do not include the fire departmentcasual employees of more than 40 volunteer-paid oncall employees, or the library staff.

The savings from staff cuts, mainly due to townfacility closures, dwarfs the decrease in revenueaccording to an April 3 report from administration tocouncil. “To-date, facility and booking cancellationsfrom March 16 to May 31, 2020, have totaled$41,450 (including GST). Administration will contin-ue to monitor and evaluate the implications of thefacility closures and program cancellations and willprovide a financial update as part of the normalreporting processes. Administration is also trackingall extra-ordinary COVID-19 expenses as well as lostrevenue opportunities in the event we receive com-pensation from the Province of Alberta.”

The Town of Morinville is tracking COVID–19costs, but as of last week had no update on the April3 figures. Dalzell-Heise said financial implications inthree areas are being tracked to the end of April andwill go to council shortly.

The costs of expenses incurred because ofCOVID-19 are ongoing. Town staff are still receivinga number of the invoices for April, when the majori-ty of expenses were incurred, and are calculatingthose costs.

Dalzell-Heise said the largest impact is expected tobe from lost revenue. That amount is dependent onthe length of time programs, facilities, and rentalopportunities remain closed.

Because the town did not provide an update on lostrevenue figures at the April 28 council meeting, nor

provide a report on pandemic-generated expenses the net impact of facil-ity closures and pandemic response was not known at press time.

Closed to the public until June 30 are the Morinville Town Office,Morinville Leisure Centre, Morinville Community Culture Centre, andoutdoor facilities such as ball diamonds, soccer pitches, skate park andoutdoor splash park.

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DEADLINEDisplay Advertising

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Morinville saving $590,180 on payroll, but lost revenueand pandemic related expenses update not available

ADVERTISERSREACH YOUR MARKET-- Not just your neighbour

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www.cowleynewspapers.com

Spring harvest

THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Page A7

Lorraine Carlson spreads a quilt top made from materials she purchased in Hawaii over batting at theScrap Happy Quilters in Morinville meeting March 4. “I’ve got so much material I need to get rid of it,”she said. She might give this quilt to one of her brothers.

Rhys Provencal takes car of the car while mom Katelynparticipates in the Feb. 13 Morinville Leisure Centre Moms &Tots Circuit program.

Bon Accord Community School studentLydia Holmlund pauses to consider aproblem on the Numeracy Corner Feb. 14.

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Susan Price holds up her fuzzy pink scarf atthe Heritage Place Lodge Knitting Club inMorinville on March 5. “I’ve been knittingsince I was a teenager,” she said. “My momwas knitting, and I wanted to learn to do it. Ilike doing crafts.” She enjoys makingscarves and giving them away.

The joy ofcommunityWith the COVID-19pandemic hitting the provinceand residents being directedto social distance and evenquarantine at their home onMarch 15, there has been ahuge impact on communityactivities for all age groups.Schools and all municipalsports and recreationfacilities have been closed.These photos of variousactivities and locations showthe shared joy prior to thepandemic ... and which welook forward to in the futurewhen the pandemicsubsides.

Page A8, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

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When the province shut down because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, Paul Smith of Smith Music inMorinville moved part of his business online, butcancelled other aspects of it. He also created newservices because of the pandemic.

“I made a personal and business decision that Iwanted to help business people in the community asthis happened, and keep myself grounded,” saidSmith. He wanted to make sure the community con-tinued to get music and to help other businesses.

“No business knows if it will survive,” he said,pointing out that his own might be one that does not.“I want my business known that I cared and tried tohelp the community.”

To that end, he and his wife, Henriette, live streamfree guitar lessons for kids, mostly via facebook.They also post free campfire guitar lessons for adults.

Along with three other local businesses, Smith pre-pares and live streams half hour videos to help busi-nesses. These include a six step plan for COVID-19preparation, how to prepare grant applications forgovernment COVID funding and how to quicklymove a business online.

“We’re really trying,” said Smith. “And thosethings are within our capability to give.”

Smith Music has three business streams: musiclessons, production of live events, and a commercialrecording facility.

“All live events are cancelled and that will pose asignificant hit on our business,” said Smith. Liveevent production, for small corporate events or majorones such as the Rainmaker Rodeo in St. Albert,involves getting talent lined up, lighting, sound, andco-ordinating transportation and hotels for perform-ing artists. He does not work with a single band,instead puts together the group of musicians who bestsuit the needs of the event he is producing.

He is now busier with giving music lessons than hewas before as he focuses on how to support transi-tioning teaching to online. About 90 percent of hisstudents continued their programs of instructiononline. Even with six high quality cameras to showthe instruments and music, online lessons are not foreveryone. The transition went fairly quickly becausefor a number of years he served out of province andprofessional clients through online instruction.

Smith is particularly happy to connect with hisyoung students who can not go outside to play andspend a lot of time with television or video games.

“We can still talk and joke,” he said. “It’s just a dif-ferent delivery system.” He feels most become com-fortable with the online process within about 10 min-utes of the first lesson.

“They’re learning the same amount,” he said. “Ifind, on the whole, students are more focused. This isone area where they still have to knuckle down, sothey have more in the gas tank.” He teaches (playingand theory) piano, guitar, bass guitar, voice anddrums and tutors students learning instruments inschool, usually with woodwind or brass instruments.

He also teaches how to record music and videos,the evolution into social media for musicians, andother aspects on turning a musical hobby into acareer.

In the studio he works with a variety of singer-song writers and brings in musicians to meet theirrecording needs.

A career in music was Smith’s goal from the timehe was very young. At four years old he began learn-ing music from his mother, who was a church organ-ist and piano player. He remembered his feeling formusic as “an indescribable magnetism.” He learnedfrom good teachers and at age 12 began teaching hisown students.

“I was drawn to being able to make a secure livingas a musician,” said Smith. “Teaching and perform-ing is all I’ve ever done.” His present business is theevolution of 35 years of work and building his repu-tation. When younger he toured a lot.

“I learned early on that road life was not in myDNA,” he said. “I value roots and a stable familylife.”

Smith grew up in southern Ontario and moved toEdmonton in the early 1990s. He lived in Edmontonwhile establishing his business in Morinville andmoved to Morinville about 15 years ago.

“I’ve been really lucky she understands music andentrepreneur hours aren’t normal,” he said of Henri-ette. “She’s been a key” to the success of the busi-ness.

Music businesscreates newservices duringpandemic

The costs of COVID-19 are adding up in Gibbons.Gibbons interim finance director Monique Jeffrey

reported the cost to the town from the pandemic was$66,100 from March 16 to April 21. That amountincluded wages, self isolation costs, and loss of rev-enue because the arena and recreation programs wereclosed.

During the April 22 council meeting CAO FarrellO’Malley said these costs are being tracked as a partof being transparent and to have the numbers in casefunding from higher levels of government becomesavailable in the future.

Gibbons has $66,100in COVID-19 costs

THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Page A9

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The Free Pressemail morinville@shaw.ca 780-939-3309

Regular office hours 9am - 4pm Tuesday thru Friday (Closed daily 12:00 to 12:30)

NOTICEFREE PRESS, REVIEW --During the current COVID-19 situation

office hours are being minimized and phone access will beirregular, depending upon staff hours. Email and fax remain the

best communication tools. The Free Press office in Morinville has a newsstand in the front

lobby to pick up extra copies during business hours and the Reviewhas a newsstand outside the front entrance in Redwater.

Production and distribution of the weekly newspapers will continueon the normal weekly schedule. Ads, flyer orders, news, photos canbe submitted to morinville@shaw.ca The warehouse will continue

to receive flyer shipments as per normal.

While respecting social distancing, BonAccord Community School educaitonassistant Amanda Hrycun (front L-R) andteacher Nicole Roe along withadministration assistant Char Uchaca andprincipal Aaron Chute celebrate one ofthe signs staff made for students.Schools have been closed since March15 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just months after the Town of Morinville was anhonourable mention in the municipal category of theCode of Silence Award, that has been eclipsed by theGovernment of Alberta in the provincial category. Theawards being announced this spring are based onnominations in 2019.

The award is given annually by The CanadianAssociation of Journalists (CAJ), Centre for FreeExpression at Ryerson University (CFE), News MediaCanada and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression(CJFE) to call public attention to governments, gov-ernment departments and agencies that put extra effortinto denying public access to government informationto which the public has a right under access to infor-mation legislation.

The four press-freedom advocacy groups recog-nized the Government of Alberta with this citation:

“George Orwell’s 1984 was written as a warning.But, increasingly, it seems Premier Jason Kenney’sgovernment in Alberta is using it as a handbook. InJune 2019, Kenney followed through on a campaignpromise to create an ‘energy war room’ to counterwhat the government claims is a conspiracy by for-eign-funded interests to attack the province’s energyindustry. But critics say the theory behind that con-spiracy has been debunked. Instead, they say the warroom, which has a $30-million annual budget, is anattempt to silence those who would tell the truth aboutAlberta’s oil patch and its contribution to the existen-tial threat of global climate change.

“The Government of Alberta created the CanadianEnergy Centre and made all of its internal operationsexempt from freedom of information legislation—ensuring there would be no transparency or publicright to know what it is doing.

“In response to these developments, Amnesty Inter-national has expressed ‘deep concern’ that the warroom will ‘undermine and violate a range of Alberta’shuman rights obligations,’ as well as create a ‘climateof hostility’ toward environmental human rightsdefenders, ‘exposing them to intimidation and threats,including threats of violence’.

“But the public’s power to hold the war room toaccount has been severely constrained by the govern-ment’s decision to shield it from freedom of informa-tion requests. That means the public will only find outwhat the Kenney government wants them to find outabout the war room,” concludes the citation.

While the name of the war room has been toneddown to Canadian Energy Centre, its budget has alsobeen reduced dramatically in the period between thenomination and the award announcement.

When the town of Morinville was named as theonly Alberta finalist for the municipal award at theend of February, Mayor Barry Turner said that coun-cil would look at such generic agenda topics as ‘CAODialogue’ and ‘Council Dialogue’ which council usesto go into closed session at almost every council meet-ing to discuss taxpayer and elector business withouteven letting electors know the subjects being dis-cussed in the secret session. The town was also torespond to a half dozen other questions raised by theFree Press in which information had failed to be pro-vided — and has yet to do so.

Morinville is making a strong pitch to win the 2020award, by sticking to a timeline regarding the sale ofa surplus arena and active curling rink. The town isselling the property for a fraction of the appraisedvalue without providing details on the purchaser oreven the reason the curling rink is included in the sale.If any residents want the issue sent to a plebiscite so itgets a closer examination, they had only 60 days tocollect and have witnessed the signatures of almost1,000 electors. So, a petition organizer would have togo door to door during the COVID-19 pandemic inwhich residents are being told to maintain social dis-tancing and remain in their homes if possible.

Provincial agencyjoins Morinville asjournalists highlightgovernment secrecy

As expected, the town of Morinville gave the final two readings toincrease the tax rates in Morinville by 2.6% across the board for themunicipal portion of the property tax.

Council gave unanimous support to second and third reading, enact-ing the bylaw as of April 28, after a token move to lower the hike to2% was defeated in a tie vote, with coun. Sarah Hall absent.

Councillors Rebecca Balanko, Stephen Dafoe, and Scott Richard-son supported making the tax rate hike 2%. The tax notices were dueto be mailed by May 1, making the final readings basically a rubber-stamping process.

In addition to the tax rate increase, both residential and commercialproperty assessment have increased, so you can expect your actual taxbill to show a larger increase than the figure the town is using in itsexample of the tax bill rising by $64.14 for the $332,696 average res-idential assessment.

In reality with both the mill rate and assessment increases, you canexpect your new municipal tax to be higher by $30 for every $100,000of your residential assessment -- over $90 for the average assessment.

Commercial assessment increased more than residential and the hitmay reach 10% on their municipal tax -- on top of the 30% increasethat category paid in 2019.

Utility rates had earlier been increased by an overall average of 5%for residential properties.

Morinville approves2.6% property taxrate increase

Page A10, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

TUCKER ACREAGE ON-LINE Auction May 7-13, MAS Sales Centre, Blackfalds, AB. Com-pact Tractors, 3 PT Acreage Equipment, SkidSteer Attachments, RV’s, Motorhomes, ATV’s,Cars, Trucks, Enclosed & Equipment Trailers,Harley Davidson Motorbike, JD Zero TurnMower, Posts & Lumber, Livestock Equipment,Hi-Hog Buffalo Squeeze, Tarp Buildings, WorkBenches, Tools & Misc. www.montgomeryauc-tions.com 1-800-371-6963

BLACK ANGUS BULLS Yearlings with lowbirth weights combined excellent growth, good feet and legs, semen tested anddelivered. Cajun Angus Ph 780-921-2180. 25-27PUREBRED YEARLING & 2 yr old red &black angus bulls for sale. Call 780-986-9088 20-27BULLS FOR SALE - Excellent quality redAngus registered yearly bulls. Moderate birthweights, good performance, suitable forheifers. Clegg Angus Ranch, St. Albert/Villeneuve. 780-910-8553 evenings 25-29REGISTERED RED Angus bulls. Quiet, easycalving, low to moderate birth weights, goodgrowth. EPD’s available. Vet checked &semen tested. From multiple herd sires.Selling quality bulls for heifers & cows since1992. Heifers available. Cleveley CattleCompany 780-689-2754 25-28

SAVE THE DATE!!! 100 Years of Friends, Fam-ily and Fellowship. Eckville Homecoming 2021.July 1-4, 2021. Stay tuned for more details

SEASONAL WORK - Westana Equine Centreis looking for fence painters for the summer,weather permitting. Pay is $17/hr. We arelocated 10kms north east of Redwater. Pleasecall Chris or Jessica at 780-736-3537 or emailresume to pproud@westana.com or fax to 780-736-3536 25-26LALLIER APIARIES INC - 56401 Rge Rd 11,Sturgeon County, AB, T8R 0L1, requires sixbeekeeper technicians (NOC 8431) seasonalJune thru September. $15-20/hr. with 45hrs/wk. Job duties: all aspects of beekeepingand hive maintenance, feeding and tendingbees, detect diseases and treat accordingly,harvest honey. Valid drives license required.No formal education but two years experiencerequired. Physically demanding, outdoors, ruralarea. Email conniemunsterman@outlook.com 23-31ONLY EXPERIENCED ASPHALT Paving Per-sonnel required for in-Edmonton work. Call780-466-7763. BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad.Only $269 (based on 25 words or less). Reach90 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-282-6903 Ext 4; www.awna.com CIVIC NEWS REPORTER required for smallcommunity weekly in Alberta to start immedi-ately. $45,000 for one year term. Please sendresume and writing samples to:classifieds@awna.com

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FLYER DISTRIBUTION Economic, reliable - noshrinkage from carrier non-delivery; noduplication or holes in your coverage. Largechains had their experts evaluate our systemand select us; local small businesses who knowtheir clients and their market also choose us.Compare prices -- great savings. Cover the fullterritory or a single community. 780-939-3309or email: morinville@shaw.ca 99

2009 MASSEY FERGUSON Hesston 2756round baler field ready $16000. 7”x41’ BuhlerFarm King grain auger with 15 horse motor$2300. HD 7”x45’ Sakundiak grain auger with15 horse motor $2600. Phone 780-656-2302 23-24BEAUTIFUL SPRUCE TREES 5’ average. Only$35. Quality guaranteed. Machine planting only$10. Includes: Wurzel Dip root enzyme and barkmulch application. Minimum order 20. Deliverycharge/order: $125 - 140. Crystal Springs. 403-820-0961 JOHN DEERE 310D Tractor Loader Backhoe.4-wheel drive. Extenda hoe. First owner.$28,000. Call 780-446-1051

ROUND HAY BALESfor sale. Alfalfa TimothyOrchard Grass. 780-358-2351 25-26ALF/TM/BR/CW MIX -Shedded small squarebales $7.00. Roundbales $60.00. Minimalrain. Phone lateevenings 780-942-4107 24-28

HIP/KNEE REPLACE-MENT. Other medicalconditions causing trou-ble walking or dressing?The Disability Tax Cred-it allows for $3,000yearly tax credit and$30, 000 lump sumrefund. Take advantageof this offer. Apply now;quickest refund Nation-wide: Expert help. 1-844-453-5372

FREE PRESS,REVIEW --During thecurrent COVID-19situation office hoursare being minimizedand phone access willbe irregular, dependingupon staff hours. Emailand fax remain the bestcommunication tools.During normal businesshours The Free Pressoffice in Morinville has anewsstand in the front lobby to pick up extracopies and the Review has a newsstand outsidethe front entrance in Redwater. Production anddistribution of the weekly newspapers willcontinue on the normal weekly schedule. Ads,flyer orders, news, photos can be submitted tomorinville@shaw.ca The warehouse willcontinue to receive flyer shipments as pernormal. 99

SASKATCHEWAN FARMLAND on Bakken Oil-field. Under $1000 an acre. Paying 5% returnwith long term lease. For more information, con-tact Doug at 306-716-2671

MORINVILLE - Chauvet Apartments – studioand 1 bedrooms available for rent. Rentincentive – Security deposit only $500. Veryquiet, 50+ small pets welcome, no smokingbuilding, centrally located. Rent includestelephone with long distance, heat, cable,internet, 1 above ground parking stall,underground parking available. Phone 780-572-3343 25-26THORHILD - House for rent, triplex 1 unit, 2bdrm, nice clean home. $590/month includes allutilities & laundry. Double garage optional, nodogs, no smoking, 20 mins to Redwater. Fordetails call 780-474-6197 17-21

RADWAY RECREATIONAL Studio Space forHire - Perfect for group class activities such asDance, Yoga, Karate and Fitness - Large openspace with mounted wall mirrors - Daytime -Evening and Weekend Rentals - AvailableHourly One-Time or Recurring Monthly - Emailinfo@loveyourdancestudio.com for moreinformation 99

CERTIFIED SEED. Wheat - Go Early, Pintail, AACPenhold. Oats - AC Morgan, AC Mustang, Derby,SO1 Super Oat. Barley - Busby, Cerveza, CDCAustenson, CDC Maverick, Sundre. Very EarlyYellow Pea. Forage Peas. Polish Canola. SpringTriticale. mastinseeds.com. 403-556-2609 EARLY VARIETIES. Want to be finished combiningin August? Go Early HRS Wheat, Busby & SundreBarley, AAC Peace River Field Peas (earliest yel-low pea). Early One Polish Canola (one month ear-lier); mastinseeds.com. 403-556-2609 FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conven-tional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, SmoothBrome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Tim-othy, etc. Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942

COVID-19 coverage. Check the digitalnewspaper The Heartland eXtra for additionalcoverage through extensive releases fromgovernment and health officials regarding thevirus crisis. www. cowleynewspapers .com aswell as current editions of The Free Press andThe Review. 99REQUIRE PRESS RELEASE Service? Let ushelp you with that! During this unprecedentedtime, we are assisting organizations, business-es and the public in getting their message outabout changing operations, cancellations, etc.Though we cannot guarantee publication,AWNA will get this information into the righthands for only $60 plus GST. Email: classi-fieds@awna.com for details CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/licensing loss? Travel /business opportunities?Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. USentry waiver. Record purge. File destruction.Free consultation. 1-800-347-2540.www.accesslegalmjf.com EARN/MAKE MONEY on your Internet, HomePhone, Power and Natural Gas and muchmore. For more info:mario@gmarionardelli.com

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LEGAL / NOTICES

Morinville Estates Manufactured Home Community property manager Shelley Smith paints a fence April 29 as part of herspring work. “We’ll clean up, paint and get the grass nice and clean,” she said. “Spruce it up and brighten it up.”

Sturgeon County Council will have the opportunity to look ata Council salary adjustment, given the impacts of COVID-19,following a notice of motion at their regular Council meetingApril 28.

Coun. Patrick Tighe put forward the notice of motion which

states: “That Council direct Administration to bring back optionsrelating to a Council salary adjustment to be presented to Coun-cil for consideration on May 26, 2020.”

The direction to Administration is subject to Council approvalof his motion at their next regular Council meeting on May 12.

Will councillors cut their own pay?

THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020, Page A11

Page A12, THE FREE PRESS, Morinville/Gibbons, Alberta, 780-939-3309, email: morinville@shaw.ca, www.cowleynewspapers.com, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Sturgeon County passed a motion to moveforward with creative public engagementstrategies related to resource extraction regula-tion bylaw review.

“We are fortunate to have valuable sand andgravel resources at our disposal,” said SturgeonCounty Mayor Alanna Hnatiw, “The Countyrecognizes the importance of protecting thesenatural assets and proactively managing poten-tial extraction guidelines and policies.”

Through regulation of resource extractionoperations in the municipality, Sturgeon Coun-ty is able to balance economic, social, healthand environmental outcomes, and maintainquality of life. Timely and collaborative revi-sion of bylaws and standards is crucial to

ensuring continued alignment with currentmunicipal conditions and local priorities.

“Gravel and sand extraction within SturgeonCounty has been ongoing for more than 30years,” says Hnatiw. “Not only do theseresources play a critical role in delivering localjobs in our communities, they are essentialproducts that are used every day across multi-ple industries.”

While land is monitored, proactively caredfor and reclaimed after natural resource extrac-tion, municipalities have a responsibility to lis-ten to local feedback and periodically reassessongoing management practices. SturgeonCounty had begun to venture down this pathlast year. On June 25, Sturgeon County Council

directed Administration to review currentresource extraction setbacks within its LandUse Bylaw to explore possible modificationsto ensure sustainable extraction and prudentmanagement of its natural resources in theCounty.

“A requirement with all of our industryreview processes is that there will be publicengagement and consultation,” says Hnatiw.“These processes underpin decision-makingefficiency, legitimacy and transparency, andhelp bring broader community ideas and con-cerns forward. Naturally, with the emergenceof COVID-19, we’ve had to rethink our ear-lier course of action and make a fewchanges.”

On April 28, at a meeting open to the pub-lic, Council reviewed several options includ-ing both short-term and long-term scenarios,for public engagement and project comple-tion. It was decided that Sturgeon Countywill proceed with an engagement and bylawplan to facilitate completion of both publicand independent third party review by Sep-tember, 2020.

Recognizing the significant impact thatCOVID-19 has had to date and the limitedpotential for larger group gatherings, themunicipality will adjust its engagement strat-egy accordingly.

Sturgeon County will begin connectingwith residents to gain feedback and inputthroughout May and June 2020. The diversemethods of distance communication willinclude road signage, online meetings, tele-phone meetings, online and printed surveys,and targeted mail-outs to potentially affectedresidents.

Public engagement undertaken as part ofCounty resource extraction bylaw review

Austin Crowley grins as he rides his bikein front of his Morinville home April 29.