Council compensation policy passed

Cold Lake, AB – The recommendations of the Elected Official Compensation Review Committee, which is comprised of four community members and two council members, were accepted at the Oct. 8 Council Meeting.

“The members of the review committee did a great job going through a lot of information to come up with these numbers,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “Especially for those who have children and want to get into politics, some of these numbers can help alleviate the costs borne by attending meetings and committees as an elected official.”

The recommendations will begin Jan. 1, 2025, and include increases of: 5% to Council honorarium (in addition to annual CPI indexing); 20% to Council per diems (+$50 over 8 hours excluding social events); 10% to meals reimbursement; and 25% to mileage reimbursement. New additions included: $1,000 annual Health and Wellness Benefit; $100/month Vehicle Allowance (for business within City); Up to $250 municipal branded clothing; Up to $500 annual partner tickets to events; Up to $200/month dependent care reimbursement; Up to $500 annual driver reimbursement. These recommendations came after the committee had reviewed the pay packages of neighbouring municipalities, as well as comparable municipalities around the province.

Food Cycler Program goes ahead

Cold Lake, AB – Cold Lake residents will be given the option to participate in a Food Cycler program, where residents can bring a countertop food recycle machine into their homes. Interested residents will pay a small portion of the cost for the machine, while the municipality subsidizes another portion. A total of 100 units will be available, on a first-come-first-served registration basis. More information on how to sign up for the program will be made available closer to the launch date, through the city’s social media and website.

Grant funding requests total $22,500

Cold Lake, AB – The Lakeland Scuba Society will receive $5,000 from the Community Capital Grant Program to use in purchasing a new air compressor to fill oxygen tanks. In order to provide matching funds, as part of the grant program criteria, the society will be providing in-kind services to the city in the amount of $5,000. The in-kind services were approved at the Oct. 8 Council Meeting.

Also approved at the Oct. 8 Council Meeting were several applications for the Community Recreation, Art, Culture, and Heritage Investment (CRACH) Grant, including: Cold Lake Community Learning Centre for $5,000; Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta for $10,000; and Stepping Stones Crisis Society for $2,500.

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