RCMP SRO provides update during latest Stettler town council meeting

The Stettler RCMP School Resource Officer (SRO) and his commanding officer presented an update to the City Council during its March 21 meeting.

Cst. Ben Witmer, who took up the role at the start of the 2022-23 school year, told the council that the “program is going well so far”.

“I’m spending the first year shaping the program the way I want it,” Witmer said.

According to Witmer, his focus so far has been going into the classrooms and spending time with the kids at school. Sometimes these activities even take him outside, when he teams up with a group of kids for cross-country running in full uniform.

“Everything I hear is positive,” Coun said. Gord Lawlor.

“Where you aim is exactly where it needs to be.”

Staff Sgt. Jon England, the interim commander of the Stettler RCMP detachment, agreed that Witmer is doing “a fantastic job”.

“I let him run his own program pretty well,” said England.

When asked by the council how he was being received at school, Witmer replied that most of the older children are comfortable with his presence, but “some of the younger ones are concerned” and still not quite sure what to think of him .

With Witmer completing his SRO report, England gave a brief update on the townspeople’s meeting due to take place at the Stettler Recreation Center (SRC) on 22nd March, which would help set the community policing plan for 2023-24.

rink

After almost three decades of service, the gangs in the SRC are replaced.

The project was approved in the 2023 capital budget for $386,000; However, following the bidding process, it doesn’t look like the city will spend all of those funds.

Four companies bid for the project, with the highest being nearly $594,500. The lowest and most successful bid was made to Ontario-based Omnisport Inc. for a base price of $310,473.

Added to the tender are just over $31,000 for new aluminum supports, $2,500 for gap closures and GST

Omnisport Inc.’s tender includes the dismantling of the existing rinks and the installation of the new ones.

equipment for public works

Capital budgets for 2022 and 2023 each included $120,000 for two trucks for the city to update its fleet.

Since the vehicle market was “unpredictable” after COVID, the administration only prepared three offers and submitted them to three local dealers in order to definitely stay on budget.

The three trucks advertised were a one ton regular 4×4 cab, a half ton crew cab and a half ton extended cab.

Only two bids were received for the one-ton truck, with Stettler Dodge offering the lowest bid at $60,758. Three bids were received for the half-ton crew cab, with Stettler Dodge again offering the lowest bid at $53,283.

For the final truck, the half-ton extended cab, only two bids were received, with the lowest bid only slightly below the other. The lowest bid was offered by Gary Moe Chevrolet for $58,875.25.

The administration noted that the budget for the vehicles was carried over from 2022 to 2023 and that with the prices received it should be possible to buy the fourth vehicle within the budget as well.

The council approved the three truck purchases as submitted.

Also included in the 2023 budget was $55,000 to purchase a new skid steer loader.

While eight bids were received for the new equipment, only seven were presented as one failed to meet specifications.

Four of the advertised units were assessed by staff, with the assessments also being included in the agenda pack.

After some deliberation, and due to a significant price difference, the council, on management’s recommendation, settled on the low offer and purchased Rocky Mountain Equipment’s CASE skid steer loader.

The total cost of the machine is $84,700, but the city will receive $50,000 in trade-in value for an older machine they are getting rid of.

Overall budget spend for the skid steer is $36,300 excluding GST

In the future, it is planned that the city will purchase a new machine every two years.

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