County of Forty Mile considers boat docks, gravel levy

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Ryan Dahlman

By Anna Smith
Commentator/Courier

There were many discussions over the course of the day, as the County of Forty Mile No. 8 gathered for their Sept. 27 meeting.

Council made the motion to stop sending funding to the East Butte TV Club. While they had sent money over some past years, a motion was passed not to continue. 

It was noted that some parts of the county have never been able to receive the benefits of this, while others still watched the channels provided. The club broadcasts several Montana and Alberta TV channels from transmitting antennas in the Sweetgrass Hills.

There was extensive discussion in regards to the docks within 40 Mile Park and what could be done to better allot space for those who were storing boats at the reservoir. Council and Administration are still reviewing potential solutions to the concerns of affected parties, and no motion was passed at this time, though several solutions were suggested by members of Council and administration.

Dates were selected for the upcoming Coffee with Council opportunities. It was put forward that Nov. 13 and Nov. 27, as well as Dec. 4, council members make themselves available to meet with various communities to ensure that residents and council are on the same page as to what potential services or changes would be desired by those who live within the county.

More information about these evening events will be forthcoming in the near future, and it was remarked that they hope to see turnout from not just the community hosting, but from all communities in the surrounding areas, as well as rural residents.

Discussion of a gravel levy took place, but the decision was made not to move forward at this time.

The Village of Foremost wrote a letter requesting bylaw enforcement within the municipality. While no formal agreement was made at the meeting, Council indicated they would investigate the matter for viability in the near future to see if their current resources would be able to serve both the village and the county at large adequately.

Also to be investigated is the potential of a housing project to ensure that County employees would be able to reside within Foremost, as is often required of them, as it can be difficult for new employees to find lodging in the area.

It was noted in a letter from the RCMP that they have gained an additional staff member at the Bow Island Detachment, though there were continued concerns about the area detachment still operating out of Redcliff.