A rather light agenda met Bashaw council on July 4 and concluded on a bit of a sad note.
The first topic up for discussion was evaluating the submissions to replace the town’s safety codes inspection services.
Only two of the four companies that were approached in the request for proposals (RFP) submitted detailed prices and revenue splitting. As per procurement rules, the names of the two companies were not revealed in the documents.
CAO Theresa Fuller admitted that the town’s current contractor — IJD Inspection of Red Deer — was not one of them.
“Council went through both proposals thoroughly and compared it to the current contract,” Fuller explained in an interview.
Both of the new proposals saw a slight increase in the overall cost of the various inspection services — all of which would be paid by the business or homeowner getting the inspection — while the town’s share of those fees would be lower.
“In the end, council requested that administration approach IJD about reopening discussions on a potential new contract that would be the same or similar to the current one,” Fuller stated.
She added that council felt the increased costs combined with a significantly lower revenue share for Bashaw would not be in the best interests of anyone at this point in time. The new proposals would have seen the town drop to either 30 or 20 per cent of fee revenue from the current 50 per cent.
To date, talks on the possible contract renewal have not been held with IJD.
Facilities request
A letter asking the town to see what could be done about having a washroom plus receptacles for garbage and recycling at the community’s tennis/pickleball court was presented to council along with an update about what’s been done.
The request came from a local pickleball court user on June 28. Council asking for more information on what it may cost for portable toilets and what the town’s share might be.
However, as Fuller explained in the interview, public works quickly arranged to place garbage and recycling cans at the site and that in the meantime she found out that portable toilets were located at the courts courtesy of the Bashaw Area Recreation Board.
Other business
Council rubber stamped the contract renewal for assessment services with Red Deer based Municipal Property Consultants.
The five-year deal will maintain the current $22.10 per parcel cost for next year, the one per cent increases annual until the deal concludes at the end of 2024.
Namesake passes on
Council was saddened to hear at the meeting that the grandson of the town’s founder had passed away.
Don Bashaw died back on Jan. 25 at the age of 96 in Ellensburg, Washington with his wife of 55 years Maxine and his son Bob Kreigal at his side. The town was informed via phone call from Kreigal last month. He is also survived by his other children — Mary, Patricia, Jim, Donald and Brian — along with nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was buried on Feb. 11 at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington.
Only last year, council had honoured Don by proclaiming him the status of Distinguished Member of the Town of Bashaw’s Great Heritage, which his son was able to present to him.
The initial presentation to Kreigal took place on Canada Day as he made a motorcycle trek from his Florida home to Bashaw as part of learning more about his family roots.