RM of Prairie Coulee No. 999
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL
held in the Council Chambers, Municipal Office, 1 Main Street, Coulee Flats, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Present
| Reeve | Lorne Beckstead |
|---|---|
| Councillor – Division 1 | Ada Mirski |
| Councillor – Division 2 | Gord Tallis |
| Councillor – Division 3 | Renée Fournier |
| Councillor – Division 4 | Wes Hadley |
| Deputy Reeve – Division 5 | Trina Solberg |
| Councillor – Division 6 | Pat Okonkwo |
| Administrator | Colleen Harstad |
| Assistant Administrator | Janelle Voss |
Call to order
Reeve Lorne Beckstead, a quorum being present, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Declaration of conflict of interest
Councillor Okonkwo declared a conflict of interest on item 11.3 (approach application, NW 18-34-4 W3), as the applicant is a family member, and said he would leave the meeting for that item.
Adoption of Agenda
Moved by Renée Fournier:
THAT the agenda be adopted with the addition of item 11.8, SARM Mid-Term Convention.
CARRIED
Minutes
Moved by Trina Solberg:
THAT the minutes of the regular meeting held July 14, 2026 and the special meeting held July 28, 2026 be approved as circulated.
CARRIED
Financial
Statement of Financial Activities
Moved by Ada Mirski:
THAT the statement of financial activities for the month ending July 31, 2026 be accepted as presented.
CARRIED
Bank Reconciliation
Moved by Gord Tallis:
THAT the bank reconciliation for July 2026 be accepted as presented.
CARRIED
Payment of Accounts
Moved by Wes Hadley:
THAT the following accounts be approved for payment:
| Cheques 8412 to 8457 | $142,318.56 |
| Electronic payments EFT 26-0701 to 26-0724 | $86,904.12 |
| Payroll – July 2026 | $61,227.40 |
| Total | $290,450.08 |
CARRIED
Correspondence
Moved by Pat Okonkwo:
THAT the following correspondence be received and filed:
| July 15 – SARM – Mid-term convention registration and resolutions deadline | |
| July 22 – Ministry of Highways – Reminder on reporting of road restriction orders | |
| July 29 – Juniper Hills Fire Association – Second-quarter call report | |
| August 3 – Coulee Flats School Community Council – Thank-you for 2026 bus route grading |
CARRIED
Reports
9:25 a.m. Foreman Dwayne Lindqvist entered the meeting and presented the public works report.
Public Works Report
Moved by Gord Tallis:
THAT the foreman's report for July 2026, covering gravelling in Divisions 2 and 5, the Township Road 342 culvert and summer mowing, be accepted as information.
CARRIED
9:50 a.m. Foreman Dwayne Lindqvist left the meeting.
Administrator's Report
Moved by Trina Solberg:
THAT the administrator's report for July 2026 be accepted as information.
CARRIED
Council Reports
Moved by Renée Fournier:
THAT the verbal reports of the reeve and councillors on meetings attended in July be accepted as information.
CARRIED
Delegation
10:00 a.m. Delegation – Juniper Hills Rink Board
Two members of the rink board met with council to ask for help with the cost of repairing the rink's ice plant compressor before the coming season. They presented a quote of $11,400.00 and said the board has raised $6,000.00 locally.
Left the meeting at 10:20 a.m.
Grant – Juniper Hills Rink Board
Moved by Pat Okonkwo:
THAT council grant $2,500.00 to the Juniper Hills Rink Board toward the ice plant repair, to be paid from the 2026 community grants budget.
CARRIED
Unfinished Business
Dust Control Program
Moved by Wes Hadley:
THAT the report on the 2026 dust control program, with 38 ratepayer applications completed, be accepted as information, and that the program be offered again in 2027 on the same terms.
CARRIED
Gravel Stockpile – North Pit
Moved by Ada Mirski:
THAT the administrator arrange a survey of the north pit gravel stockpile before the 2027 crushing tender is prepared.
CARRIED
New Business
Tax Enforcement
Moved by Trina Solberg:
THAT the administrator prepare the 2026 list of properties with tax arrears, under The Tax Enforcement Act, for council's review at the September meeting.
CARRIED
Brushing – Range Road 3044
Moved by Gord Tallis:
THAT the foreman arrange roadside brushing on Range Road 3044 between Township Roads 340 and 342, to be completed before freeze-up.
CARRIED
Councillor Okonkwo left the meeting at 10:48 a.m., having declared a conflict of interest.
Approach Application – NW 18-34-4 W3
Moved by Renée Fournier:
THAT the application for a field approach on the west side of NW 18-34-4 W3 be approved, to be built at the applicant's cost to the RM's approach standard, with a 600 mm culvert.
CARRIED
Councillor Okonkwo returned to the meeting at 10:52 a.m.
Fall Mowing
Moved by Wes Hadley:
THAT the fall mowing of grid roads begin September 1, 2026, using RM equipment and staff.
CARRIED
Grader Operator
Moved by Pat Okonkwo:
THAT the administrator advertise for a seasonal grader operator for the period October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
CARRIED
Road Maintenance Priority Policy
Moved by Ada Mirski:
THAT council adopt Policy No. R-4, Road Maintenance Priorities, as presented, which ranks school bus routes and grid roads first for grading and snow clearing.
CARRIED
Emergency Plan
Moved by Trina Solberg:
THAT the administrator update the RM's emergency plan contact list and circulate it to council by October 1, 2026.
CARRIED
Bylaw No. 6-2026 – Official Community Plan Amendment (First reading)
Moved by Gord Tallis:
THAT Bylaw No. 6-2026, a bylaw to amend the Official Community Plan to add a country residential policy area near Coulee Flats, be given first reading.
CARRIED
Bylaw No. 7-2026 – Zoning Bylaw Amendment (First reading)
Moved by Renée Fournier:
THAT Bylaw No. 7-2026, a bylaw to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 4-2014 to rezone three parcels from AR – Agricultural Resource District to CR – Country Residential District, be given first reading.
CARRIED
Public Hearing – Bylaws No. 6-2026 and 7-2026
Moved by Wes Hadley:
THAT a public hearing on Bylaws No. 6-2026 and 7-2026 be held on October 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the council chambers, and that the administrator give notice as required by The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
CARRIED
SARM Mid-Term Convention
Moved by Pat Okonkwo:
THAT the reeve and Councillor Fournier attend the SARM Mid-Term Convention in November 2026, with expenses paid under the council remuneration bylaw.
CARRIED
Next meeting
The next regular meeting of council will be held on September 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:35 a.m.