BARRHEAD - Town of Barrhead councillors approved a change in location for the primary voting location for the municipality's upcoming Dec. 2 plebiscite on the Neutral Space Bylaw during their Oct. 22 meeting.
Town of Barrhead councillors approved changing the voting venue from the original Charles Godberson Rotary Room in the Agrena to the Barrhead Senior's Drop-in Centre.
Chief administrative officer Edward LeBlanc said the venue change was needed as someone had already booked the Rotary Room.
The bylaw states that "to ensure all public buildings, crosswalks, and flags remain neutral", crosswalks within the town's borders should be limited to the conventional stripped ladder or continental pattern between two parallel lines, all in white. It would also restrict flags on municipally owned facilities or property to those of the national, provincial, and Town of Barrhead.
The bylaw would also prohibit decorations on town crosswalks or the display of flags supporting political, social, or religious movements or commercial entities.
Existing flags or crosswalks are not grandfathered.
Drafting the bylaw became necessary after Barrhead Neutrality presented the municipality with a petition to pressure councillors into drafting and enacting the bylaw or to force a plebiscite on it.
To be a valid petition under the Municipal Government Act (MGA), 10 per cent of the town's population needed to sign it. Barrhead Neutrality garnered 712 signatures. They needed 432.
Advanced polls will be on Nov. 20 and 28 at the Town of Barrhead council chambers from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., while the primary vote will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the aforementioned Barrhead Seniors' Drop-in Centre.
Agreement renewal
Councillors also approved a recommendation from administration to renew the service agreement with Municipal Planning Services.
LeBlanc said the company had been the municipality's subdivision approval authority for the last five years, adding they have been pleased with their work.
He also noted that the number of subdivisions in the town is minimal and that the cost of any subdivision is the applicant's direct responsibility; therefore, there is no net cost to the municipality.
No action
Council also effectively denied a request from Elaine Timm, who asked the municipality via a letter to pay to replace her glasses at an estimated cost of about $800, saying she broke her glasses after falling face-first after she tripped on a broken sidewalk. Councillors passed the letter as information.
"Seeing it is the town's sidewalk, the least you can do is replace them," Timm stated, adding that she was a senior and a widow and could not afford to replace her glasses.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
