The Village of Empress

Empress 110 year celebration Meeting

Highway 899 paving finished, but …

 
It appears that the paving work on Highway 899 is finished, but:

• The guardrails need to be installed again.
• There are no lines painted yet.
• The speed limit is 50 km/hr.

It’s back!

 
It’s been missing for a few years, but it is finally back after the Council requested it a few times: The Empress highway sign on Highway 41 when approaching from the north.
 
 
 
 
 
 

October Regular Council Meeting, change of date, change of time

Monday, October 16, 2023 2023-10-16 Council Meeting Agendas, See Minutes page 3 Council Meetings: 6:00 pm: Special Council Meeting: CLOSED SESSION 6:30 pm: Special Council Meeting: Annual Organizational Meeting 7:00 pm: Regular Council Meeting Empress Village Office Building 6 3 Avenue West

Shop Fires

Special Areas Fire Services have been seeing an increase in shop fires recently. You might think it won’t happen to you, but it can.

Some of the hazards that have caused fires:
🔥 Tiger Torches
🔥 Heaters
🔥 Oily rags self-combusting
🔥 Damaged extension cords
🔥 Charging batteries

Keep your shop safe by:
✅ Don’t leave charging batteries unattended
✅ Don’t leave combustibles near charging areas
✅ Check extension cords for damage (don’t use, just throw them away)
✅ Store aerosols in a fire-proof cabinet
✅ Keep work areas clean of combustibles, especially when welding

If a shop fire does happen, exit the building immediately, close any doors and windows if possible and call 9-1-1.
 

Road work starting Wed. Oct. 11

🚧 Highway 899 Road Construction 🚧
From: Empress 3 Ave
Going South
To: Highway 41

Starting Wednesday, October 11, 2023, lasting approximately 10 days.

This stretch of highway is also considered Range Road 11 in the north, turning into Township Road 225 in the south, but it is easier just to call it Highway 899❗

⌛ Given potential delays of up to half an hour, common sense advice is that all drivers avoid the construction area, except those who live along that section of road.

🚧 Use the detour instead, which is Highway 562 (aka Empress north access).

In the construction zone:
🕖 Work will happen from 7 am-7 pm
🚙 The road will be one-way traffic controlled by flag-persons 👷
⌛ Delays can be up to half an hour
🛣️ Construction project is projected to take up to 2 weeks
🚧 Please obey all construction zone signage

For more information on this project, please call 5-1-1 toll-free or visit 511.alberta.ca

CAO

The Village of Empress Council made a unanimous resolution to terminate CAO Christiaan Liebenberg’s employment with the village effective October 4, 2023.  Council also unanimously resolved to name Carrie Loose as Interim CAO October 4, 2023.
Council will update next steps at the Regular Council meeting on October 16th.
Please email Mayor Johnston with any questions you may have.
a.johnston@villageofempress.ca

Special Council Meeting, Closed Session

Sunday, October 1, 2023 @ 8:30 pm Special Council Meeting – CLOSED SESSION

Farming Fire Safety

Special Areas Board Fire Services often sees an increase in bale stack fires during runs of hot, hot, hot weather!  Here’s how you can reduce your risks and keep that valuable resource safe this season:

🌞   Check your bale stacks during hot weather (25+) to make sure they are not creating a fire hazard on your farm.  Bale stacks can sometimes accumulate significant amounts of moisture -especially if they are stacked tightly.  High temperatures and moisture levels can result in spontaneous combustion of stored feed, especially green or hotter feed.

🌡   Here’s a tip from our SAB Fire Chief – make sure you check bale temperatures in the mornings when ambient temperatures are lower.  You can use a heat gun, bale probe, or any other tool that gives you a temperature reading.  Make sure you check bales in the inside of your stacks – these ones are likely to heat up the most.

🚜   If you find a hot bale, make sure you open your bale stack up and remove any hot or heating bales. Move them to a location with minimal vegetation and away from any other combustibles or structures.  If you need assistance controlling any fire hazards, please contact your local fire department or Special Areas Fire Services.

🧯   Split any large feed stacks into smaller groupings in multiple locations.  This will help reduce your risk if any bales do heat up or create a fire hazard.  Storing feed so any accumulated moisture can evaporate out will also reduce risk of bales heating up.
 

Planned Power Outage – Entire Village of Empress

Rescheduled
Friday, September 29, 2023 from 1-5 pm
A power outage has been planned for:
Event Number: 2-00077108
Start Time: September 29, 2023 13:00
Estimated Completion: September 29, 2023 17:00
Description of Work: High Load Move
Other Comments: hi load move will be going through the area