TV ads to promote Picture Butte on the way

By Stan Ashbee
Sunny South News

Smile for the TV camera
Picture Butte town council passed the motion at a council meeting held last Tuesday night to hire The Commercial Factory to develop a 15-second and 30-second commercial at a cost of $940 including GST. And, council also approved the recommendation to use Global Television to air the commercials for a total budget of $5,500.
Council also passed the additional option motion to consider posting the commercial online using Google Ads. According to a report submitted to council, the town would only pay for actual views and estimated per view cost is 30-cents. The report stated a budget of $500 would provide approximately 1,667 views targeted to the region. The shorter ad could also be used on the town’s website and social media sites.
Council, at a meeting held Mar. 14, directed administration to develop a proposal for marketing Picture Butte and specifically the new Sunset Park subdivision. The report submitted to council stated Global Television Lethbridge is locally operated and their focus is “Lethbridge only” newscasts at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., which the TV station indicated has their largest audiences. The TV station also reaches Calgary and other locations throughout southern Alberta and abroad.
“We discussed before we would try to start advertising mid-April until about mid-June,” said Larry Davidson, chief administrative officer (CAO) for the Town of Picture Butte. Davidson added the town’s goal is to also create a community development brochure to promote the community as a whole and to spread the message Picture Butte is a great place to build a home and raise a family.
Materials Recovery Facility
Refuse and recyclables recovery has become big business globally, in Canada and now in southern Alberta, as it continues to gain momentum. But, town council struck down the motion to submit a letter of support for a proposed Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Taber, at its recent council meeting Mar. 29.
In a letter submitted to council for consideration from the Town of Taber, it stated a MRF is responsible for sorting recycling materials by type and once sorted, the materials are then transformed into new products. The Town of Taber is proposing a partnership between all participating municipalities and a private enterprise for the development and operation of the MRF, the report noted. The Town of Taber, according to the letter, also wishes to obtain letters of support from municipalities to apply for funding to study the feasibility of the project.
“I see no problem if we support Taber on this. They probably understand we will never ship anything that way,” said Picture Butte Mayor Wendy Jones.
Coun. Henry de Kok said he thinks a MRF is a good idea but if Picture Butte is in the process of working with the Southern Alberta Energy from Waste Association (SAEWA), the non-profit coalition is going to want to have everything they need in the Picture Butte area.
SAEWA’s recommendation, Coun. Joe Watson said, is not to submit a letter of support for a MRF in Taber.
“Because we are a member of SAEWA and we voted in favour of supporting this program in Taber, we would be in conflict of interest,” he said.
“We are already working on a recycling program and it’s not costing us anything,” he said, adding the town’s regional waste service provider already has the bases covered and in place.
The cost to ship materials to Taber, Davidson said, would probably be cost prohibitive, as opposed to what the town already has in place. “We probably have the best of both worlds right at the moment,” Davidson added.
Renewal of concession contract
Town council passed the motion to renew the arena concession contract with Chantal Lescieux for the 2016-2017 ice season and renegotiate the monthly rate with a proposed starting monthly rate of $500.
According to a report submitted to town council, Lescieux was the only one who put in a proposal to operate the concession after the town advertised for proposals for the 2015-2016 ice season.
Lescieux notified the town she would like to renew her contract and operate the arena concession for another ice season. Currently, the report noted, Lescieux pays $300 per month for rent but town officials believe this rental amount could be raised.
“I do believe this young lady did a fantastic job. I understand maybe we should look at recouping a little bit more utility cost. On a personal level, I really do believe it’s very nice to have somebody willing to make a little business for herself,” said Mayor Jones.
Even with a rent increase to $500, this amount would still not cover all the costs of operating an arena concession, town officials noted. “I would say it’s a good reflection on our town. When people come to the town — it’s nice to have a welcome by a nice cup of hot coffee,” Jones said, adding or other menu items.
Town Director of Operations Keith Davis said there’s a fine balance between getting that right amount by having someone in the arena concession and also trying not to discourage the operator because of a rent increase. “We’re trying to find what that balance is,” Davis added.
Davidson noted Lescieux provided good service and there were no complaints. “I think this is a good opportunity to encourage a young individual and still provide the necessary services,” said the CAO.