OUTLOOK - The town council of Outlook met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, May 25. Present was all of Council; Bob Stephenson, Sharon Bruce, Kyle McLeod, Justin Turton, Kevin Grotheim, and Ryan Husband, as well as Mayor Maureen Weiterman, Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Trew, and Municipal Office Clerk Crystal Fisher.
The meeting was broadcast on the Town of Outlook's Facebook page.
A number of topics and items were discussed, including the following highlights.
Chief Administrative Officer Report
Prepared by Kevin Trew
Human Resources:
We bid farewell to Zachary Peterson who was filling in for a leave of absence on May 12. Zach was with us for 10 months and went to a full time permanent position in Saskatoon.
We are shuffling a few responsibilities in the office and, with the addition of the summer student, Faith Harrington, who is now with us for her fourth summer, we are confident that we should be able to avoid service disruptions.
We have still not received any responses to the Town Hall Complex Janitorial Tender – while we have temporary staff serving us we are looking for a permanent solution very soon. Our team is working to develop a job description to advertise this as an employee position with the Town of Outlook going forward if we receive no submissions by the second deadline fast approaching (May 31).
Policy and Procedural Items:
Strategic Planning – I am pleased to announce that the Strategic Plan for 2022-2031 was completed and is now in commission.
Draft Audited Financial Statements should be ready for Council to review in June.
The assessment appeal period ended with 3 appeals being filed. We have signed agreements to adjust with two appellants and we expect that the Board of Revision will hear the 3rd appeal soon. SAMA is prepared to defend the appeal on our behalf.
Our team is preparing for tax notices once Council approves the 2022 levy including mill rate, mill rate factor and base taxes.
With this time of the year comes time for a budget review along with expected adjustments – the team is completing this review and we are expecting news of this to come at the May 25 meeting of Council.
Successes this Month:
May has been a very busy month, it is important to reflect on our achievements even though they may be small to some, they make a huge difference to others; Town Council entered into agreement with SARCAN to provide local household glass recycling at the SARCAN depot in Outlook.
No one should forget our ability to supply well aged unscreened compost for free from the Town Shop.
Learning Opportunities/Capacity Development:
Landfill scale software for new billing – We continue to await the new software delayed because of supply chain issues.
Rudy Landing Water Customers are now being invoiced direct by the Town of Outlook, we look forward to a signed agreement soon, the Town will be installing RF meters in the residential properties this summer at the cost of the Rudy Landing Customers.
I am pleased to report that our staff has been engaging in professional development opportunities this past month and have registered for more this next while, we are thankful to have a Council understanding the importance of capacity development at both a personal and professional level.
Current Unfinished Projects:
Storm Water Outfalls rehabilitation will be complete in 2022 – Associated Engineering has been given the go ahead to proceed to tender.
Landfill Decommissioning of Old Cell – We signed an agreement with Associated Engineering to go forward with more work on the decommissioning, Machibroda will be out testing dirt for final cover, we may use dirt from a borrow pit on the landfill site or haul in dirt that meets specifications.
Raw Water Intake/ Water Treatment Plant Upgrade Project – We will be meeting with partners in June to discuss the raw water intake, we have reached out to landowners affected by our testing for the sites.
Subdivisions Projects
Railway Commercial/Industrial – Pricing has been set for the 13 lots established, we are completing Zoning and Land Purchase Agreements as well as business tax incentives and requirements to develop prior to final sale; those who have expressed interest in purchase have been emailed information, anyone else interested is invited to contact the CAO direct at cao.outlook@sasktel.net; we expect public sale to be advertised as soon as the Zoning has changed and agreements are finalized.
Highway Commercial – We went through the traffic impact assessment with the Ministry of Highways and have looked at pricing for changes required. Associated Engineering has been contacted for a quote regarding project management.
Residential – Nothing new to report at this time. We are looking at Development of the College South Subdivision as well as residences along Mann Street.
New Zoning Bylaw – Urban Systems has been contracted to help us with a new Zoning Bylaw, Danny Gray was in attendance at our Open House and received some feedback from the public. We will be having at least one additional dedicated public sessions in the future to this regard to hear public comment prior to introduction of first reading of the bylaw. Urban Systems is putting together a timeline and continuing to work on the new bylaw as we speak.
Future Projects:
Council heard from Loraas Disposals regarding a proposed contract for pickup and transportation of solid waste to the Outlook Regional Landfill; Council and the CAO continue to receive and be receptive to feedback from the public to this regard before a decision based on sound numbers is expected in June.
Application has been made to both higher levels of government for two projects under the recreation stream of ICIP:
On behalf of the RMs of Fertile Valley and Rudy and ourselves, a regional project – Sports Ground Upgrade,– we were denied on the first iteration of this funding stream; the second call has just now expired.
Skytrail CP Rail Bridge Rehabilitation – we continue to await news of approval or denial.
Bylaws
Council discussed three bylaws, each of which were scheduled for their second and third readings. These included Bylaw 11 Sump Pit, Bylaw 12 Repeal Bylaw, and Bylaw 13 Records Destruction. In the individual discussions had on each of them, all three had their second and third readings and were carried.
A public hearing was held for Bylaw 14 Change in Zoning. Previously, Council had discussed the bylaw at their April 27 meeting. The bylaw was to rezone lots 29-32 in Block 37, Plan G5358, which is the property on Hearn Street in Outlook that has been purchased by Shanidar Funeral Services of Rosetown. Keith Power, owner of Shanidar, was present at the meeting and spoke with Council about the business's plans for their new Outlook location. Power said their long-term goal is to build a crematorium, but it would not be housed at the Hearn Street location. Following his address to Council, Power left and the second and third readings of the bylaw were held and carried.
There was a public hearing scheduled for Bylaw 15 Change in Zoning and Addition of New Zoning District. As there was no one present to speak for or against the bylaw, motions were made and carried for the second and third readings.
Communications Requiring Action or Deletion
Council once again discussed the recent arrangement they've made with SARCAN regarding the recycling of household glass. The Town has asked a number of municipalities to gauge their interest in joining the town on this venture, and it was said that both the villages of Broderick and Glenside are interested in pursuing an agreement. The RM of Fertile Valley and the village of Conquest have glass recycling in their bins, so they said they would pass on the offer, and the RM of Rudy would be considering and discussing it at their next meeting. The arrangement is set to be effective as of June 1.
In discussing a request from the Outlook & District Regional Park regarding Camp Outlook, it was said that the park would like a few of the cabins as their plans involve moving them and eventually renting them out as accommodation offerings. There was talk of perhaps pulling the power that's still currently down there, with nothing concrete decided as of now. It's said that the area down there is rough terrain, notably with a bad road. Councillor Husband said that some of the cabins have value, but that something needed to be done about them right now. A motion was made to give the Outlook & District Regional Park the cabins that they choose, with the moving fees to be paid by the park, which was carried.
Reports of Administration, Staff and/or Committees Requiring Decision
Discussing information related to offering up the naming rights of the Civic Centre, Administrator Trew was able to obtain a copy of a naming rights contract for Council to become familiar with. Councillor Grotheim wondered if the venue should keep the 'Civic Centre' in part of its name, asking if perhaps town residents should have a say in the matter, but the rest of Council saw no issues with offering up the building's full name to any interested parties. It was said that while there has been some loose interest shown, there have been no official offers made or brought forward regarding naming rights for the Civic Centre.
In the Mayor and Councillor's Forum, Mayor Weiterman took a moment to promote everything that was going on in Outlook that weekend in relation to the Prairie Festival. Everyone in the room had their fingers crossed on good weather for it, but it wasn't looking to be a sunny weekend.
New Business
In discussing the tax levy, the recommendation was that the Town make no changes to the tax levy that was made in 2021, which was established at 6.5 mills. A motion was made and carried to continue with the same tax rates as 2021.
