A number of area municipalities were among those recently honoured with the Saskatchewan Municipal Awards.
One of the awards was in the category of regional co-operation. The RMs of Mervin, Frenchman Butte, Parkdale and Turtle River, the Town of Turtleford and the villages of Paradise Hill, Glaslyn, Mervin and Edam were honoured for a planning for growth services agreement.
Their “winning practice” recognized was a shared services agreement giving 19 RMs, towns, and villages in the area access to the services of a professional growth planner, enabling better planning for the future for subdivisions and servicing requirements for increased infrastructure needs.
In speaking to the Regional Optimist, Ryan Domotor, administrator for the RM of Mervin, said it started from a Planning for Growth grant from the province about five years ago.
“I took it to council, and because our RM has gotten to the point where we have so much development I thought it would be really worthwhile to have a planner.
“But I knew the RM of Mervin didn’t have enough work for a full-time planner.”
Under the Planning for Growth Program a minimum population or size was needed. He pitched to council the idea of inviting a number of neighbouring communities and RMs to join so they could have the required population.
“So I had a meeting and everybody agreed to do it as a pilot project. So we made application and got the funding.”
The grant was based on 50-cent dollars shared with the municipalities. The pilot project turned into a permanent full-time position.
The planner is employed by the RM of Mervin, but is now contracted out to all 19 RMs, towns and villages who are part of the service agreement.
“It’s been a real benefit to the region as a whole,” said Domotor. “The smaller urbans and rurals can use it.”
Before, the RM had contracted with Crosby, Hanna and Associates out of Saskatoon. While that was a good relationship, Domotor noted there were additional advantages to having a planner locally. These tasks include administration of such building permits and subdivision applications from developers.
It has been beneficial for keeping up with the development activity the region has seen from 2008 on. As Domotor puts it, “Saskatchewan got popular.”
The program has expanded from the original nine municipalities who started out, mainly so the program could have greater sustainability for the long run. Domotor says the program provides “a full-time permanent position that I see going forward in the future for many years to come.”
These communities were selected as winner in this category by an independent committee that reviewed 11 nominations submitted on behalf of 20 municipalities. A total of four winning projects were selected.
The awards, which recognize innovation and excellence in Saskatchewan local governments, are to be distributed Nov. 5 at Conexus Arts Centre in Regina to the winning RMs as part of the SARM midterm convention, and to the winning urban municipalities at the annual SUMA convention in Regina in February.
Domotor says his RM will be at the Nov. 5 ceremony and representatives from the other municipalities who were part of the agreement plan to be there as well.
Other winners include:
The town of Kamsack who received first place in Doctor Recruitment/Retention Strategy and Community Health and Wellness Centre. Their winning practice was establishing a committee that developed a strategy to recruit and retain physicians in the community, including the construction of a health and wellness facility.
Second went to the Kindersley Waste Water Project, whose winning practice was an agreement allowing the oil and gas sector to access and use the wastewater from the plant to satisfy steadily increasing water consumption needs
Third went to Jubilee Park (Town of Shaunavon), whose winning practice was rehabilitated recreational infrastructure including a new arena, curling rink, skate park, tennis courts, playground, ball diamonds, swimming pool, basketball courts and an outdoor rink with more plans for the future.
