The city council meeting in North Battleford on April 28 saw some intense interest from the public.
The meeting lasted nearly two hours and was highlighted by overflow gallery attendance from those interested in the public hearing on the proposed zoning bylaw and official community plan.
The public hearing took up the bulk of attention, but there were other important items on the agenda as well. The following is a summary of the other highlights from the council meeting April 28. Thanks to Communications Manager Mike Halstead for providing much of this information.
The main topic of interest, other than the zoning and OCP debate, concerned the new curbside garbage and recycling rollout bins, which started arriving April 22 and were being placed across the city that week.
There are still concerns being expressed by local residents about the move away from communal bins to the new regime. Councillor Greg Lightfoot took time to respond to some of those concerns that were expressed in a letter to him from a local resident.
As part of his extensive response Lightfoot explained the program was a way to divert garbage from the landfill and encourage recycling, noting the landfill was filling up "way too fast." As well, he pointed to the issue of non-household garbage going into the communal bins that were in place before.
"We had to make a change - rollouts were the best option," said Lightfoot.
For seniors or those in wheelchairs, Lightfoot suggests they should apply to the city for assistance with the bins. As well, he suggested the city could begin a "Garbage Angels" or "Rollout Bin Angels" program similar to the "Snow Angels" program this past winter.
The prospect that kids might push the bins into the streets and create a vehicle hazard was also raised in the letter. However, director of public works and engineering Stewart Schafer said that has not been a problem in any of the pilot project areas (on 109th and 110th Streets) and in the college district where there were no alleys.
In his comments on the issue, Councillor Ryan Bater noted people were still dumping compost at old compost sites, despite signs in place discouraging the dumping of material. He wanted to know what the penalties were for that. Schafer adds cameras will be in place and more will be added.
Office manager Gail Adams said anyone noticing misuse can call the license plate number into City Hall, and Municipal Enforcement will investigate and possibly ticket.
Bater also wanted to see something added to the sign to direct people to drop the compost elsewhere. Schafer said that could be added.
City Manager Jim Puffalt also reported to council Monday that delivery of the new garbage and recycling carts "was almost complete." He also confirmed that the existing recycling depots were be removed starting April 30.
Councillor Cathy Richardson also wanted to know what was happening with those with existing contracts with Loraas. A report is to come back to council on that, said Puffalt.
Two bylaws related to the new garbage and recycling collection regime were introduced later on at Monday night's meeting.
Bylaw No. 1977 is the new waste management bylaw to regulate the management, collection, disposal and recycling of waste and to regulate the use of the city waste management facility.
The draft wording of that bylaw was discussed at last week's municipal services committee meeting. It was introduced and passed unanimously in three readings Monday night.
Also passed in three readings was Bylaw No. 1978, the bylaw to establish rates for collection and removal of residential household waste and recyclable materials for the City. The bylaw was needed primarily to reflect the changeover from the old recycling depots to the new curbside recycling collection regime. The rates are unchanged from last year.
In other announcements and inquiries, Bater took note of the large attendance at the meeting and his question pointed to "what they would have had to walk by to get here," referring to the yellow tape and disrepair on the steps outside City Hall.
He asked when the front steps will be repaired. Schafer pledged it will happen quickly, saying the steps will be repaired "as soon as it warms up and stops snowing every second day," he said.
Schafer added the repairs will be done in a method that lasts longer than what was tried before.
In proclamations, Mayor Ian Hamilton proclaimed May 8 World Ovarian Cancer Day, May 4-10 as Sexual Assault Awareness Week, May 5-11 as Mental Health Week, and the month of May as MS Awareness Month.
There was also correspondence from the Battlefords United Way, which is again partnering with the City for its annual Spring Clean Up day scheduled for May 10. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. that day from Central Park next to North Battleford Library. A free barbecue is being offered to all volunteers starting at 3 p.m. in the park.
In new business, council approved a $100 travel grant for Vicki Machniak who will compete in the Canadian Prairie Invitational Synchronized Swimming Championships in Winnipeg. Vicki is a member of the North Battleford Water Doves Synchronized Swim Club.
The vote was not unanimous, as Bater cast the lone "no" vote, taking issue with the travel grants policy of the city. "I'm not sure this is what we ought to be using tax money for," he said.
The next meeting of City Council is on Monday, May 12 at 8 p.m.
