Here is a rundown of items discussed and voted on at a very short meeting of North Battleford city council Monday night, the second-last one of 2018.
It was a routine meeting of council for the most part, with a few housekeeping items of note.
Council has approved a sale of an access road back to Gold Eagle Lodge. The roadway is located in front of the hotel adjacent to Highway 16.
At Monday’s meeting, Director of Planning and Development Jennifer Niesink explained that when the land in question was initially subdivided, the provincial department of highways had determined it was land required for highways use, and it was given up by Gold Eagle Lodge for a dollar.
Now, highways have determined they do not need it. The recommendation from administration is to provide it back to Gold Eagle Lodge for a dollar, plus an additional $6,150 which would cover public notice, subdivision and lawyer’s fees associated with the transfer. That resolution carried.
The city has approved the purchase by Demmans Baldwin Friedman Frank law firm of a city-owned lot that had been used for parking.
The lot is located behind the law firm and the purchase price was for $7.99 per square foot, which amounts to $24,000. The resolution carried unanimously.
Another item of note at the meeting was a move by the city to transition their insurance from Cherry Insurance to SUMAssure for 2019. The city had received three proposals back to their tender and SUMAssure came out ahead on points, as well as on cost savings. In speaking to reporters, Mayor Ryan Bater said the move will save city taxpayers $253,000 in 2019.
Council also passed a resolution for administration to negotiate with SUMAssure on enhancements to the program around legal service, risk management and claims management where applicable to the city, and that the city manager and mayor lobby SUMAssure’s board to place the city’s finance manager (Margarita Pena) on the SUMAssure board of directors at the 2019 annual meeting.
There has been an update on efforts towards establishing the much-talked about regional coalition that would include the City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford, and surrounding area First Nations. City manager Randy Patrick confirmed the city has now received funding from the federal government of $51,000 and also an additional $24,000 from the Brett Wilson Foundation.
Council passed a resolution to continue to support the project work of the regional coalition, as well as to authorize the city manager to approve expenditures from the funds with the expectation to report back to council on expenditures and any future revenues.
The city also received an update on regional coalition efforts in the November monitoring report from Herb Sutton, community safety coordinator, who was not at Monday’s meeting.
His report indicated that on Nov. 9 there was a second meeting between the mayors and First Nations chiefs, a meeting described as well attended and an excellent discussion. The plan is to meet again Feb. 15.
Council also heard from Liana Clinton, who reported on efforts of Battlefords Affordable Housing and Homelessness Committee, the Battlefords Homelessness Initiative Partnership, and the rooming house project on 98th Street.
The next North Battleford council meeting is Dec. 10 at City Hall; that will be the last one on the schedule for 2018.
