After a short hiatus from council business, Humboldt city council was back on track for the May 14 council meeting.
Public works director, Peter Bergquist, reported to council that the water distribution plant upgrades came in under budget by about $76,000. The city has been approved to use this remaining money for the water main project that will be done this spring and summer.
Brockman Enterprises in Humboldt has been awarded the tender for the $348,000 project, which has been budgetted for $643,000 by the city.
The final two-thirds of the project costs will be funded through provincial and federal assistance.
The Ministry of Government Relations also communicated to council that the SaskEnergy surcharge has been restored to all urban municipalities across the province.
This surcharge was removed from municipal revenues during the 2017-2018 budget and was restored during the 2018-2019 budget. The surcharge now joins the SaskPower surcharge as two sources of ‘own-source revenue’ that municipalities receive, says the report from the ministry.
This will not mean an increase in SaskEnergy charges to Humboldt residents, reported City Manager Joe Day.
Council also approved two proclamations during the council meeting.
June has been declared Recreation and Parks Month, as requested by the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. Recreation and Parks Month is celebrated annually across the country.
May 14 to 20 was also declared as Naturopathic Medicine Week as requested by Humboldt naturopathic doctor, Megan Parker.
“Naturopathic doctors are highly educated primary care providers who integrate standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies,” writes Parker to council.
The week helps provide awareness to the world of naturopathic doctors across the province who are an “integral part of Saskatchewan’s health care system.”
Council has denied a request from the Humboldt RCMP to fund an additional officer at the Humboldt detachment for 2018. However, the city has agreed to push back approval for an additional officer until 2019-2020. The cost per one officer is $130,724, noted Humboldt RCMP Staff Sergeant Adare Guest in his letter to council.
The Ministry of Government Relations has reviewed the Education Mill Rates and has decided that 2018 rates will remain the same as 2017. Mill rates are part of the formula used to calculate property tax rates. The Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency uses the assessed value in a property and multiples that by a percentage of value, exemptions, and the mill rate to receive the total amount a property pays in taxes.
Mill rates for Saskatchewan properties will remain at 1.43 mills for agricultural, 4.12 mils for residential, and 6.27 mills for commercial/industrial properties.
Special visitors from Toronto kicked off council as actors from Mirvish Production’s Come From Away started off the meeting by dropping off a cheque for $35,000 to go to the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc. Click here for the full story from the May 16 Humboldt Journal.
