A date has been scheduled for the first town budget session for Battleford.
The first budget session is scheduled for March 11 at 6:30 p.m., to take place in town chambers.
Members of the public and the media are welcome to attend those deliberations. It is expected details of the 2014 budget will be presented for the first time.
Beyond that, two road closure and consolidation bylaws proved to be the main business during a routine Battleford town council meeting Monday.
The bylaws, both of which cover the areas now occupied by the twinned Highway 4, were introduced for first reading. First reading passed unanimously, which means the two bylaws will now be advertised and return to council at the March 17 meeting for a public hearing and for second and third reading to follow.
The road closures on the north section run from 31st Street to 27th, while the south portion would run from 22nd to 16th Street and includes buffer strips B2 and B1, utility parcel U1 and 18th Street.
Also passed at the meeting was a resolution respecting Battleford West Properties Ltd. and Battlefords Town Square Ltd.
The resolution called for the request of Dean Kupchanko of Battle West Properties Ltd. and Battlefords Town Square Ltd. to have the surety relating to the development and servicing agreement reduced as per the agreement and with receipt of the construction completion certificate from Catterall and Wright Consulting Engineers, being approved.
Another item of interest is news that the Battlefords North-West Historical Society has offered to take responsibility for the clean up and restoration of the "White House" in the Government Ridge area. That property was the former living quarters of the nuns at that location. As well the organization plans to raise funds over the next few years to make that an added attraction on Government Ridge.
Council passed a resolution unanimously to that effect at Monday's meeting.
The building permit report for February was presented Monday as well, and Battleford is off to a slow start compared to north of the river.
While the City of North Battleford has seen $7 million in permits through January, a 10-fold increase, Battleford has seen just two new renovation/garage/shed/mobile homes permits issued in February for $35,600. That is below the seven permits for $357,100 that were issued for the first two months of 2013.
Also, minutes were presented from the Feb. 20 parks and recreation board meeting that approved a number of community grants. Approved at that Feb. 20 meeting was a grant to Twin Rivers Curling Club for $2,750, a grant to Battlefords Scuba Club for $2,500, to Battleford Central School Grade 6 for $1,500, to Svoboda Dance Festival for $750 and to Kiwanis Music Festival for $900.
