A number of resolutions passed at North Battleford council Monday night concerning recommendations made by councillors at the Planning Committee meeting the week before.
One of the resolutions approved the Everbridge Mass Notification System, which was subject to development of an approved usage policy and standard operating guidelines.
It is a mass notification system in which residents are alerted to emergencies through phone calls, cellphones, text and email.
The approved usage policy was developed on the urging of Councillor Ryan Bater, to ensure the notification system applies only to real emergency situations. The resolution passed unanimously.
Also approved is a request to operate snowmobiles within City limits per the designated route map provided by Battlefords Trail Blazers Club, to host the Provincial Snowmobile Festival between Feb. 25 and28. of next year.
Finally, council passed a resolution that will establish a waterworks subcommittee that will meet on a monthly basis.
Also passed at council Monday night were new proposed Leisure Services fees and charges for 2015. As a result a number of fee increases are on the way including a five per cent hike in rental rates at Don Ross Centre, a five per cent increase to rates at the Aquatic Centre, a 10 per cent increase to youth ice rates and six per cent for remaining arena fees and a 20 per cent increase in the per player fee for outdoor fields.
Finally, council approved a resolution to amend the bylaw that will require businesses who stockpile snow on their properties to develop an approved snow melt drainage system to prevent melt waters from running over the sidewalks and onto the streets.
Administration indicated the melting of the snow into the streets was costing the City money in road repair. According to Director of Operations Stewart Schafer, the water was getting into the cracks of the pavement, resulting in “major potholes.”
Schafer said property owners are “trying to save money by keeping the snow on their property and hoping that it melts there. But our city streets just are not handling it. It wasn’t designed to do that.”
City Manager Jim Puffalt also noted the issue of water melting into the same spot on the street “for weeks at a time. That’s causing the issues.”
The bylaw change will still have to come back to council later to be voted on for approval.
