The City of North Battleford has a keen interest in at least two of the items up for debate at the upcoming 2012 Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association convention.
City Manager Jim Toye told council Monday that one of those items was a move to amend the Cities Act to allow unpaid utility charges owing to land to the tax roll.
It was a resolution theC ity was interested in co-sponsoring. Toye said the resolution had been brought to the attention of the cities' caucus last year.
At the SUMA convention, the City of Melfort is pushing the resolution that would urge the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to amend The Cities Act Clause 333(1)(b) to add the unpaid charges to the tax roll.
Another item that directly impacts North Battleford is a proposed amendment to the SUMA bylaws to establish the city mayors' caucus, a working committee within SUMA of which North Battleford is a part.
The group was formed last year as a forum for cities to discuss issues of common concern and present a strong, unified voice. The amendments are part of a plan over the past several months to formalize that group within SUMA.
"The changes to the bylaws of SUMA would establish that as far as SUMA is concerned," said Toye.
The amendments would call for the election of a chairperson and vice-chair of the CMC at the 2012 fall meeting of the organization, and outlines responsibilities and procedures. North Battleford has been one of the cities supporting and pushing for the amendment.
The SUMA convention runs Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 in Regina.
