A minor controversy has erupted in the RM of North Battleford over a road development there.
The road in question was an extension of McMillan Road that would ultimately connect the road to Territorial Drive in North Battleford.
The road access had been part of the RM for some 40 years in a zone designated light industrial. RM of North Battleford council approved the road at a meeting May 6.
However, two local landowners with property alongside the road were before the RM council the morning of June 10 voicing their objections.
The owners, Blaine and Todd Winterhalt, expressed a wide range of grievances. They accused council of approving the road without knowing the cost and demanded to know dollar figures for tendering the work.
Councillors insisted they already knew the cost, which came to $20,000. Also, the road work was being done by the RM's own employees, not contracted out, and the money was allocated from the existing $100,000 maintenance budget.
"This isn't what they consider road construction, because it's opening a road allowance, which basically falls under maintenance, which falls under municipal road work in the budget," said RM administrator Debbie Arsenault in response to the Winterhalts' concerns.
Other possible routes were too expensive, officials said. A quote came back for an alternate route to the north, but the RM noted that cost would have been much higher at $180,000. Other alternatives cost even more. As well, the Winterhalts had proposed an access road through their own land, but that was deemed unacceptable by RM officials due to liability concerns.
The Winterhalts also accused RM councillor Geordie McKay of self-interest in the road approval decision because the road would lead to his proposed subdivision in the area. McKay responded that he had removed himself from the May 6 council meeting that made the decision on the road, because the Winterhalts "were accusing me of self-interest."
Other councillors were adamant that subdivision had no bearing on their vote, insisting the issue for them was safety.
The lone existing road into the area crossed a railway and concern was raised at council about emergency vehicles not being able to get in or out to the area in the event that line was blocked by a train, particularly in a derailment situation.
"What if a house is on fire, and a fire truck or ambulance, emergency vehicles need to get in there and the train is on the tracks," asked councillor Rene Vany.
The Winterhalts expressed their concerns that building the road would be an even greater safety hazard due to increased traffic, and argued truck traffic would use the route in the event Territorial Drive was blocked by trains.
RM officials insisted the road was not being built as a main grid for traffic and that signs would be installed to that effect. The Winterhalts also accused council of rushing to a decision, but RM officials insisted the issue had been an ongoing one at council for years.
The discussion went on for nearly 40 minutes, but the RM councillors were not swayed by any of the arguments made by the Winterhalts.
"We're kind of just going in circles here," a frustrated-looking Reeve Dan Bartko said.
In speaking to the Regional Optimist afterwards, Blaine Winterhalt reiterated his position on the road, insisting that the safety issue he has about the road opening up trumps any concerns the RM might have about any possible derailment happening.
