Community safety initiatives dominated discussion at Monday’s regular council meeting in North Battleford.
In addition to news that the Downtown BID was launching an NBSafe initiative in the downtown core came the latest regular monitoring report from Herb Sutton, the city’s community safety co-ordinator, who led off his presentation by thanking council for extending his contract through to the end of 2015.
Among the news Sutton shared at the meeting was progress towards the new permanent homeless shelter operated by the Lighthouse.
He reported that as of that day, Jan. 26, the Lighthouse was open and had two clients coming in that day.
The Friendship Centre will be closing its emergency shelter service in March, as that is all they have funding for.
According to his written submission staffing was now complete, and the Lighthouse will have space for 19 men, 12 women and a family of five.
In the meantime, the Battlefords Indian and Métis Friendship Centre has been hosting an average of 13 people a night at their facility.
Sutton commended the work of the centre for staying open and serving clients on a temporary basis this winter.
Sutton explained the plan is to transition their clients to the Lighthouse, and he indicated they will work with the Friendship Centre and Lighthouse to assist in that transition.
With respect to the transition, the Friendship Centre sent some staff to the Lighthouse earlier that day, so "they're starting to work together".
He also spoke about an upcoming stakeholder meeting for building a community safety plan to build on the existing plan with the help of the federal and provincial governments.
The federal government will provide facilitators for the entire process and assist with the final community safety plan development. Feb. 26 is the date set for that.
Sutton spoke on a variety of other items at the meeting as well, including the Hub and COR.
There was still no word from the province yet on which COR North Battleford's Hub will be assigned to.
Also still in limbo is a much-awaited youth survey report conducted by Concern for Youth, which Sutton noted is still not finalized. Sutton proposed making a presentation at their board meeting Feb. 26 about his work and his interest in getting that report done.
Sutton also touched on a graffiti initiative announced earlier by the City. A waiver form for residents was being worked on for that initiative.
