At the City of North Battleford council meeting Monday, Mayor Ryan Bater acknowledged the efforts of members of utilities and public works in providing site tours to City facilities last week to members of council.
The tours included the two water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plant, the waste management facility, the airport and other facilities.
Bater noted the tours took five hours over two sessions and he appreciated the efforts made by staff not only to familiarize them with facilities, but also to identify future needs.
“It was an eye-opener in terms of the dedication and talent that we have available within our civil service,” said Bater, “to make sure that city facilities and services are delivered to the public with the highest degree of professionalism.”
A report completed for SUMA from the Conference Board of Canada called Reinventing the West: Sustainable Public Policies and Fiscal Regimes for the 21st Century was presented to council. The report had noted the disparity in funding levels to municipalities. While 77 per cent of the province’s population now lives in urban areas, they received “53 per cent per capita less” than rural municipalities, noted City Manager Jim Puffalt.
“SUMA asked for this report to be done to put some data behind it,” said Puffalt. He said the report sheds light on an issue that was “substantially unfair.”
The City is congratulating two North Battleford residents for being recognized by the Saskatchewan Public Works Association. Dan Maloney, who retired as engineering co-ordinator in 2016, was awarded a lifetime membership in recognition of his work with the city and in promoting the SPWA. The other honour was the 2016 SPWA Award of Merit to Joe Gagne, the City’s waterworks foreman, for his dedication and efficient and courteous manner in performing his work.
In new business, a recommendation came forward regarding an application by the City to the province for matching grant funding under Encouraging Community Housing Options (ECHO) program. That was approved unanimously, so the application will be going ahead.
Council carried a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute the City’s certificate of approval for the subdivision of land in Killdeer Park.
The plan consists of six multifamily lots, 10 duplex lots and 33 single family lots for a total of 49 lots creating 81 dwelling units. According to City Director of Planning and Development Jennifer Niesink it will increase the supply of available lots in the city.
“To have it come to fruition is very exciting,” said City Manager Jim Puffalt of the development. The lots will be available in 2017.
City council also approved a resolution to purchase Lots 35-37 Block 5 Plan G3689 at civic address 1221 - 115th St. was carried unanimously. Administration indicated those lots would address a future need should development happen on that site of the city.
Finally, the City is disposing of a number of Christmas streetlight decorations that are no longer needed, as the City is replacing them with new energy-efficient LED Christmas decorations.
Twenty-eight Christmas snow flakes decorations are being donated to the North Battleford Western Development Museum and the rest are to be sold to the Town of Maidstone for $20.
