Here is a rundown of highlights from what was a busy Battleford town council meeting on Oct. 6.
Most notable about the meeting is the fact the Town Hall is currently operating with temporary heat. River City Plumbing and Heating Ltd. are working on the boiler system, with new boilers on order. The work is to be done downstairs, according to Mayor Derek Mahon. The temporary heating is in the administration area and is part of the contract with River City.
Among the highlights were passage of several bylaws which received three readings and were signed and sealed that night. Those included the following:
A bylaw to repeal several old/expired bylaws on the books that are no longer required; an updated museum and heritage board bylaw; a local improvement for asphalt upgrade-overlay on 18th street east (work is already complete); a local improvement for asphalt upgrade-overlay on Riverbend; a development and service agreement with Battleford West Prop. Ltd. and Battlefords Town Square Ltd. (highway commercial phase II), for the land between Tim Hortons and the new seniors' complex in Battleford West; and a development and service agreement with Battleford West Prop. Ltd. (Heritage Landing Crescent - phase 2 and 5th Avenue West).
In resolutions, council unanimously passed the following: the regular council meeting schedule for 2015 (mainly on the first and third Mondays of each month); the arena board advertising agreement with the AAA Sharks female hockey team for the 2014-15 season; authorization to sign the arena canteen lease for Battlefords Minor Hockey Association for 2014-15 for $4,850; a subdivision application for heritage landing proposed lots 38, 39, 40 Block 96 for a residential condominium (located in Battleford West); and resolution 34/2011 amendment regarding the cost of the 5th Avenue West sewer upgrade.
A request for a proposed 30-foot expansion to the property line for Deer Valley Personal Care Home at 72-28th St. was briefly discussed, but a decision will have to wait for a future meeting as council seeks further information.
Among the reports presented at the meeting was the building permit summary for September that showed Battleford still on a record pace for permits. Through September, 54 permits have been issued for a total value of $21,073,790, compared to 48 for $5,847,845 for the same period in 2013.
The latest development/permits report for the Oct. 6 meeting reported three more permits since their previous report, for a total value of $420,000.
Finally, it was noted that Mayor Derek Mahon was in Wilkie for the SUMA regional meeting. Mayor Mahon noted some 25 municipalities were represented and SUMA president Debra Button and Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Larry Doke attended as well.
Mahon said there was lively speculation at the meeting about grants, including discussions on the federal Building Canada Program with the expectation there will be some money coming available through that infrastructure program in the future. The agreements for that program are now in the hands of the provincial government to sign off on., Mahon noted, "as of today there's no indication when those agreements would be signed."
The next meeting of town council is Oct. 20.
