The City of Weyburn is proceeding with growth and expansion to more residential lots, and is financing it by means of increasing the amount they are legally allowed to borrow by $5 million.
The City of Weyburn is proceeding with growth and expansion to more residential lots, and is financing it by means of increasing the amount they are legally allowed to borrow by $5 million.
The city passed a bylaw on Monday evening to increase their debt limit from $11.25 million to $16.25 million, in order that the city can take advantage of the Saskatchewan Infrastructure Growth Initiative grant, which was used in 2008 and 2009.
The end result, for the city, is they will now be able to finance the creation of 69 new residential lots, which includes 65 single-family lots, and four multi-unit dwelling lots, all located in the Assiniboia Park subdivision in the northeast area of the city.
The city is in need of the lots, as after January the last available residential lots were sold off, leaving the city without any residential lots available to sell to the public.
Meantime, the city will have a program by which they can borrow money to finance the building of the lots which in the long run will be paid back without any cost to city taxpayers.
Under the program, administered by Municipal Affairs, the province advances the funds to the city and the city only pays the interest on the balance; the city will then apply for complete reimbursement of the interest. The city in the meanwhile has five years to pay back the principle, which will be done as the lots are sold and the city recoups its costs to build the lots.
The City of Weyburn will hold a byelection on Wednesday, May 18, to replace the vacant council seat after Coun. Dave Craigen tendered his resignation on Mar. 2 resigning his seat effective immediately.
City clerk Donette Richter provided three options for dates for council to consider, with the earliest being an election day on Friday, Apr. 29, with a nomination period from Mar. 23 to 31 and nomination day on Friday, Apr. 1; the second option would have nomination open on Wednesday, Mar. 30 to Tuesday, Apr. 12, with nomination day on Wednesday, Apr. 13 and voting day on Wednesday, May 11.
The third option, which council agreed to abide by as it provides the city clerk with the most time to make preparations, will see nominations open on Wednesday, Apr. 6; nominations will be accepted until Tuesday, Apr. 19, with nomination day on Wednesday, Apr. 20, and election day to follow one month after, on Wednesday, May 18.
Richter noted that with a possible federal election coming up, this third option is the most likely to miss that voting day, depending when it's called for.
The advance poll will be held on Saturday, May 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. at City Hall, and the regular poll will be held at a single polling station, the Weyburn Junior High, with voting to take place from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 18.
The city will not do an enumeration of voters, but will instead have voters register at the polling station on voting day.
Richter estimates that, based on a single polling station, the cost for the byelection will be about $3,500; Richter is to be appointed the returning officer, and there will also be a mobile poll in addition to the advance poll.
Asked if photo ID will be required for voting, Richter said she checked with Municipal Affairs, and this has not yet been passed by the Legislature, but it probably will be in place in time for the regular municipal election to be held in October of 2012.
Meanwhile, the committee responsibilities Craigen had were divided up by Mayor Debra Button. Coun. Dick Michel will take his place on the library board and the Ag Society board; Coun. Nancy Styles will replace him on the Arts Council and the Nickle Lake Regional Park board; and Mayor Button will take his place as rep to the Care-A-Van Society. The only seat not replaced was his position on the employee relations committee, which will remain vacant for the time being.
