The members of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) will be meeting on Jan. 29 in Regina for their annual convention.
The members of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) will be meeting on Jan. 29 in Regina for their annual convention. The three and a half day convention will be filled with dialogue, a trade show and the debating of 11 resolutions.
One such resolution deals with flood mitigation funding. This resolution was created in hopes that SUMA will "urge the government of Saskatchewan to implement a flood mitigation program for urban governments, to assist in completing projects started in 2011." This resolution comes after last summer's floods which devastated much of Saskatchewan, including the southeast.
The resolution has come up because in many areas clean-up and restoration did not begin until after government grant deadlines had passed. This combined with many available contractors and specialists being extremely busy, many projects took far too long to complete. This resolution hopes to put a permanent flood mitigation program into effect, which will assist in developing future permanent solutions to flood and water control.
As well, another resolution hopes to assist low income seniors. This resolution comes because of the rising number of low income seniors who do not have enough money for home ownership. If resolved, this would see SUMA urge the government to explore a seniors property tax deferral program. Such programs currently exist in provinces such as Ontario, British Colombia, and Prince Edward Island.
Also, SUMA will debate a resolution which hopes to review the criteria that establishes long-term debt limits. The resolution argues that "many urban governments have reached their debt limit due to investing in infrastructure." It also argues that these debt limits "are prohibiting many urban governments from addressing other critical needs, thereby creating a barrier to further growth." If resolved, SUMA will work with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to initiate a review of the criteria used to establish long term debt limits."
Aside from debating resolutions, the SUMA convention gives mayors a chance to meet and establish networks between municipalities.
"It is good to talk to communities that are facing similar challenges to the ones you are," said Radville mayor Shirley Cancade.
Cancade also likes the conventions because "someone is always thinking about a problem differently than you."
For Ogema mayor Wayne Myren, the convention provides him with an opportunity to "talk to all individuals from the top down." It also lets him "see new ways to work on infrastructure."
"(The convention) always keeps us up to tune to stay progressing. It always keeps me motivated," Myren said.
Weyburn Mayor Debra Button has attended almost every SUMA convention for the past few years. For Button the convention provides "a great way to find out what other councillors are doing."
While Button is a SUMA veteran, Pangman mayor Rod Rowland will be a SUMA rookie if he can find time to get away from his farm.
"If I go, I'm just looking forward to the discussion and seeing what goes on their," Rowland said.
The SUMA convention will begin on Sunday, Jan. 29, and run until Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Regina.
