The deadline of Oct. 31 has passed for HELP International to vacate the land they are leasing from the City of Weyburn, while HELP has asked for up to five years additional time to be on the city land, or else for settlement of a bill for $350,000 for the planting of trees on city land.
City council has considered this request, said Mayor Debra Button, and their decision is to stick by the agreement and not to grant any further extension to HELP.
According to a letter sent by Rodney Sidloski, executive director of HELP International, to city council on Oct. 6, he was given verbal assurances from city manager Bob Smith "that the current property would be HELP's permanent home. This was affirmed by the city manager when HELP was being asked to leave its temporary location in downtown Weyburn around the year 2000-01.
It was again affirmed when HELP was asked to provide to the city a five-year and 10-year development plan showing all planned buildings and other infrastructure that HELP planned to build on the eight-acre property."
He went on to assert that HELP "would never be asked to vacate this property providing HELP did not change the use of the property from its designation as an environmental programming centre."
Sidloski noted in an interview that HELP planted some 80,000 trees on city property, including on the outside perimeter of the city landfill, on the river side to begin a forested corridor between the city and Nickle Lake, and beside the primary lagoon. Thus, on Sunday, Nov. 9, Sidloski is inviting members of the public to have a "verification tour" of the planted area; they can park their vehicle at the McKenna Hall parking lot at 1 p.m., and he will take the residents out to the planted areas to judge for themselves if this forested area should be worth something.
"We want a chance for the public to come and verify what we've planted, and to know what we've done. Come out and help them make their case, if they think there's a case for HELP," said Sidloski.
"The funny thing is, Bob Smith can take some of the credit for it. It's slightly less urbanized than an urban forest, where it's not over-groomed with human hiking trails and the like," said Sidloski, adding anyone is invited to come and tour the park area, including any members of city council who haven't seen the area.
Mayor Button said she has had the tour and has seen the trees that were planted.
She said the city has given HELP several reminders of the deadline to vacate the property, and said a letter was sent by the city in answer to their request for a five-year extension, stating that the city will be sticking with the signed agreement which gave the deadline as Oct. 31, 2014.
She noted reminder letters were sent in November of 2013, May 2014, and in September, Sidloski came in to see the mayor at City Hall.
Noting that HELP has not moved from the property, Mayor Button said on Monday, "There's been no 'what if he hasn't left' scenario discussed."
Asked if this means council now has to discuss what their next step is, she answered, "I hope not."
As for Sidloski's claim that the land was supposed to be their permanent home if they did not change their mandate or purpose at the farm site, Mayor Button said, "My response to that would be, if you thought that was your permanent home, why did you sign the agreement?"
City Hall provided a copy of the signed agreement, including the original one signed in October 2002, and the extension, signed on Sept. 28, 2004, which states, "the agreement shall be extended for a further period of time to October 31, 2014, and may be extended for a further period of time upon mutual agreement of both parties; all other terms and intents of the original agreement shall remain in force and effect."
The agreement goes on to state the prospectus for the park will be as per the following conditions:
"The education portion of the park will utilize the current eight acres for education centre in simulated traditional village in the upper four acres and appropriate technology village and some sustainable medium technology recycling industry in the lower four acres; modern building lane running east and west, lying north of the entry road to the City farm will be utilized as a modern school workshop area including the existing 2,000 square foot building located on the site. In the future, HELP would like to establish a number of modern classroom modules along this corridor, subject to the City of Weyburn Building and Engineering Departments approval."
In addition, river access will be established at the west end of the property for research and demonstration models for watershed protection and biodiversity management. "Anything other than the signed contract is hearsay," said Mayor Button.
For his part, Sidloski provided a breakdown of the services provided and the costs, including the trees planted, pre-working of land, mulch, and the cost of trees for replants, minus the city contribution of $2,000 a year for nine years, for a net value provided to the city of $353,110.
Sidloski said notwithstanding their right to demand compensation for this forestry service, they would be happy if the city "respect HELP's tenure rights to remain at the current location for an additional five years till end of 2019 (or sooner should HELP at its discretion secure, develop and move its buildings and inventories to a new home prior to that time.)"
In an interview, Sidloski indicated they do not have another location to move to currently, but are seeking to buy a larger parcel of land.
