The City of Weyburn’s Environmental Resource Committee discussed curbside recycling and water conservation, in their report to city council on March 14.
The city has been doing background research into recycling programs used by other communities, and they will be sending out a request for proposals in the next few months to ensure the new recycling program can be introduced by October 2016.
The recycling program provided by the province operates on a per-household basis, so an agreement will be needed between the City and RM of Weyburn if the program is to accommodate rural residents as well as city residents.
The environmental committee is planning to take a tour of a recycling facility in Regina this year.
For the cleanup of the downtown and along the highways, Mayor Debra Button will kick that off on Saturday, May 14, with the Hazardous Waste Collection Day set for Saturday, May 28 at the Public Works roundhouse.
The chamber will be contacted about encouraging downtown businesses to take part in the Mayor’s Downtown Cleanup Day.
On water conservation, the committee discussed how the Nickle Lake reservoir is currently about two feet or about 65 centimetres from full capacity, which is about 30 cm less than a year ago, with not very much runoff expected to come this spring.
The committee wants to be proactive to raise public awareness about the need for water conservation, and will look into conservation incentives and programs to ensure the city’s water supply can be sustained.
In a brief report from the Building Department, the city has only issued one building permit as of the end of February.
The permit issued was for a residential basement development worth $15,000.
One year ago the city had issued four building permits by the end of February worth $1.65 million.
The City will be sending out notices for properties that have unpaid taxes from 2015.
Council was provided a listing of 72 properties which have over half of the preceding year’s tax levy still owing, with amounts ranging from $923 up to a property with a bill of $100,193 owing on it, for a grand total of $383,716 in taxes owing from last year.
Council was told that these property owners will be given 60-day notices to pay, or until May 13, at which time a lien will be put on the property.
Asked about payment options that are available, council was told that the finance department will work with property owners to work out a payment schedule, which can be done on a monthly basis that will work with the property owner’s schedule.
Council was told by Coun. Nancy Styles that she helped host a tour by 55 medical students of the Tatagwa View care centre.
In addition to her duties as city councillor, she is a registered nurse and is also a member of the city’s doctor recruitment and retention committee, and was interested in providing a good tour to the students as they consider health regions to apply to later on for employment. The committee who provided the tour also included Heather Cugnet of the RM of Weyburn, and Melanie Sorensen of the Weyburn Hospital Foundation.
The group was welcomed by Mayor Button, and were given an extensive tour of the long-term care facility, which also houses the administration offices for the Sun Country Health Region.
“One of the reasons we do this is that doctors come and go, so we’re always in a bit of a flux,” said Coun. Styles, noting this is a way to stay ahead of the changes in personnel.
