Snow Removal
The Town of Kamsack staff received an abundance of complaints regarding snow removal efforts. After fielding a number of nasty, rude, and ignorant phone calls and rants, the staff was so stressed that the office had to go into lockdown. Mayor Nancy Brunt was incredibly disappointed in the treatment of staff and would like to remind residents that this season was particularly challenging in terms of extended periods of extreme cold weather, (multiple days recording -40 degree temperatures that affected equipment performance), staffing shortages due to COVID outbreaks, and considerably more snow than usual. It was reported that the public works department did its best to handle the ongoing challenges, working many days into overtime in excess of 12 hours in a shift.
As a result of the strain on the public works staff, the following resolution was proposed and passed: WHEREAS the Town staff and Councillors received an abundance of complaints with snow removal during the spring melt; THEREFORE, be it resolved that Council will be revisiting the Snow Removal Policy and look at budgeting for contracted snow removal in the fall. Carried. The Town of Kamsack will also look into the possibility of ticketing cars that remain parked on streets that block snow plowing routes.
Speeding
Council approved a request from Cst. Todd Tyndall to install BlackCat boxes in and around the Kamsack area to track the amount of vehicles that exceed speed limits. Data collected from the boxes will help the Kamsack RCMP understand where and when vehicles exceed speed limits and act as a guideline for radar enforcement.
Water Tower
Council has been made aware that there will be budget concerns toward resolving the issue of rust on the water tower. The first step will be identifying the cause of the rust issue before maintenance and a fresh coat of paint can be applied.
Legacy Tree Program
Dereck Wolkowski and Robyn Tataryn of Wolkowski Funeral Services met with Kamsack Town Council to request the public works department’s assistance in deciding where to plant and care for trees sold as a part of the new Kamsack Legacy Tree Program. Council approved the request and confirmed that the first round of trees will be planted at the cemetery.
SUMA
There were 28 resolutions received at the 2022 SUMA conference, with one from Kamsack concerning penalties for long-term vacant commercial properties. Detailed information can be found on the SUMA website.
HandiBus
Council approved the design of a Star Trans Candidate II HandiBus. The custom vehicle will take one year to build and will eventually replace the current HandiBus. Funding for the new bus was procured from money that had been set aside in a savings account.
Correspondence
A request from the Kamsack branch of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation to use the old reservoir was denied at this time due to safety concerns.
Council received a letter from the official opposition to the provincial government.
Council signed another lease agreement with Sasktel for the use of their building.
Council received an oral report from the newest Kamsack RCMP member, Cst. Cameron Wellington.
Council received an application by Allan Bennett to tap multiple trees on town property in order to collect sap. The request was denied. However, it should be noted that Kamsack residents are permitted to tap trees that sit on their own property.
Council has appointed Western Municipal Consulting for the 2022 assessment year. The firm will respond to anyone wishing to contest the assessment of house and property taxes.
Council approved the use of a public street area for the Wings of Hope winter festival event.
Civic Address Bylaw
Council passed a civic addressing bylaw that will require homeowners to ensure house numbers are adequately maintained, large enough to be visible from the street, and adequately lit so emergency personnel are able to quickly locate call destinations at all hours.
1. This Bylaw shall be referred to as the “Civic Addressing Bylaw”
2. The purpose of this bylaw is for expediting response time for emergency measures (fire, police, and ambulance), town personnel, and the general public.
3. The Town Administrator or Bylaw Officer shall be responsible for the enforcement of this bylaw.
4. All civic addressing shall comply with the Town of Kamsack Civic Addressing Bylaw.
5. Each house or building shall bear the correct number on which the front entrance is situated.
6. Numbers shall be of at least 102 mm (4 inches) in height, and be of contrasting colour to the surface upon which numbers are placed. Numbers must be clearly visible from public roadways.
7. In case a building or house is occupied by more than one family dwelling unit or business, each separate front entrance shall bear: a. A clearly visible number assigned to the building, b. A clearly visible suite or unit number displayed on each front entrance door.
8. Where a commercial or industrial building is subdivided into individual units, unit numbers shall be affixed and maintained on the front face of each unit. Unit numbers shall be located so as to be clearly visible from the street or private road.
9. No person shall display any incorrect address number.
10. All existing numbers of houses and other buildings not currently conforming to the provisions of this bylaw shall be corrected to conform to the system adopted herein
Water Quality
Council approved a Waterworks Emergency Plan, as well as plans for quality assurance and quality control. The Town of Kamsack is committed to managing all aspects of the public water system effectively to provide safe aesthetically appealing water that tastes good and is free from objectionable colour and odor. It is our policy that the drinking water quality that we provide will be produced in accordance with and meet or exceed the quality standards required by the Waterworks and Sewage Works Regulations. Quality assurance/quality control measures for the water department are a set of activities that are to be undertaken to ensure compliance and above all to ensure that the water is safe for public consumption in a sustainable manner. Quality control management system refers to the organization, planning, data collection, quality control, documentation, and technical activities to ensure the production of accurate and reliable results which helps to enhance the credibility of the Town of Kamsack Water Department.
Waterworks Emergency Plan Policy
The intent of this emergency plan is to ensure the safety of consumers and the protection of life, property, and the environment in the most efficient way possible in the event of an unexpected incident. In particular, this plan deals with events that may affect water quality.
