聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The first steps towards the forming of a business association in Kamsack, after many years without such an organization in the community, were made last week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On an initiative from town council, about two dozen people, all representatives of various businesses, met at the OCC Hall on August 24 with Mayor Nancy Brunt and councillors Jared Ruf, Claire Bishop and Maria Nahnybida.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This is a forum for open discussion, Ruf said, asking those attending to feel free to express themselves.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗aving been on council for six years, I have felt that the voice of the business community has been missing,鈥 Bishop said, adding that recently Ruf, a businessperson, indicated he has felt the same way and it was his 鈥渟park鈥 that resulted in the calling of the meeting.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭his council is very interested in the business community鈥檚 concerns,鈥 Brunt said. 鈥淲e all want to make Kamsack better.鈥
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ruf told the meeting that council has its strategic plan and it is looking at doing a number of things to make the downtown more appealing. He said a proposed new loitering bylaw is currently 小蓝视频 reviewed by a lawyer and talked of initiatives for the installation of webcams on main street.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He spoke of the re-establishment of a recreation board and was applauded when he mentioned that there had been suggestions favouring a community calendar.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bishop outlined some of the proposals for improvements 小蓝视频 discussed by council, including infrastructure work on paving, water system, airport and swimming pool, and town-owned buildings including the Broda Sportsplex, OCC Hall and Crowstand Centre.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat do businesspeople think?鈥 she asked. 鈥淲hat are the big things needed? What are your priorities?鈥
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Agreeing that the community is attractive and a wonderful place to call home, and saying that visitors continually remind residents of that, several people pointed to reports of intravenous drug use in the downtown core and its intimidating side effects, including shoplifting and less-than-attractive behaviours.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淜amsack has it all, except for those thefts,鈥 a businessperson said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Council鈥檚 proposed loitering bylaw is an attempt to address those behaviours, Ruf said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When statements were made criticizing the community鈥檚 policing, Brunt explained that the detachment is currently short-staffed, and the loitering bylaw should provide the tools police require in order to act.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bishop said that in arguments 小蓝视频 made by council for improvements, an active business association would be reinforcement.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭here鈥檚 strength in numbers,鈥 she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When the clean-up of vacant downtown buildings was mentioned as 小蓝视频 an improvement, it was suggested that council imposes a higher tax on owners of such properties, as is 小蓝视频 done in other communities, because those neglected buildings detract from the appearance of the whole street.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he more we hear from you as a group, the more we can do,鈥 Bishop said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The discussion included the possibility of altering the job description of the bylaw enforcement officer to be a more visible presence on main street and a need to enhance lines of communication with the RCMP.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Picking up on the desire for things over which to be positive, Brunt told the meeting that in a report of the best hamburgers to be bought, Chester鈥檚 Place was ranked at the top.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Glen Sterzer commended council for having four of its number attend the meeting, saying that having several council members involved in the discussion was likely more effective than if council had delegated only one representative.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur goal is to get together as a group which would be a voice for the business community,鈥 Ruf said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was agreed to hold another meeting on October 19 and members expressed a desire to invite the RCMP staff sergeant and band councillors of Cote First Nation to attend.