Estevan city council used technology so it could have its monthly meeting Monday night.
Mayor Roy Ludwig, city manager Jeff Ward and city clerk Judy Pilloud were in council chambers, and observing social distancing. The remaining members of council participated from their homes through Zoom.
The meeting was broadcasted on YouTube and on the city鈥檚 website.
Ludwig said he was pleased with how council members adapted. He鈥檚 confident the same system will be employed for the next meeting on May 13, unless the provincial government eases restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He doesn鈥檛 believe there were any kinks that needed to be worked out, either.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
Council decided not to create a tax levy to support the STARS Air Ambulance. STARS sent a request to council for funding last month, but it was tabled. Other communities have received the same request, but none have approved a levy.
City manager Jeff Ward noted those were similar-sized cities.
While council members appreciate the works that STARS does in the province, given the financial situation facing the community, they believe this is not the time for a new tax.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
The monthly cart report for Green for Life Environment showed a total of 3,162 recycling carts were emptied fin March, with a total weight of 20,900 tonnes, or 6.60 kilograms per cart.
As for trash carts, 11,021 carts were emptied, with a total weight of 168,840 kilograms or 15.31 kilograms per cart.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
A letter from the Ministry of Education said the education portion of property tax for 2020 will be unchanged from 2019. The education portion has remained stable for several years.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
A sponsorship request from Josh LeBlanc with the Rafferty Rumble was tabled to a future meeting. LeBlanc said they hope to have the event this summer, and they have some sponsors on board, but others have said no.
Ludwig said it would be best to wait to see the government鈥檚 plan for reopening the province before making a decision.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
The city awarded the annual dust control tender to Fort Distributors for $.33 per litre, with a total cost of $108,900. Dust control is used on a number of gravel roads within the city鈥檚 boundaries.
Some roads require only one application annually while others require two, because they have more vehicle traffic.
The city uses a magnesium chloride-based product which is also employed by the RM of Estevan.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
Council approved some changes to the annual spring Operation Clean Sweep, which was scheduled to happen from May 11-18.
A free landfill weekend, slated from May 15-18, will proceed.
A household hazardous waste event at the GFL facility on Bourquin Road was slated for May 16, but it had to be postponed. With current regulations preventing gatherings of more than 10 people, the city decided to postpone it, because they thought it would exceed the limit.
Also slated for that week was the door to door pickup of yard refuse by city staff. In consultation with the city鈥檚 safety officer, it was deemed employee contact with garbage and yard refuse was not safe.听
The city hopes a large cleanup event can happen in the fall.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
Two building permits worth $205,700 were issued in March, bringing the total for the year to six permits worth $287,400. Both permits were under the miscellaneous category.
***
Council gave second and third readings to the dangerous goods bylaw, which will govern the transportation of dangerous goods throughout the city. The dangerous goods route will be the same as the truck route, and there will be penalties for those carrying dangerous goods who unnecessarily stray from the route.
This is the first time Estevan has had a dangerous goods bylaw.
听
听
