Here is a rundown of some of the major issues discussed at Monday's city council meeting in North Battleford.
Concerns from a local resident about her neighbour's property maintenance dominated much of the early first portion of the meeting.
Sophie Ewanchuk, a resident on 111th Street, went before council to seek help with respect to the neighbour's property. She presented a lengthy list of complaints, including concerns about water that ran off the neighbour's building and onto her property causing damage. She also raised concerns about needles from the cedars landing in her property, and about garbage and old tires in the neighbour's yard, among several issues.
City bylaw enforcement has looked into the situation on previous occasions. Council has pledged to look into Ewanchuk's concerns and a report is to be prepared by bylaw enforcement on what can be done
Concerns about gravel on city streets were raised by Councillor Trent Houk, who made a motion for the City to retain the contractor for further street sweeping work for $30,000, with that cost funded from reserves.
He justified the motion on the grounds that cleaning up the streets would save lives, especially for motorcyclists who are put at risk from gravel on the roads.
"One motorcycle accident - one life. Can you put a $30,000 price tag on that?" said Houk.
Councillor Ryan Bater also voiced support for the motion on the grounds that he wanted to see the roads cleaned up as quickly as possible.
Other councillors were less enthusiastic about the $30,000 cost. Councillor Greg Lightfoot, who said he was an avid motorcyclist, nevertheless didn't agree with taking more money out of reserves. Councillor Cathy Richardson indicated she thought the money should be on hand for street repairs.
Houk's motion to retain the street sweeper contractor was defeated by a 5-2 vote.
Instead of using a contractor, the City's own street sweeper will be used for the remaining work. Public Works Director Stewart Schafer told councilors the current timeline calls for the whole city to be cleaned up by mid-June. Schafer also told council the City's sweeper "has been working very well."
A contentious issue raised at a previous meeting came to a vote Monday, as council voted on a motion to grant Pat and Bev MacIsaac a three-year taxation exemption for a property on the 1300 block of 107th Street through the Inner City Residential Development Incentive.
The MacIsaacs had developed that property, which previously stood as an empty lot, but City administration has contended it did not qualify for the incentive as a "new build." It was administration's contention that definition of "new build" did not apply, as an existing house and garage were moved onto the lot.
It was pointed out during the discussion by Building Inspector Jerry Wintonyk that at no time was an incentive discussed or requested by the applicant. Nevertheless, after much discussion, the motion to grant the exemption passed by a 4-3 margin. Houk, Ray Fox, Bater and Richardson supported the motion.
Council passed a resolution to authorize the preparation of a bylaw to rezone Lot 6, Block 500, including the adjacent roadway and eastern access isle from C4 Commercial to C3 Commercial, and that council's intentions to consider that proposed amendment be advertised.
That resolution is in connection to a development by the Battlefords and District Co-op, who are looking to develop a new gas bar at that location at the southeast corner of the Walmart parking lot.
Council authorized a request by Battlefords Horseshoe Club requesting participants at the Western Canada Horseshoe Championship on June 29-30 be allowed to camp in the parking lots north of the lawn bowling area and towards the civic centre, if necessary.
Lightfoot has been appointed the City's representative on the board for the new downtown Business Improvement District.
