The hiring of a consultant for a strategic plan review was one of the highlights of a routine Monday night meeting of city council in North Battleford.
Nuguru Business and Marketing Consultants, with lead consultant Christopher Doll, has been engaged to facilitate a strategic planning process for the city. The cost projection Nuguru submitted was for $13,000 to $18,000, beating out a competing bid from Vadis Consulting Group for $21,600.
City Manager Jim Toye told reporters Nuguru will sit down with city council to find out their vision for the city over the next three to five years. Then administration would build a business plan to determine how those objectives would be met.
"Council wants to get started as quickly as possible," said Toye, with Nuguru likely to meet with city council by the end of this year.
In other items, a resolution was passed to amend the land prices to the South East Commercial District, Parcel E, to the west of Territorial Drive and Pioneer Avenue/ Carlton Trail. Councillors said the resolution will clear the way for that land to be developed.
Council also passed a resolution engaging P. Machibroda Engineering Ltd. to undertake an environmental screening of seven light industrial properties located along Railway Avenue in the city. These were properties once owned by Canadian Pacific Railway that were acquired by the City, and an environmental review must be completed for the city to be able to market and sell the properties.
City Clerk Debbie Wohlberg outlined intentions to repeal Bylaw No. 1661 which is designed to appoint certain individuals to act as Bylaw Enforcement Officers. Appointments used to be made under that bylaw, but the Cities Act no longer requires that procedure.
During the announcements and inquiries portion of Monday's meeting, Counillor Rhonda Seidel asked if David Laird Campground had been equipped with wireless Internet. Director of Parks and Recreation Stuart York says that the item was in the 2010 budget but will not be installed at the campground until the spring of 2011.
Related to David Laird campground, council received a letter from Karl and Irene Caslor who commended the City for the well-maintained facility, as well as its helpful staff.
In response to another inquiry from Councillor Trent Houk about the status of a home that was seen boarded by on the 1500 block of 103th Street, Fire Chief Pat MacIsaac promised to look into it.
MacIsaac was also asked by Counillor Grace Lang why the special constables do not have the power to seize an animal. MacIsaac responded special constables will investigate animal abuse and neglect, and consult the SPCA in such situations.
Councillor Ray Fox was recognized by council for being one of the recipients of a Premier's Award for Excellence for his work with several other award recipients on a pilot program on domestic violence in the city.
Finally, Councillor Ron Crush had many good things to say about Operation Red Nose, which launched in the city last week. Operation Red Nose is a national initiative where volunteers provide safe drives home to revelers during the holiday season.
Crush cited the city's participation in the program as another incidence where North Battleford is "leading the way."
