Estevan city council approves annual taxation bylaws

ESTEVAN - Estevan city council gave second and third readings to four bylaws related to property taxes during the May 27 meeting.

The first bylaw was to fix the rate of taxation. The budget that was approved in January has a two per cent property tax increase, the first community-wide tax hike in property taxes since 2019.

Council had to wait for the education share of property tax to be finalized in the provincial budget before it could bring forward the rate of taxation bylaw.

The other bylaws were for health, the library and the business improvement district. The health levy is expected to generate $101,962, which will be directed to the fundraising campaign to bring an MRI scanner to St. Joseph's Hospital.

The library levy will generate $403,000 for the South East Regional Library and local library operations. The money raised will cover the city's provincially-mandated commitment to the library system.

The business improvement district levy will fetch $27,500.

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Council approved three community event permits.

Two of them were for the upcoming Estevan Exhibition Association's Energy City Ex. The cabaret will be held on June 15, with Tyler Lewis providing entertainment. Also, beer gardens will be set up each night of the event from June 14-16.

The Black Grasshopper Pub was given the green light for its parking lot party on Sept. 14, which will start at 6 p.m. There will be live music.

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Council approved neighbourhood block party kits that will be available free of charge starting June 1.

In a report to council, leisure services manager Erin Wilson wrote the neighbourhood block party program encourages residents living on the same street or within an apartment building to plan a get together to build relationships and connect over food, fun and play.

Each kit will include games and sporting equipment for all ages, icebreaker activities, sidewalk chalk with a list of potential games/activities, scavenger hunt search sheets and participant name tags.

Additional supports include assistance with street closure permits, with delivery of barricades if needed; noise bylaw information; and financial support, as the city is working with local grocery stores to provide a discount on food purchases.

If a group did choose to host their function in a public park, a $25 permit would be needed.

"We are encouraging groups to consider yards and streets before public park areas. A reminder of no alcohol use in public parks will be included in their package," Wilson said.

Information on the city's website will include details on frequently-asked questions, step-by-step instructions to make hosting a block party as easy as possible, liquor licence information, templates for invitations that can be printed and shared with neighbours, and a link to easily reserve the neighbourhood block party kit.

One kit is ready for the community to reserve. It can be picked up at the information

desk the business day before the event, and it must be returned by noon the next business day after the party. The cost to create the kit was approximately $800, and it was supported by Saskatchewan Lotteries' Community Grant Fund.

Coun. Shelly Veroba, who is the chairwoman of the Community Safety and Well-Being Committee, said it is a great idea because positive interactions among neighbours help build safety. It also allows children to know who they can turn to when necessary.

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The city will apply for a CP Rail grant for a Cardiac Safe Communities outdoor AED station.

In a report, safety co-ordinator Helen Fornwald said Moosomin and Indian Head have installed machines. They have had positive experiences by placing them in central locations, and have not experienced any issues related to vandalism or weather.

"It has an infrared camera in it, so you know if someone is taking it out to try to steal it or vandalize it, so a picture will automatically be sent to whoever is going to be monitoring it," Fornwald wrote.

The machine cannot be in direct sunlight. It could be placed on a concrete pad, which is the more expensive option, or mounted on a building with a source of power.

Fornwald suggested the Churchill Playpark or the Garden Park on Fourth Street as potential locations.

The group that contacted the city will apply for the grant. Coun. Rebecca Foord wanted to know if the city will have to pay the organization a fee for submitting the application. Fornwald said she would check, but she doesn't expect a fee.

To maintain the machine, after four years, the City of Estevan would have to purchase batteries, pads and a monitoring plan, which have a combined cost of $1,145.

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Council gave first reading to an amended building bylaw. In a report, land development services manager Richard Neufeld said council had approved the bylaw last year and sent it to the provincial Building and Technical Standards branch for final approval.

It was denied due to conflicts with the Construction Code Act and Regulations, forcing the city to make some changes. City clerk Judy Pilloud said the amendments have been adopted by MuniCode.

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In the inquiries portion of the meeting, Coun. Tony Sernick said he has received a lot of calls about the pothole issues in the community. He said it is nice to see more patching occur rather than just filling the holes.

Mayor Roy Ludwig said it has been a "very bad year" for potholes and it will cost the city double or even triple the typical amount to fill them. If people are patient, Ludwig said they would be happy with the city's efforts.

Coun. Travis Frank said the issue is due to the weather the city experienced in the winter.