ESTEVAN - The tender has been granted for this year’s watermain replacement program in Estevan
GenCo Asphalt was awarded the tender for $414,420 during the April 11 meeting of Estevan city council. The work is for Kohaly Avenue from King Street to Nicholson Road, and for the Lynd Crescent south leg.
The tender includes preparing the sub-grade, and supplying and installing sub-base, base, and asphalt and concrete sidewalks.
The roadway reconstruction project is to start Aug. 15 and completion is set for Sept. 9. If more time than planned is required due to weather or other issues, the schedule will be reset accordingly.
•••
Council gave the green light for Thunder City Power and Leisure to have a demo rides day on May 28 that would require blocking off the north half of 11th Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets. The business plans on having a small demo track with a few small piles of clay for hills.
Dave Heier with Thunder City said he doesn’t expect there will be much speed involved with a small, closed course, and he doesn’t expect the closure would affect the nearby Estevan Salvation Army.
A barbecue lunch would be served.
Councillor Lindsay Clark said this event is the type of activity that will help bring people to the downtown area.
Councillor Travis Frank voiced support, but wanted to know if council has allowed private businesses to close off portions of roads before, and whether this would create a precedent.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said this shouldn’t affect neighbouring businesses.
•••
Fort Distributors was awarded the city’s dust control tender of $.35 per litre, with an estimated cost of $115,000. Norm Mack, the manager of the road and drainage division for public works, noted the city has been using magnesium chloride in the past few years from Fort Distributors, which also supplies many of the surrounding RMs with the product and has storage tanks in the RM of Estevan yard.
The city is responsible for a number of gravel roads within the city limits. Some require one application annually while others need two.
•••
Council approved a new policy for utility disconnection for non-payment of residential water bills.
Accounts 30 days past due will receive a reminder notice by mail and those 60 days past due will receive a disconnection final notice.
Account holders will be given the opportunity to make payment arrangements with the utility clerk before the disconnection date. No exceptions will be made.
A minimum amount will be required to make payment arrangements, which must be made with the utility clerk before the disconnection date. Payment arrangements will only be set to a maximum of two months to pay off the outstanding amount.
Any broken payment arrangements will result in immediate water disconnection without further notice.
Once the water and sewer crew is dispatched to a property, a service fee established in the utility rates bylaw will be applied to the account, whether services are shut off or not.
Any obstruction present with the shut off valve will result in penalty established under the utility rates bylaw until the shut off valve can be accessed.
Once a service has been disconnected, all outstanding amounts including services fees are required to be paid in full for services to be restored.
Account holders will have to contact city hall to arrange for reconnection of services. Once payment is confirmed, crews will be dispatched to the property for reconnection. Resident/owner must be present at the property to restore water services.
•••
Council gave the green light for the creation of a multi-unit residential project on a 1.47-acre parcel of land in the southeast corner of the Estevan Market Mall property. Their approval is subject to entering a servicing agreement.
The concept has not been submitted, as a third party is involved.
It was noted the zoning district can accommodate a variety of land uses within the parcel.
Council approved the plan, subject to entering into a servicing agreement,
•••
Three building permits worth $92,000 were issued in March. Two were miscellaneous permits worth $27,000 and one was a garage for $65,000.
So far this year, six permits worth $112,200 have been approved.
•••
Council gave first reading to a bylaw regarding ATV usage in the community. The bylaw change is needed to allow the Estevan Police Service to use a new Kubota RTV520 utility vehicle to assist officers in Estevan responding to emergency situations across the pathway system. The funding for the unit came from the provincial government.
Second and third readings will occur at a later date, after public consultation.
