The town council of Outlook held a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday night, August 12. Present was all of council; Donna Smith, Kevin Grotheim, Kyle McLeod, Maureen Applin, Floyd Childerhose, and David Simonson, as well as Mayor Ross Derdall and Assistant Administrator Rachel Sillers.
The meeting was live-streamed on the Town’s Facebook page.
A number of topics and items were discussed, including the following items.
Delegations – Shay and Logan Stephenson
Shay and Logan Stephenson spoke to council about a business idea they have in establishing a new gym facility in Outlook.
“It’s something we’re very interested in bringing to the town’s people,” said Logan. “We’re hoping that with your help, it’s something that can be invented and something that can be brought to the people.”
“We’ve had this land in the family for a lot of years, and it’s something that we’ve wanted to develop for some time,” said Shay. “Starting with a gym and then branching out from there.”
“There’s kind of a precedent for it already,” said Logan.
The two brothers’ idea is to have the proposed gym mapped out as a 40 x 40 area, like an open concept space. They would hopefully get started on it before the wintertime settles in, provided they go through all the necessary channels and do their due diligence along the way. The gym would be seen as something of an extension of the Stephenson family’s Irrigation Centre Motel.
“We want a building that everybody’s happy to go in and they feel happy to go to,” said Shay.
“A lot of motels and hotels come hand in hand with a gym,” said Shay. “We just have an open lot, and it’d be an expansion of the business.”
Mayor Derdall and council reminded the two that there are a number of things that need to be done before this idea comes to fruition.
“This is doable, but we just need to go through the right hoops,” said Councillor McLeod. “But it’s definitely something that the town needs.”
Derdall and council seemed supportive of the idea, realizing the need for such a facility in Outlook, but it was said that the local bylaw information as it relates to motels/hotels may need to be revisited and revised or amended for this specific purpose.
Council made and carried a motion to add the project to the existing amendment being prepared.
“This will bring big taxes forever if they’ll get to do this and make that property more valuable for years to come,” said Ross.
During the passing and approval process of previous meeting minutes, the minutes of the July 29 public hearing were tabled.
New Fire Hall
Councillor Smith asked if the Town was ever going to host any form of public consultation on the new fire hall project, but it was said that no sort of events have been planned at the moment. Smith shared that she’d had a few people ask her about the public having some say during a consultation-type setting, and these people have mentioned that if there wasn’t any form of public consultation, they might consider a petition of some sort as it relates to the fire hall project. Derdall was upset at that possibility and said taxpayers were getting a “first-rate” fire hall. Ross mentioned that he’d talked to people who were very happy about the project. It was said that the plans regarding the new fire hall are available at the town office.
Communications
4-H Saskatchewan submitted a request to the Town for a donation. Council wasn’t sure if they’d ever been asked before. After some discussion, a motion was made and carried to make a donation of $100 to the organization.
Reports
Assistant Administrator Report
After some substantial discussion in the room surrounding the future of residential lots in town, a motion was made and carried to have a representative from Urban Systems come out and talk with council about their options moving forward in establishing more residential lots.
The Outlook Regional Park brought the Town a needs assessment to fill out, a document which will help the park determine what is needed in the future.
The Town is going to participate in a photo contest being organized by Communities in Bloom which will ask people for their best shots around Outlook. Councillor Applin shared that there have been compliments heard on the flowers that are planted around town.
Two donations recently came in from the local Farm Credit Canada office in Outlook, one donation of $1000 for the new fire hall, as well as an additional $500 to go towards the outdoor rink.
Unfinished Business
Civic Centre
There was discussion on the upcoming renovations to the Civic Centre, and the public will certainly notice some differences to the washrooms. It was said that you need one toilet for every 25 people per gender, according to information that Rachel shared. The capacity limit of the building is approximately 700. One washroom will have 8 toilets under the new plans. There are also plans for a projection screen and better sound technology. Council said the plans looked good. Applin brought up the possibility of selling naming rights of the Civic Centre if a company was willing to make a significant donation and asked council’s thoughts. The idea was said to be good, but questions arose over how long the name would be attached, and a deal of possibly ten years was mentioned. Council said it would likely depend on the business, and a minimum dollar amount was mentioned; Applin tossed out a number of say $75,000. The Town would have final say on everything, and Applin said that kind of money could be used for such extensive renovations to the building.
The topic of the Wheatland Regional Library was tabled to a meeting set to happen the day after this council meeting.
New Business
Appoint Acting Administrator – Ross said that the Town needed to appoint Rachel as the Acting Administrator, which was carried by the rest of council.
Tenders for the removal the recycling depot’s loading dock and glass bunker – a tender from TTS Enterprises was said to be incomplete; J. Wright Construction, total $13,875, start date of August 17 and finishing August 21; Bob’s Backhoe Service, total $1,335.60, starting date of August 19 and finishing up the next day. A motion was made and carried to go with Bob’s Backhoe Service.
Council accepted and carried Employee Policy No. 17 – Returning to Work after Illness, as well as Employee Policy No. 13 – Employee Pay and Hours of Work.
The topic of a janitorial cleaning contract was tabled to another meeting.
The Town will reset the water meter of M. Larson as it relates to a utility account topic. One of the possible reasons for the problem is that it may have been a computer issue, Rachel offered, and the resident is asking for a rebate. Some more information will be sought on the matter and the topic was tabled to the next council meeting.
A rental request had come in from the Outlook home care facility as it relates to the Civic Centre. Council said they may be better going with another venue such as the Heritage Centre due to the renovations that will be commencing with the Civic Centre.
A tax rebate request from the town’s community garden had come in. Donna brought up that it’s a community-driven initiative and wondered if the Town could make some kind of donation. A motion was made and carried that the taxes will not be abated, and a response will say that future submissions need to be in before the closure of the assessment roll. Another motion was made and carried to donate $200 towards the community garden.
Council entered into in-camera discussions, which included the topics of Legal and Personnel.
