The town council of Outlook met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday night, April 14. Present were Mayor Maureen Weiterman and councillors Sharon Bruce, Bob Stephenson, Kevin Grotheim, Ryan Husband, Kyle McLeod, and Justin Turton (present electronically), as well as Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Trew and Assistant Administrator Rachel Sillers.
The meeting was broadcast live on the Town of Outlook’s Facebook page.
A number of topics and items were discussed, including the following highlights.
New Chief Administrative Officer
This being Kevin Trew’s first meeting with Council, he was officially appointed Chief Administrative Officer and was granted signing authority.
Bylaws
Before getting into discussion on bylaws, Mayor Weiterman shared as an aside that she had spoken to Grade 2 students at Outlook Elementary School recently and spoke of her role as Mayor.
Council discussed Bylaw No. 2(2021) – A Bylaw of the Town of Outlook to Regulate Proceedings of Municipal Council and Council’s Committee.
Bylaw No. 3(2021) – A Bylaw of the Town of Outlook in the Province of Saskatchewan to Amend Bylaw No. 8(2014) Known as the Zoning Bylaw had one official reading by Council.
Reports
Assistant Administrator Report
It was said that the Civic Centre tender for extensive renovations has been extended by seven days.
Council is to appoint someone to deal with the crow population, a typical occurrence in the springtime.
Auditors were with the town staff recently for most of the day. They will get back to staff with their recommendations, and Rachel said everything went better than expected. Mayor Weiterman shared her and the Town’s appreciation for the staff taking care of things.
Public Works Report
CAO Trew noted that the staff reports such as Public Works or Recreation would be going on the town website after they’ve been officially approved.
A sewer main was found to be plugged on Tufts Crescent, said to be caused by non-flushable wipes entering the sewer system, as well as a lot of kitchen grease. Residents are being reminded not to flush such things and to take note of what is or isn’t flushable.
Three new summer students have been hired in the department. Two are returning, with one new student.
Recreation Report
The new flooring in the Rec Plex shows different courts and gaming areas. The goal is to soon use them with all sorts of activities for the spring and summer.
Unfinished Business
There was extensive conversation had on an item related to Barrich Farms and the landfill. Specifically, a discussion on what to charge Barrich for taking more than 60 loads out to the landfill. There was discussion on what percentage to charge and/or remove from the bill. Councillor Grotheim noted that they need to watch with “chiselling” the rates because the Town still has to pay, in one way or another. Mayor Weiterman noted that this should never happen again at the landfill.
A motion was made with a recorded vote that the Town charge Barrich Farms two thirds of the existing bill. The motion was carried. The recorded vote result was as follows:
For – Bruce, Stephenson, McLeod, Husband, Weiterman
Against – Turton, Grotheim
On the topic of Urban Systems and the Mann Street Subdivision Conceptual Servicing Plan, Council was looking at getting Urban Systems to do some more work on the plan, with extensive conversations had on it. There was a lengthy discussion had on it, including the tentative planning for a pond feature, as yet to be located and finalized on design. One of the biggest talking points was the financial risk surrounding the project.
A motion was made to task Urban Systems to do a stormwater concept plan for $20,000, but it fell due to no one seconding the motion.
Administrator Trew followed up with this reporter after the meeting in an email to give further insight on the matter:
“Associated Engineering has already completed the engineering for the drainage plan for both the Mann Street Subdivision and the Highway Commercial Subdivision, they (AE) have sought and received conditional approval for that plan from SSRID, Water Security, RM of Rudy, CPR and the Ministry of Highways; the drainage plan includes the building of a pond which would either be a dry pond (which could serve as an open greenspace in dry times) or a wet pond (which could serve as a water feature maintaining a certain depth at all times, even in dry times), the decision does not need to be made at this time; Council had two concerns and performed a risk analysis with Associated’s plan – the first - counting on the use of SSRID channel as the drainage, the concern was the dependence on another authority and possibility of that authority reaching out in the future to maintain or reclaim the channel – this was quickly put to rest as the Town of Outlook already depends on the SSRID channel and they are amenable to this drainage plan, in addition it will be prudent to make agreement with SSRID prior to construction of the storm drainage; the second – the placement of the pond in the middle of Mann Street Subdivision as a water feature instead of to the North West corner as Associated engineered, Council found out that this is not the natural way the water flows and that it could be quite costly to build a deeper and, therefor wider, water feature taking away sellable residential real estate, estimated by Associated as being far more expensive for capital expenditure (driving up the price of residential lots) and, most likely a higher operating cost with the risk of overloading the Town’s storm system – the risk of overloading the storm system was low, however the cost risk was high.
If Town Council would have decided to engage Urban Systems to do the engineering on an alternate drainage plan for both subdivisions, it would have been approximately $20,000 in additional costs, but that was not approved – no resolution meant we could now move forward.
The next steps will be for Urban Systems to design a community plan around Associated Engineering’s work to date, this is necessary at this time so that we can see the eventual use of the pond in the subdivision and how it relates to the development around it and further engineering can be done for utilities in this subdivision as well as the Highway Commercial Subdivision.
Council plans to then “put a pin” in the Mann Street Subdivision expansion while completing Phase 1 of the Railway Commercial/Industrial Subdivision and the Highway Commercial Subdivision in the coming months.”
New Business
In discussing Municode for a contract for inspection services, Council observed that the company was said to have a very good reputation. A motion was made and carried to accept the contract.
On the subject of a Development Application Request for Lots 17 & 18, Block D, Plan G39, it was said to essentially be an appeal request, but the formal way to do an appeal is not to come to Council because a development permit cannot be appealed to Council. Kevin recommended that Council use it as information only.
There were no items discussed in-camera.
