Kenneth Brown
of The Clarion

Town officials have approved temporary septic tanks for a local business with plans to develop land that is outside the reach of the town’s sewer system.

Rocky Mountain Equipment Canada Ltd. operates a farm implement dealership on 12th Avenue West. The company has asked council for permission to supply, install and use temporary septic tanks at the location. The request was discussed at a council meeting on June 11.

The company has asked the town to relax its bylaws to allow for the septic tanks. A letter to the town states that the company is prepared to use temporary septic tanks until permanent sewer services are available at its property line.

Mayor Rod Perkins said the town has been negotiating with Rocky Mountain Equipment as the company works on its plan to move. He said the town does not have water and sewer services as far east as the property at the present time, so the company has asked the town to allow a temporary solution.

He noted that the company will pay to connect to the system once the services are available further east of town. Perkins said he and two members of the town’s administration have met with company officials in the past.

[emember_protected for=”2″ custom_msg=’For more on this story, please see the Jun 20 print edition of The Clarion.’]

Deputy Mayor Shaun Henry said he is not against granting the temporary approval for the septic tanks to Rocky Mountain Equipment, but he would like to set a time limit for the company to connect after the services are available. He said when the time comes for the company to connect to the system, he does not want it to come as a surprise.

Bernie Morton, the town’s chief administrative officer (CAO), said it could take several years before sewer services are close enough for the company to connect. A time frame could be added to a servicing agreement between the town and company, he said.

The CAO later pointed out that the town already has a time frame specified in an existing bylaw. He said the property owner must connect to the service within six months of the time a line is within reach of the property.

Council passed a resolution to allow the temporary septic tanks. The company’s letter adds that with the approval, project officials will continue the ongoing design work with hopes of submitting the necessary building and development documentation as soon as possible.

In other business:

• An annual tax abatement request has led to a policy discussion for council members. A new policy for tax abatements is going to be considered by the town.

Two local non-profit organizations requested to have the municipal portion of their property tax abated in 2018. It is an annual request for local non-profit groups. The town was asked to abate a total of $4,777.22 in municipal taxes for the two groups.

The Kindersley Masonic Lodge asked to abate $2,637.22 and the West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre asked to abate $2,140. An administrative report to council states that both properties would still be responsible to pay education property tax and a municipal base tax in 2018.

Deputy Mayor Shaun Henry said he was not opposed to granting abatements to the two organization, but he wanted to know how a property qualifies for the abatement. He said he wanted to understand the line between profit and non-profit.

Bernie Morton, the town’s CAO, said the answer could be found in public policy development. He told council there is nothing to stop any group from asking for a property tax abatement and elected officials set the policy. He said council gives direction to the administration, and then the administration drafts a policy.

Council members expressed concerns that there is no way for groups to know whether or not they would qualify for an abatement. Council members agreed that they should have a policy in place and a process to determine if a property should qualify for an abatement.

The item was tabled, and council passed a resolution to direct the administration to draft a policy framework for tax abatements. The draft policy will be submitted to council for its consideration at a meeting on June 25.

• The town’s elected officials have passed a resolution to approve the ice rental rates for the 2018-19 season for the West Central Events Centre (WCEC).

An administrative report to council states that 2017-18 ice rental rates were the same as the 2016-17 rates. No increases were proposed to the fall and winter rates and a non-local fee for adults has been eliminated and replaced by a single adult fee.

Mayor Rod Perkins said council members discussed the WCEC ice rental rates during a private in-camera session and as per the rates proposed by the town’s administration, the winter and fall rates would not change. He noted that the only change is to a spring hockey rate.

The report states that spring ice is for the period from April 1 to May 15. There are prime and non-prime rates for adults, youth and spring ice. The new rate for prime spring ice has increased by $30 per hour from $170 to $200 per hour.

• Council has passed a resolution to enter into an agreement with the minister of highways and infrastructure for Community Airport Partnership (CAP) funds.

Kim Vogel, the town’s director of transportation and environmental services, said the town has been approved for $4,000 in funding under the province’s CAP program. The CAP grant is a matching grant and the town has to contribute $4,000 to the project, so a cost sharing agreement is necessary.

• The town has passed a resolution to enter into an easement agreement with SaskEnergy. Mayor Rod Perkins said there were several easements in the Brookhollow Estates subdivision, but one easement was missed and the agreement was needed.

• Members of council have given the first reading to a zoning amendment bylaw. Two zoning bylaw amendments must be advertised before second and third readings.

The amendment bylaw replaces section 4.8 of the zoning bylaw and it deletes table 6-10 from section 6.10 of the bylaw. Bernie Morton, the town’s CAO, said the amendment eliminates the minimum parking for tractor trailers in highway commercial zones. The second and third readings are set for a meeting on July 16.

• A resolution has been passed by council to excuse Deputy Mayor Shaun Henry from the Western Regional Landfill Inc. board, and to fill the vacancy with Councillor Dean Galbraith. The landfill is currently under construction.

• Council has passed a resolution to accept and file the 2017 audited financial statements for the Town of Kindersley as prepared by auditor MNP LLP. Mayor Rod Perkins commended Audrey Hebert, the town’s director of corporate services, and her team because there were no concerns with the audit.

[/emember_protected]

septic tanks