Meadow Lake City Council 2019 (Nicole Reis /meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

Council in Review

Meadow Lake council highlights

Nov 18, 2019 | 12:53 PM

Several items appeared on Meadow Lake City Council agenda during the last meeting. Here is a review of some notable items.

2020 Budget

Council deliberated over a wish list of item expenditures ranging from the potential purchase of a gently used firetruck for the community and a new pump for the Hydrovac excavation trucks to maintain the city’s existing equipment. There was also a discussion of what services the city does not used such as regular street sweeping. Original budget deliberations began on Oct. 6.

According to the agenda, the current budget being presented shows a cash deficit of nearly $500,000 which will need to be offset by revenue increases, expense decreases, or transfers from reserves.

This is largely due to a net decrease in operating surplus of about $725,000 compared to 2019’s budget.

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Jessica Walters, acting city manager, said the delay for the budget is attributed to provincial cuts which trickles down to municipalities.

“There’s a lot of change and organizational change and the struggle that all municipalities face: aging infrastructure,” Walters said.

Council is still working out the 2020 budget which was said to be finalized on Dec. 9.

Zoning Bylaw Update

An amendment to property zoning bylaws for large lots has been changed in order to unify the city’s severance and lot size rules.

Based on a survey sent out to residents, last summer, the new bylaw changes the minimum lot size requirements to 20,000 square feet. This will not affect lots that currently exist, but could allow the opportunity to subdivide lots by having a minimum site area.

In the previous bylaw allowed for a minimum site area of 32,292 square feet, or 20,000 square feet if the lot was built before Jan. 1 1992.

One citizen at the public hearing was in favour of this change and the bylaw.

“One homeowner who owned two lots prior to 1992, wanted to slightly move the lot line on his property and re-subdivide. The bylaw as it was written said just because your lots are legal now, if you put a new date on it, they won’t be anymore. It seemed like a strange rule and that’s what prompted revisiting that,” Walters added.

The citizen in attendance who was in favour of the bylaw change did mention the survey sent out did not work.

Funding Applications

Carpenter High School submitted a grant to the city requesting $250 to host the Boys Provincial Curling Championship from March 6 to 7, 2020.

According to the agenda, Carpenter High School will use these funds to assist with the cost of facility rentals and officials. One of the uses with those funds is to assist youth organizations in hosting provincial or higher competitions.

Under the criteria set by the summer games committee, funds may be requested for youth teams or organizations that assist with hosting tournaments at the provincial level or higher.

Funds may also be requested for youth-sponsored arts and cultural events where youth are the primary organizers or benefactors.

This is the second application made under the Summer Games Legacy Fund grant. The remaining fund balance is $12,609.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

@nicolereis7722