Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Vol.110–No. 9 • 12 Pages $1.25 (Includes GST)
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Ag, Oil & Business • 2
Opinion • 4
Sports • 6
Obituaries/Classified • 8
Hands up in solidarity at pro-resource rally
Photo — Kara Kinna, Moosomin World-Spectator
The guest speakers at the pro-resource rally at Moosomin stood and raised their hands in solidarity, after addressing the need for support for the oil and gas industry in Western Canada, particularly the need for more pipelines to be built, and for the federal carbon tax to be cancelled. From left are Senator Denise Batters, Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire, federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. There were many other MPs and MLAs in attendance, along with a crowd of close to 1,000 people for the rally held on Feb. 16. For the complete story, turn to Page 10.
City Council denies request for waiver for developer By Greg Nikkel Weyburn city council denied a request from developer Dan Cugnet of Kenjo Holdings, to waive the offsite development levy for his proposed CottonWood development of housing on Hartney Avenue, to replace the Pioneer Place cottages. Noting that there were previously 32 housing units in this area, Cugnet said in a letter to council the plan is to reduce the number to 18-20 housing units, which would be a reduction in the demand on infrastructure, not an increase, which is what the development levy is supposed to help pay for. He also pointed out this is not a new area of development, and that they have spent a significant amount of money in demolition and removal of the Pioneer Place cottages, and in remediation of the land to prepare for new development.
The city’s development officer, Amanda Kaufmann, told council at their meeting on Monday evening they would discount the levy for 16 dwelling units, with a total development levy of $13,536 to be charged for the CottonWood project, or $752 per lot. She also noted the city has incentives such as Weyburn Builds, which could provide a 75-percent reduction in property taxes for three years if the development qualifies. “This is a very grey area for me on whether the development levy applies,” said Coun. Jeff Richards, asking why the development levy would apply to this proposed project. Kaufmann noted the city would be putting in a lot of infrastructure assets, such as sidewalks and curbing, water and sewer, and with the previous development of Pioneer Place, the en-
tire property was privately owned and did not require the city to maintain or upkeep the infrastructure that was there. The levy is justified, said Coun. Mel Van Betuw, who noted the funds go to support the costs of infrastructure for the City of Weyburn, both current and future. “Everybody hates to pay levies and taxes, but they are necessary for the city survive and thrive,” he added. Asked when the levy is due to be paid, Kaufmann said they are due to be paid upon the issuing of the development permit, or else a developer could request to make an agreement with the city on a payment schedule. In his letter to council, Cugnet said if this is about water use, the consumption rates should be increased for water use to offset infrastructure demands. “By not doing so, the city is penal-
izing and stifling growth with these development levies rather than encouraging and incentivizing it,” said Cugnet. Council voted 5-1 to reject the waiver request, with only Coun. Jeff Chessall in favour of it, while Coun. Winston Bailey was absent for the discussion and vote due to a conflict of interest. • Coun. Dick Michel said the City’s Walk of Fame committee has chosen the 2019 recipient of the honour to be actress Trenna Keating, who was born and raised in Weyburn and lives and works as an actress in Toronto. The plaque for the Walk of Fame will be unveiled in front of City Hall during the annual Show and Shine to be held on Saturday, June 15. Coun. Michel noted the criteria is very strict about who can or cannot be eligible for the Walk of Fame,
as it includes that they have made accomplishments on the national or international stage, “so people on the wall are deserving to be there.” Keating has acted on a number of TV series, including “Combat Hospital”, “Anne With an E” and as Doc Yewll on the science-fiction series “Defiance”, along with other productions. • There will be an additional cost to transfer the City’s pension plan from Great West Life over to the Municipal Employees Pension Plan (MEPP), council was told on Monday evening. Even though council had approved the move to close out the old pension plan and move the assets to MEPP as of Dec. 31, 2018, it had to be approved by regulators, which occurred on Feb. 19, so the pension move will take effect as of Friday, March 1. This will mean additional interest
charges of $287,435 to pay out the pension plan. Coun. Van Betuw asked what the interest rate being charged was, and was told it was set at 5.75 per cent. “I begrudgingly will agree with it, because we don’t have any choice. I guess for the City, it’s a cost of doing business for us,” he said. Mayor Marcel Roy agreed with Coun. Van Betuw’s concern that this interest rate seems very high compared to other interest rates, and said, “I’m hoping we’re nearing the end of having to pay them more money.” Finance director Laura Missal said this was the interest charges that were due, and was not a interest penalty. She noted the City could have transferred the pension funds earlier, but they had to wait for the approval by the regulators first, and this was why there was a delay.
Local University of Regina student receives award in Boston A Weyburn student, Chelsea Jones, was presented with a prestigious award in Boston recently, the first Canadian to receive the award, for her work as a student employee for the University of Regina recreation services department. She received the William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award in a presentation made in Boston, along with
Alison Fisher, the recreation services program assistant at the U of R, who received a separate award. Chelsea received the award which recognizes “top students in collegiate recreation who have displayed outstanding efforts and commitment to their recreation departments”, with the award taking into account academics as well as extracurricular involvement. Fisher received the Hor-
ace Moody Award from the same organization, after being nominated by Chelsea as her mentee. The William N. Wasson award is named after the founder of the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), and was presented on behalf of NIRSA’s Canada West Region at the 2019 NIRSA Conference and Campus Rec and Wellness Expo in Boston.
Chelsea recently completed an internship at the University of Oregon, and has had a large impact on the University of Regina’s recreation services department and social media platforms. She has worked with the UR Fit program, the Fitness and Lifestyle Centre and Aquatics at the U of R. “I am not sure there are words to express what Chelsea has meant to the Recreation Services de-
Site prepared for construction of new school, WRCC facilities
partment and to the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies,” said Fisher. “Her energy and enthusiasm has touched so many pieces within our faculty, and her tireless dedication to improve our program is phenomenal. She has revamped our social media and has also made a positive impact on the profession of recreation professionals in Canada through her work with
NIRSA Canada West Region,” she added. “I have seen her grow into a strong leader and a great ambassador for what a driven sport and rec student can do. It’s been a pleasure to work with a student who has her dedication, passion and love for what she does,” said Fisher. “As the first Canadian to be recognized for this award, I feel that she is the most deserving recipient.”
Review Photo 4801 — Greg Nikkel
Site preparation was underway for the construction of Weyburn’s new elementary school and the Weyburn Recreation and Culture Centre on Wednesday, on the site of the former Weyburn Junior High building on Fifth Street. The pilings are due to be installed in the first of March as construction gets underway, with both new facilities to be completed over the next two years. The new school is scheduled to be open by September 2021.