Estevan city council gave first readings to a pair of bylaws at its monthly meeting on Feb. 13.
The first was a taxi bylaw that will govern the operation of Estevan’s taxi companies.
Mayor Roy Ludwig noted council has met with taxi companies already to iron out the details of the bylaw, which will require all of the taxis to charge the same price, and to have metres with a tamper-proof seal to be inspected annually. Vehicles will also have to be inspected.
The number of taxi licences for Estevan will be decided by council, but Ludwig said there isn’t a need for more taxi licences in Estevan at this time.
Also, the fines for violations will go up.
The bylaw was presented to the Estevan board of police commissioners in January, and Ludwig noted there weren’t any significant changes.
The other bylaw was the 2020 fees and services document. It stipulates how much the city will charge for a variety of services it provides on a day to day basis, and the cost for facility passes and rentals.
Many of the fees for 2020 were established as part of a review several years ago.
The bylaw also stipulates the cost to rent city facilities, ranging from ice arenas to baseball diamonds, soccer fields and play parks.
And it also stipulates the cost for a facility pass for children, youth, adults and seniors at the Estevan Leisure Centre.
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Council approved an addition to the limit on the credit card for Police Chief Paul Ladouceur.
The city currently has seven credit cards with a total limit of $60,000 for Mayor Roy Ludwig and six other management team members. Ladouceur was seeking a $10,000 increase to $20,000, as the card is used to purchase specialized equipment from out of country, which requires a credit card. Also, the police service books its travel and officer training with the card.
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Council approved an extension to Trimount Developments for Phase 4 of the Dominion Heights subdivision, which encompasses undeveloped lands north of Lynn Prime Park.
Due to the slowdown in the economy, the developer has put on hold further development at this time. An extension was approved in 2018 that expires at the end of this year.
The next extension will continue until Dec. 31, 2022.
Land development services manager Richard Neufeld noted that the officiai community plan would allow for a greater range of development in Dominion Heights.
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Tailing Hills Farm in Bienfait was awarded the flower tender for $12,617.51, including tax and delivery.
Parks foreman Shannon Wanner wrote that this year there will be lots of different species of annuals and perennials.
She pointed out that while Tailing Hills is a new business that hasn’t handled the contract before, the company could supply the city with all of the flowers it needs.
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Council approved a $3,600 in administration funding for a household hazardous waste collection day, with an opportunity for the public to dispose of hazardous materials used around their houses and yards safely.
Products such as adhesives, aerosols, automotive supplies, batteries, cleaners, corrosives, fire extinguishers, fluorescent light bulbs, fuels, thermometers, oxidizers, paint, pharmaceuticals, poisons, propane cylinders and solvents would be accepted.
GFL would provide technicians to handle and dispose of the materials safely, and it would be held at GFL’s Estevan location.
The one-day event would likely happen in conjunction with the city’s Operation Clean Sweep campaign in the spring.
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Three building permits worth $71,700 were issued in January, with all three permits categorized as miscellaneous. There was one permit worth $1,500 in the first month of 2019.
