Correction

I hate to admit it but I have to make a correction to one of my posts. Recently I posted about the development fees the Town will be receiving through the development of Brookhollow Estates on the east end of Town by Marathon Properties.

I correctly indicated the amount of development fees for Stage 1 of the development. I incorrectly stated the amount of development fees for the rest of the development. Those fees have not been calculated yet because a plan for the land has not yet been submitted .

I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Kindersley Visualy Impaired Group

Pardon the expression but I had an eye opening meeting with the Kindersley Visually Impaired Group yesterday morning. I have to confess I don't look at the world from a visually challenged, or any type of challenged, perspective. As a result yesterday was a good meeting.

Doreen Gronning is the President and explained to me some of the challenges they face as a group. One of the challenges is something we can't help with and the rest are things we can either correct ourselves or influence others to act.

The Group recently found out that the CNIB will no longer be attending their meetings. Here are some of their other concerns.

• none of the stoplights have signals indicating when it is safe to cross for the visually impaired.
• can we install 'talking lights' at Main and 3rd?
• some of our sidewalks are badly broken making it difficult to walk: areas include 6th Ave W at the 300 block, 2nd St W between 6th and 7 Ave.
• it is expensive to fix sidewalks: for example 1 'slab' costs $300 to repour. However, Kamruz has found an hydraulic method using a type of mud to raise the concrete that might be viable at $30 per slab
• untrimmed shrubs and bushes are a problem and they mentioned a spot on 1st Ave W on the 200 block and 1st Ave E near Uptown Estates.
• some expressed disappointment that the crosswalk sign crossing Ditson Rd to go to Wal Mart seems ineffective.
• they think people are ignoring the sign
• however there is consensus traffic has slowed due to the radar sign
• the group also expressed frustration with neighbours and residents who don't clear their sidewalks of snow during the winter.

Problematic Sidewalk for the visually impaired. - Sept 2013

Thank you Doreen and the Kindersley Visually Impaired Group for an informative and enjoyable meeting. As an aside: they are great hosts and gave me lunch for the road so I could make my meetings in Saskatoon. The sandwiches were excellent and dessert divine: I just wish all desserts were calorie free.

The Klippers

The President of the Iron Horse Kindersley Klippers, Mark Elliot and I have committed to regular meetings to ensure that we have clear lines of communication as they put themselves into a healthy off ice position.

I was encouraged to hear that their corporate sponsorships are very healthy including the title sponsorship of the team. One other team in the SJHL has a similar deal and that is the Estevan team.

However, there is concern about their season ticket sales. Currently they are low and need to move a substantial amount so they can meet their target.

It takes many types of civic groups to make a community. Kindersley needs the Museum, the Arts Council, Minor Sports, Music Festival, SPOKES, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, the Klippers and more. As we grow these groups importance increases because it is these groups that draw us together.


So, if you think any of these groups are important, if you like what they have to offer, or whatever reason you have, then support these groups with your time, energy or money. Community is about all of us living, working, and playing together.

News from Great Plains College

Great Plains College is starting another year of learning. The Kindersley campus starts up September 9, 2013 with orientation. Students will be studying: Adult Basic Education, Continuing Care Assistant, Early Childhood Education, English language training, Office Administration, and power Engineering for both Fourth and Third Class.

Great Plains College entrance on 5th Ave E

The College will also be launching a new website around Thanksgiving.

If you know any students in Grades 11 or 12 or someone who is thinking of returning to school, then they can participate in "Spend-A-Days" at the Kindersley campus on October 29, 2013.

As is usual the College is continuing their skills and safety training.

Town Square

Last year, the previous Council initiated the "Great Idea" campaign to enhance Kindersley. The winning idea was the development of a 'town square.' The town square is now in the design stage with a design company, Nadi, submitting 4 concepts for review. The purpose of the town square is to create a vibrant and dynamic gathering place enhancing our experience of Kindersley within the downtown area for business, residents, and visitors. If you are interested please pre-register by calling the Town Office at 306.463.2675.

Baker Park, site of the new Town Square - September 2013

The review will occur through community consultations held September 12, 2013 beside the proposed location of Baker Park at the Brethren in Christ Church during two meetings: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM. By participating you will be able to:

• ask questions,
• give input, and
• view the concepts,

Components of the town square may include:

• splash park,
• public artwork,
• a small amphitheatre or outdoor performance venue,
• war memorial,
• park benches,
• picnic tables,
• what do you suggest?

Here are the four concepts; I apologize the images are not larger and sharper - I can't seem to be able to manipulate them to be larger:

Concept 1: Prairie Plaza

Concept 2: Rooms

Concept 3: Tracks

Concept 4: Desire Lanes

For the record: my wife and I prefer different options.

News from Heartland Health

Recently Heartland Health Region underwent through an Accreditation Survey administered by federal officials. The Health Region met the fundamental requirements and identified Heartland Health's strengths and weaknesses.

The Hospital from the West Side

Strengths

• very engaged Board Authority,
• a good working relationship with community partners,
• a strong leadership team,
• enthusiastic staff members committed to excellence,
• clients who consistently report a high level of satisfactions with services and staff,
• the staff are positive about the Wellness Committee at each of the locations.

Weaknesses

• better alignment of services at all sites to achieve a regional approach to provide for a consistent application of policies, procedures and services,
• gaps in emergency services,
• further development of risk management process,
• development of a greater understand of the Lean process,
• the recruitment and retention of staff members, particularly professional staff such as medicine, nursing, diagnostics, therapies and emergency medicine services.

This information was reported in Heartland Health Region's report to the West Central Municipal Government Committee meeting of August 28, 2013

September Schedule

This is my tentative schedule for September. Like the other months it will change.

Sept 3 – Kindersley Visually Impaired Group

Sept 3 – Organizational Review Meeting

Sept 5 – Council Strategic Planning Meeting

Sept 6 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 6 – 8 Out of Town (Tentative - weather dependent)

Sept 9 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 9 – Council Meeting

Sept 10 - Out of Town

Sept 10 – Kindersley and District Arts Council Annual Meeting

Sept 13 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 13 – Kindersley Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament

Sept 16 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 18 – Kindersley Regional Medical Arts Authority Meeting

Sept 20 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 23 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 23 – Council Meeting

Sept 24 – SK Emergency Planners Association meeting

Sept 25 – P3 Webinar

Sept 25 – West Central Municipal Government Committee Meeting Kindersley

Sept 27 – Mayor’s Hours

Sept 29 – Oct 5 Out of Town

Helping our Regional Neighbours

Our neighbour to the north, Unity, is a finalist in Richardson Pioneer's "Rider Nation Community Celebration." Unity is building a new outdoor pool and needs the prize money, $100,000 from Richardson Pioneer to get them to their goal of $1 million.

Let's vote them and help one of our West Central Saskatchewan neighbours get that prize money. As of September 2, 2013 they were in fifth place. Click here to help get Unity into first place!

News from Sun West SD

For the first time students are returning to school after Labour Day. Teachers, however were back at school August 22, 2013 getting ready for classes.

Westberry School received a new roof this summer.

There are some new teachers at all the schools including interns.

For the record, my wife is teaching only 20% this semester.

Don't forget that the by-election for Kindersley is August 23, 2013. Nomination forms have to be submitted no later than September 18, 2013 at 4:00 at the Rosetown Offices. For more information please click here.

Here is a brief summary of the Board member's responsibilities taken from Sun West's web site.

The Sun West School Division is governed by a Board of Education comprised of ten members. Board members are elected for four-year terms to represent six rural sub- divisions, two urban sub-divisions (the towns of Outlook and Rosetown) with two members elected at large to represent the Town of Kindersley.  

The Board of education is responsible for an overall budget of over 58 million dollars, of which approximately 50% is provided through provincial government grants. Most of the balance is raised through local taxation. Sun West includes 40 schools with over 4,500 students and covers the area from Davidson to the Alberta border and from the South Saskatchewan River to Landis.

As a group, Board members set policy, long-term goals and strategic direction for the school division.  They liaise with the provincial government, education stakeholders and other school divisions.
They represent the school division at public functions, provide a voice for average voters and commit time to Board duties. They are willing to learn and apply good governance practices.

Tie Codes

Recently a developer blamed the Town for something beyond our control: Tie Codes. Tie Codes are used to link property together that may be separated. Their use has changed over time and today they are most commonly used to link land that are separated by a road or access line. As an example: if you owned a quarter section of land and the province decided that they needed to run a road through the quarter then Tie Codes would be used to keep together the relevant land you would still own.

Here is how it would work:

1. the quarter would be split in three. the quarter section, the roadway, and the rest of the quarter
2. each bit would have a title
3. the two pieces of the former quarter would be kept together through the use of the Tie Codes.

The Tie Codes that the Province found and had eluded both the Town's lawyers and the developers lawyers. The Tie Codes date back to somewhere between the 1930s and 1950s connecting three disparate properties including the land where the old ball diamonds used to be off of West Road, the current land being developed east of Thompson Dr. and land just north of Motherwell Reservoir.