A Budget Update

The medical leave of the Town's Director of Finance and Business Planning has slowed down the budget process considerably. Public consultations will be in two parts and are tentative:

• Public presentation at Caleb Village on April 8th; and
• Webinar presentation with chat forum capability on April 10th.

In preparing the budget direction has been given to Administration to hold an increase to the rate of inflation. According to the transfer agreement with the province, which is based on revenue collected by the PST, the Town will be receiving approximately 5% less from the province.

Infrastructure Funding Mirage

Municipalities across Canada are facing an assortment of infrastructure challenges. Some that we are facing include:

• infrastructure deficit of approximately $40 million;
• growth demands for facilities such as, this list is not complete but some highlights:
• lift stations,
• increased water plant capacity,
• increased sewage lagoon capacity or moved to another site,
• new solid waste location,
• town square, and
• West Central Community Centre (Phase 2).

After some sober reflection on the proposed new Build Canada Fund (BCF) there are some very serious yellow flags. It appears that:

• requests will take longer to process,
• increased restrictions on projects, and
• increase municipal funding in projects.

Also, for this year there is only approximately $270 million available this year with more monies available in later years. Frankly, I don't see how the new BCF is helpful. Sure the money is helpful but:

• Where is the money for the growth challenges we are facing today? 
• How long can we skimp along slowly repairing our infrastructure deficit? 
• Consider how much it may cost to repair the sprinkler system in the Events Centre.
• How are we to pay more for our increased share of projects when our financial resources are so limited?

Its not particularly helpful that the province's approach at this time is to do what the federal government is doing; the province is not as helpful as they could be.

The money is out there, apparently, like water in a desert; a mirage.

Physician Funding Request Correction

I made a mistake a mistake communicating the funding request of the physicians. Rather than the estimated $500,000 as I mistakenly stated it was a little more than $400,000. These are estimates based on some reasonable assumptions.

I apologize for this mistake.

Adding Audio?

I am considering adding an audio component to the blog. At this time I am thinking of sharing some of my thoughts on various issues plus conversations with various leaders in and around our community.

• What are your thoughts on this? 
• Is there someone you would like to hear? 
• Is there a topic you would like to hear discussed?

Let me know.

March Schedule

This is my tentative schedule for March. Like the other months there will likely be additions. Also included are some past meetings given how late this is being published this month.

March   1 – Health Meetings (2)

March   3 – Health Meetings (5)

March   3 – Economic Development Meeting

March   4 – Health Meetings (2)

March   5 – Health Meetings (4)

March   6 – Special Meeting of Council

March   7 – Dominion Provincial Curling Club Championship

March 10 – Youth Council Meeting

March 10 – Mayor’s Hours

March 10 – Health Meeting

March 10 – Council Meeting

March 10 – Fire Department Meeting

March 11 – George Cuff

March 11 – Health Meeting

March 13 – Media

March 14 – Mayor’s Hours

March 14 – Lunch w/Bernie (CAO)

March 17 – Mayor’s Hours

March 18 – Health Meeting

March 19 – Medical Arts Authority Meeting

March 21 – Mayor’s Hours

March 23 – 4H Regional Public Speaking Judge

March 24 – Mayor’s Hours

March 24 – Council Meeting

March 26 – West Central Municipal Government Committee Meeting - Neilburg

March 26 – Oakdale Ratepayers Meeting & Supper

March 28 – Mayor’s Hours

March 31 – Mayor’s Hours

Moment with the Mayor: Infrastructure Funding Program Resolution

Hi Everyone:

During our last West Central Municipal Government Committee (WCMGC) meeting February 26^th, I brought to the Committee a resolution for the Provincial Government to develop and implement an infrastructure funding program. The resolution reads as follows:

West Central Municipal Government Committee: Development and Implementation of an Intentional, Strategic, Ongoing, Sustainable and Predictable Infrastructure Renewal and Growth Funding Program.

Whereas the urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including rural and urban municipalities across the province, have aging infrastructure;

And, whereas the urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including rural and urban municipalities across the province, have significant infrastructure deficits;

And, whereas many urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including many rural and urban municipalities across the province, are facing barriers to growth including a lack of infrastructure;

And, whereas good infrastructure is vital to the health and wellness of residents and the liveability of urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including rural and urban municipalities across the province;

And, whereas good infrastructure is essential to the economic vibrancy and growth of the urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including rural and urban municipalities across the province;

And, whereas the urban and rural municipalities of West Central Saskatchewan, including rural and urban municipalities across the province, have limited revenue generating opportunities;

Be it resolved that the West Central Municipal Government Committee strongly encourage the Government of the Province of Saskatchewan to develop and implement an intentional and strategic infrastructure renewal and growth funding program that is ongoing, sustainable, and predictable.

Be it further resolved that such funding program be developed and ready for implementation no later than the budget of 2015.

Please write or phone if you would like me to discuss a particular topic. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at the town office or email me at mayorenns-wind@kindersley.ca. You can also check out my blog at http://mayorjohn.blogspot.ca/. I appreciate your feedback. 

Kindersley Healthcare and Antigone

A scene from a tragedy has played out in Kindersley this week.

Are you familiar with the ancient Greek tragedy 'Antigone'? Antigone was a young woman torn between a choice: she could obey the state and leave her brothers to rot in the battle field or she could obey the gods to bury her brothers resulting in the likelihood of her execution. Antigone was faced with a no win situation; either way she lost. By the end of the story Antigone buried her brothers and then was sealed in a cave and left to die.

Last Thursday I received an email from the physicians requesting a meeting to discuss financial assistance to cover their overhead/operating expenses. I quickly realized that there were going to be no winners as Council considered a response. If we payed the costs then the Town would be spending money outside of our legislative jurisdiction further stretching our tight financial situation and neglecting our legislated obligations. If we don't pay the costs then we risk angering and alienating the doctors resulting in their leaving Kindersley. In this scenario there are no winners. I feel terrible about the spot the doctors have been put in and how unfair it is to those of us living in Kindersley.

In considering a response I talked with Mayors across the province to learn how they have responded to such requests. There was a wide variety of ways in which municipalities addressed the issue of operating expenses:

• Some communities, like Rosetown, built their Clinic and are now managing development while charging the physicians rent.
• Other communities such as Nipawin, have a P3 model, where a developer is building a new clinic and the Town is leasing the building and then the Town is leasing the facility to the physicians at less than cost.
• Another response is like Shaunavon and Humboldt who contribute no monies to the operations of their Clinics.

To move forward constructively a simple decision to choose one of the above is insufficient. While talking with my mayoral colleagues it became apparent that mayors need to gather to discuss this issue and develop a consensus charting the best way to move forward.

Prompting this idea was the competition that municipalities are forced into to recruit and retain physicians. This 'divide and conquer' tactic, whether intentional or unintentional, is unsustainable and unstable. Municipalities can't continue cannibalizing each other to recruit and retain physicians. The end result is neglecting water, sewage, solid waste, roads, parks, recreation, culture and more that you expect the Town to provide.

The problem is that if everyone is playing a game you have to play by the rules to: understand success and what winning means, sustain the game to its natural end, and provide stability by preventing cheating. The same applies to physician recruitment and retention. We have to ask: what does it mean to have success recruiting and retaining physicians? What do we do to make it sustainable? How do we keep our, and our municipal neighbours, healthcare services stable? However, there are no rules so everyone operates according to what they think is best.

This line of thinking led to the decision to ask my mayoral colleagues to discuss some of these issues as a group. The physicians are talking with one another and comparing notes. As a result they seem to be asking for the same incentives from their respective communities. From a municipal perspective this is unsustainable: we have to spend more and more to recruit and retain our physicians. This is unstable because physicians may choose to go where they think they can earn more and municipalities are spending money on health for which we don't have sufficient resources.

The only norm in speaking with my mayoral colleagues is that physician turnover rate is high. I would say that in rural urban communities retention is a failure. In one community I spoke with they have lost 50% of their physicians in the last 5 years even after meeting the requests of the physicians.

The madness has to stop. It is unreasonable, or insane, to keep doing the same thing expecting different results. That is why we are going ahead with the SK Mayor's Health Summit and the Kindersley Health Services Needs Assessment.

The need for the Kindersley Health Services Needs Assessment is because of our local situation. There seems to be no agreement by the three primary stakeholders: Ministry of Health, Heartland Health Region, and our local stakeholders, particularly the Foundation and physicians, on what the real need is for health services in Kindersley. Engaging an independent health consultant is a means to developing trust among the stakeholders so a foundation can be built for future health services development. Here are the objectives of the study:

Ø  Complete an assessment of current and anticipated demand for primary care, acute care and long term care services in the service area;

Ø  Identify strengths, weaknesses and major issues relating to access to health care services, including the attraction and retention of family physicians within the region;

Ø  Engage physicians, other health care providers, the public, the Foundation and other key stakeholders in identifying health services issues to be addressed and potential solutions;

Ø  Identify creative options and approaches to organizing the delivery of health care and physician services, which may improve access and enhance quality; and

Ø  Evaluate options and recommend specific approaches and strategies within the context of the legislative and policy frameworks of Saskatchewan Health and the Province.

This study was requested by the Town at the SUMA Convention during our meeting with the Minster of Health and the Minister of Rural Health. The province has committed funds and a senior adviser to oversee the project. The senior adviser is also overseeing a very similar project in Lloydminster. Will this study fix all of our problems and challenges? No. Is it a start? Yes. As I have said we can't keep doing the same thing expecting different results and pointing fingers at one another when things don't change.

To stop the circle of madness present in our health care we have taken two steps which are looking at mid and long term solutions. How about the immediate request by the physicians? We can't afford it. Their request was for over $400,000 per annum. To cover this cost the mil rate would go up more than 1.5 mils. However, should the study indicate that Town assistance is needed, and should the Mayors at the Summit agree that municipal money should be given, then Council has to fully consider any request for assistance the physicians bring before us.

Another step taken is to invite our Health Authority representative Mark Stockford to address Council on a quarterly basis. The purpose of the invitation is to ensure Council is kept abreast of the issues and challenges and understand how Heartland is addressing the them. The first such presentation is expected to be March 24th.

I can't promise that our steps will lead to solutions; but I am confident that doing nothing or doing the same thing will not solve it either. I feel terrible about the difficulty the doctors are experiencing. However, the Ministry of Health and Heartland Health Authority have the legislative and ethical jurisdiction and responsibility to address the immediate needs of the physicians. However, we are committed to working with our healthcare partners to ensure Kindersley has sustainable and stable healthcare services.

Finally, the Town can not accept responsibility for the decisions and choices made by other organizations over whom we have no legislative mandate.

Sanding Truck Down

The Town's truck to put sand on the road is not operating and under repair. It is expected to be operating sometime tomorrow.

Drive Safe!

Resolution Regarding Health Care

Today Council had a special meeting to discuss health care. The meeting was the result of an email from the physicians requesting a meeting to discuss financial assistance for their overhead expenses.

Resolution

Therefore be it resolved that the Council of the Town of Kindersley:

Whereas the Town of Kindersley has been experiencing unsustainable and unstable delivery of health care over the past years;

Whereas the recruitment and retention of physicians in Kindersley has recently been in a state of crisis and is an ongoing concern with a high turnover rate;

Whereas communities across Saskatchewan are experiencing very similar challenges;

Whereas the delivery of effective health care in Kindersley is necessary to ensure the ongoing well-being of its residents and economic prosperity;

Whereas Kindersley, according to legislation, has no legislative jurisdiction in the delivery of healthcare;

Whereas it is defined in legislation that the delivery of healthcare is the legislative and ethical responsibility of regional Health Authorities;

Whereas appreciation and gratitude is expressed to the members of the Kindersley Health and Wellness Foundation for their ongoing fundraising to update equipment and recruit and retain physicians in Kindersley;

Whereas appreciation and gratitude is expressed to the physicians of the Kindersley and District Medical Arts Authority for the many sacrifices including family, financial, and job satisfaction they make ensuring that the residents of Kindersley receive proper treatment;

Whereas recognition is given for the important role physicians play in the social and economic development of Kindersley;

Whereas the final draft of Council’s Strategic Plan promotes:

·         “a positively engaged community building an economically and socially vibrant future;”

·         “Approachable, innovative, and fiscally responsible management;” and

·         “A forward looking approach to recognizing and fostering solutions and wealth creation”;

Whereas the physicians practicing at the Kindersley and District Medical Arts Authority have reached out to the leadership of this Council for assistance to be more operational viable;

Whereas the Minister of Health and the Minister of Rural Health are promoting and supporting a Kindersley Health Services Needs Assessment for Kindersley to:

·         Complete an assessment of current and anticipated demand for primary care, acute care and long term care services in the service area;

·         Identify strengths, weaknesses and major issues relating to access to health care services, including the attraction and retention of family physicians within the region;

·         Engage physicians, other health care providers, the public, the Foundation and other key stakeholders in identifying health services issues to be addressed and potential solutions;

·         Identify creative options and approaches to organizing the delivery of health care and physician services, which may improve access and enhance quality; and

·         Evaluate options and recommend specific approaches and strategies within the context of the legislative and policy frameworks of Saskatchewan Health and the Province.

Now therefore be it resolved that:

The Council of the Town of Kindersley support the request of the Minister of Health and Minister of Rural Health for the Kindersley Health Services Needs Assessment;

And that Council takes every reasonable measure to focus positively towards successful healthcare outcomes for Kindersley;

And that the Mayor be appointed as the Council lead to speak on behalf of the community working positively with our healthcare partners;

And that the Mayor, as Council appointee for health care, initiate, promote, and coordinate a “Saskatchewan Mayor’s Health Summit” whose concept has been strongly supported by Mayor’s across the province;

And that following the completion of the

Kindersley Health Services Needs Assessment, and following the

Saskatchewan Mayor’s Health Summit, the Council of the Town of Kindersley give full consideration to any requests for assistance by the Kindersley physicians.

Moment with the Mayor: Fire Hall

Hi Everyone:

The fire hall conversation held at Council last week is the first of many discussions we will be having as we juggle our budget and capital requirements. It was a sobering conversation, and as one Councillor put it, “depressing.”

We need a new fire hall. Our current facility is too small and requires our firefighters to spend extra time cleaning up and preparing trucks and equipment for the next response. This is not only a burden for the men and women fighting fires, it is also a burden for the businesses employing these men. They lose productivity and it can be a challenge for many of them to be able to effectively serve their customers. Also, due to lack of appropriate space in the current fire hall, the firefighters have to go home with contaminated clothing and wash it there. Clothes stained by toxins (and even body parts) are taken home to be washed. This is not how I would understand ‘safe,’ and our firefighters agree.

The RM of Kindersley, who is a good neighbour, has offered to put $500,000 towards the new facility – one that will properly house the command trucks and the pending purchase of a land fire truck. From the Town’s perspective, we need a larger building for a ladder truck. The expected cost of the facility ranges from $2 million to $3 million. I have to confess to some sticker shock regarding the price. However, I should note, sticker shock is something that I am unfortunately getting used to.

No decision has been made on the site for a new fire hall. The report presented to Council identified some potential locations: 1) Railway Ave near 2^nd St E, 2) Ditson Road north of the railway tracks, 3) Main St and 4^th Ave E, 4) Hwy 21 on Town-owned land, and 5) expanding the existing location. None of the locations is ideal for a variety of reasons. One of the most important considerations is response times. If the response times are too high - 9 minutes or more – then not only is public safety a greater concern but insurance companies will raise our interest rates to reflect the longer response times.

As a result of the discussion, Council has made three requests: 1) That the Fire Department and Town engineers work on strategies to reduce the cost of the new facility, 2) That Administration is to check with the land owners on Railway Ave E to see if it is available and at what cost, and 3) That the Fire Department determine if it is possible to generate more revenue (this is a whole other topic because often insurance reimburses at a rate less than our costs).

Please write or phone if you would like me to discuss a particular topic. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at the town office or email me at mayorenns-wind@kindersley.ca. You can also check out my blog at http://mayorjohn.blogspot.ca/. I appreciate your feedback.