Highlights from the Creighton town council meeting held Wednesday, May 13:
Speed alert
Council voted to purchase a radar speed sign designed to bolster traffic and pedestrian safety within the community.
Council will buy the $7,525 sign with partial funding from a reserve account once controlled by the now-defunct Community Police Board.
The board had recommended the town purchase the sign, which is portable and affixes to street poles.
The solar-powered sign tells approaching motorists how fast they are travelling. It does not take photos of speeders’ licence plates.
Manufactured by Trafficalm Systems, the sign can also track how many vehicles are using a street and the average speed on that street.
The sign is expected to arrive in two to three weeks, at which time it will be placed on Main Street near Creighton Community School, where speed has been a concern.
The sign may also be set up in other locations throughout Creighton as concern warrants.
Mutual aid
Council reviewed a proposed written mutual-aid agreement between the Creighton and Hudbay fire departments.
Town administrator Paula Muench said there has long been a verbal mutual-aid agreement between the two departments, but nothing was put to paper.
Council referred the new written agreement to the committee level for review and approval pending a conversation with Fire Chief Rob Larocque.
“We agree to help and support one another when confronted with a major emergency that we cannot handle by ourselves,” reads the proposed agreement, signed by Larocque and Hudbay Fire Chief Ron Mendro. “We also agree to provide direct assistance by responding to an emergency when requested and back up protection in the event that a second emergency should arise.
“All mutual aid shall be considered as practice by the Fire Department providing the mutual aid. No costs shall be incurred by the party requesting the Mutual aid or the other party.”
Muench said the Creighton Fire Dept. also has verbal mutual-aid agreements with the Flin Flon and Denare Beach fire departments.
Measures
Council approved measures it hopes will help spark economic development and bring long-term care and assisted-living options to Creighton.
Council approved travel costs for Mayor Bruce Fidler to attend meetings with Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation economic representatives and Jamie Matear of Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The meetings were held last week in Prince Albert. Creighton is no longer under consideration for NWMO’s planned nuclear-waste repository, nor is any community outside of Ontario.
Council also approved travel costs for Fidler to attend a meeting with Greg Ottenbreit, Saskatchewan’s minister responsible for rural and remote health.
The meeting is scheduled for May 26 in Regina. The men are to discuss the need for long-term care and assisted-living options in Creighton.
Budget delay
Council voted to delay approval of its 2015 budget by nearly a month.
Under provincial legislation, Creighton had until the end of April to finalize the new budget.
Last week’s vote extends the deadline to May 31, as permitted by the province.
Muench said the town’s audit came a bit later than usual this year.
Council has devised a draft 2015 budget, but it wasn’t made public. Council plans to vote on the budget at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 27.
Personnel
On the personnel front, council voted to hire a new part-time general office clerk and three summer students.
Michelle Hrywkiw is the new permanent part-time office clerk effective today, May 20.
Hrywkiw succeeds Joy Capyk, who has replaced Cindy Davis as payroll clerk. Davis was recently promoted to assistant town administrator, succeeding the retired Kate Aasen.
Dillan McCombie, a former Flin Flon Bomber, was hired as a summer student to assist the public works crew retroactive to April 30.
Hired as parks maintenance summer students were Cassandra Barron and Alannah Skot. They were to start work in early May.
Council also voted to approach craftsman Glen Pietsch about renovating the town office kitchen by taking out the old fridge and adding a new countertop, sink and cabinet with drawers.
Finances
In financial matters, council voted to transfer $350,000 from its general bank account to its utility reserve account.
The dollars will be set aside for future water and sewer line upgrades along Creighton Avenue.
Council further voted to earmark a portion of its next Northern Municipal Revenue Sharing (NMRS) grant from the provincial government.
Council agreed to set aside $7,500 from the January 1, 2016 NMRS payment to commission an assessment of the town’s waterworks system.
Council also decided to donate $500 to Creighton Community School’s playground equipment fund in recognition of students’ participation in an Earth Day community cleanup last month.
“They did a very good job,” said Muench.
Reports
Council reviewed the latest fire and animal control reports.
In March and April combined, the fire department responded to three calls: a shed fire on Princess Street on March 12 (11 firefighters for two hours), a structural fire on Creighton Avenue on March 14 (nine firefighters for two hours) and a false alarm on Roche Street on April 9 (eight firefighters).
Throughout April, the animal control officer responded to three calls, including two related to pit bulls in the trailer court. No dogs were impounded.
