Council Briefs January 16th, 2021

NEW DEPUTY MAYOR

Council appointed Councillor Heather Eby to serve as Deputy Mayor for the period of March 1st to April 30, 2020 or until a replacement is named.

The position of Deputy Mayor rotates and is traditionally appointed based upon where the councillor finished in the previous civic election.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON APPOINTED

Council appointed Councillor Dawn Luhning to serve as chairperson for the Executive Committee for the period of March 1st to April 30, 2020 or until a replacement is named.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON APPOINTED

Council appointed Councillor Kim Robinson to serve as chairperson for the Personnel Committee for the period of March 1st to April 30, 2020 or until a replacement is named.

COUNCIL PASSES RE-ZONING BYLAW

Council passed a re-zoning bylaw to re-zone 212 and 218 River Street West from M1 – Light Industrial to C2 – High Density Commercial District to accommodate a community service and supportive housing establishment.

The reason for the rezoning of the properties - located just to the west of Mosaic Place - is to allow Souls Harbour Rescue Mission - who have merged with the Riverside Mission to construct a new building for Riverside Mission that will provide the community with new suites.

Council was told the re-zoning application had been published as required in the Moose Jaw Express newspaper and letters had been sent out to all property owners within 90 meters with no responses received back.

Construction on the new facility is expected to kick-off shortly as the building on the property has been demolished and the site prepared for the work.

PROTRUDING MANHOLE COVERS

Council received a written response to a prior enquiry about manholes protruding from the pavement on Diefenbaker Drive near to the hotels on that roadway.

In the written response from Administration Council was informed the manhole covers were protruding as they are because the second and final lift of pavement had yet to be laid on the area.

The second and final pavement lift happens after an area is developed to prevent the final pavement from being damaged.

“The area where manhole covers are protruding abnormally above the road, was a part of the new development on Diefenbaker Drive from Lancaster to Thatcher Drive East. Sections of this road have not received a second application of asphalt, which is the source of the protruding manholes. That is a typical approach in new developments to reduce damages to infrastructure as a result of construction,” Administration wrote in response to the enquiry from Councillor Crystal Froese.

Council was also informed an assessment had occurred and the area will be included in the 2021 capital project repaving list and will completed sometime this season.