In what seemed likely a very short debate Council in a 4 - 3 vote decided to defeat a motion that would have referred all City agreements to outside legal counsel.
A $500 - $600 per hour lawyer cost and the large stack of documents combined was enough to have Council decide against the action.
Read MoreAn explanation was given as to why the snow was piled in the center shared left hand turning lane on 1st Avenue NW this past Monday morning.
Read MoreQuestions were asked in the post Council media scrum to Mayor Clive Tolley if more detail, information and an opportunity to ask questions are something which could happen in Moose Jaw regarding the budget submitted to Council by the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners.
Read MoreThe new Christmas decorations the City is erecting Downtown were introduced to Council.
Read MoreIf you were hoping to park for free to do some last minute Christmas shopping without using the parking app or plugging the meter you will have to as the request for free parking Downtown just before Christmas has been withdrawn.
Read MoreIn a 6 - 1 vote Executive Committee agreed to sell their portion of the re-developed former Eaton’s store and nine parking stalls for a dollar and then effectively walk away from the dream formulated over 35 years ago.
Read MoreThe Moose Jaw Humane Society has asked the City of Moose Jaw to provide $15,000 towards a spay, neutering and vaccination program to assist lower income families with cats.
The proposed program is designed to reduce the number of unwanted cats that end up in the shelter.
We have added comments about the proposed program not said at Council.
Read MoreIn their most recent statement Mosaic Place presented year to date financials which showed a seeming sea of red ink largely attributable to the impact COVID - 19 had on the facility.
Despite some brightening factors over the last little while the comments made now and in the past point to tough financial times presently occurring for the facility and into the near future.
Read MoreIf you were to use a football analogy an 80 something year old former Bible college president carrying a neighbourhood petition threw a 95 yard wobbly Hail Mary pass for a touchdown win to have the City re-consider the demolition of the Coteau Street Bridge literally as the clock was about to expire.
The motion does not save the bridge but allows CN to be approached to see if they will cost share saving and not demolition of the structure.
Read MoreDuring the post Council media scrum MJ Independent asked Mayor Clive Tolley his thoughts about re-starting a Friday evening recreation program for youth 13 - 17 years old which operated out of Prince Arthur School.
Mayor Tolley mentioned funding but at the same time said he would ask Administration about the potential of re-starting the program.
Read MoreIt was a bit of a mixed bag as there was a slight dip in the amount of property tax arrears on September 30th, 2021 versus the same date last year while at the same time the amount of those outstanding taxes in arrears payment plans dropped by 54 percent.
On a positive note City coffers are a little bit fuller as they have won some major property tax appeals.
We ask Mayor Clive Tolley his thoughts on the issue in the post Council media scrum. The responses are at the bottom of the story.
Read MoreA subdivision application for a Home Street West stockyard that led to a change to the Official Community Plan (OCP) has led Administration to request additional changes to the OCP as it relates to Intensive Livestock Operations.
Also included in the story is a link to a backgrounder to allow readers interested in the machinations of the proposed OCP change a better understanding of what was going on behind the scenes.
Read MoreAsked for his thoughts if the COVID - 19 pandemic will have an impact on the upcoming Civic budget consultations Mayor Clive Tolley said worldwide pandemic created shortages would have an impact forcing costs up.
Read MoreNewly sworn in Mayor Clive Tolley’s first speech dealt heavily with ditching the status quo population and economic-wise to allow the city to grow.
The growth would entail a population that would be both local and from elsewhere encouraged to move to Moose Jaw due to the economic opportunities available.
Read MoreAn initiative by the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce to give shoppers two hours of free metered parking will have to wait for a decision until Council’s November 22nd meeting.
The tabling motion was made because the Downtown Business Association had not discussed the initiative and their next meeting is on November 9th.
Read MoreThe annual question was asked if the City putting up and turning on the Christmas lights in the Downtown was not disrespectful to Veterans and the usual answer was given except this year there is an unexpected twist.
Read MoreAn on-line survey has given Council some food for thought in the upcoming budget as a large portion of the survey’s respondents indicted the COVID - 19 pandemic has negatively impacted their finances.
In questioning Acting Mayor Dawn Luhning said it is something Council needs to take into consideration in the upcoming 2022 Budget deliberations.
Read MoreThe disparity between the number of people - who have bought tickets to events - and actually show up at the event is impacting the bottom line at Mosaic Place. The impact is being felt in such things as food and beverage sales where the facility budgets each attendee to spend so much once through the doors.
Read MoreCouncil decided to not approve weekly residential trash collection in October 2021 but will look at the matter for future years as part of their 2022 budget deliberations.
Read MoreCouncil approved a discretionary use application to allow a daycare in a residential neighbourhood after discussion which included the City getting involved in order to mediate parking problems between the business owner and the neighbourhood.
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