City Takes Action To Help Residents During Covid - 19 Pandemic

By Robert Thomas

With the Covid – 19 pandemic shutting down businesses and people being laid off the City of Moose Jaw has taken measures to help out residents during these trying times.

In a unanimous vote Council approved three measures to help residents and businesses – effective immediately there will be no water disconnections, no fees for transit (both regular and para-transit) and the City will not take possession of any properties for non-payment of property taxes.

A suggestion to allow free parking at meters has been put on hold for the time being in order to keep traffic moving but it may be enacted later.

In a lengthy 38 minute discussion Council was updated as to what measures were being undertaken by the City as well as Administration requested them to approve the measures.

A sign telling customers about a business closure in Downtown Moose Jaw and wishing them well - MJ Independent Photo

“The Covid - 19 pandemic has caused Administration to review all of our financial terms around services. We realize at this period of time is an extreme hardship on our citizens so there are some necesary steps that we feel we need to take in order to in dealing with some of the issues our citizens are feeling now, and will feel in the future,” Finance Director Brian Acker told Council.

It was also a meeting where three out of seven Council members - Councillors Heather Eby, Chris Warren and Dawn Luhning - were not physically in Council chambers but appeared by videolink.

Council practiced social distancing to help stop the potential spread of Covid - 19 - MJ Independent Photo

Water No Longer Being Disconnected

In explaining the reasoning for not disconnecting people's water for unpaid bills City Manager Jim Puffalt said people having access to water is key to combating the pandemic.

“We are not shutting off people’s water..soap and water is critical to combatting this,” Puffalt said. “We want to work with people in the community to find ways to ensure that we are able to maintain a level of funding so they are not facing massive bills once this is over.”

The issue of people being disconnected for being unable to pay their water bills due to job loss and the importance of proper handwashing was made public in last Thursday afternoon’s media briefing.

Acker said Administration had made the decision and was recommending not to disconnect people’s water for non-payment of bills during the Covid - 19 pandemic.

“In terms of utility disconnection for non-payment that was an Administration decision last week to not keep doing that. We are not turning anyone off for utility payment issues. Rather what we are doing is shifting our focus is to get them on some type of payment plan whether it is a water installment payment plan or even a longer term payment plan. One of our concerns for our citizens is the longer we push off all of these financial burdens at some point in the future there is going to be potentially large bills.”

The City will no longer be turning of resident’s water for non-payment during the Covid - 19 pandemic - MJ Independent file photo

Acker said they are open to alternative payment plans to help residents out.

“We are trying to work out ways where they can pay even a little bit at a time.”

Late payment fees however will continue to be levied on outstanding utility bills (water, sewer, garbage and recycling) and property taxes.

Administration was recommending the late payment fees on utilities and taxes continue for now but they will be re-assessed in one month’s time once there is an idea as to which way the pandemic is progresssing.

“If they cannot pay anything at all we will not disconnect them,” Puffalt said.

Transit Is Now Free

Acker said with the massive drop in Transit ridership the recommendation was being made to waive all fees for both transit and paratransit systems.

“In terms of our transit and paratransit services they are continuing to operate as they have been but certainly there has been a significant reduction in the number of people riding those services. One of the things were are recommending since it is an essential service at this point for people to still be able to get around the community. They need to go to health care and those sorts of things so we felt we would waive those charges effective tomorrow. There will be no fees for transit or paratransit until a later point of time.”

Councillor Scott McMann asked if offering both transit and paratransit for free would increase ridership to the point where it would defeat the purpose of social distancing and was told it likely would not.

“I think what we are expecting is an overall decrease in terms of our overall ridership. We have seen it already with our regular transit and our paratransit. By waiving the fees it might encourage people to use the service but we don’t expect it to be large in terms of the numbers of passengers we are seeing now,” Acker said.

Puffalt said ridership has plummeted.

“We are down to about 20 percent (of our regular ridership) and the weekend was really bad. We want to monitor today (Monday) and tomorrow to get a better idea as to what actual ridership will be…we will have a better idea what ridership will be in a couple of days,” Puffalt said. “Transit and paratransit is something we need to keep our eye on and see where ridership goes.”

Puffalt also said empty buses was also self defeating.

“Driving a bunch of empty buses is not much of a success to us.”

He said the City has taken steps to protect drivers and riders by enforcing social distancing, additional cleaning of the buses as well as distances between riders and staff.

Councillor Dawn Luhning suggested that residents might want to make use of ride sharing as one firm was offering up to $20 a day for free or to use taxis which are still operating.

As an aside during the Covid - 19 update Council was told the City is sending crew members out individually in vehicles as the provincial recommendations of a minimum of two meteres for social distancing could not be met for City workers riding in the same vehicle.

Moose Jaw Transit is now free - MJ Independent file photo

Property Seizures For Non-Payment Of Taxes Suspended

The annual process of property taxes is proceeding as normal but the City will no longer be actively seizing properties for non-payment of taxes.

“We would suggest to Council we continue on in this process. It is a longer term process we will not be sending out property tax notices until after the Victoria Day weekend that is two months. Again we suggest we re-assess it as we go along. We can determine at various times in the process if we want to extend the tax payment process,” Acker said.

He said that the tax process could continue and as the situation became more clearer as to the length and overall impact of Covid - 19 then a report could be brought forward to make recommendations to extend tax deadlines if it became necessary.

Councillor Heather Eby asked about property owners who are presently paying their property taxes monthly and if there is any opportunity for relief at this point.

Acker replied “as we go through we expect there will be people who have difficulties with that and we will certainly deal with that…we certainly won’t pursue the enforcement process or anything like that.”

He said that penalizing taxpayers - excepting those on payment plans - for not paying their taxes by the end of June is something Administration would assess and look at as the date draws closer.

Plug That Meter

Despite many businesses being closed and the amount of traffic in the Downtown core the City will continue to charge for permit and metered parking.

“In terms of our parking meters receipts and penalties this is an area where there has been a significant decrease in revenues as well as penalties…parking fines and penalties are only being applied in extreme circumstances…we would recommend at this point we have parking fees and judiciously apply those penalties. Simply to maintain parking and parking does not glom up all at once in an area or become an issue,” Acker said.

You still need to plug parking meters - MJ Independent File Photo