ESTEVAN - Estevan city council is going to receive a report on a fire that occurred at Affinity Place during the Estevan Bruins home game against the Nipawin Hawks on Oct. 21.
During the inquiries portion of the Oct. 23 meeting, Coun. Lindsay Clark asked for a report on the incident. Flames could be seen from the southwest end of the arena, and there was smoke in the arena, although not enough to delay the game or to set off the smoke alarms.
"I'd just like to see if that was handled properly," said Clark.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said a fire extinguisher was used and the unit that caught fire was not initially unplugged. It was then unplugged and taken outside.
"That was a good thing, because the fire then started again once they got it outside," said the mayor. "It had lots of oxygen to feed it. It was then put out for a third time with the fire extinguisher."
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Council approved a request from the Estevan Comprehensive School's grad committee for a reduced rate for the 2024 graduation ceremony.
Vice-principal Brian Wright submitted a letter to council, seeking a reduction in the rental rate from $7,800 to $3,900 for five years to help reduce the expense for the students. Grad has been at Affinity Place since the events centre opened in 2011; prior to that, it was at the Civic Auditorium.
"The cost for the entire ceremony is expensed back to the students in the graduating class," Wright wrote.
Council supported reducing the rate for 2024, but opted not for the five-year option, because it didn't want to commit the next council to their decision.
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Council approved a couple of policy changes during the meeting. One was the out-of-scope employee policy.
City manager Jeff Ward said there were a couple of legislative updates. One is to recognize the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in September as a statutory holiday. The other is to update the maternity, parental and adoptive leave clause to reflect the Saskatchewan Employment Act.
The other policy change was for third-party grants. City treasurer Trudy Firth will be contacting the groups herself ahead of budget deliberations, and she has been receiving financial statements.
Coun. Kirsten Walliser suggested reminding these organizations about the deadline of Oct. 15, because these are volunteer-based organizations with a high turnover rate.
"Having a friendly reminder from the city… would be very beneficial for these groups," said Walliser.
Coun. Shelly Veroba suggested adding a clause that calls for specific documents, such as the previous year's budget, to help with council's decision.
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Council gave first reading to a bylaw that would establish a vice-chair for the Estevan board of police commissioners.
Currently the mayor is automatically the chairperson for the police board, but there isn't a vice-chair role. If Mayor Roy Ludwig is absent, then the deputy mayor – if a member of the police board – would chair the meeting. But if the deputy mayor isn't on the police board, there isn't a designated person to guide the meeting.
Coun. Rebecca Foord noted that at a provincial meeting earlier this year, it was pointed out that other communities are also naming a vice-chairperson for their police board.
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In the inquiries portion of the meeting, Coun. Tony Sernick asked about the condition of Perkins Street. He noted the city has pressed the provincial government through the Urban Highways Connector Program for funding in the past and he thinks pressure needs to continue for resurfacing.
