KAMSACK, Sask. — The sale of properties by auction, the transfer of a property and four new granite benches were among issues discussed by Kamsack town council during its regular meeting of Sept. 14.
The meeting was more of an information meeting rather than a decision-making meeting, said Barry Hvidston, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
Lot auction
The sale of lots was a success, Hvidston said. A total of 52 lots were sold, but there remains another 97 properties that were advertised but not bid on.
In addition, there are other properties which the town had acquired but were not part of the auction, Mayor Beth Dix added.
Hvidston estimated that the sale of the 52 properties could generate $70,000 in annual taxation and because council paid $150 per year per lot for maintenance, the saving in cost would total about $7,800 a year.
Council wants to see what might happen with the 52 sold properties before taking any further steps, he said. The situation is to be reviewed in the spring.
Property transfer
Imperial Oil owns the property on Nykolaishen Drive to the west of Trackside Garden where the large Doukhobor sign is posted and in 2024 the company offered to sell the land to council for a nominal fee of a dollar, Hvidston said. The company currently wants to know if council wants to acquire it or the property might be offered in a private sale.
Council indicated the property would be accepted conditional on an environmental study.
“We want to know what council’s obligations would be considering the land probably contains contaminated soil,” he said, explaining that the property had been used by Northern Petroleum Corporation needing access to the railway.
Hvidston has a 167-page report to study and has 30 days to review it and give council his recommendation.
Granite benches
Hvidston said he was pleased to learn that the Kamsack and Doukhobor Society has donated money for one of the four new granite benches that were placed near the two new columbariums at Riverview Cemetery earlier this month. Two of the benches had been paid by a Kamsack Comprehensive Institute graduating class reunion held in 2019, and the fourth was sponsored by Mike Robey.
