KAMSACK — A huge increase in waste disposal costs and semi-trucks carrying large, wide loads that have damaged signs and trees in the community were among items to concern Kamsack town council at its regular meeting of Oct. 14.
As Kamsack’s landfill site closes next month, resulting in a change so that waste will instead be taken to a transfer site, town council was told of significant increases in the cost of waste collection at the transfer station and for curbside waste.
The costs are going up, said Mayor Beth Dix after receiving information from OSS (Ottenbreit Sanitation Service) Waste Disposal.
Whereas to date curbside waste collection cost $7.40 per home per month, the cost is to be increased to $11.47 per month, while the curbside recycle collection currently costs $10.46 per home per month and it will be increased to $11.97 per month.
There are close to 900 residential properties that have both garbage and recycling bins in Kamsack.
Front-end waste collection, that being the commercial hoppers, currently costs $5.24 per cubic yard lift and it will be increased to $10.23, while front-end recycle services, currently costing $10.24 per cubic yard lift, will be increased to $10.68.
At the Kamsack landfill transfer station, the roll-off waste collection will cost the community $100 per month rental for each of the three large bins, plus $491.97 plus fuel surcharges and dumping fees for each time OSS comes to pick up a bin. It is estimated that each pick up will cost the transfer station $1,000.
Landfill fees, currently at $5 per coupon, will have to be increased significantly, Dix said.
“All of this means a huge increase in waste collection costs, which are out of our control,” she explained.
Over the last three years, the Town has spent between $425,000 and $450,000 per year, Hvidston said. “With the increases, we will be looking at north of $500,000 for town garbage and recycling plus transfer station costs.”
Next year, council will be forced to increase its monthly utility bills sent to residents in order to cover these increased costs, he said. Council was also told to expect OSS to levy an annual increase of three per cent, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Large truck concerns
Three signs along Queen Elizabeth Boulevard were knocked down in six weeks by large semi-trucks carrying wide loads like grain hoppers, he said. In addition, those vehicles ripped branches from elm trees during a period in which elms were not to be cut due to the threat of Dutch Elm Disease.
One of those vehicles was even seen travelling on the wrong side of the boulevard, disrupting traffic and causing a nuisance, he said.
It will cost $15,000 to replace the crosswalk sign on the boulevard in front of the Town Hall that was damaged by one such large truckload on Oct. 10, Dix explained. Fortunately, the company responsible has agreed to pay for that crosswalk sign’s replacement.
All of this resulted in council deciding to contact SGI, saying the community did not want vehicles containing grain bins and hoppers travelling through Kamsack, Hvidston said, explaining that such oversize vehicles require SGI approval before embarking on their trips.
A discussion was held regarding the possibility of installing Axis Communications cameras along the main street, he said. It was suggested that the street would require five such cameras which would be able to send video emails when something amiss is sighted, such as a person not moving on the ground, or a significant altercation. SGI and the RCMP should find the cameras useful in their work.
It was estimated that the five cameras, along with necessary equipment, would cost about $50,000.
Grant clawed back
Council had received an accessibility grant of $100,000 from which about $60,000 was used to improve accessibility at the Broda Sportsplex, but because the work proposed for the washrooms at the OCC Hall was not completed prior to the funding’s deadline, about $27,000 that would have paid for the work has had to be returned to the funder, Hvidston explained.
Better ice price
It was decided to reduce the cost of ice time for hockey tournaments, Dix said. Currently the cost is $120 an hour for ice time, but council decided to charge only $100 for ice time for tournaments.
When people come to town for a tournament, they’re quite likely to spend money elsewhere in the community, she said, adding that the lower cost will encourage increased use of the facility.
More AEDs
Council is still looking at the five AEDs (automated external defibrillators) which are 10 years old and nearing obsolescence, Hvidston said, adding that plans are to increase that number to seven.
Estimates are that it would cost $450 per unit to replace the battery, but that is a temporary fix that would only last two years due to being obsolete, Dix said. New units will cost $1,400 each after rebates.
Council is waiting for a final quote before making its decision regarding the life-saving units.
Credit card use approved
By the beginning of December, Kamsack taxpayers will be able to use their credit cards to pay for services at the town office, Hvidston said. Currently only debit cards are accepted.
A fee of four per cent will be added to payments made by credit cards, he said.
Other items
Councillor Anastasia Eliuk was authorized to attend the Parkland Regional Library annual general meeting in Wynyard on Nov. 1.
Council discussed forming a hiring committee for hiring all managerial staff. Instead of appointing an official committee, it was deemed sufficient to have a council member join the administrator and assistant administrator.
Council is studying a proposal to raise the community’s liability insurance from $5 million to $10 million, knowing that such an increase would cost about $6,300 a year.
It was agreed to provide a Co-op gift card of $50 for the best decorated house for Halloween, and $25 for the residence placing second. Council agreed to ask the residents of Eaglestone Lodge to be judges by taking a trip around town in the handi-bus to see all the decorated homes and vote for the winners.
Council authorized a request to host a Christmas party on Dec. 13 at the Broda Sportsplex. The event is expected to include a food drive, skating and photographs with Santa Claus, rides on firetrucks, an outdoor bonfire with hot chocolate, and other events.
The sale of 596 First Street to RF Now, a fibre optics company, was approved by council which also agreed to Jeff Chappell acquiring a lot adjacent to his residence and to having the two lots consolidated.
