Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Photo - Glenn Hagel receives Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal

Former mayor Glenn Hagel receives his Queen
Diamond Jubilee Medal from Mayor Deb
Higgins at the mayor's office on Wednesday.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

On Wednesday former Moose Jaw mayor Glenn Hagel received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal at the mayor's office. 

For the photo, Hagel's thoughts and the reason he received it, go here.

Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Resident expresses street closure policy concerns

Executive committee votes to review policy at a future meeting

Alternate Root Organics owner Carrie Richardson
addresses executive committee regarding
her concerns with the current street closure
policy at the June 17, 2013 meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy

Local resident Carrie Richardson would like to see street closure policies changed.

The owner of Alternate Root Organics presented her concerns to executive committee at Monday’s meeting. She said she was not notified ahead of time that the May 4 street closure for a Moose Jaw Cycling Club and Saskatchewan Cycle bike race, sponsored by Team Redgoat, would be happening.

She said it negatively affected her business because the whole block was shut down. On a typical Saturday she has 182 customers during the day, but on that day she only had 28 customers.

“That never happens,” she said. “One of the reasons that I’m bringing this issue forward is (that) this to me is an example of why something like this shouldn’t be left in the event planner’s hands.”

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Equipment reserve budget approved

Budget committee listens to fire chief Garth Palmer's
presentation of the fire department's budget requests
under the equipment reserve budget at Monday's meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The budget committee approved the proposed equipment reserve budget with no changes.

Director of financial services Brian Acker and other department heads presented the major items included in the budget for the committee’s consideration at Monday’s meeting. The approved budget is $1.59 million.

For instance, the budget committee approved the Moose Jaw Fire Department’s request to tender and award the purchase of a new fire truck in 2013 for a 2014 delivery date. Cost is estimated between $500,000 and $550,000.

Fire chief Garth Palmer said the replacement is one of the “major pieces of our fleet” or Engine No. 1, a 1989 pumper truck. He said it operated in “frontline service” for 22 years.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Search for a new city manager underway

Higgins says council will review strategic plan and community engagement

By Lisa Goudy

Council agreed to “renew our strategic planning” in September with a new city manager, said Mayor Deb Higgins.

“That will be a better opportunity for city councillors to bring forward areas that they think we should be looking at, directions we need to be going,” said Higgins. “(Severing the contract was) purely a decision to look at new leadership for the city with fresh eyes coming in to be able to look at the way we do things and what opportunities there are for us.”

On Friday council announced they decided to sever former city manager Garry McKay’s contract after he’d spent almost 38 years with the city. Higgins said McKay’s contract was open-ended, having been signed in 2002.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Winston Street property to be tendered for sale and removal

Executive committee reiterates flood program policy in 4-3 vote

Executive committee meets on June 17, 2013 at city hall.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


Executive committee defeated several motions before reaffirming its flood acquisition program policy.

The motion that passed, as moved by Coun. Candis Kirkpatrick, was for council to follow the policy under the voluntary flood prone property acquisition program and have the city-owned property at 267 Winston St. in River Valley tendered for sale and removal. If the city doesn’t receive any tenders the building will be demolished.

“I think the city should carry through with its existing policy,” said Mayor Deb Higgins. “The intent of this program was to clear out the valley where the flood plain (affects property).”

But Coun. Brian Swanson said he didn’t see the point of demolishing the house when third party groups, such as the Wakamow Valley Authority (WVA), might be interested in using it.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Pushing back reviewing water treatment plant agreement

Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant report tabled until September

Executive committee discusses a report
on the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment
Plant upgrades at Monday's meeting.
Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The executive committee of city council tabled a report regarding water treatment plant upgrades.

At Monday’s executive committee meeting, the majority of executive voted in favour of Coun. Brian Swanson’s tabling motion regarding the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant upgrades until the first meeting of the executive committee in September. The agreement between Moose Jaw and Regina was signed on May 10, 2010.

“We should be looking to renegotiate the contract with Regina,” said Coun. Brian Swanson. “Regina won’t be happy about that, but … I would argue we’re subsidizing the cost and expansion and upgrade for the water users of Regina and I don’t think we should.”

Because of a series of reviews and pilot studies, the upgrades have been delayed for more than two years, according to acting director of engineering services Mahabub Zaman’s report.

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Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Executive gives the go ahead to the CPR dam

Water flows through the CPR dam on May 27, 2013.

Times-Herald photo by Lisa Goudy

By Lisa Goudy


The CPR dam replacement will proceed.

At Monday’s meeting executive committee voted to receive and file the report regarding the CPR dam replacement that the majority of council voted to send back to executive at its last meeting. With the report received and filed the next step is to issue request for proposals.

“This is 100 years of what we’ve enjoyed, all of us who’ve lived here and all the people before us,” said Coun. Heather Eby. “Maybe it is just a setting, but taking it away does not make Moose Jaw a better place to live or visit and I am absolutely in favour of moving this forward. I think the design’s great as far as I can tell.”

However, Coun. Brian Swanson said council should re-examine the project because there are “higher priorities” council should spend money on instead.

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See here for a Times-Herald slideshow of photos of the CPR dam taken on June 18, 2013.