To begin, the District is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary. In honour of the occasion and as an informal open house for our recently constructed municipal shop, the District will host a bbq on Friday, July 28, from 3 – 6pm at the District shop located just off Highway 263 on the road to the Emma Lake landfill. All are welcome!
July update:
– The public hearing related to the Gateway Resort application for rezoning of their property at McPhee Lake from C1-Commercial to RMU-Multi Residential Unit was held on July 8. Written and verbal submissions were received. The second reading of Bylaw No. 12-2016 was defeated, therefore the land will remain zoned as C1-Commercial.
– The public hearing for the discretionary use application to establish a contractor’s storage yard by Cook Piling Ltd received no submissions. The application was approved.
– David Moerike has been hired as a seasonal summer student effective July 1, 2017.
– A tender for the purchase of a 2017 dump truck was awarded to Maxim Truck & Trailer.
– An additional bear proof waste bin for household garbage will be placed at Anglin Lake for the summer months due to the ongoing issue with bears in that community.
– Direction was provided to the Administrator regarding applications for special event / block party functions – volleyball tournament at Sunset Bay Resort and a block party at Carwin Park.
– Marcia Klein from Anglin Lake was appointed to the Environmental Advisory Committee.
– The request from the Anglin Lake Cottage Owners Association for a contribution for Ed Greenop Park improvements was deferred pending development of a policy for use of municipal reserve funds.
The annual information meeting was held on July 8, in conjunction with the Lakeland & District Co-operative Volunteer Fire Department and the Emma & Christopher Lakes Association (ECLA) annual general meetings. The input received was recorded and will be discussed by Council and Administration to determine what, if any, actions could be taken. A copy of my remarks follow:
On behalf of Council – Annual Information Meeting, July 8, 2017
Welcome to the District of Lakeland’s Annual Information Meeting, and thanks for taking time out of your Saturday to join us. Since the agenda is relatively short, we didn’t provide printed copies to be environmentally friendly. Basically, the agenda consists of my remarks on behalf of Council, Tammy will provide remarks from Administration, then your questions and comments.
I’m Cheryl Bauer Hyde, Reeve of the District since August. The Councillors who were also elected last summer are:
Division 1 Karen Bosker
Division 2 Walter Plessl – not in attendance
Division 3 Doug Oftedal
Division 4 John Stauffer – John also currently serves as Deputy Reeve
Division 5 Tom Burwell
The Lakeland Council also consists of our Administrator, Tammy Knuttila. This is Tammy’s first meeting as she began with the District last November, replacing retired Administrator Dave Dmytruk. Tammy will be introducing other staff members later.
I will keep my remarks brief as we want to have time to hear from you. But I do want to talk about the Vision and Strategic Focus for the District.
Established in 2013, our vision: The District of Lakeland will maintain and enhance our position as leaders in developing a unique natural recreation area in Saskatchewan.
The five strategic focus areas are:
• open and active communication with residents and stakeholders;
• Partnerships with other governments, agencies, and communities;
• Balanced and effective services provided by staff and Council for seasonal, permanent, and visiting populations in all parts of the District;
• Environmental stewardship based on best practices, knowledge, and ability to respond; and,
• initiatives that enhance quality of life for our residents.
The strategic plan was last updated in 2015, and we will be reviewing it this fall, updating and revising based on what has transpired over the past few years and future initiatives identified. Have we done everything we planned to do? Not necessarily – some things have been revised and others are still waiting, and in some instances new activities have replaced original plans. But these values and strategic focus areas do help align the financial and human resources of the District.
To me, one of the keys to achieving our plan / goals is through partnerships. And while you are probably aware of some of them, there may be one or two that are new to you.
North Central Waste Management
Water Security Agency / North Saskatchewan River Basin Council
Wapiti Regional Library
Cottage / Community Associations
– ECLA, Anglin Lake, McPhee Lake, Elk Ridge
CPL Recreation Committee
Lakeland Recreation Board
Waskesiu Wilderness Region
District Board of Revision
North Central Lakelands District Planning Commission
SAKAW ASKIY Public Advisory Group
Great Blue Heron Park Advisory
Rural Landfill Provincial Committee
These groups represent partnerships with
– other municipalities (Prince Albert, Christopher Lake, RMs of Paddockwood, Buckland and Prince Albert, Candle Lake, Albertville, North Battleford, to name a few),
– provincial ministries (SK Environment, SK Parks, Justice),
– SK Association of Urban Municipalities, SK Association of Rural Municipalities
Partnerships are instrumental in how we work to achieve the overall strategic plan.
They are how we get the business of the District done but also how we interact to further the finite human and financial resources of the District. The groups listed involve not only council and staff members, but volunteers from throughout the District.
We also have District committees, and I’ll just mention one today that is probably familiar to many of you – the Environmental Advisory Committee.
Established in 2009, the Committee:
• Advises Council on environmental issues within the District,
• Consults and works with representatives from government and non-government agencies such as SK Environment, SK Polytechnic, University of SK, environmental and other community groups, and
• Membership comes from Council and seasonal and permanent residents throughout the District.
Since inception, this committee has, with support of the cottage associations (there’s another partnership in action):
• To replace a former provincial service, implemented a water quality testing program to monitor the overall health of our lakes.
• Set up and maintain a table in the District office which has copies of the educational items, and some other material that provides environmental information.
• Developed several educational brochures about watercraft shoreline damage, recycling, grey water, wildlife, etc.
The most recent publication has four topic areas – ATVS, Dark Sky Lighting, Invasive Zebra & Quagga Mussels and Friendly Fertilizers (this last one was mailed out with the property tax notices in June, is on the website, and copies are available on the information table in the District office, as just mentioned).
• Established invasive mussels monitoring and signage at docks in all four lakes.
• Oversaw the development of the Environmental Management Plan in 2013/14.
That plan is now being reviewed and a progress report will be prepared for Council’s consideration to guide the future efforts of both the District and the Committee.
• Provided support including volunteer time and boats related to the Love Your Lakes project (shoreline assessment of Emma, Christopher and Anglin Lakes). Those reports are now available to lakefront property owners, and a compilation of the information is being prepared for the District. There may be opportunity to participate in a natural edge program (riparian area planting/restoration) in the future.
So, a very effective working arrangement, and thank you to the former and current