The July Council meeting was immediately following the storm which came through
portions of the District, Great Blue Heron Provincial Park (primarily Murray Point
campground), and the RM of Paddockwood. Thanks is to the Lakeland & District Fire
Department and First Responders, SaskPower, and District of Lakeland staff for their
immediate response in providing assistance to visitors and residents. Thanks as well to
the many residents who responded throughout the subdivisions to assist their
neighbours.
Due to the large amount of tree damage from the storm, the Emma Lake landfill will be
open seven days a week until July 30, and there will be no fees charged for tree debris
during that time.
The annual information meeting was held on Saturday in conjunction with the Fire Coop
and Emma & Christopher Lakes Association (ECLA) annual general meetings, just
hours after the storm went through. Attendance at all meetings was lower compared to
other years likely due to the number of people dealing with property issues and power
outages. Council will review the comments and input received at the meeting,
implementing changes where appropriate.
Chris Chittick, tornado hunter and storm chaser, provided an extremely interesting
presentation in the afternoon on July 7. Staff from SK Environment, Public Health and
Safety, and volunteers with the District of Lakeland Emergency Measures Organization
were on hand to provide information and respond to questions.
Following the Division 5 election, Council James (Jim) Rudolph was welcomed to his
first Council meeting where he took the oath of office. Jim has property at Anglin Lake,
and resides in Warman.
Chase Sinclair presented information to Council regarding plans for a food cart
operation in partnership with David Kamenar. The project was approved in principle
subject to submission of a formal application, compliance with the Mobile Food Vendor
policy, and other considerations.
Staff and Council reports / discussion included:
- Bi-weekly beach maintenance is occurring through July and August, and parks
have been mowed. - Approval for reshaping of Sunnyside Drive was given, with prior communication
to ratepayers adjoining the affected area. - Plans for further discussion and consultation regarding movement of certain
portions of Neis Drive will proceed into the fall. - Nadine Lavoie has been hired as a summer student in the Public Works
Department. - Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment has indicated that emergency calls for
bears should be directed to 911. To report concerns regarding bears to
Conservation Officers, call the TIP line at 1.800.667.7561 or on SaskTel cell
phones to #5555 (toll free). - Joint check stops and patrols with the RCMP are ongoing this month. Boat
patrols are taking place in co-operation with Ministry of Environment staff. - The 2017 Audited Financial Statement was received from the District auditor,
Cogent Chartered Professional Accountants LLP.
The request from the Bell’s Beach Lagoon Community Dock Association to replace a
retaining wall and to remove a sand bar at the entrance to the lagoon was deferred until
further discussion with Water Security Agency.
Approval of the second phase (12 lots) of the Laurel Green Condo Corporation was
deferred until further clarification and discussion has been made with the Community
Planning Branch, Ministry of Government Relations.
The District contributed $500 towards the upcoming Western Days activities from
August 10 – 12, 2018 in the Village of Christopher Lake.
The North Sask River Basin Council annual report, and report of the District liaison
regarding their annual general meeting were received.
The PARCS (Provincial Association of Resort Communities of SK) newsletter was
received. It will be circulated to the District’s Environmental Advisory Committee, and a
link established on the District website to the PARCS website. The newsletter link is http://www.skparcs.com/rsu_docs/parcs-update-88-july-2018.docx.pdf. The PARCS
website has many items that may be of interest to District ratepayers.
Note to residents of Anglin and McPhee Lakes and the Organized Hamlet of Elk
Ridge only: the McPhee Lake landfill will be open from 12noon – 4pm on the last
Saturday of July and August, and then again on September 8 to receive compostable
material. Please be prepared to provide proof of District of Lakeland residency as it
may be required.
As has been reported previously, ratepayer concerns related primarily to trees, wildlife,
roads, and garbage. Where applicable, ratepayers are contacted directly by District
staff to deal with the matter raised.
2018 tax notices will be mailed out prior to the end of July. Ratepayers have until
August 31, 2018 to pay their property taxes without incurring a penalty. The tax notices
also include an informational brochure, and a publication prepared by the District’s
Environmental Advisory Committee.
District of Lakeland newsletter – the most recent version was emailed on July 12,
titled Living with Wilderness in the District of Lakeland. There is information about
damages from the storm, wildlife, protecting your home, criminal activity, monitoring the
weather, and contact numbers. If you haven’t signed up for the newsletter to come
directly to your email, contact the office or signup through the website.
Community BBQ – the second annual District of Lakeland BBQ is scheduled for
Friday, July 27, from 3 – 5pm at the Lions Park, Spruce Point, Christopher Lake. We
look forward to seeing you there.
As mentioned in every update, while the contact information for myself and all
councillors is on the website and/or available through the District office, we encourage
you to contact the District office if you have a concern or require municipal services so
that it can be addressed in a timely manner. Saying thank you is always a good reason
for a phone call as well, and greatly appreciated by our Staff and Council.
Cheryl Bauer Hyde
Reeve