OUTLOOK - A public forum hosted by the Town of Outlook opened the books on many current projects, aspirations, and general topics that are floating around the riverside community.
Held on Wednesday, September 4 during the open house event at the Outlook Civic Centre, the forum brought out a sizable audience and saw Mayor Maureen Weiterman, Superintendent of Municipal Operations Luke Lockhart, Councillor Ryan Husband, and Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Trew taking a seat onstage to address the questions that were brought forward.
Though people asking questions at the forum itself was an option for attendees, all of the questions that were addressed had been written and submitted to the Town beforehand by local residents.
Presented by Councillor Sharon Bruce, the questions that were submitted were asked by Linda Derdall, Bill Stewart, Murray Silljer, Ward McNichol, Karen Pederson, Larry Pederson, Bill & Caroline Koop, Blake Taylor, Con Hammer, and Shelley Luedtke.
One question was more of a statement of opinion, commenting that the recent projects around town that had "a lack of control and were dragged out" impeded on the operation of everyday local businesses.
Mayor Weiterman responded that the Town holds the business community in the highest regard and that business owners were notified of all that was happening at the time.
"We appreciate that businesses were very, very cooperative," she said.
Another question asked why access to town councillors seemed to be limited and why it seemed that most questions get directed to the CAO. Weiterman responded by telling residents that the councillors that they elected are always available, but did share that from time to time, the questions that are posed will get redirected to someone with the most knowledge of the topic being asked.
A question came up about what the future looked like for taxpayers of Outlook, asking if the town was solvent or looking at a number of debts. Weiterman commented that Outlook, as a municipality, is not allowed to budget for a deficit and through their practices, the town is in fact solvent. As well, a third-party auditor that carried out work locally has commended the town on its financial reporting and budgeting process, pointing out that they are among some of the best practices in Saskatchewan.
One question that came up had to do with where the CAO lives, asking why Trew doesn't live in Outlook and how could someone with such a position understand the needs, struggles and aspirations of those who live here without calling it home himself. Councillor Husband fielded this topic, explaining that the town as an employer is not allowed to stipulate where an employee may live. In discussions, CAO Trew had told the mayor and council about his intentions to live in Saskatoon.
"Kevin also assured us that he would be invested in our community, and you know what? We've seen that," said Husband. "Over the past few years, Kevin has attended many events that we have in our community. This may not be the best arrangement for every administrator, but for right now with Kevin, it seems to be working."
Husband further commented that he believes Trew not living in town may actually be a benefit because it eliminates the possibility of any biased feelings affecting his decisions.
A question pertaining to paid staff members of the town was asked, inquiring about past numbers from 2016 and current ones. Mayor Weiterman responded that in 2016, there were 26 permanent staff members and that today, there are 23 permanent staff members. Weiterman also noted that a number of jobs are contracted out.
A question that was asked was attributed to most people who'd submitted inquiries, and that had to do with the burst pipe incident that led to the Outlook swimming pool having to close for this past summer season. Councillor Husband said that everyone connected to the pool, including town staff and on-site staff, feel horrible that something like that had happened and that it affected so many people who use the pool every year. He said that a number of measures are being put in place to ensure it never happens again, including electronic monitoring that will be implemented that alerts staff when a system issue may arise.
Advertising rates at the Jim Kook Rec Plex was another topic that came up, asking why the numbers seem to have inflated in recent years. Husband explained that there are other options for would-be advertisers, but that essentially, those advertising funds help keep the rink operational and ensure that they can keep any user fees reasonable.
A question about moving dirt, or rather the cost of moving said dirt also arose. The topic was related to the work being done in the Railway Avenue subdivision, and many local eyes have shot upward in recent times when it was noted that moving the soil carried a price tag north of seven figures. It was explained that the soil was being moved to a number of lots, coming to an average price of $13,000 per lot.
Further information learned at this public forum included the development of future lots south of LCBI High School, which was what led to the rodeo moving to a new location for future events. In addition, up to date info on the status of the new fire hall project came to light, and a number of significant savings answered the question of why the town chose to go with Loraas Disposal for disposal of residential waste.
The forum, which originally had a designated runtime of one hour, ran 20 minutes past that timeframe, but all the submitted questions had been addressed. Attendees were encouraged to speak with the mayor, councillors and town staff afterward to ask further questions and discuss any matters that were important to them.
It was mentioned in a previous article by this reporter in an interview with CAO Trew that this public forum setting may become a staple of future open house events, although that remains to be seen.
