WEYBURN – Weyburn city council granted an extension of three months to Coun. Dick Michel to be absent from council meetings, after he made a request for more time off.
Coun. Michel has been absent from his council duties since Sept. 26 “due to unforeseen circumstances”, and under provincial legislation, he needed consent from council to be gone for an extended period of time and still retain his seat on council.
Council was told that Coun. Michel wishes to return to council, but due to personal reasons he needs to be off for another three months.
City clerk Donette Richter contacted Advisory Services and Municipal Relations as to what course of action council could take, and was advised that as Coun. Michel has been gone for three months, council needs to decide whether to disqualify him from council if the city does not have a set policy. The extension is allowed by resolution of council under the Cities Act, and council can use their discretion in the matter.
Council decided to provide him with the extension and he must be back on duty by March 26, or else council can disqualify him at the March 27 council meeting.
The only issue of contention was whether Michel will still receive his pay as a councillor, and most councillors supported this, except for Mayor Marcel Roy.
Coun. Jeff Richards, who made the motion to approve the extended leave, noted that city councillors are not paid a per diem per meeting attended, but receive a flat rate.
Coun. John Corrigan wondered if a precedent would be set if they suspended the pay for Coun. Michel.
“When you ask for an extension of leave, it should be without pay,” said Mayor Roy.
Council ought to consider his years of service to the city, said Coun. Laura Morrissette, adding she was quite happy to support his continuing to be paid during his leave.
Coun. Richards commented that they could pass the leave of absence request, and administration could do some homework on what to do with the pay involved.
Coun. Ryan Janke said considering the small amount of money involved, it wouldn’t be prudent for administration to spend their time doing research on this issue. The motion was passed 5-1, with Mayor Roy in dissent.
• In other council business, the City will proceed with consent of title of a property for unpaid taxes, as the property owner has not redeemed the property or made any response to the city regarding the unpaid taxes.
The property has a tax bill of $5,646.92, and the last payment was made in January of 2020. The City has had the property in Tax Enforcement proceedings since April 16, 2021.
The process has been followed, with letters and notices sent to the property owner, with no responses received, and the Provincial Mediation Board was contacted in May of 2022. The board gave the City consent on Nov. 15, 2022, to make final application for the property title.
City manager Mathew Warren noted there is a house on the property which has been vacant since 2020.
