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Thursday, December 13, 2018
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Published every Thursday
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“Where the difference is worth the drive” “Where the difference is worth the drive”
City’s budget to fill a $1.7M revenue hole
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DECEMBER 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 & JANUARY 1 TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS
Young Stars
No change in proposed hikes By John Cairns Staff Reporter
North Battleford can officially get ready to pay more for property tax and utilities in 2019. The 2019 budget was adopted Monday night by city council at their final council meeting of the
Sports North Stars update Page 15
News
Inquest testimony wrapup Pages 17-19
Region
Big win at Borden Page 21
n Expecting $1.2 million in land sales last year was disappointing as only $100,000 was the return. The City of North Battleford will no longer be basing any possible revenues on selling off assets. It’s a ‘bad business practice’ says the mayor. year. The vote to carry the budget was unanimous, as were the votes on several budget-related resolutions that were before council that night. The final vote followed three nights of budget deliberations held over the previous two weeks. Throughout the process, the four per cent property tax increase and 4.5 per cent utilities increase remained intact. Councillors acknowledged it was going to be painful. But Mayor Ryan Bater explained they had to make up the shortfall. “We had a $1.7 million revenue hole,” said Bater. “And we had to get right to the point in how to overcome that.” One of the measures the city has taken on is a commitment by administration to meet an internal operations efficiencies target of
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$500,000 in 2019. A resolution to that effect was carried Monday. Mayor Bater acknowledged to reporters that meeting this efficiencies target was “a big task that we’re asking administration.” One important change in this year’s budget process was a decision made to remove land sales from general operating revenue. “You don’t sell assets to operate your city,” said Bater to reporters, justifying the change. But Bater noted it was also bad business practice. He noted they had budgeted for $1.2 million in land sales in 2018 and realized only $100,000. “In practice, it didn’t work for us in 2018,” said Bater. “We have to reduce our dependency on asset sales like land.” Continued on Page 3
Young sports fans were on the streets of North Battleford Saturday afternoon as Santa Day featured street hockey with the Battlefords North Stars. This young fellow tried several positions. For more photos see Page 25 and visit our www. newsoptimist.ca for a photo gallery. Photo by Averil Hall
Call made for independent inquiry into Whitstone death Staff Family members of Brydon Whitstone as well as the FSIN have now formally called for a new investigation into Whitstone’s death in an RCMP member-involved shooting in North Battleford. At a news conference Tuesday attended by FSIN representatives as well as Whitstone’s family, the family’s lawyer Stephanie Lavallee noted “several inconsistencies and con-
flicting testimony by officers and witnesses at the inquest last week.” “As a result we are calling upon the Ministry of Justice to bring independent investigative body to review and reopen the investigation.” Lavallee added the “media coverage and the inquest did not fully capture what took place on Oct. 21, 2017.” The jury in the inquest into Whitstone’s death
ruled last week that the manner of his death was “undetermined.” The coronor had asked the jury to decide between homocide or suicide. The jury was also asked to make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future. Their recommendation was directed to the RCMP: use of a Taser or other intervention to immobilize or stun the suspect prior to the use of a gun. See more on Pages 17-19
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