T H E B AT T L E F O R D S
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Thursday, January 16, 2020
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MAYTAG DOESN’T JUST TALK ABOUT PERFORMANCE -
FURNITURE Expect changes to Walmart entries/exits this summer “Where the difference is worth the drive”
WE BACK IT UP
“Where the difference is worth the drive”
Battlefords Shines
Right-in, right-out is the plan
By John Cairns Staff Reporter
North Battleford city council has voted to move ahead with major upgrades to Carlton Trail in 2020. Council voted unanimously Monday to formally include the Carlton Trail improvement in the 2020 budget, which was itself approved later that
Sports
North Stars picked for showcase Page 9
News
Budget OK’d Page 3
Music Festival Fanfare Page 20
evening, and to complete the work in 2020. The project, designed to replace a “failing intersection” at Carlton Trail and Frontier Way, has been budgeted at a cost of $1.45 million, to be funded through reserves. The vote to include the project in the budget was a mere formality, as council had decided during deliberations in December to include the project. The Carlton Trail upgrade was identified as the highest capital priority of administration during those deliberations. While the intersection work has been on the books for a few years, there is new urgency about moving ahead with the project now. According to the city’s planning and development department, they have received three new development permit applications for the area, but the city is not issuing permits for any of those due to the safety risks and traffic failures at the cur-
BUY 3 or more BLINDS GET AN EXTRA 30% OFF FREE ESTIMATES FOR
rent intersection. The Carlton Trail intersection has been a concern for a few years. The issue is safety at the intersection, with a high risk of accidents. “We have what is currently a non-conforming intersection,” explained Mayor Ryan Bater to reporters following Monday’s meeting. “That intersection doesn’t meet traffic standards.” A city memo from the planning and development and finance departments noted the intersection had been cited in the Transportation Master Plan (2017) as well as the traffic impact assessment commissioned by CIMA+ for the development of the Comfort Inn and Suites in 2016, among others. The solution identified is to close the crossmovement pattern at the intersection and replace it with a right-in, right-out intersection. A signalized four-legged intersection Continued on Page 3
Saturday night was a showcase of talent from throughout the Battlefords and area at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts. Battlefords Shines raised funds for the Dekker Centre. General Manager Kali Weber was happy with how the night proceeded. “The audience response was awesome,” said Weber. Following the show, Weber was presented with a bouquet. See the story on Page 6. Photo by John Cairns
Battleford councillors get top marks for attendance By John Cairns Staff Reporter
There may be frustrations in other communities over councillors not showing up for meetings, but that cannot be said for Battleford. Town council had a good attendance record in 2019, according to numbers cited by Mayor Ames Leslie last week. There were 23 official council meetings during the year, said Leslie, and Councillor Judy Pruden was congratulated for having the best attendance record of anyone on council. She attended all but one
of the meetings, according to Leslie, and no councillor missed more than three meetings the entire year. “It’s probably the closest I’ve seen in the eight years that I have been involved in this council,” said Leslie. The News-Optimist has conducted a quick review of the council minutes from 20 council meetings posted on the town’s website from 2019. Those minutes stated that Pruden was in attendance for all the regular council meetings. She also appeared by FaceTime at the special joint meeting of Battleford and North Battleford councils. All other members of
council missed either two or three meetings each during the year, according to the posted minutes. Leslie was absent for two. Eight town council meetings held in 2019 saw perfect attendance by all members of council. “With lives and sickness and flu and families, I have to commend this council for their high attendance,” said Leslie. “A lot of communities have to put in penalties of their council because they don’t have the attendance and [have to deduct] salaries. This council chooses to be here this often, so it’s a great stat to see.”
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