August 13, 2020 Digital Issue

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August 13, 2020

Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Thirteen Years of Community

VOLUME NO. 14 - ISSUE 31

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ABOVE: Martensville Slo-Pitch league started up their season on July 6. There were fewer teams participating this year and only three diamonds, rather than four, that were played at a time. Teams are asked to follow the guidelines of COVID-19 restrictions during this short season which is over next week. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

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Page 2 - AUGUST 13, 2020 - martensville messenger

Council Approves Renaming of City Square to Veterans Square Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

At the June 16th Council meeting, a proposal was submitted by Deputy Fire Chief Dean Brooman regarding the renaming of the area currently known as City Square, located in front of City Hall, to Veterans Square. Brooman stated in his submission that the purpose for this would be to create a space within the community to acknowledge those who have fought, died and served for the freedom of our country.

Within the request, Brooman stated that the location is tied to two things that are critical for our continued freedom; Democracy and Education; therefore, this location would be perfect due to its proximity to City Hall and the Martensville Library, as well as the fact that it lies within the centre of Martensville, acting as a reminder to never forget those who served so that we would have our freedom.

The proposed timeline for this project would be one year, and the steps following Council approval would be to create a committee to move forward with the creation of a memorial within Veterans Square.

Options for a memorial would be plaques attached to the stage area already located in this space, or a bench commemorating veterans similar to ones found in Europe. “The committee would look into what options would be available and create a budget. Opportunities would be given to the community for feedback as to what they would like to see,” Brooman said in his proposal.

Once created, the committee would also be in charge of funding for this project, which could include applying for grants, speaking with local service groups, and looking for donations from the community at large.

Council discussed the proposal at the meeting and from there, sent it to the Martensville Naming Committee, who were in favor of the idea. It was brought back to Council in July for formal approval.

According to City Clerk, Carla Budnick, the City of Martensville will be providing signage for the newly named Veterans Square this fall.

LEFT: City Square, which is located between City Hall and the Martensville library, will now be called Veterans Square.

Shanine Sealey/MM

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martensville messenger - AUGUST 13, 2020 - Page 3

Civic Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic- What you Should Know!

City Hall has reopened to the public, however with some guidelines currently in place. Continue to utilize online and contactless options when possible. Please do not visit City Hall if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19.

Current Status of Public Facilities as of July 30th: Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Opening July 20 with occupancy limits City Hall - Open Aquatic Centre - Open, with occupancy limits Northridge Centre - Closed Heritage Centre - Closed Sports Centre - Closed Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Office closed, Open for Curbside Holds Pick-up and Book Returns.

Water Meter Read/Estimate Schedule - Normally the Read/Estimate Schedule that takes place from October-April would be completed and the entire City would have water meter reads completed by City of Martensville Meter Readers. However due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Water Meter Read/Estimate schedule continues to be extended into foreseeable future.

Garbage and Recycling - Services remain in place and on schedule with no anticipated service delays at this time. Organics collection has also commenced.

Road Maintenance - will continue as required and is not expected to change at this time.

Playgrounds and Sports Fields - Playgrounds are currently open. The Spray Park is open.

Sports Fields have reopened but users should continue to follow activity guidelines as may be provided under the Provincial Re-Open plan.

City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306-931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca during this time.

Trails and passive park spaces remain open for use, but we continue to urge residents to incorporate safe practices.

Residents and Customers are requested to carry out transactions electronically such as online banking, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques may also be dropped off in the drop slot at City Hall.

Utility and Property Tax Updates - The City has implemented a number of measures to assist property owners and businesses during the pandemic, currently in place:

After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies - should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1.

• • • •

Protective Services - There are no changes in duty or status to Protective Services such as the RCMP, Martensville Fire Department, and Ambulance Service.

Water and Sewer - These services remain unimpacted and unchanged, including water quality testing. Meter reading will continue to take place under the Read/Estimate schedule; however, staff will not be doing reads of meters located inside of homes or occupied buildings. In these cases, estimates will be taken or reads can be provided into City Hall. In respect to water and sewer emergencies, city staff may not be able to enter resident homes at this time and private contractors should be considered.

Still Plenty to Do! – Summer Camps at the MAP/ Outdoor Family Fun Kits/ Public Swimming Pre-Registration The Martensville Athletic Pavilion is open and happy to have everyone back! We are running youth basketball and volleyball camps until the end of August. Registration is now open online - visit the City or Martensville Program Registration page.

Outdoor Family Fun kits are now available to borrow! To secure your kit email specialevents@martensville.ca You can choose from 1 of 5 different kits; • Sports Kit • At Home Fitness Kit • Physical Literacy Kit • Outdoor Games Kit • Activity Kit The Martensville Aquatic Centre is open!! We are happy to see so many residents taking advantage of our public swimming pre-registration! For more information on public swimming pre-registration phone 306-683-5576.

August Council Meeting Dates Please Note: The upcoming Council Schedule or location may be subject to change based around any potential new developments or ease of restrictions around the COVID-19 Pandemic. Anyone interested in attending is strongly encouraged to contact the City Clerk prior to planning to attend.

Regular Council Meeting- August 18th The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers.

Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5PM. Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda.

To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details.

The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

Interest charges on utility bills will be suspended until November 1, 2020.

Water service will not be discontinued due to non-payment or overdue account status.

The deadline for property tax payments will be extended from July 31 to October 30, 2020.

All interest charges on property tax owing will be suspended until November 1, 2020.

Stay Informed! - The City of Martensville has created a dedicated webpage to provide information, updates and additional resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. This page is accessible through the homepage at Martensville.ca.

Please continue to follow us, media sources and information from the Province of Saskatchewan for the most current information around updates or new measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

Help Keep Our City Clean, A Reminder In Respect To Boulevard And Lane Maintenance

- The owner or occupier of property adjacent to a boulevard or lane shall ensure that the portion of the boulevard or lane adjacent to the property, up to the centre line of the lane, is kept free and clear, at all times of weeds, uncontrolled growth of grass, plants and tree/shrub overgrowth.

- No owner or occupier of property adjacent to a boulevard or lane, or any other person, shall deposit or cause, suffer or permit the deposit of any garden, vegetation, waste materials or tree branches on or upon a boulevard or lane adjacent to the property, up to the centre line of the lane.

- No owner or occupier of property adjacent to boulevard or lane, or any other person, shall deposit or cause, suffer or permit the deposit of household furniture, building materials or tires on or upon a boulevard or lane adjacent to the property, up to the centre line of the lane.

Questions about Boulevard or Lane Maintenance can be referred to City Hall or consult the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw at Martensville.ca

Page 4 - AUGUST 13, 2020 - martensville messenger

RCMP Provides Council With Update Comparing This Year’s Numbers to Last Year

Martensville City Council held their monthly Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, August 11th, which was once again held virtually amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Council has been utilizing Zoom Meeting software since March, and those interested in attending meetings can contact the City Clerk at (306) 931-2166.

The meeting began with a delegation from the local RCMP to provide monthly reports for June and July to Council. In June of 2019, members responded to

gave Council an opportunity to ask some questions regarding these numbers.

The agenda for this month’s Committee of the Whole meeting was quite light, with the only other item taking place before going In-Camera, was an update from Community Economic Development Manager Dillon Shewchuk. Shewchuk provided Council with some information regarding the Regional Business Task Force, as well as some businesses expressing interest in the community.

163 complaints and had 3 Criminal Code charges and 34 Provincial traffic charges. In June 2020, a total of 174 complaints were responded to with 10 Criminal Code charges and 25 Provincial traffic charges. Members responded to 145 complaints in July of 2019 and laid 5 Criminal Code charges and 13 Provincial traffic charges, compared to 232 complaints in July of 2020 with 12 Criminal Code charges and 62 Provincial traffic charges being laid. Sgt. Curtis Little, the Martensville Detachment Commander

Warman/Martensville Mayor’s Mayor’s Report Report Warman/Martensville

Reported

Charged Reported

Charged

6

56

5

ffences Sexual Offences 2

22

2

Assaults

/Extortion/Threats Robbery/Extortion/Threats B&E

otor Vehicle 1 Theft Motor Vehicle

1

er $5000Theft over $5000 1

1

der $5000 4 Theft under $5000

4

Mischief

11

len Goods 1 Have Stolen Goods Fraud

4

111

Speeding

Speeding

Seat Belt

Seat Belt

Moving

Moving

Non Moving Intersection

44

47

1

1

53

3 53

3

Non Moving

38

3138

31

Intersection

3

23

2

8 15

8

11

1

Fail to remain at Fail accident to remain at accident Drive while Prohibited Drive while Prohibited Written WarningsWritten Warnings 15

1

TOTAL

TOTAL

153

Criminal Code Traffic Reported Criminal Code Traffic

omply/Appear 4 Fail to Comply/Appear

14

1

Impaired Driving/Impaired Driving/ 8 Over80mg%/Refusal Over80mg%/Refusal

minal Code Other Criminal22 Code

622

6

Drive while Disqualified 1 Drive while Disqualified

Drugs

Dangerous Driving Dangerous Driving 1

Other) Federal (Other)1

1

Roadside Suspension Roadside Suspension

ovincial Other StatuteProvincial 28Statute

28

TOTAL

rms

14

False Alarms 14

neral Public Assist General 29 Public

al BylawsMunicipal Bylaws 7

10

610

Detailed Traffic Detailed Traffic

7

Total Collisions Total Collisions

5

Provincial TrafficProvincial Charges Traffic Charges

92

Person Missing Person 135

TOTAL

1

29

nography Child pornography

TOTAL

In the early morning hours of August 5th, 2020, the community of Langham was victim to a crime spree of stolen property, 92153 92 vehicles, vehicles that were searched through, and random stolen mischief in and around the community. The individuals responsible for this were seen carrying machete's around the community.

Warman RCMP are asking for assistance identifying these Charged Reported individuals Chargedand can be contacted at (306) 975-1670.

If you can identify either of these males, please call 1-800222-8477 to leave an anonymous tip. You may be eligible for a 58 5 reward of up to $2000 if tip leads to arrest or charge.

For more unsolved crimes, wanted or missing persons, or to donate, please visit at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

1 4

Criminal Code Traffic Charges Criminal Code Traffic Charges 6 15 135

Provincial TrafficProvincial Traffic Reported

15

Charged Reported

Members responded to 359 complaints between July 20 and August 4 with 62 Criminal Code charges and 92 Provincial traffic charges being laid.

Charged

Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers Looks For Public Help in Locating Suspects in Langham Crime Spree

4744

6

5 ABOVE & RIGHT: 92 Warman RCMP is looking for assistance 6in identifying these individuals in relation to a crime spree that took place in Langham on August 5th.

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martensville messenger - AUGUST 13, 2020 - Page 5

WMBEXA 2017

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2020 Roadways Construction Nearing Completion in Martensville Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

This summer has seen a lot of road construction being done on 3rd Avenue South in Martensville. The roadwork is taking place along the street from 4th Street South to the cul-de-sac.

This project consists of the replacement of the main sanitary sewer line and manholes, and the contractor is currently working on replacing the service lines from the main to each residents property line, which as of last week was 80-90% completed. During all this, the contractor for 3rd Avenue South also has a small crew doing landscaping repairs as well.

Scott Loyns, City of Martensville Engineering Assistant, explained that “As part of this project, the road is also being reconstructed on 3rd Avenue South. The subbase and base work is complete on the north half from 4th Street South to 5th Street South and this section is currently open for residents to drive on. They will however have to detour through the rear lane because the two concrete swales at the 4th & 5th intersections are being replaced. Once the remaining service connections are complete, the contractor will finish constructing the south half of the roadway, and a paving crew will mobilize and pave all of 3rd Ave. at once.”

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Other work being done this summer will include a surface treatment on sections of 8th Avenue South, which will be beginning on Monday, August 17th. The affected areas of 8th Avenue South will be from Main Street to 1st Street South, from 4th Street South to Slater/Martens Crescent and from Delainey Bay to Reimer Road. This project is expected to be completed by Wednesday, August 19th.

Loyns noted that all of the 2020 roadway projects are complete with the exception of the 3rd Avenue South roadway, as well as some work from their 2019 roadways project that has still not been completed. ������ � �� ������ � �

ABOVE: Contractors are nearing the end of the 3rd Avenue South roadway project.

EWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

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Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Twelve Years of Community

VOLUME NO. 14 - ISSUE 13

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NOTICE:

ANY CARE FACILITIES AND HIGH RISK PATIENTS IN NEED OF SANITIZER Please email me your situation and volume requirement at a.varaschin@ incarnaconsulting.ca.

I will be doing my best to coordinate with the community need and some very generous producers.

The Martensville Corner Store, like many other businesses around Martensville, have closed their doors temporarily during the COVID-19 outbreak. Although it wasn’t government mandated, owner Shirley Ber felt it necessary for the safety of her staff and others to close their doors indefinitely. They will be installing a window behind the building in order to provide a drive-through service for customers during the coronavirus pandemic. See a list of businessess in Martensville that have closed, but who will still provide certain services on Page 5 of this issue.

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Page 6 - AUGUST 13, 2020 - martensville messenger

Provincial Politics with

Murray Mandryk

“Near Normal” Schools a Strange Approach

The Saskatchewan Party government has been telling us for months now that COVID-19 means a “new normal” for all of us. But that “new normal” surely isn’t being applied to the re-opening of schools in this province in three weeks. Here, Education Minister Gord Wyant and Chief Medical Health Officer Saqib Shahab are now talking about things being “near normal”.

When Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions re-open their classrooms around Sept. 1, the government insists that things should simply be pretty much as they were when schools shutdown in mid-March. Sure, there will be a few adjustments, as outlined last week in its Safe School Plan.

Kids will now be assigned seats on buses (preferably, sitting with family members if that is the reality) and buses will need to be cleaned more frequently. Where possible, the government is encouraging parents to drive their kids to schools and avoid buses altogether.

Teachers will be asked to move between classrooms where practical (this likely won’t be the case in larger high schools where kids in home rooms quickly spread out to different classes) to reduced hallway traffic and the chances of spreading the novel coronavirus.

There will be dedicated entrances and exit doors and directional flow signs that kids will be expected to follow.

(Good luck with that.) There will be staggered recesses and lunches, increased sanitation of toys and classroom equipment (although no additional money for hiring cleaning staff).

It calls for limited physical contact hugs and hand-holding (again, “wherever possible”), protocols for backpacks and reconfigurations of existing classrooms (as best as teachers can) “to minimize contact”. But already overcrowded classrooms won’t have classroom size limits and while Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia are now calling for kids in schools to wear masks, no such requirements will be enforced here.

Mask use will be implemented if the government and Shahab feel the need to move to further more restrictive stages. But that approach, too, flies in the face of how government did gradually re-open the economy by loosening restrictions in five progressive stages. When it comes to schools there are four stages, but we begin with “near normal” and will only go backwards if it’s deemed necessary to do so.

Wyant said last week that his government has purchased six million masks for school use in case we have to do just that. And the announcement suggested families to have a couple washable masks per child, but they won’t - at least initially - be required.

If we are in this COVID-19 fight for many more months as the government suggests, wouldn’t school be one place where we could teach kids about proper mask use and getting them used to the idea? The government’s approach is not sitting well with many teachers, parents and others who see this strategy as one that risks both children and community safety and hard-won progress we’ve all made in the COVID-19 fight and it certainly hasn’t sat well with the NDP Opposition.

“There is a massive gap between what they are telling us needs to happen and what we see today from this Sask. Party government,” said NDP education critic Carla Beck. “What Gord Wyant has produced is not a plan for schools - it’s a plan to fail the test of protecting students, families and education professionals.”

It is rather strange that after having months to prepare special plans to ensure that kids are safe, the Saskatchewan government plan doesn’t go much beyond advising parents to keep sick kids home and doing what very much seems to be the basics.

One gets the government wanting to ensure the learning environment be as normal as possible, but with recent record numbers of active cases, it does seem the backto-school plan is taking some big chances.

MLA Report With Nancy Heppner Safe Schools Plan Released

A safe return to school has been the top priority of your Saskatchewan Party government ever since our in-school programs came to a halt this past March.

Recently, our government released a plan that will allow for our staff and students to return safely to school this fall. We have evaluated best practices and emerging research that has been provided by public health and have worked alongside our Chief Medical Health Officer to develop this plan.

Our government has developed an eight-step guideline for general operation.

All steps will be tailored by their school division to fit the needs of local students and staff. We trust local autonomy, as we understand that a cookie-cutter plan will not work across our province. By laying out the foundation, school divisions will develop a plan that is practical for their area. In close consultation with public health officials, the Education Response Planning Team has reviewed and approved each plan to ensure alignment with Saskatchewan’s Safe Schools plan.

Safe attendance and safe classrooms are part of these new operational guidelines. All staff and students are encouraged to stay home if they are feeling unwell. Protocols will be put in place for a staff member or student who falls ill while at school. In the classroom, procedures to limit physical contact and promoting hygiene will be implemented.

The third priority within the guidelines is safe transportation. Where possible, parents are encouraged to transport their own children to and from school. Recognizing this isn’t an option for many, there will also be protocols in place for those who will utilize transport such as: • Assigned seats and a record of this seating plan on school buses; • Students who live in the same household should be seated together; • Partitions around drivers can be considered; and • Cleaning and sanitation of buses or other vehicles used to transport students is required between each run.

The fourth and fifth priorities are safe access and safe facilities. Safe access will focus on the daily flow of students and staff within the building. Safe access includes school-level considerations such as dedicated entrances, staggered start times and controlled flow of students and staff in common areas.

Safe facilities will focus on the cleaning and sanitation of school buildings. Each school has been asked to increase sanitation measures and continue to promote proper hygiene practices. This includes the availability of hand sanitizer wherever possible and establishing clear protocols for bringing supplementary school materials such as backpacks and school supplies in and out of schools. If needed, the ministry will provide Personal Protection Equipment, or PPE to students and teachers at the request of the Chief Medical Health Officer.

The sixth guideline focuses on safe classrooms. This measure will ensure the safe sharing of space in the classroom between students and staff. Safer classrooms will include increased personal sanitation measures and proper hygiene practices, as well as minimizing contact among students and staff as much as possible. Many students and teachers across our province are missing their classrooms and classmates, so we must ensure that they are able to return to these spaces as safely as possible.

The seventh guideline includes safe supports. Our physical health has been threatened by this pandemic, but we understand that our mental health has taken a toll as well. This measure will ensure that support for our staff and students mental health is readily available when needed. Support for the learning needs of intensive needs or immunecompromised students will also be put in place. I encourage you to read through your school divisions tailored plan to become familiar with the various supports that will be available in this area.

The eighth guideline focuses on safe activities. This protocol focuses on policies governing group activities including: • Extra-curricular club activities; • Participation in athletic events/competitions; and, • School assemblies.

Our plan includes four levels of safe alternatives that focus on our province’s contingency plan at the advice of our Chief Medical Health Officer. These four scenarios may be activated regionally or provincially.

• Level 1: Primary and Secondary Educational Guidelines – as close to ‘normal’ as possible, with some additional measures.

• Level 2: will involve mask usage as determined by the Chief Medical Health Officer.

• Level 3: will involve reducing classrooms capacity. This may include establishing cohorts and hybrid learning models as considerations.

• Level 4: would take us back to suspending in-class learning and moving back to a similar model we saw this past spring, with divisions working at the local level to ensure learning continues. In this model school would continue to be mandatory, albeit remotely.

As it stands our government is planning on our classroom return to be at a Level 1. As the situation with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is evolving, plans may be updated and adjusted as needed. Again, our government is trusting the advice and direction of our Chief Medical Health Officer and we will monitor our provinces potential outbreaks closely.

Through increased investment in our 2020 Budget, initial estimates show school divisions are planning to hire more than 225 additional staff. School divisions were able to save about $40 million due to the in-school suspension earlier this year. Divisions have indicated to our government that they will use their savings for costs associated with a safer return to school. While the costs may not be finalized yet, divisions have identified over $3 million in expenses so far. No school division has identified the need for funding outside of their savings at this time.

For parents with questions or concerns regarding your child’s return to school we encourage you to first contact your local school division as they have created the detailed guidelines and protocols for local school. Our government has given our local school divisions autonomy to tailor their return to school plan to the best interest of their students, and we thank them for their cooperation during these unprecedented times. For more information please contact your local school division or www.saskatchewan.ca.

Letter to the Editor The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

martensville messenger - AUGUST 13, 2020 - Page 7

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Maddogs Gearing Up for Fall Janine Hayward, Martensville Messenger

The Maddog executive have been busy putting safety protocols together for the upcoming fall season. They are working alongside Saskatoon Minor Football to make the fall tackle season as safe as possible for our young players. There are decisions that will be made in the next upcoming week that might involve smaller teams, which may result in fewer players and coaches on the field at one time. One of the outcomes may be 6-man tackle teams for this season. SMF Coordinator, Brian Guebert, is working with Football Sask and Football Canada alongside Sask Health to help with decisions to make football possible and safe in the fall.

The Maddogs are hosting a free conditioning camp starting August 17. This is a camp for peewee and bantam players. There will be separate nights for each age group to keep social distancing possible. This is conditioning so there will be no contact and players will be distancing on the field. Players must register at http://maddogsreg.5design. pro/ to be eligible to attend. Peewee nights will be from 6:30pm - 8pm August 17, 19, 24 and 26. Bantams will be from 6:30pm - 8pm August 18, 20, 25 and 27.

For those who have already registered for fall tackle, please keep checking the Maddogs website, maddogsfootball.ca or the Maddog Facebook page for updates. Anyone wishing to register for Maddogs Fall Tackle please go to kflnz.com. If you would like to register for Maddogs Flag football please register at www.saskatoonminorfootball. com. Flag Football accommodates kids from grades 1 to 7.

Keep in mind anyone entering our football field will have temperatures checked and must sanitize before entering and when leaving the field. There is a list of protocols on the Maddog website. Our priority is keeping our young players as safe as possible.

The Maddogs are also holding a bottle drive on August 12 and 13. They are asking for any donations of bottles and cans to be dropped off at the field.

Thanks so much for your support.

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