August 23, 2023

Department

Changes

Taking

Place at the City of Martensville

Martensville City Council met for their final meeting of the month on Tuesday, August 15th, where City administration provided an update on each of their respective departments. The first report came from Leah Bloomquist, Director of Corporate Services and Acting City Manager, who stated that recruitment efforts are underway for Director of Recreation and Community Services, with the closing date for applications taking place on September 4th. These applications will be reviewed with the incoming City Manager, Tanya Garost, who will be taking over for Scott Blevins. There will also be a recruitment process taking place for the Infrastructure Manager position, as Scott Loyns recently accepted a position with the Ministry of Highways.

Ted Schaeffer, Recreation and Community Services Director noted that the final day for the Martensville Aquatic Centre would be August 27th, so be sure to get in those final days at the pool while you can.

The remainder of the meeting was discussing items that had been discussed at the previous week’s meeting, including the partial closure of Centennial Drive to accommodate the annual Show n Shine Car Show that will be taking place on September 9th, and include 80-110 classic cars and trucks.

The next meeting will take place on September 5th at 5pm. For more information, visit www.martensville.ca.

Keeping our Lanes and Properties Clean, Fall Back Lane Clean-up Coming in September!

Placing garbage, materials or waste in our lanes is unsightly, can attract pests, be unsafe and impede maintenance or access to properties.

Property owners along a boulevard or lane are responsible for ensuring these areas are cleaned up. Key points under the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw include:

- The owner or occupier of property along a boulevard or lane shall ensure that the portion of the boulevard or lane next 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.

- Dumping or placing any garden, vegetation, waste materials or tree branches along the boulevard or lane is against the municipal bylaw and subject to enforcement

Use of lanes or boulevards for the dumping of household furniture, building materials or tires is not permitted.

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

The City of Martensville conducts an annual back lane and general clean-up once a year with this year’s dates being:

September 25th-28th for neighbourhoods North of Main Street

October 2nd -5th for neighbourhoods South of Main Street

Items may be placed for pick-up one week before the scheduled pick-up. There is only one pass so please have your items out no more than one week prior to your neighbourhood’s scheduled start date.

In the interim please utilize the Loraas Landfill. Waste placed in lanes before scheduled back lane pick-up times remains regulated under the Nuisance Abatement Bylaw and is subject to enforcement.

Your City; Your Newspaper

Box 333, Martensville, SK S0K 2T0 Phone: 306-668-1093 advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

Deadline for submissions is

www.martensvillemessenger.ca

Published Thursdays • 48 issues/year

Editor/Office Manager: Shanine Sealey ssealey@martensvillemessenger.ca

Editor/Ad Design: Jocelyn Ottenbreit jottenbreit@martensvillemessenger.ca

To Contact Us About Advertising: advertising@martensvillemessenger.ca

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September Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in person, guests may wear a mask if desired within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but would wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend.

September 5th – Regular Council Meeting

September 12th – Committee of the Whole

September 19th – Regular Council

All Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers - Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S.All meetings commence at 5 PM.

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

Cleaning up After our Pets

It is not just a mess, it can potentially be harmful to other pets exposing them to illnesses such as parvovirus. Let’s keep pathways and parks clean and safe for everyone and their pets. Bring a baggy or find one in the many stations throughout the City along our pathways or in the dog park.

Recreation Program Update

The Fall Program Guide is now available. View the guide online to see what programs and events are coming up this Fall.

The Fall Monster Garage Sale takes place on September 15th -16th. The registration fee is $5 and includes your address listed on the flyer along with the map of Martensville, balloons, and a Monster Garage Sale sign. Flyers will be available for pick up at gas stations, the MAP, and City Hall.

Culture Days is September 22-October 15th. Culture Days is FREE to attend and offers fun and engaging activities – both in-person and digital - suited to all ages and abilities.

Monday, September 25th – All about Scuffles, 6PM North Ridge Centre

Monday, October 2nd- Holiday Trinkets, 6PM North Ridge Centre

Watch for more updates around the Culture Days schedule.

Saskatoon RCMP Warns About Recent Phone Scams Using RCMP Contact Information

Over the past month, Saskatoon RCMP has received multiple reports of phone scams where individuals falsely identify themselves as a member of the RCMP requesting money.

The Saskatoon RCMP reminds the public to be vigilant when receiving unsolicited text messages or phone calls, even if the caller identifies as being a police officer. Saskatchewan RCMP will never call members of the public to demand money or request any form of payment over the phone.

Saskatoon RCMP encourage the public to take the following steps to prevent any future occurrence of this scam:

• Never provide personal or sensitive information to the requestor and never send money even if the message sounds urgent.

• If you feel like this is a scam or an unsolicited call, ask questions (e.g. Who are you? What are you calling for? Why are you requesting this? Where are you calling from?) and document the responses.

• Police work relies heavily on intelligence-led policing to identify trends, such as these phone scams. This is why it is important to report all crimes in your area to your local police of jurisdiction as soon as possible. This information helps us identify crime trends and assist any potential victims of these crimes.

• If you or a family member have been contacted by a scammer, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre even if you didn't give them any money (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng. htm or 1-888-495-8501).

• If you or a family member did lose money as a result of fraud, please contact your local police as well as the Canadian AntiFraud Centre (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalezeng.htm or 1-888-495-8501).

ABOVE: The Martensville Fire Department came together with Warman Fire Rescue and Osler Fire Department on Wednesday, August 16th for training in situations where they are all called in for mutual aid.

ABOVE: The Saskatchewan Wild Slopitch Women’s team knocked it out of the park this season, earning the gold medal at the 2023 Women’s National Championship in Leduc, AB earlier this month. This marked the first Saskatchewan Women’s team in 15 years to win the nationals, making their victory that much more special. The team is comprised of players from Martensville, Warman, Saskatoon and other surrounding areas. Congratulations on a successful season. (Submitted)

Over

140 Youth Set To Compete In One Of Saskatchewan’s Largest Youth Rodeos - The 2023 North Of The 16 High School Rodeo

Over 140 youth from across the province of Saskatchewan are set to compete at the North of the 16 High School Rodeo near Rosthern Saskatchewan on September 2 and 3, 2023.

With two days of action packed rodeo, youth from grade 5-12 will compete for the prestigious title of North of the 16 Rodeo Champion in their respective rodeo events.

The Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association (SHSRA)

generally maintains a membership of 160-180 members who attend approximately 20 rodeos annually. The SHSRA is a non-profit association which maintains a province wide membership. Our members do not compete for prize money; instead, they compete for points, awards and prizes and nationally recognized educational scholarships that total over $133,000 each year. Additionally, the members work towards earning an opportunity to represent the province of Saskatchewan at a provincial, national and international level within the sport of high school and junior high school rodeo. The SHSRA allows today’s youth to be a part of a sport that is deeply rooted in the western lifestyle, where family values, community and philanthropy are supported.

The North of the 16 Rodeo will highlight competitors in 13 junior events and 12 senior events such as bull riding, bareback riding, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, steer wrestling and much more. The SHSRA reining High School Rodeo Queen, Sunny Schutte from Shellbrook will lead off the weekend with a traditional rodeo grand entry; while many local competitors from Prince Albert, Domrémy, Saskatoon and surrounding areas will be vying for the tittle of event champion.

If you would like more information about this topic or to be connected with one of our members in order to profile their road to the north of the 16 high school rodeo please call Kimberly Quam at 306-381-7368, or email ckquam@msn.com.

ABOVE: The Sask Five Giants U13AAA team traveled to Fort McMurray to participate in the Western Finals this past weekend and came home with the silver medal. (Sask Five Giants Baseball Association)

ABOVE: A group of former/present Martensville Minor Hockey players participated in the KISIK Indigenous Elite Summer Classic earlier this month. (From L to R) Josh Daniels, Jalen Albert, Rylan Pearce, Jack Janzen, and Jake Bergman

ABOVE: Seeger Wheelers Farms in Rosthern will be hosting the North of the 16 High School Rodeo.

SPORTS

Martensville Slo-Pitch

Season Winds Up

Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

The Martensville Slo-Pitch Association held it’s annual playoff tournament this past weekend at the slo-pitch diamonds from August 18 - 20th.

The league ran every Sunday - Thursday evening from May 7th - August 17th. Thirty one teams participated in the tournament on the weekend with an A, B, C, and D division and A side and B side winners.

There will also be a fall ball program beginning August 21st until October 5th. If you are interested in being on a sub list, you can email martensvilleslopitch17@ gmail.com.

Thanks for another great season of ball!

ABOVE: A-Division A-Side winners: Smack That. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: C-Division A-side winners: Strickland Propane. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: A-Division B-Side winners: One Hit Wonders. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: Da Beers were the C-Division B-side winners. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: B-Division A-Side winners Hooligans. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: D-Division A-Side winners Stingers. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: B-Division B-Side winners Sports. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

ABOVE: D-Division B-Side winners Brewers. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Byelections Do Tell Us Something

We have a rural-urban divide in Saskatchewan, but we all know that. We have known that for about 40 years; or at least since the 1986 election when the thenProgressive Conservative government held on to power despite losing virtually every city seat.

Sure, there’s been occasions when provincial voters flirted with unity. People were united in wanting to remove the Grant Devine PCs from office in 1991. Similarly, the Saskatchewan Party that initially struggled to gain city seats in its early going has certainly drawn urban vote in its four massive general election wins.

Nevertheless, the three byelections earlier this month didn’t tell us much about the political splits we didn’t already know; unless you look deeper into matters.

To the surprise of no one, the NDP took back city seats of Regina Coronation Park and Regina Walsh Acres that had been previously held by Sask. Party MLAs. Along the same vein, the Sask. Party maintained their former MLA Lyle Stewart’s Lumsden-Morse seat; a riding that takes in much of his old Thunder Creek that’s been a conservative since the 1970s previously held by Stewart, Rick Swenson and Colin Thatcher.

Losing two of three seats that the Sask. Party held is obviously not good news for Premier Scott Moe and company, although one should be careful not to read too much into this. The two urban seats also happen to be north Regina; traditionally, solid territory for the NDP. Given that byelections are where voters tend to feel safe sending a message to government, these were not shocking upsets.

Moreover, the NDP didn’t exactly make serious gains in the bedrock rural seat if Lumsden-Morse seat in which winning Sask. Party candidate Blaine McLeod still received more than 50 per cent of the vote.

In fact, the NDP still has not won a rural byelection and the Sask. Party has not won a byelection in Regina and Saskatoon since the Sask. Party was formed in 1997, but before one concludes that these byelections were relatively meaningless teaching us little we already didn’t know, let us re-visit that Lumsden-Morse campaign and the aftermath.

Perhaps it isn’t completely shocking that Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) candidate Jon Hromek edged out the NDP to finish second with 22.7 per cent of the vote. It was a solid effort for a new party, although maybe not all that surprising given how well a few Buffalo Party candidates did in the 2020 general election. What is less surprising is the influence that SUP has and continues to have on Sask. Party government policies, as seemed to be the case with controversy over the Planned Parenthood material that, inadvertently, made its way into a Lumsden Grade 9 classroom.

We saw the same thing after the 2020 general election when Moe stated he “heard” the Buffalo Party voters and embarked on his “economic sovereignty” agenda including provincial policing, income tax collection and the Saskatchewan First Act to appeal federal decision.

This time, Moe’s post-byelection message was “don’t split the right-wing vote” or you won’t get the result you want, but there was little to suggest that was happening in the three byelections in which each winning candidate got more than 50 per cent of votes.

Besides, SUP didn’t even run candidates in the cities where their vote splitting would make a difference, but why would they when they can still influence government by simply being a perceived threat to the Sask. Party in rural ridings they need to win to form government?

It sure seems as if SUP is more interested in maintaining its influence than they are in splitting the right-wing vote and helping elect an NDP government they surely wouldn’t be able to influence. If there is a vote split, it’s taking us further right.

Martensville Deputy Mayor Jamie Martens Seeks the Saskatchewan Party Nomination for the Riding of Martensville-Blairmore

On Tuesday, August 22nd, Martensville’s Deputy Mayor, Jamie Martens, officially announced that she is seeking the Saskatchewan Party nomination in the new constituency of Martensville–Blairmore. A former Provincial Deputy Sheriff, Jamie Martens is seeking the Saskatchewan Party nomination for the 2024 provincial election.

With more than a decade of serving on Martensville City Council – and likely the only candidate for Saskatchewan Party nomination with experience in elected office – Jamie Martens has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serve and speak up for her community as well as a proven track record of delivering for her constituents. Martensville is among the fastest growing of Saskatchewan cities.

In addition to currently serving as a Martensville Councillor and the Deputy Mayor, from 2020 until earlier this year Jamie Martens was elected and served for three successive terms as a Saskatchewan representative at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. During her three terms at the FCM, her duties included being the Vice-Chair of the Canadian Rural Forum and as a delegate to the ongoing Canadian Women in Local Leadership Project.

"Having been encouraged to run for this seat in the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly, and in receiving similar advice from constituents over the summer, today I’m announcing my candidacy for the Saskatchewan Party nomination in new riding of Martensville-Blairmore," said Jamie Martens.

“I believe that constituents – and all the people of our province – are our landlords, or our bosses, and every elected official in Saskatchewan is simply an entrusted tenant or servant. If successful in securing this nomination, everyday, I will work to earn and keep this trust. Today, as part of that social contract, I’m asking Party members and those interested in supporting this local nomination for their vote.”

The date of the nomination will soon be announced by the Saskatchewan Party.

"I was born and raised in this constituency. Fun fact, my family put the Martens in Martensville and for more than a decade I’ve had the privilege of serving as an elected municipal official within this riding. In many ways, as Saskatchewan seeks to balance traditional and new voices within both rural and urban communities, the riding of Martensville-Blairmore is the measure for our province. For more than a decade, I’ve worked to get this balance right. Working to ensure that families, seniors have an effective voice and advocate.”

“Frankly, on behalf of rural and urban communities and families, I have a track record of speaking directly to officials in both Regina and Ottawa. And as a single mom, I’m laser focused on and quite frank about the importance of affordability, community safety and employment opportunities – quite simply good careers – for our kids. It’s time to get back to basics”

In addition to focusing on issues of affordability for families and seniors, enhancing community safety as well as finding new ways to champion local business, Jamie Martens will continue speaking for other key public policy priorities: fiscal prudence, the importance of health and education in our growing region, additional rural broadband; issues relating to water, wastewater and disaster mitigation; critical infrastructure investments; and working to end violence against women and children.

Jamie Martens was hired as a Auxiliary Constable with the RCMP (Regina) in 1996 at the age of 18. After serving in the RCMP in Alberta, she returned to Saskatchewan, joining the Deputy Sheriff’s Office where she served for 16 years. Throughout her law enforcement career, she successfully completed numerous technical training courses, ranging from Firearms Training to Conflict Resolution as well as studying additional languages (American Sign Language, Ukrainian, Cree and French).

More recently, she’s also earned a Crane Operating Ticket while also possessing her 1A Saskatchewan vehicle licence. She has served on Martensville City Council since 2012 and as Deputy Mayor since 2022. A 2022 recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, Jamie Martens is a single mother with three teens.

Over the summer, Jamie Martens organized and participated in numerous community events. The Jamie Martens campaign welcomes community engagement and encourages constituents to contact her, add to and enrich the conversation, offer fresh ideas, and share goals and aspirations for the region's future. “By working together, we can ensure that the new provincial riding of Martensville-Blairmore has a strong, direct voice in our Legislative Assembly.”

Final Month Underway for KidSport Playhouse Fundraiser

Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger playhouse, that can also be utilized as a storage shed, complete with electrical outlets.

The 2023 KidSport Playhouse Raffle is currently underway and is now in the final month of ticket sales, with the winner being announced on September 16th at 3pm at the Martensville A&W.

This fundraiser is the biggest of the year for the non-profit organization that helps to provide financial assistance for children 5-18 to participate in community sport programs. KidSport can provide individual grants of up to $750 per calendar year for local youth. Applications for this program are available at the MAP.

Each year, the need within the community rises, and it is fundraisers such as the Playhouse Raffle that help to ensure KidSport is able to assist as many children as possible. All money raised within the community helps to support children in Martensville, with approximately 60 kids being funded through the program each year, totaling over $25,000.

Tickets for the raffle are available for $5 at various locations within the community, such as the A&W, Coop, Summer Market and Martensville Building & Home Supply, as well as online at https:// warman-kidsport. myshopify.com/, or with the QR code. The first prize is the playhouse, second prize is a $500 Cabela’s gift card and third prize is a gift basket.

Currently, there have been approximately 1000 tickets sold, raising an estimated $5000; however, there are still more available, so be sure to purchase yours for the chance to win this incredible

“As we move into our last month of the campaign, we hope to see an increase in the sales to help us raise as much as possible for the local kids,”

Angela Reddekopp stated.

The playhouse was built by local carpenter Marty Goertzen, who donated five weeks of labour to this project. Additionally, multiple local businesses and organizations provided sponsorship to help support this fundraiser, including; Martensville Building & Home Supply, Richard Reimer Realty, Martensville

A&W, the Martensville & District Lion’s Club, Brad’s Towing and Clark’s Crossing Gazette.

“We would like to thank Syl Serblowski and his partner Carol for their past support with this fundraiser. They spent countless hours helping sell tickets in the past and we want to show our appreciation for their sacrifices and everything they did to help us,” Reddekopp added.

Donations to KidSport are accepted throughout the year. To donate, or to learn more about KidSport, contact areddekopp@martensville.ca.

RIGHT: The KidSport Playhouse raffle will be running until September 16th so be sure to purchase tickets before then for your chance to win. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for KidSport and all money raised will be used towards supporting local youth participate in community sport programs. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)