The future of the former YMCA building on Fairford Street East could be decided at city council’s regular meeting tonight.
The fate of the building is one of several topics on council’s agenda, with other issues to focus on another update on second-quarter finances for this year, a supplemental report on financial statements, and the amount of payments made to a labour law firm for arbitration issues.
YMCA building
City administration is recommending to city council that approval be given to accept the termination of the lease agreement with the YMCA of Moose Jaw; that a request for proposal (RFP) be issued for the potential sale and development of the buildings on the site; that the water and natural gas services be disconnected; and that property insurance continue to be carried on the building until it is sold or further direction is provided.
An investment of $3,020,600 would have to be made over a three- to five-year period if the municipality took over operations of the building.
If council rejected the main recommendation, administration has also presented three other options from which council could choose: demolish the building, search for a long-term tenant, or have the parks and recreation department take over operations of, and programming at, the building.
Second-quarter report
Having returned from holidays, finance director Brian Acker has provided a report with more information about the municipality’s finances in the second quarter, along with statistical information from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2019.
Acker’s report looks at revenues, expenses, department summaries and the status of capital projects. The statistical information contains information about investments, portfolio compliance, property tax arrears, property taxes receivable, borrowing and tenders awarded by the finance department.
A supplemental report on financial statements provided answers to questions councillors had posed at a previous meetings. Some of those topics include transit rates, how the municipality reports its budget documents, how residential garbage collection revenue is reported and the status of the landfill replacement reserve.
Law firm payments
The City of Moose Jaw has used the labour and employment law firm Hicks, Morley, Hamilton, Stewart three times for labour relations disputes. The municipality paid the firm a total of $87,307.32 to settle disputes with the Moose Jaw Firefighters’ Association.
Miscellaneous
Council is also being asked to subdivide land at the former board office for the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division. The division moved its head office to Athabasca Street East and would like to subdivide the property from the larger St. Margaret’s School property.
A request is also being made to subdivide and consolidate property in the Southeast Industrial Area, which would facilitate the execution of the sales agreements with Carpere Canada and SaskPower.
The Municipal Planning Commission is recommending that 64 acres on Coteau Street East — located between Ninth Avenue Southeast and Victoria Street East — be rezoned to R1 Large Lot Low Density Residential from UH Urban Holding so Carpere Canada can develop the area into residential housing.
Articles covering these topics will appear on MooseJawToday.com throughout the week.
