Carlyle town council met on Wednesday, March 20 to discuss a number of agenda items.
Carlyle and District Leisure Complex Minutes and the Skating Club executive members will be put onto the town's insurance policy.
The town went over minutes of the meeting with Sun Country which was held on March 6. This included voiced concerns Mayor Shirley brought up, which the emergency measures coordinator had expressed to town council prior to the meeting. Ambulances are said to be on the road more often leaving the area without emergency response.
Marga Cugnet, President and CEO of Sun Country, explained that in the event of ambulances unable to respond immediately because they are on another call, first responders are notified who have the training to stabilize people until the nearest ambulance is available. Cugnet also added that the Carlyle ambulance service is more effective than others as they are staffed positions not on-call positions.
Sun Country also explained that they are working on getting a group of doctors from Regina to provide coverage to the area in order to assist Dr. Morin and Dr. Meyer at this time. If the talks go through the group will most likely work out of the Carlyle clinic, while taking on call duties at the Arcola hospital. This is stressed as a short term solution and that Sun Country is continually working to recruit full time doctors to the area.
A suggestion from Cugnet was that Arcola, Carlyle, and Redvers need to work together. Discussion from the meeting led to the agreement that the health region would develop a plan for these communities to best facilitate resolutions of the doctor shortage in the area. This includes a meeting that town council members will attend in Weyburn on April 18th. The meeting will address physician recruitment, how the process works, clarification of the roles of each body involved in recruitment, and off advice as well as support regarding recruitment efforts.
On April 15th members of town council will attend a Community Leadership Network Meeting, which will address their agenda which includes a discussion on mental health as well as addiction services and their deployment strategies.
The Zoning Bylaw Amendment and the Official Community Plan Bylaw Amendment went through their first readings. An advertisement will appear in the paper stating what the changes are to be regarding the two amendments.
The budget was addressed for the year on March 19. It was amended and presented during the council meeting where it was approved.
Trees were approved to be purchased again this year. Approximately 50 will be planted. Some will be placed along Stockton Avenue West, while the majority will be placed in the new subdivision.
Correspondence addressed during town council included information sent by Clinton Ekdahl. Ekdahl was looking for support to create a day dedicated to the Honey Bee. The day he suggested was May 29. Honey Bees have been declining in population, which could have dire consequences because they are responsible for a great amount of pollination including many food items. The council decided to support Ekdahl's cause; giving him an endorsement to have this recognized both provincially and nationally.
The Moose Mountain Snowmobile Club provided council with a map of the network of trails they maintain as a way to introduce themselves to council.
The Carlyle Public Health Building was inspected for Asbestos. Air monitoring showed that there was not an elevation of fibre particulates in the building; but, an exterior wall in the garage showed damage and there was concern that this may lead to an increased amount of particles in the air. Town Administrator, Huguette Lutz will look into the proper process to fix the wall as there are different regulations involved with fixing the wall because of the asbestos concerns.
BioForest Technologies Inc. will again inspect trees for Dutch Elm Disease. If the disease is found, the town will destroy the tree according to proper protocols.
Finally town council looked at the Strategic Plan for Carlyle to be completed over the next four years. Four of the projects that will be addressed first include replacing sidewalks on Main Street, repaving Main Street, developing George Avenue which will be located on the south end of town connecting Highway 9 and Main Street, and a continuation of working with Sun Country to recruit physicians to the area.
Other areas of interest, in no particular order of imminence, include:
completing the sidewalk on Souris Avenue;
purchasing equipment to for public works;
establish a good working relationship with both the RM of Moose Mountain and White Bear First Nation;
establish, maintain, and expand reserve funds;
locate a suitable well;
facilitate the creation of a daycare;
replace asphalt curbs with cement curbs;
work on fire hall, this includes research into the creation of a new hall or an expansion to the current hall;
beautification of Main Street;
completion of the transfer station;
planting trees and overall development of parks;
sidewalks for Phase III of the residential subdivision;
establishing a SARCAN depot in town;
improvement of communication with residents of the town;
the creation of a chamber of commerce.
Many of these items were suggestions brought to the town of Carlyle through feedback from townspeople having participated in the community survey. This includes the sidewalk replacement on Main Street as well as the repaving of Main Street, which will cause possible inconveniences regarding access to businesses for a period of time. Council understands that people may be upset about the issues construction will cause in this busy area; but, improvements are needed in the area.
Finally a clarification from the last report concerning town council concerning Darren Grimes presenting information regarding Memorial Hall. Grimes is no longer a council member as the article stated, but he is a delegate on the Memorial Hall Board.
