The holidays are behind us and everyone is getting back in the swing of things in the City of Estevan. The City Council had a packed meeting filled with many topics to be discussed. However, two topics became the highlights of the first council meeting for 2017.

First, City Council approved a motion to purchase the building previously owned by Murray GM on 13th avenue for the purpose of transforming the property into the new location for the Estevan Fire Department. The purchase comes at a cost of $2.3 million.

A few of the problems that the Estevan Fire Department currently has in their main headquarters are the lack of space and the concern for safety in the area when they respond to active situations. City Council had the pleasure to visit the former location of Murray GM to inspect if the location is suitable for the department's operations. 

"This building will give us the opportunity to have more room for general operations, as well as a larger space for parking and taking out the apparatus in case of an event," expressed Mayor Roy Ludwig. 

The investment into a brand new fire hall would run between $7 - $9 million for the city. By purchasing this existing property, for a total of $2.3 million, the city is saving anywhere between $5 - $7 million.

Councillor Travis Frank brought up the point that this will give the opportunity for additional vehicles in the future - should it be needed. Councillor Dennis Moore also chipped in and mentioned that it will be a win-win situation for both the city and the department with the savings that they will incur down the line. As pointed out by the Mayor, the lot is a prime location because it is at the heart of the city, meaning better response time for situations inside the city.

The motion to purchase the lot was approved by Councillor Travis Frank, seconded by Councillor Lyle Yanish. 

The flood that occurred on July 10, 2016 devastated the entire city. One of the effects that came about was sewage being clogged by the amount of water going through the same "pipeline" at the time, ultimately damaging many properties in the area. To prevent this from happening, the City of Estevan are looking to submit applications for grant funding through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF). 

"A couple of projects refer to flood water going into the sanitary line, which is unacceptable practice. This is because if you get heavy rains, it simply clogs everything up, causing problems for everyone. What we're proposing is the sanitary line being on its own system, which is separated from the storm-line," added Mayor Ludwig. 

The lines that are in consideration are located in the Westview area and Hillside & King Street area. The motion has been passed by Council to submit applications for the funding. In total, both projects would cost about $17 million, but will be alleviated through the CWWF once approved. Mayor Ludwig, alongside City Manager Jeff Ward, stresses that they will not be moving forward with these projects in 2017, but will be considered in the future. 

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As well, in the agenda was Rick Davies being sworn into his new position in the Estevan Fire Department as the Deputy Fire Chief, amendments to the Cemetery Bylaw, changes to the Building Bylaw, and Mayor Roy Ludwig addressing the public to start 2017.