R.M. of Cote No. 271
RATEPAYER INFORMATION 2022
528 Third Ave. South, Box 669, Kamsack, SK S0A 1S0, office: 306-542-2121, fax: 306-542-2428
E-mail: rm271@sasktel.net
Website: rmofcote271.com
Office Hours:
Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office is closed statutory holidays.
2022 Election:
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 is election day for the following positions on council: division 2, 4, and 6.
Eligibility of a Candidate in a Rural Municipality:
- Is at least 18 years of age on the day of the election;
- Is not disqualified;
- Is a Canadian citizen at the time their nomination paper is submitted;
- Has resided in SK for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the date the nomination pater is submitted; and
- Resides in Sask.; and
- Is eligible to vote in the R.M.
** Note that you do not need to reside in the division you wish to put your name forward to, however you need to be nominated by two people in that division. For further information on being an elected official please contact the municipal office.
Municipal Council:
Reeve: Kim Pennell 306-542-7493
Division 1: Amanda Burback 306-597-2115
Division 2: Vern Bowes 306-597-4502
Division 3: Craig Salahub 306-542-3337
Division 4: Dale Schwartz 306-597-4535
Division 5: Glen Becenko 306-542-7647
Division 6: Murray Horkoff 306-542-2259
Staff:
Administrator: Sherry Guenther
Operators: Russell Rauckman
Daniel Maitland
Michael Barker
Council Meetings:
Council meets the second Wednesday of the month unless otherwise changed at Council’s discretion beginning at 9:00 a.m. If you wish to address Council or attend a regular meeting, Council requires a brief written letter regarding your concern(s) to the office the Friday before the meeting to have your delegation placed on the agenda. (Bylaw No. 3/2016 Council Procedures Bylaw).
Payment of Taxes:
The office will accept payment of taxes by cheque, cash or e-Transfer. The office does not have a debit/credit card machine. Remember: payment is received the day we get the cheque not the date the cheque is dated or envelope is postmarked. You can always mail a post-dated cheque early and it will be processed on the date.
Population:
At the 2016 census the population of the municipality was 548, in 2021 the population number rose to 616.
Open House:
Thank you to all who attended the open house that was held on March 30, 2022 to discuss the R.M.’s asset management plan that is being developed by Zacaruk Consulting. Door prize winners that evening were Doug Derwores, Carol Marriott, Carol Geerts and John Petyshyn (R.M. of Preeceville).
Policies:
Council has approved the following policies to date in 2022: Outside Employee PPE Wear Policy, Road Allowance Policy, Cold Weather Policy and a Towing Policy. If you wish to obtain a copy of one or more they are available at the office or on the website in the near future.
Report Wild Boar:
If you see a wild boar, report it immediately to the local SCIC (Sask. Crop Insurance Corp.). Feral pigs can act as a carrier for livestock diseases such as African Swine Fever. It is important to keep human food waste inaccessible to feral pigs. Take steps to avoid attracting feral pigs to your premises by ensuring your barns, feed storage containers and waste bins are well secured.
Call 1-888-935-0000 if you spot a wild boar.
R.M. Mowing:
Friesen Mowing has been contracted again for 2022 for ditch mowing in the municipality.
Gravel Hauling 2022:
Gravel tenders for loading/hauling were placed on Sask Tenders for this year. The loading and hauling tender was awarded to Kam-Crete Ltd. from Kamsack.
Hay Salvage and Ditch Mowing:
For information on the hay salvage and mowing program through the Gov’t of Sask. Contact the local district office in Yorkton at 306-786-1658.
Controlled Burns:
Call 1-866-404-4911 if you plan to burn in the R.M. and be prepared with fire guards in place. The number is answered 24/7, 365 days. Be ready to answer the following questions:
- What is your land location? - What is your R.M. number?
- Who is the fire service provider? - What are your location details?
- What are you burning? - How long will you be burning?
- Your name and phone number?
- You will be asked to call back once the burn has been completed.
R.M. of Cote’s Runnymede Transfer Station Site:
Open the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. From the May long weekend to October long weekend the site will be open the first and third Saturday of each month.
Location: PT SE 12-29-31 W1. One mile north through Runnymede. The transfer station was inspected in October 2018 by the Ministry of Environment. NO painted, treated or stained wood. NO shingles are to be left at the transfer station.
Section 10 (1)(a)(b) of The Municipal Refuse Management Regulations states that no person shall dispose of: automobiles or other large metal objects; pesticides and other hazardous wastes, or any material or thing treated with any of those substances, including the receptacles containing them.
NO GRAIN BAGS AND TWINE IN THE BINS!!! The twine gets tangled in the compactor and loader. Contact Dallon Leger at 306-562-8112 for more information or check out Cleanfarms website.
For agriculture plastics such as pesticide containers and fertilizer bags check out Cleanfarms website for more information and collection sites.
The City of Yorkton Landfill is accepting clean, rolled grain bags free of charge. Please contact them ahead of time for guidelines and hours. Silage bags are not accepted. Call 306-828-2470.
Conservation Officers are empowered to investigate and lay charges for littering when appropriate. CO’s along with environmental protection officers will also investigate illegal landfill dumping sites. To report call 1-800-667-7561
The R.M. has recycle bins at the R.M. shop in Kamsack and two at Runnymede. Please make sure ALL lids on ALL bins are closed.
Green Center:
Is a family owned recycle facility located at the front of the City of Yorkton landfill. This facility offers a lower price rate for the dumping of used concrete, wood, asphalt and asphalt shingles into landfills. Contact their office at 306-620-8338 or grgreencenter@gmail.com for further information, rates and hours of operation.
Parkland Regional Waste Management Authority Regional Landfill:
The PRWMA owns and operates a regional landfill located approximately 12 km’s west of Preeceville. Contact the R.M. office for hours and further information.
Garbage Bins:
Report garbage bin abuse to the R.M. office. Failure to maintain these bin sites, will force the R.M. to seek alternative operation procedures for garbage collections. NOTE that the bins are for household garbage only!! When other items are thrown in it fills up the bins and causes a mess before the truck comes back to the area to empty them.
There were issues this spring again with bins overflowing with garbage. Remember that when spring road bans are on the truck does not come to some divisions for pick up. If you find the bins full please take the garbage home and bring it back once the bins have been emptied. The garbage bins are emptied every two weeks when roads bans are not in place. If you see someone who should not be dumping at the bins please contact your councillor or the office. Remember it is your tax dollars that pay for this essential service!!!
Visit: saskwastereduction.ca for information on recycling, reducing waste and other great information. Click on the “recycle” tab for info in your area. You may need to expand your search to larger communities.
TIPP:
If you suspect wildfires, fisheries, forestry or environmental violations, call the TIPP number or submit your report online. Environmental violations include illegal dumping and burning of plastics, tires and other waste. All reports are investigated and calls are confidential. You may be eligible for a cash reward.
Saskatchewan.ca/tipp, 1-800-667-7561, SaskTel cell #5555
Suspicious behavior, theft, or other concerns:
The R.M. has been in talks with the RCMP and they would like ratepayers to know that any thefts that may occur should be reported to the local RCMP detachment. You may feel it is a small issue or nothing will be done, but any contribution brought forward would greatly be appreciated to them. If you see something or someone out of the ordinary in your area please contact the detachment or the municipal office. Only you know your area and by working together we can make the R.M. of Cote a safe environment for all.
Defacing of municipal signs:
The defacing and/or theft of traffic and road signs in the municipality is only costing the ratepayers and may cause harm or injury to the public. Please report any signs down or missing to the office.
Resiliency in Agriculture:
Agriculture is rooted in strength and resiliency. Farming can be both a rewarding and incredibly demanding occupation. Sask. producers and their families experience a number of unique factors that can impact their health and safety, as well as overall happiness.
Factors affecting stress on the farm:
· Weather and uncertain crop yields
· Financial stressors and large debt loads
· Long working hours and strenuous physical labor
· Machinery breakdowns and livestock well being
· Isolation
· And many others
As a result, farmers and their families are susceptible to high levels of mental health concerns, including chronic stress, depression, anxiety and suicide. We treat farm equipment with care, doing regular maintenance and upkeep, but are we providing the same level of care and attention to our own bodies and minds?
Resilience is the capacity to adapt and overcome difficult situations and cope in a healthy way. Being resilient doesn’t mean that a person will not face trauma, stressful situations and inevitable adversity, bur rather empower you to grow and improve your life along the way. For people working in agriculture, resilience is a key requirement to thrive and be successful through challenging or uncertain times.
Self-care is the foundation of a healthy life. We can’t be, feel, or do our best - and this includes work, relationships, health, happiness, everything - when we short-change or sacrifice our own health and well-being for prolonged periods.
Farm Stress Line: 1-800-667-4442, confidential and no call display.
Sask. Suicide Hotline: 306-525-5333
Installation of Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Smoke Alarms:
The Building Code Regulations require carbon monoxide alarms and smoke alarms (or combination carbon monoxide-smoke alarms) be installed in all residential buildings in Saskatchewan, regardless of the date the building was constructed. Enforcement will begin on July 1, 2022. If you have any questions or concerns contact Building and Technical Standards Branch inquiry at 306-787-4113 or e-mail at btstandards@gov.sk.ca.
2022 Mill Rate:
The mill rate for 2022 has remained unchanged at 8.3 from 2019. During the COVID years council has not increased the mill rate.
Education Property Tax Mill Rates:
The provincial budget held on March 23, 2022 saw an increase in the education property mill rate on all four property classes:
Agricultural 1.36 (2021) 1.42 (2022)
Residential 4.46 (2021) 4.54 (2022)
Commercial/Ind. 6.75 (2021) 6.86 (2022)
Resource 9.79 (2021) 9.88 (2022)
2021 financial statements are available at the R.M. office. If you wish a copy e-mailed to you please contact the office.
Tax Arrears: Municipal arrears as of June 30, 2021 (before 2022 tax notices were sent) are: $30, 148.00.
2022 Municipal Budget: Main revenue sources for the rural municipality comes from the general municipal levy and revenue sharing from the Government of Saskatchewan. The revenue sharing for the Hamlet of Runnymede is $3,770 (2021 was $5,253) and for the R.M. is $196,980 (2021 was $198,331). Other sources are from custom work, fees and charges, grant-in-lieu’s, interest revenue, grants/funding applied for, etc.
It is understandable that individuals do not “see where their tax dollars go” so here is a brief breakdown of some of the bigger expenses of the municipality and what was approximately budgeted for 2022:
2022 Budget 2021 Actual
Gravel: gravel, royalties, $235,000 $281,935
In 2021 gravel was crushed in three pits for future use,
costs were $143,540.00
Police requisition $32,250 $27,102
Eaglestone Lodge Capital Contribution $5,000 $5,000
Assiniboine Valley Health & Wellness Foundation $6,160 $5,480
$10/capita
Library requisition $7,370 $7,370
Fire agreement with the Town of Kamsack $21,750 $21,750
Culvert work for six divisions, culvert purchases $74,000 $28,992
Bush/Patchwork for six divisions $60,000 $40,181
Insurance/benefits $47,600 $42,500
Amortization $160,590 $161,253
SAMA $12,520 $11,370
Wages: employees/council indemnities $317,000 $297,269
Utilities: office, shop, Hamlet of Runnymede $19,250 $16,100
Oil and Gas $105,000 $54,240
2020 772G grader loan (principal & interest) $88,500
PRWMA (garbage), transfer station maintenance $55,900 $49,960
Mowing contract $61,000 $54,400
Municipal Snow Removal (NEW account) $13,000
Municipal Mulching (NEW account) $30,000
Asset management (for future capital purchases/projects)$101,300 $186,315
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