R.M. of Cote No. 271
RATEPAYER INFORMATION 2024
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, see us on Facebook
Office Hours:
Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The office is closed statutory holidays.
2024 Election:
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 is election day for the following positions: Reeve, Division 1, 3, and 5 councillor.
** 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 (councillor position). For further information on being an elected official please contact the municipal office.
A by-election date for Division 4 will be discussed at the July 10, 2024 council meeting. This seat is vacant after the recent passing of Councillor Dale Schwartz. Dale served as the Division 4 councillor with the R.M. of Cote No. 271 from 1979-2024, 45 years. Thank you for your service to local government.
Municipal Council:
Reeve: Ralph Hilderman 306-542-7160
Division 1: Amanda Burback 306-542-9151
Division 2: Dale Nelson 306-542-8191
Division 3: Murry Hunter 306-542-7651
Division 4: Chris Schwartz 306-542-7919
Division 5: Tanner Chutskoff 306-542-9121
Division 6: Murray Horkoff 306-542-2259
Staff:
Administrator: Sherry Guenther
Foreman: Russell Rauckman
Council Meetings:
Council meets the second Wednesday of the month unless otherwise changed at Council’s discretion. Meetings begin at 9:00 a.m.
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.
Contact Numbers to have close by:
Control Burn #: 1-866-404-4911
Report Wild Boar: 1-888-935-0000
Welfare of livestock, companion animals and wildlife: (Animal Protection Services of SK) 306-382-0002
Hunting/trapping violations: SK Environment 306-567-4224 or 306-667-7561
Rabies Response Line: 1-844-772-2437
Hay Salvage & Ditch Mowing (local district office): 306-786-1658
Suspicious behavior, theft, or other concerns: contact the local RCMP detachment or R.M. office
Defacing of municipal signs or signs missing: contact R.M. office
Division 4 Plant Health Officer: Katey Makohoniuk CCA, Tech Ag 306-594-7683. For questions/concerns regarding: clubroot, insects, weeds and plants. She is a fountain of knowledge!
TIPP: Saskatchewan.ca/tipp, 1-800-667-7561, SaskTel cell #5555. If you suspect, wildfires, fishery/forestry violations, illegal dumping and burning of plastics, tires and other waste.
Farm Stress Line: 1-800-667-4442, confidential and no call display.
Sask. Suicide Hotline: 306-525-5333
Beaver Control Program:
The R.M. is participating in the BCP 2024-2025 with SARM. Contact the office for more information. A valid fur trapping license is required to participate in the program.
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.
Garbage Bins:
Report garbage bin abuse to the R.M. office. 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. 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!!!
From the Parkland Regional Waste Management Authority: The landfill does NOT accept the following items: tires, batteries, asbestos, chemical containers, any form of liquid waste, paint, animal carcasses, hot loads (temperature). These items must be removed from the landfill at a cost to all members. Repeated deliveries of prohibited items will result in monetary fines and potential service disruptions. PLEASE do not toss the above mentioned in our R.M. bins!!
Municipal Gravel:
Council’s plan is to crush gravel every two years for municipal use. Crushing last occurred in 2023. Please note that due to unexpected higher gravel usage last year and this year, gravel will not be available for sale to ratepayers in 2024.
Custom Work – Snow Removal:
During the winter season the R.M. of Cote offers snow removal to ratepayers. Please refer to the municipal website or in office to review the Winter Road Maintenance and Snow Plowing Policy for information. This service will be invoiced by the office at the custom work rates established by Council. It is the responsibility of the ratepayer to complete the contract work-snow plowing form that is on the website or available in the office. The form shall be filled out and submitted to the office before the work is done.
Municipal Road Allowances:
Section 12(1) of The Municipalities Act states that the municipality has the direction, control and management of all roads, other than provincial highways, within the municipality. If you wish to lease a road allowance contact your divisional councillor or the office. If you wish to do work on a road allowance contact your councillor first or submit a letter of request to the office. If your request is approved a work authorization permit will be issued.
The road allowances are managed by Council, not the ratepayers. If you are doing work on a road allowance, e.g. spraying, seeding, gravelling, grading, etc. you are doing so on land that is not yours.
Farm Facts:
Food and farming are a big deal in Canada, giving us food, fuel, fibre, flowers and fields of work. What agriculture looks like, and what it means, though, depend on where in Canada you live. There are farms of all types and sizes, from small orchards and vineyards to large grain farms, greenhouses and cattle ranches.
Farms are family: 97% of Canada’s farms are family owned and operated.
Farms are bigger than before: The average farm size has doubled in the last 50 years, as technology has made it easier for farmers to manage bigger farms. In 2021, the average Canadian farm was 809 acres.
How big is an acre: 150 cars parked in a square, 16 tennis courts or 1,032 king size beds.
Farms are disappearing at a slower rate than in the past: In the most recent census, the number of farms in Canada declined by only 1.9% to 189,874, the smallest drop in 25 years.
Did you know... that according to the latest Census of Agriculture, about 30% of Canada’s farmers are women!
R.M. garage sale:
At the Organized Hamlet of Runnymede’s AGM in May there was a discussion on holding a garage sale at the Runnymede Hall. This would be open to ratepayers of the R.M. to purchase a table to sell any of their unwanted treasures. If you are interested in participating in a municipal garage sale contact the R.M. office.
2025 Re-valuation year:
The Sask. Assessment Management Agency (SAMA) conducts revaluations based on a four-year cycle as required by legislation. 2025 will see assessed values updated to reflect a new base date of January 1, 2023. Every landowner in the R.M. will receive an assessment notice in the spring of next year.
2024 Mill Rate:
Council has set the 2024 mill rate at 9.5. The rate has remained unchanged from 2023.
2023 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 24, 2024 (before 2024 tax notices were sent) are: $14,032.00.