A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in Meota July 9 to celebrate the completion of the new RM office, as well as two water projects.
The new office, located on 1st Street and 2nd Avenue, was built with funding from both provincial and federal incentives; $170,000 from Saskatchewan's Municipal Economic Enhancement Program and $95,000 from the federal gas tax program.
"I hope this building will last 100 years, the same as the last one did," said Wilbert Fennig, RM of Meota reeve.
The former municipal office was built in 1915 and has been declared a heritage site. Fennig joked, "I think we had two plug-ins in the entire building."
Fennig said construction of the new building went off without a hitch, and he was pleased with the work of Bernier Construction Ltd. and Bernier Millworks.
The old office will still be used for administration of the Village of Meota.
Former reeve, Robert L'Heureux, was present at the ribbon cutting ceremony, and recounted his many years of serving as reeve and councillor for Divisions 5 and 6, starting in 1978.
"It's beautiful," said L'Heureux of the new office. "I'm going to run again."
L'Heureux also commended the RM of Meota on the completion of two important water projects.
One project was the construction of a new sewage lagoon, which was undertaken jointly by the RM of Meota, the Village of Meota and the Resort Village of Metinota.
Maryann Germann, administrator for the RM of Meota, said the old lagoon was nearing capacity.
"We needed a new lagoon because Environment was shutting us down. It was ready to breach," she said.
Larry Doke, project manager for the new lagoon, said the facility is designed to handle an increase of 30 per cent. He explained the population using the lagoon has grown by only approximately five per cent in the last four years. Close to 500 households use the lagoon.
"The new lagoon will serve these communities for another 40 to 50 years, easily," said Doke.
The new lagoon naturally decomposes waste in two cells, a treatment cell and a storage cell. The lagoon has a geosynthetic clay liner and a polyethylene liner.
"This is a state of the art lagoon," said Doke.
The project was funded partially by the lagoon users, who paid $1,500 per household, and was approved for $1.7 million from the Building Canada Fund, a new federal infrastructure program.
Doke said due to the economy and a good price on the land, the project cost less than was anticipated.
"The original estimate was $2.4 million, and brought it in at $1.7, so we're considerably under," he said.
Doke announced they've received approval to put the unused portion of the government grant, approximately $600,000, towards a new lift station and force main for the Village of Meota, a project that was previously denied funding.
The second water project entails a deep water line for Maymont Beach.
Ina McOuat, chairman of the Organized Hamlet of Maymont Beach, said water will be going into every house by Aug. 1.
"It was extremely important because now people can live there year-round without having to haul water," said McOuat.
Previously, Maymont Beach had only seasonal hook ups. McOuat said more people are choosing to live there all year, and commute to North Battleford. She said the 33 households connected to the line, which include a young couple with a baby, as well as older couples, will benefit from the change.
"It's very exciting. People are really going to be more excited this winter when they don't have to haul water," said McOuat.
The on-going project, which began five years ago, included a new well and treatment plant. The deep water line is the last phase of the project, and was funded a third by the provincial government, a third by the federal government and a third by the households using the line.
Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Michael Chisholm attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and commended the RM on the improvements, saying, "Your community has always been an example to the province as an RM that's been able to look outside the box."
