The RM of Estevan's latest council meeting on Sept. 6 dealt with a number of issues from drainage obstruction to development of a work camp.
After a group proposing a work camp off Highway 39 heading west of Estevan was denied a permit by the RM, who cited problems with waste disposal, security and road access, a second proposal has hit similar hurdles. The latest group has not addressed the same issues that led to the failure of getting a permit to add a work camp in the Shand Road Industrial District.
Greg Hoffort, RM administrator, said that if the group comes up with solutions to these issues and returns with a more rounded proposal, the RM would be happy to grant permits for the camp.
"When you're mining coal, you are changing the way the land looks. That's inevitable," he said.
There are regulations set out by the province that deal with the issues of obstructing drainage, Hoffort said, noting that it's years like this one that really show how important those regulations are. As the concern was raised at council, the RM is speaking directly with Luscar Ltd., who is working at the area in question.
The RM issued tenders for the cleaning of 38 septic tanks in Hitchcock. Hoffort said while the grey water system is drained to a lagoon, the tanks are cleaned out each year. The work is scheduled later in the year because of water issues that were present in the spring.
The municipality hired four temporary employees to add to the work crew's payroll. Because of the severity of road damage in the RM, the extra hands should help get some of those roads back in order. Two office clerks were also given approval to begin working at the RM, and development permits for two shops and four dwellings were approved at the council sitting as well.
