News and notes from the Feb. 6 regular meeting of Estevan city council.
Kaitlyn Pilloud was introduced as the new student member of council at the meeting. Pilloud is a student of the Estevan Comprehensive School.
She replaced Jayden Dayman who served as the student member for the first semester of the school year. Dayman was on hand for the meeting and thanked the members of council for allowing him to have a voice during meetings and providing prompt replies to any questions or issues he raised.
A request to sell liquor at the Civic Auditorium drew concerns from members of council.
Logan Baniulis, the president of the Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast Rec Hockey League, sent a letter to council asking for permission to sell beer and liquor during their year-end tournament March 24 and 25 at the Auditorium.
Baniulis said the alcohol would be sold at the east end of the arena in the same area the Estevan Bruins used when they occupied the facility.
However some members of council, notably Brian Johnson and Chris Istace, expressed concerns about Baniulis' request and said they would like to see more details before they make a decision.
Permission from the City must be granted before the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Association will issue a special events permit to those using City facilities.
A letter from the Sun Country Health Region was also met with concern by council.
The City has been invited to become part of Sun Country's community leadership network. In a letter to the City, Sun Country chairwoman Sharon Bauche said the network would include members from local municipal governments from a geographically defined area. There would be four networks within the region.
"It is our goal to establish community leadership networks to compliment and enhance the partnerships that are currently in place with community health advisory networks," Bauche said in her letter.
Mayor Gary St. Onge said he was concerned with Bauche's request, noting that members of the leadership network would be bound by the same code of ethics that is followed by Sun Country's governing board. Of particular concern is the section that prevents members from discussing an opposing view once a decision has been made by the health region.
The City and Sun Country have butted heads on a handful of issues over the past few years and the City has been particularly critical of how the region has handled the local doctor shortage with St. Onge going as far as saying that Sun Country does not care about Estevan at a previous meeting.
"To me this would be a step backwards," St. Onge said of the request. "I don't think I personally would want to be part of a group that once we bring forward our concerns they can make a decision and we can't say anything about it. If they really want input, they would not make that part of the requirements."
St. Onge said he would like to see a City representative attend the first meeting and ask what they will be allowed to say and what is the purpose of the network.
