S.A.R.M. Division Six Meeting 
                                       June 16, 2009 10:00 am

The annual Division Six SARM meeting was held in the Alex Dillabough Centre in Battleford on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 beginning at 10:00 am.

Darryl Senecal, Division Six Director, called the meeting to order and welcomed the delegates present. He then introduced SARM President David Marit, Vice-President Jim Hallick, Executive Director Ken Engel, Assistant Executive Director Dale Harvey, Director of Agriculture Policy Laurel Feltin, RMAA President Don McCallum, Mark Cooper and Bonnie Bjorndalen from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Gordon King and Andrew Lu from the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure.

Darryl Senecal presented his Division Six Director’s Report to the delegates. SARM is enjoying an excellent relationship with the Provincial Government which is evident in the level of infrastructure funding municipalities have received and in the programs announced. Infrastructure funding has seen an increase of $27 million to bring the total funding to $47 million which will help meet the infrastructure needs of municipalities. Bridges will receive $10 million, Clearing the Path will receive $15 million and Roads to Resources will receive $20 million. The Clearing the Path funding is split between maintenance which is receiving $6 million and construction which is receiving $9 million. All successful applications will be funded at 70% by the provincial government. Darryl congratulated the Town of Kindersley, RM of Kindersley No. 290, RM of Oakdale No. 320, RM of Prairiedale No. 321, RM o Antelope Park No. 322 and the RM of Milton N. 292 for being a runner-up in the Regional Leadership and Partnerships category of the 2009 Municipal Awards Program. He also encouraged all municipalities to submit a nomination package for 2010 Municipal Awards. The delegates then viewed a video featuring one of this year’s nominees.

Darryl then called on President David Marit to give his President’s Address. A document entitled Wake Up Call: The National Vision and Voice We Need for Rural Canada has been developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and details the issues facing rural Canada. The four points outlined in this document include a champion at the cabinet table for rural Canada, rural communities need a long-term plan with long-term funding from the federal government, provide the Rural Secretariat with adequate resources and to protect and expand federal investments in rural communities. This document is available for review on the FCM website. The federal Gas Tax money should be out next Wednesday, yet there seem to be delays. They will be withholding money from those who have not submitted their Annual Expenditure Report. SARM and the provincial government are currently discussing if the rental of the portable pumps and pipeline equipment housed in Moose Jaw at the Ministry of Highways depot could be administered by SARM. They have struck a committee to review this idea to see if they can make it work. The Farm & Ranch Water Infrastructure Program is being looked after by SARM, they have hired expert to assist. PFRA also provides technical assistance to municipalities and SARM has developed a guide to assist municipalities in developing their tender document.

Andrew Lu from the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure did a presentation on the Rural Highways Strategy. The Rural Highway Strategy is one component of the Transportation Strategy which is a five year rolling capital plan. The components of this strategy include gateway corridors, urban highway connectors, rural highway strategy, northern transportation strategy, support for multi-mode transportation (shortline railway, community airports) and highway system stewardship. They are focusing on enhancing the rural system, expanding the primary road system and updating highways. He presented a map which shows the primary weight roads and future expansion, this map is available for viewing on the Highways website.

For prioritizing the upgrading of highways in the province, they will factor in the engineering economics, the socio-economic function, the activity level (traffic volumes, road classification, ATPC priorities), the highway safety considerations (accident statistics, road condition) and provincial economic activity (truck traffic volumes, tourism).

Gordon King, Executive Director with the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure did a presentation on the Municipal Bridge Program and the changes that have been made during this transition year where funding has gone from $3 million to $10 million. The program components include standards, replacement strategy, inspections, design, construction management, maintenance projects, load rating and material supply. With the arrival of Minister Jim Reiter, the remainder of his presentation was put on hold.

The Honourable Jim Reiter, Minister of Highways & Infrastructure, spoke with delegates regarding his appointment as Minister of Highways & Infrastructure and the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP) which now falls under his jurisdiction. He also touched on the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program announced in January, the education tax changes and the new revenue sharing program, now called the Municipal Operating Grant.

Gordon King then resumed his Bridge Presentation. By the end of 2009, the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure will be out of the Municipal Bridge Program and it will be handled by consultants.

SARM Executive Director Ken Engel did a presentation on the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program (MREP). This program came into being as part of this year’s provincial budget and is conditional funding. The unconditional revenue sharing grant, now called the Municipal Operating Grant is administered through Municipal Affairs.. The provincial budget for infrastructure funding for 2009 is a significant increase to $47 million. Currently, a five year agreement is being developed by the provincial government for SARM to administer the MREP. A Program Management Board, which sets criteria and approves applications, will consist of 5 representatives from SARM and 3 representatives from the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure and will have Technical Standards Support from Highways, SARM and consultants (if required). Also a Strategic Planning & Policy Development Support Group will provide assistance. As of 2010, SARM will be managing the Bridge Program under the MREP program and will be looking to hire a Bridge Engineer. The MREP cost sharing is 70% paid by the program and 30% by the municipality.

Lloyd Hartl from Sask Power spoke on the Rural Rebuild Program. The priority of this program is to move overhead power lines out of farmer’s fields. Sask Power will be implementing a strategically targeted rural line rebuild and farmyard relocation program over multiple years. Sask Power will not have to increase rates or borrow money to implement this program. They plan to relocate overhead power lines in cultivated fields to municipal road allowance. Sask Power has reinstated the Farmyard Line Relocation Program this year whereby they will bury the overhead line coming into your farmyard and pay 75% of the construction cost and the customer pays 25% to a maximum of $2,000.00. Contact Sask Power at 1-800-757-6937 for further information on applying for the Farmyard Line Relocation Program.

Murray Purcell, Director for Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance, provided a brief report on their operations over the past year. In 2008, record amounts of coverage were purchased across the province and record losses also resulted. For 2009, they have added an additional 30 inspectors and crop surcharges will remain the same as they were in 2008. He made note of the extremely dry conditions we are currently facing and that you can cancel your municipal hail insurance due to drought. Cancellations are pro-rated depending on the day you cancel but cancellations made up to and including June 30 are eligible for a 100% rebate.

Laurel Feltin the SARM Director of Agriculture Policy reported on the agricultural issues SARM is currently dealing with. With regard to the Tordon 22K Resolution, SARM met with Health Canada in Ottawa and asked how to get Tordon 22K on the GROU list. A letter has been written to the nominating committee asking them to add Tordon 22K to the GROU list. They will continue to monitor this application and keep us informed.

With regard to the Club Root Resolution, SARM sent a letter to Minister Bjornerud and the province invited SARM to participate in a club root committee which has met three times since its formation. No evidence of club root was found in soil samples collected in 2008. For 2009, more soil sample sites have been added, particularly around the Alberta border. This group is working on developing a Club Root Management Plan which will hopefully be public in a few weeks. Also, paperwork is being done to have club root declared as a pest under the Act, which could take up to a year to complete. Once it has been declared a pest then regulations will be drafted.

Agriflexibility is a new program announced by the Canadian government. There is $5 million of funding over the next five years to help the agricultural sector improve their competitiveness and reduce the cost of production to producers. SARM has developed two ideas for funding:

1. SRM disposal facilities for specified risk materials for cattle producers. Currently no facility exists in Saskatchewan, the closest one is located in Coronation Alberta. We should establish sites in Saskatchewan so transportation costs can be reduced for producers.

2. Environmental Farm Program which pays producers for voluntary environmental improvements they make on farm.

Andrew Lu from the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure did a presentation on the Rural Road Classification System on behalf of the Provincial Rural Road Classification Committee. The current road classification system was developed in 2000 and the provincial government approved this system in 2002. All rural roads are classified from Class 1 to Class 7, with Class 1 being the highest class of highway and Class 7 being the lowest class. This classification system is used to help determine funding assistance and to provide a point allocation in funding applications. This Committee is responsible to determine criteria for each road classification and to review any requests for changes to the classification of a road.

No resolutions were submitted.

Moved by RM #382 that the meeting adjourn. Time 2:34