By Dana Reynolds

COUNCIL PREVIEW: New infrastructure needed due to lead levels in tap water

Feb 22, 2016 | 5:22 AM

Prince Albert city council meets for the first time in February to discuss almost 20 agenda items from infrastructure, to a demolition, to creating a new hiring committee.

Council will be asked to approve roughly $80,000 to replace service connections in the city’s water distribution system. Lead is present in the city’s drinking water due to the thinning or weakening of household plumbing systems, containing lead in pipes, solders, fixtures, or service connections to homes.

The city found five locations in P.A. with elevated lead levels in the tap water and in need of replacement connections.

These locations are 80 25th St. E., 229 Oxford St., 237 Oxford St., 277 Riverside Dr., and 2119 First Ave. W.

Council will be asked to approve the Cooke Municipal Golf Course’s sponsorship plan. Four local businesses have agreed to sponsor a hole on the course for a set number of dollars and years.

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These businesses include BTR Financial, the Super 8 Prince Albert, Prince Albert Co-Operative Association Limited and Cornerstone Insurance Services Incorporated.

Staff will bring any new sponsors to council in the near future. All proceeds made through the sponsorship will be put towards capital improvements at the golf course.

Council will also be asked to approve the city’s new Investment Attraction Incentives. These incentives are created to influence business investment and used by the city to attain economic goals.

These incentives are created in the form of tax abatements, in order to reduce or eliminate the amount of property tax paid on a sliding scale. Year one, a business will be exempt from property taxes and only after six years will a business pay 100 per cent of its tax portion.

Council will approve the demolition of the Girl Guide building at the corner of 12th St. W. and Sixth Ave. W.

In 2012, city staff discovered a bend in the building’s wood roof beams. Columns were installed temporarily under the beams for support, but it was determined replacement was too costly and the building was marked for demolition.

The total estimated cost to demolish the building is $44,000.

Councillor Lee Atkinson put forth a motion with respect to hiring vacancies in the city’s financial services department. The councillor is asking a professional consultant be contracted to help fill two vacancies in the department: finance director and asstistant finance director.

Atkinson further asks a committee be formed consisting of the city manager, mayor and two councillors to approve possible candidates.

The city council meeting will take place Monday, Feb. 22, 2016 5 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.

dreynolds@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @danitska