By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Rural health care was the topic of discussion for a lively public forum that drew a crowd of 100 to the Craik Legion Hall.

Rural and remote health minister Greg Ottenbreit, representing the Saskatchewan Party, was joined by the leaders of the other four major political parties in the province on March 5.

For three hours, they answered a series of four prepared questions, along with approved questions from audience members, dealing with rural health concerns.

Town councillor David Ashdown, who serves as chair of the Craik and District Health Care Committee, moderated the discussion.

The event was scheduled exactly one year after local residents visited the legislature, protesting the erosion of health services and demanding action.

While the committee continues to push for improved services, Ashdown said the forum’s purpose was to discuss wider issues in rural health care.

The five participants were provided with the four main questions in advance. Responses were timed, with sharply-dressed Mayor Rick Rogers manning the bell.

Ottenbreit defended his party’s record on health care — pointing to achievements like reduced surgical wait times and the hiring of 650 doctors and 3,000 nurses — and said services have improved greatly since the NDP era.

“We inherited a system that had drifted away from a patient-first mentality,” he said.

While the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program has helped to fill vacancies, Ottenbreit said his government also wants to retain local graduates and attract them to rural postings.

NDP leader Cam Broten was direct, pledging that if his party forms the next government, they would restore emergency services to the Craik and District Health Centre.

“We have the right facility, this needs to be a priority,” he told the Leader later, adding that restoring Craik’s serivces would also reduce pressure on city facilities.

Broten drew applause as he claimed that the Saskatchewan Party was ignoring rural concerns, saying, “From my vantage point, they’re taking you for granted.”

The NDP leader singled out local MLAs Greg Brkich (in attendance) and Lyle Stewart (not) for failing to stand up for their constituents.

He also criticized what he called a lack of political leadership at the top, pledging to cut administrative waste and to boost the number of front-line workers.

For the full story, please see the March 14 edition of The Davidson Leader.

By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Last Sunday afternoon, Paul and Crystal Stinson and their son Grayden were out of town, seeing the stage play “Ring of Fire” in Outlook.

Had they been at their home near Craik, they would have witnessed another ring of fire altogether.

A grass fire broke out northeast of town on the afternoon of Feb. 28, torching upwards of half an acre of grass before it was stopped by the local volunteer fire department.

No injuries were reported, nor was there any damage to the Stinsons’ home, or any of the other houses on the east side of Arm Lake.

Fire chief Boyd Sanden said he received the call at 3:54 p.m. on Sunday, adding that his crew subdued the fire in about 45 minutes. Including perimeter checks, the fire department was on the scene for roughly an hour.

He said a resident had started a fire in a small pit near one of the houses, when a strong wind picked up some burning papers and carried them over to the grass.

“When it hit that tall grass, it just took off,” said Sanden, estimating that well over half an acre of grass was burned. Some trees on the edge of the dam suffered minor damage as well.

Sanden said some residents offered their assistance, and that together they were able to work from opposite ends in fighting the fire, eventually meeting in the middle.

Rather than running hundreds of feet worth of hose from their trucks, Sanden said his crew used a combination of shovels and high-powered leafblowers to gradually conquer the flames.

He said the latter tools can be highly useful in putting out certain fires, depending on how the fires are being fuelled. He likened it to blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.

For the full story, please see the March 7, 2016 edition of The Davidson Leader. To subscribe, email: davidsonleader@sasktel.net

By Joel van der Veen

CRAIK — Two weeks after receiving a proposal to restructure the Town of Craik as an organized hamlet, councillors have concluded that the decision isn’t theirs to make.

At the close of a special meeting on Thursday, members of town council did not make a formal resolution, but agreed to issue a statement, as worded by Coun. David Ashdown.

“It is not within the jurisdiction of this council to either approve or reject the proposal to change the status of the town to an organized hamlet,” reads the statement.

“We recognize the importance of finding a financially viable solution to providing potable water, and we are committed to pursuing and examining all possible options.”

A delegation from the Water Task Force, consisting of members Dermot McCaw and Mark Wegner, had visited council during its Feb. 11 meeting.

They brought with them a proposal that the town look into restructuring itself and effectively becoming part of the rural municipality, as a last-ditch effort to obtain the necessary resources to address its looming infrastructure costs.

Councillors had tabled the proposal and agreed to discuss it at a special meeting two weeks later. None of them appeared enthusiastic about the idea of losing town status and effectively ceding control to the RM.

“It doesn’t look very good,” said Mayor Rick Rogers. “We’d be really going backwards if we turned ourselves into a hamlet.”

Ashdown said he appreciated the idea being brought forward and that it had generated plenty of conversation, but challenged the idea that council could be the catalyst for that sort of change in the town’s status.

Having reviewed the relevant portions of The Municipalities Act, Ashdown said it was his understanding that a petition brought forward by a group of ratepayers would be necessary to begin the process.

Restructuring would also require approval from the Ministry of Government Relations, which Ashdown viewed as unlikely.

Coun. Charla Edwards, who serves on the Water Task Force, said she wasn’t prepared to take the restructuring option off the table entirely.

“I can’t say yes or no,” she said. “Until there’s something else on the board, I’m not saying no to that.”

Edwards said she would still need more information before she could decide one way or the other, adding that the town’s situation seems somewhat hopeless.

“I’ve never had a meeting where we didn’t discuss how we were going to afford something,” she said. “I’m getting to the point where I don’t even get a glimpse of hope anymore.”

Administrator Sarah Wells challenged the notion that the town was headed for bankruptcy, noting that its only significant debt, the debenture on the water plant, would be paid off in two years.

“We’re not broke yet,” she said, adding that restructuring is “not our only option.”

While the town may eventually face fines or other punitive measures from the Water Security Agency, Wells said the agency is unlikely to pursue that route as long as the town continues to work towards restoring potable water.

She painted a grim picture of how restructuring would affect the town’s future. Council would be dissolved and a hamlet board would represent community concerns to the RM, which would collect taxes and control spending.

Wells said the RM would not be obligated to keep the water service running. Others predicted that this could lead to the closure of the school and the health centre.

“We’ll turn into Girvin,” said Wells. “People will move, the businesses will move.”

“Don’t you think Cheryl would just be laughing all the way to the departure lounge?” said Ashdown, referring to Five Hills Health Region CEO Cheryl Craig.

Councillors agreed that if restructuring was not the way to move forward, they would need to keep looking at other options.

Ashdown suggested raising water rates, which he said are substantially lower than in other municipalities. He said the average user in Craik pays $18 per month.

Council again discussed the possibility of seeking another source for municipal water, and whether or not the existing plant could be adapted to treat well water.

Ashdown said he had reached out to the office of Wascana MP Ralph Goodale, the province’s only Liberal MP, whose staff had promised to provide more information on infrastructure funding.

Wells said she had been advised to reach out to municipal consultant Lorri Matthewson. Councillors responded positively, directing her to inquire about the consultant’s services and possibly inviting her to meet with council.

The town is also waiting on a final engineering report from KGS Group, outlining specific options and costs regarding the water plant.

CRAIK — Two weeks after receiving a proposal to restructure the Town of Craik as an organized hamlet, councillors have concluded that the decision isn’t theirs to make.

At the close of a special meeting on Thursday, members of town council did not make a formal resolution, but agreed to issue a statement, as worded by Coun. David Ashdown.

“It is not within the jurisdiction of this council to either approve or reject the proposal to change the status of the town to an organized hamlet,” reads the statement.

“We recognize the importance of finding a financially viable solution to providing potable water, and we are committed to pursuing and examining all possible options.”

A delegation from the Water Task Force, consisting of members Dermot McCaw and Mark Wegner, had visited council during its Feb. 11 meeting.

They brought with them a proposal that the town look into restructuring itself and effectively becoming part of the rural municipality, as a last-ditch effort to obtain the necessary resources to address its looming infrastructure costs.

Councillors had tabled the proposal and agreed to discuss it at a special meeting two weeks later. None of them appeared enthusiastic about the idea of losing town status and effectively ceding control to the RM.

“It doesn’t look very good,” said Mayor Rick Rogers. “We’d be really going backwards if we turned ourselves into a hamlet.”

Ashdown said he appreciated the idea being brought forward and that it had generated plenty of conversation, but challenged the idea that council could be the catalyst for that sort of change in the town’s status.

Having reviewed the relevant portions of The Municipalities Act, Ashdown said it was his understanding that a petition brought forward by a group of ratepayers would be necessary to begin the process.

Restructuring would also require approval from the Ministry of Government Relations, which Ashdown viewed as unlikely.

Coun. Charla Edwards, who serves on the Water Task Force, said she wasn’t prepared to take the restructuring option off the table entirely.

“I can’t say yes or no,” she said. “Until there’s something else on the board, I’m not saying no to that.”

Edwards said she would still need more information before she could decide one way or the other, adding that the town’s situation seems somewhat hopeless.

“I’ve never had a meeting where we didn’t discuss how we were going to afford something,” she said. “I’m getting to the point where I don’t even get a glimpse of hope anymore.”

Administrator Sarah Wells challenged the notion that the town was headed for bankruptcy, noting that its only significant debt, the debenture on the water plant, would be paid off in two years.

“We’re not broke yet,” she said, adding that restructuring is “not our only option.”

While the town may eventually face fines or other punitive measures from the Water Security Agency, Wells said the agency is unlikely to pursue that route as long as the town continues to work towards restoring potable water.

She painted a grim picture of how restructuring would affect the town’s future. Council would be dissolved and a hamlet board would represent community concerns to the RM, which would collect taxes and control spending.

Wells said the RM would not be obligated to keep the water service running. Others predicted that this could lead to the closure of the school and the health centre.

“We’ll turn into Girvin,” said Wells. “People will move, the businesses will move.”

“Don’t you think Cheryl would just be laughing all the way to the departure lounge?” said Ashdown, referring to Five Hills Health Region CEO Cheryl Craig.

Councillors agreed that if restructuring was not the way to move forward, they would need to keep looking at other options.

Ashdown suggested raising water rates, which he said are substantially lower than in other municipalities. He said the average user in Craik pays $18 per month.

Council again discussed the possibility of seeking another source for municipal water, and whether or not the existing plant could be adapted to treat well water.

Ashdown said he had reached out to the office of Wascana MP Ralph Goodale, the province’s only Liberal MP, whose staff had promised to provide more information on infrastructure funding.

Wells said she had been advised to reach out to municipal consultant Lorri Matthewson. Councillors responded positively, directing her to inquire about the consultant’s services and possibly inviting her to meet with council.

The town is also waiting on a final engineering report from KGS Group, outlining specific options and costs regarding the water plant.