City Council unveiled it's five-year plan in council chambers on Monday night revealing they intend to spend close to $16 million in capital expenditures over the next half decade with $6,216,000 being spent in water and sewer projects.

The key projects include, renovating or replacing the Colosseum, a public library addition and renovation, a water storage reservoir, a primary sewage treatment project, moving City Hall and renovations to the federal building in 2001 and upgrading of fire equipment.

City commissioner Bob Smith said Council has not finalized any of the plans.

"The Colosseum - this 38-year-old building could be replaced with a new arena, renovated with new stands, floor, lobby and dressing rooms, or just upgrade the facility based on a priority-list basis," said Smith.

Within the five-year plan, $1,064,710 is itemized toward the Colosseum.

"A public library addition could link the existing building to the new regional library headquarters facility. Preliminary plans call for a new area for children's reading and provision for the "Big Wheel" mosaic to be relocated from City Hall. The existing library requires an elevator and renovations would include a new roof and new windows," said Smith.

Within the five-year plan $721,000 is itemized toward the public library.

"The northeast quadrant of the City would see a one-million gallon underground storage reservoir for peak consumption periods and improve water pressure in the area. The primary lagoon would have an extended aeration system installed and then a mechanical treatment plant would improve the quality of sewage," said Smith.

Within the five-year plan, $4,970,000 is itemized toward the storage reservoirs and the primary lagoon projects.

"The present post office building will become our next City Hall in 2001. The building was constructed in 1957, and will require some upgrading to accommodate public offices and council chambers. Funding will be provided from a City Hall reserve," said Smith

Within the five-year plan, $900,000 is itemized toward the Federal Building (new City Hall).

"The City has a five-year replacement program to upgrade the fire-fighting equipment. It is expected that the 1976 Posium fire truck will be replaced in 2000/2001. The estimated $225,000 will be spread out over two years as delivery time is expected to be six to eight months," said Smith.

Within the five-year plan, $293,347 is dedicated toward fire vehicles and equipment with the remaining $68,347 being accounted for through additional equipment purchases and smaller projects.

Another $1,339,200 is itemized within the transportation equipment pool of the five-year plan.

City Council also responded on what has become an ongoing scrap with the RM of Weyburn.

The RM of Weyburn wrote a letter to council stating that it will not be participating in the City's landfill and if RM rate payers require landfill services, they make their own arrangements with the City, which was carried unanimously by the RM council.

Mayor Schlosser said at this point Weyburn residents pay $17.50 per person for "every man, woman and child in Weyburn" to pay for the landfill.

City engineer Bob Kinash said at other landfills no one is allowed to deposit refuse unless they are members of the landfill.

The RM of Weyburn also sent another letter to the City of Weyburn asking the City to repairs a road.

"This road was built to provide access to land due to flooding caused by construction of the dam on Souris River, and the road was not properly built and rip rapped," said RM Councillor Jack Giroux, at the RM of Weyburn meeting on Aug. 10.

The road was built 17 to 18 years ago as a favour to a land owner, and there is no liability for the City to repair the road, said City administrators.

Councillor Mike Pickering said he hoped the two councils could operate closer together rather allowing a wedge to be driven between the urban and rural communities.

Mayor Schlosser stated there was nothing in writing tying City Council to the maintenance of the road and later in an open-ended question asked, "What is fiscally responsible?"

Councillor Marlene Nedelcov moved to deny the request from the RM of Weyburn and Councillor Button seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously.

Commissioner Smith also received correspondence from Canadian Pacific Railway saying trains might become longer and more frequent in the Moose Jaw-to-Chicago corridor. Smith reminded residents that trains are still governed under federal legislation which states:

"No part of a train or engine may be allowed to stand on any part of a public crossing at grade for a longer period than five minutes, when vehicular traffic requires passage."

Councillor Marlene Nedelcov asked residents to record times and train numbers and to report trains surpassing the limit to Smith.