Three new programs have been initiated by the Southeast Regional Economic Development Authority (SEREDA) to retain businesses and promote the City of Weyburn.

City council was given details about the programs at their meeting on Monday night by Cathy Kerr, executive director of SEREDA. The programs include a business retention and expansion program, an ambassadorship program and an extended marketing program.

The rationale for the first program, Kerr explained, is that studies show retention and expansion of current businesses should comprise 85 to 90 per cent of the activity in economic development, with 10 to 15 per cent spent on attracting new businesses to a community.

Business retention should not be seen as a one-shot action but as a continuing effort, she told council, as businesses who stay and grow in a community give evidence of a healthy business community, which in turn will attract more businesses from the outside.

In this program, SEREDA will gather data from Weyburn's businesses which will be used to help promote keeping businesses in the city. SEREDA will recruit a consultant to do the research, and currently the board is looking into possible sources of funding for the consultant.

In the ambassadorship program, a person will be named or nominated to be an ambassador of the city who carries out extensive business and social activities outside of the city.

"It can be implemented on a monthly basis, and nominees will be given an ambassador's kit with promotional materials, brochures, pins and so on, which can be used by that ambassador to promote the city wherever they travel for business or pleasure.

"It builds pride in the community and helps foster healthier attitudes about the community," said Kerr. The image of Weyburn as a pro-active community through such a program will in turn attract residents and businesses here, she said.

The third program relates to marketing, said Kerr, as it is essential for the city to have a comprehensive and up-to-date brochure promoting the city.

"We recognize there exists a number of excellent brochures, but in many cases this information needs to be expanded upon and updated. SEREDA would be the facilitator for this, working with Weyburn 2020, the Chamber of Commerce and Weyburn tourism," she said.

The three programs should all be underway within the next year, Kerr told councillors, with the retention program taking more work to get off the ground due to the research that will go into it. There have been preliminary discussions with the chamber's manager, and further discussion on strategy will be held to begin work on these programs.

Councillor Ray Hamm said Weyburn 2020 has agreed to work on the marketing program and will have members sitting on that committee once it begins.

Council approved a request from the Weyburn Red Wings to have the logo of the Labatt brewing company on the ice in the Colosseum, as part of a sponsorship program the company has with the SJHL which will lower the fees the teams pay to the league. The council reserved decision on a request from the Red Wings to receive the revenue from the advertising.

The approval didn't come without some dissension, however, as councillors Marlene Nedelcov and Ray Hamm spoke against the move.

"I don't think an alcohol brewing company should be allowed to promote their products there. We have impressionable children using the facility," said Coun. Nedelcov.

"I feel we should allow this. The Red Wings have had to come to us to help them with their bills. It's maybe not the best product to be advertising, but being young not that long ago, I don't feel it would've influenced me to drink or not drink that product," said Coun. Debra Button.

The arrangement between the league and the brewing company is not setting any precedents, said Coun. Bill Rudachyk, adding he doesn't feel very many people will be concerned about seeing the logo on the ice.

Coun. Hamm argued the advertising will affect young people, pointing out most advertising does target the young as older drinkers have already established their favourite brands.

"As this is a public building and we're inviting children in to use it, I don't feel we should be allowing this," he said, just before the vote was taken.

Mayor Don Schlosser reported to council he attended the graduation of two city police officers from training in the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program in Regina, the first two municipal police officers to take the training in Saskatchewan.

The officers, Const. Caroline Chartrand and Const. Kelly Newman, graduated in a class of 31 at the RCMP training academy on Friday, and Chief Bill Millar was also present for the ceremony.

Mayor Schlosser said the officers will be delivering a drug and alcohol education program to students in grades 5 and 6 and commented, "This is going to mean something good for the city."

Chief Millar said the program still needs to be set up with the materials yet to arrive, but the officers will try and get the program going as soon as they can in the schools.

The chief noted Const. Newman was a team leader, and won a top award in the training program.

Council referred a request from an east-end residential group for an outdoor rink to the new Leisure Commission for further discussion.

The request came in a letter from Kevin Melle for a rink just to the east of the intersection of Warren Avenue and Dieppe Drive on the city's east side. The group of area residents would provide labour and funds for a frame for the ice, and asked the city to provide the services of a grader to level out the ground, and the services of the fire department or the city to flood the ice surface.

Coun. Ray Wahl later said he talked with Melle about the proposal, and the residents indicated they would make arrangements for a water truck to deliver the water if they weren't allowed the use of a fire hydrant in the area of the proposed rink.

In a report to council from engineering assistant Blaine Frank, the city was concerned the proposed location may damage the pavement, and the fire department indicated that use of a fire hydrant is not permitted for such uses as the hydrant may freeze up and break under cold temperatures. He estimated it would cost the city approximately $300 for the use of a grader for two to four hours to level out the area requested for the rink.

Coun. Nedelcov said past requests for outdoor rinks were approved only if the city was not involved in any way, and if the residents making the request performed the labour and footed the bill themselves.

Coun. Wahl pointed out the actual location the residents want the rink to be at is not on city pavement but is north of a turn-around area at the named intersection. The request will go to the new Leisure Commission for further discussion.

A request from Kal Tire to expand their business at Third Street was approved by council, after it had been referred to the Riverfront Market and Economic Development committees.

The company proposed to build a new compound on the north side of the building where commercial tractor-trailer units can pull around for servicing, to eliminate the current problem of trucks blocking traffic on Third Street. They also propose to renovate the store's interior once approval for the expansion is given.

Coun. Hamm explained the referral was due to a master plan the city has on the books for the Tatagwa Parkway, which includes a proposal for a Riverfront Market area between the museum and Government Road.

"The purpose of the plan is to give direction to the city as to what we would like to see there in the future. We feel the plan Kal Tire is proposing will improve the area esthetically, and we recommended approval subject to our esthetic concerns being addressed," said Hamm, adding the committees involved don't want to interfere with the plans of any business in the area.