The City of Weyburn is writing off 46 outstanding utility accounts as uncollectable, worth over $6,200, while four other utility accounts will be applied to property taxes.

In their last council meeting of 1999, council approved writing off a list of utility accounts covering two pages worth a total of $6,255, the majority of the bills relating to rental properties.

Asked if any of the bills were applied back to the landlord of the rental properties, city controller Stan Runne replied, "Most of these are rented properties, and we have not applied them against the landlord. Fourteen are from local housing, and some not only left the utility bill but a certain amount of rent as well, so we turn it over to a collection agency."

Some people will recycle through the system again, he added, so if they apply to be reconnected they will have to pay any outstanding amounts first. Of the accounts on the list, all are residential except for three business accounts, including two outstanding bills for McCormick's Restaurant totalling $728, and one for Mr. Ribs for $315.

Coun. Debra Button asked if any of the claims could be pursued through small claims court, noting it may be quicker than a collection agency and a judgment would put a lien against the person with the outstanding bill.

The city usually consults with their solicitor on outstanding matters, said Runne, and small claims court proceedings are used if there is some merit to pursuing it or if it's large enough. Where bankruptcies are concerned, no further action can be taken.

Mayor Don Schlosser noted the old utility accounting system couldn't add interest charges to outstanding bills, but the new system will be able to do so.

City council approved contracting out the service of the board of revision, as in the new year councillors will no longer be able to sit on the board.

According to legislation coming into effect on Jan. 1, 2000, members of city council can no longer make up the board of revision, which hears appeals of property taxes levied by the city. For the last major reassessment of properties carried out in 1997, the city had trained up seven members of the public for a second board, in the event of a large number of appeals, but some of those people would not be available now, said Runne.

The city received a proposal from Gord Krismer and Associates of Regina, which will provide a board of revision comprised of three panel members at a cost of $750 per day, plus meals, hotels and travel expenses.

Runne said the cost to retrain members of the public and then to pay for their time whenever the board is convened would likely cost more than the proposed cost from Krismer, adding that Krismer is a former city assessor and has experience in the field.

Coun. Button moved to accept the proposal, and to have administration check with Estevan to see if they would like to split the costs with them by sharing Krismer's services.

Three decisions were made by the last sitting of the board with city council members. An appeal by the South Central Health District on the pavement recapping carried out on Park Avenue was denied, and an appeal by Sask. Wheat Pool on the paving of Railway Avenue was also denied.

An appeal by William Schoenemann regarding paving on Fourth Avenue South was granted, with the board approving a reduction in the frontage costs for his property. All decisions by the board were unanimous.

Council approved a change in the management of their farm land, as the manager for the last several years is retiring.

The city's farm land has been managed by Bob Dyck of Plains Agricultural Services for the last 13 to 14 years, said city commissioner Bob Smith, but Dyck advised he is retiring from this occupation, and recommended that Weyburn Security could take the contract over for the farm land.

Coun. Marlene Nedelcov moved that discussions be held with Weyburn Security on the management of the city's farm land, as she said they are the only company in Weyburn who could look after such management.

Coun. Button and Coun. Mike Pickering both indicated they wanted to open the management of farm land to tender, to see if there were any other companies who could take on the contract, but council out-voted them 5-2 in favour of Weyburn Security.

Council heard from the Environment Resources Committee that recycling programs are keeping many tonnes of waste out of the landfill.

Coun. Button reported that all of the scrap tires have now been chipped and removed from the landfill, with the recycled scrap tires filling up 42 semi-truck loads.

In addition, Dean Ror of the Wor-Kin Shop told the committee their recycling program has kept 24 semi loads of waste out of the landfill in the past year. Their program mainly recycles newsprint and cardboard, as well as glass, tin cans and milk jugs.

Ror requested additional funding from the city for their program, and the committee asked him to provide specifics of his request so it can be considered in the council's budget process in the new year, said Coun. Button.