The RM of Weyburn council is hoping a short-term solution for ratepayers who need access to garbage service will meet environmental regulations.

The RM was put on notice by Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management (SERM) to have a disposal system for its residents in place by June 5. SERM told the RM they were in violation of regulations under the Environmental Management and Protection Act to provide or contract garbage service.

RM residents have been without a place to dump their garbage since Jan. 1. The City of Weyburn locked them out of the landfill after the RM refused to pay a new per capita fee for use.

A representative from SERM, who only recently got involved in the dispute, met with Reeve Dan Sidloski on Monday. Sidloski told the RM council, at their regular meeting the next day, that SERM seemed open to a short-term answer to the problem.

"We have talked to a couple of disposal contractors and they're interested in providing service. They'll supply a service to people who need it, at (the ratepayer's) own cost. We forwarded a letter to the Environment Minister (Buckley Belanger) asking that be considered an acceptable alternative to consider us to be in compliance. We're waiting for formal notification back," said Sidloski.

The RM came up with the new option after their latest meeting with the City of Weyburn, when it became clear an agreement between the two local governments wouldn't be in place anytime soon.

Sidloski says using Weyburn's landfill is still the long-term goal for the RM.

"We definitely want some kind of agreement with our city where we buy our goods and get our services, but we have not been able to discuss anything that's not a per capita arrangement. This is not a long-term solution. But this is what's required in the short-term."

Councillor Jack Giroux says most of the alternatives the RM has suggested wouldn't cost city taxpayers a dime, including charging RM residents more at the gate, or charging them a yearly fee on an individual basis through the purchase of a sticker.

"They claim that would be a logistical nightmare," said Coun. Doug Probe.

"They've said they don't want to use a two-tier system - I don't follow the logic, because our users say they agree to pay more," added Giroux.

If the Environment Minister decides to reject the temporary solution, Sidloski says he doesn't know what kind of punishment the RM could face for not providing garbage services. At this point, he says, the council isn't entirely convinced they are in violation of any regulations.

"The regulations are such that we need interpretation to even realize if we're in violation or not, and what we need to do to come into compliance," agreed Giroux.

The RM Council met with Western Pasta Growers chairman Orlin Hector and director Norm Flaten to discuss any support the RM could give the group.

Hector said membership in the farmer co-operative - looking to build a durum mill and pasta plant in Weyburn - is close to 1,200, and he's confident they'll reach their goal of 2,000 members, although it's taken longer than anticipated.

"There's a lot of interest in the area. We wanted the RM to know we're looking for the best place to locate. We're not looking for serious negotiations yet," said Hector.

"We can say with certainty the RM would definitely consider tax breaks to get the plant up and running, which is something we have done on a start-up basis for different companies," said Sidloski.

Hector told council that an original plan to operate out of the old distillery plant has fallen through after part of it was purchased by Tenold Trucking.

Sidloski asked if Western Pasta had any plans or agreements in place to work with other parties.

"We're aware of some real possibilities with Weyburn Inland Terminal to provide delivery, cleaning, grading," said the reeve. "When it comes to us suggesting a good place to build, that's the first determining thing. If you're going to cut $5, $10, $15 million off the facility where you don't have to build, the answer is obvious."

Hector said Western Pasta has had informal negotiations with WIT dating back to December 1998. His latest meeting was last Friday with WIT president Claude Carles.

"I'm not in a position to make any deals but we're running thoughts back and forth," Hector said.

Flaten and Hector both talked about the advantages of locating a pasta plant on the prairies, and specifically in Weyburn where the ability to source the raw material and transport it is "phenomenal."

"Most of the industry is moving more inland. The head of Barilla Pasta mentioned publicly in a speech in Italy they're planning on locating on the Canadian grainbelt in the not-too-distant future. We want to be ahead of that," Hector said.

Coun. Rod Lutz had concerns about the fact that three different groups - including Western Pasta, Prairie Pasta (another group with strong local ties) and the Al Dente group out of Swift Current - weren't unified in their efforts.

"I find it, for lack of a better word, foolish, that three different groups are working for the same agenda," said Lutz.

Hector said each group had a different approach, and no one has found the perfect idea yet.

"It's not an easy solution, but we think building from scratch is the most effective method," he responded.

"Nobody has crossed the big hurdle with the Wheat Board," said Sidloski, referring to an attempt from the pasta groups to side-step the board when buying durum for a mill and plant. "It's whoever crosses that first. Until you cross that one, you're not going to have a pasta plant."