City council has agreed favourably with a request from the Chamber of Commerce to allow two-hour parking in the downtown core, to help encourage shopping there, along with some improvements to the current parking system.

The chamber met recently with the city's Police Commission on the parking issue, and came up with some additional suggestions for council. This includes two-hour parking on the streets downtown, including Second and Third Streets from Railway Avenue up to Coteau Avenue, Souris Avenue from Second to Fourth Street, and Railway Avenue from Second to Third Street.

This will be on a trial basis, meaning the council doesn't have to pass a change in the bylaw and change all the street signs for it to come into effect.

In explaining the issue to council, Chamber representative Ray Hamm said there is concern amongst retailers about the impending fall opening of a new Wal-Mart store on Highway 39.

He said the one-hour parking restriction downtown "is another reason not to stop downtown to do shopping. Also many things can't be done within one hour. They suggested if we could have a two-hour limit that would just mean an adjustment in scheduling of the meter maid."

Mayor Don Schlosser said he had discussions with Chamber president Ian Carleton and manager Carole Coccimiglio on this suggestion.

"After thinking for awhile on this, I would be interested in trying it to see if it would work, and then make a decision on it at the end of the year," he said.

Coun. Debra Button suggested the item be sent back to police commission before council makes a decision on it, but others pointed out the chamber members wanted this in place for the summer months, when there are larger numbers of visitors to the city.

City clerk Cheryl Rommann pointed out an amendment would be needed to the bylaw to make this a permanent change, and city manager Bob Smith added that all the street signs would also have to be changed, unless this was done on a trial basis.

"This isn't a life or death situation. It should start July 1," said Coun. George Kalman, and council voted in agreement for the trial to run from July 1 to Jan. 1, 2004.

Coun. Rob Stephanson suggested this could be a good public relations opportunity for city retailers, to promote the two-hour parking limit in the downtown area.

While the various organizing committees for the 2004 Summer Games have been in place for some time now, city council signed the official agreement Monday night as one of four parties.

The other parties to the agreement include the province, the Saskatchewan Games Council and the Weyburn Games committee. As a part of their involvement, the city has to commit to provide up to $200,000 in funding for the Games.

If however the fund-raising for the Games is successful enough, the city won't have to come up with that money, or maybe only a portion of it.

Also as part of the agreement, the city allows use of city facilities for the games, such as their swimming pool and tennis courts, and will pick up the operating costs of those facilities. The city will also be held liable for any deficit as a result of the Games, but it was noted that this provincial event has always been a money-maker for its host communities, never a money-losing one.

The mayor noted the $200,000 committed by the city can include in-kind support, such as the engineering costs of the new track in the amount of $25,000.

Coun. Stephanson said there will not any impact on the city's budget for this year and possibly not next year either if fund-raising efforts are successful.

"They need a commitment to know we are behind them, and this is going forward," he said.

In response to comments by Coun. Kalman at a prior council meeting about notices given out to remove junked vehicles, cleanup committee member Dave Kerr suggested the councillor should offer his apologies, not only to the committee, but to Coun. Button, to council and to the citizens of Weyburn for not attending any of the Environmental Resources committee meetings.

In his letter, Kerr said he is one of the area chairmen who check around people's yards and back alleys to make eyesores are cleaned up in time for judging for the annual Golden Garbage Can competition with Estevan.

At issue was the claim that a person with two vehicles in his driveway was given a notice for the removal of these vehicles. Kalman said this person came to him, and he then checked out the vehicles and found they were legally parked in their own driveway.

Kerr said he was the one who issued the notices, and found at the time they were not plated, and one was in the back yard.

Coun. Kalman said he had not asked Coun. Button for an apology, and if she had issued one, it was of her own volition. He also said he did not criticize the cleanup committee, so felt no apology was in order; as for not attending the Environment Resources committee, Kalman said he had no choice as to which committee he was placed on.

He suggested notices for cleanup at residences need to be monitored by somebody at City Hall to ensure they are accurate and applicable.

City officials are unhappy at losing police officers after they spend funds training them for the force only to have them take a job with another police force.

In light of another city police officer resigning to move to Regina, Coun. Stephanson asked if there was something the city could do, as they spend the money to get new officers trained at the Saskatchewan Police College.

"Basically we're supplying these officers to other forces. I know we're in a competitive marketplace, but two or three years where we lose these people, could we not have an agreement that they be here for, say, five years?," asked Coun. Stephanson.

"This has been a thorn of the police commission for many years. I know there's been a lot of discussion over this, and it's never been resolved," said the mayor, adding a neighbouring city tried to make an agreement about this issue, but then lost in a legal challenge.

City manager Smith said they've been talking to the Saskatchewan Police Commission on this issue as well, "but we need cooperation from all sides. It's certainly been a sore point with the commission."

Asked if the city has had applications from trained, experienced officers, Mayor Schlosser said he doesn't see the actual applications and didn't know. He noted one recent incident where an experienced officer was interviewed and was going to be hired, but he decided at the last minute not to take the position.

In other council business:

· The Phantom Tourist winners were awarded their plaques at council; the individual award for best customer service went to Bert Sanguin of Mel's on Third, who has worked in men's wear in Weyburn for 37 years. The award for the most customer-friendly business went to Weyburn Dairy Queen, and was accepted by owner Brian Bakken.

· In answer to a request by the Weyburn Review to find out what the selling price of the distillery was, Mayor Schlosser explained the city asked the buyer if they would agree to release the figure, but was told that for business reasons they didn't want the figure made public yet. The ethanol project slated for the old distillery building is still on the way to becoming reality.

· Council approved selling a buffer property to Paul and Deanne Garven, to allow them to replace their septic system; the sale is by condition that the city will continue to have access on the land as needed, so the Garvens will grant an easement to the city to guarantee this as long as the property exists; also they agree not to put any building on this piece of land.

· In response to a request for dust control on the gravel access road to Clark Park, the city will water the road heavily to help keep the dust down; the council noted they put no monies in their budget for dust control this year.