The City of Weyburn's current building boom may have achieved a record level in the value of building permits issued so far this year, with the value at $27.7 million for 66 permits as of the end of August.

This compares to last year, which was also considered a good year for building in the city, when there were 70 permits as of Aug. 31 worth $2.8 million.

"This is one of the best years ever for construction," said city manager Bob Smith.

City council was told Monday night the value is up due to the many large construction projects ongoing in the city right now, or are soon to begin, including the Wal-Mart store, a $2 million permit for a new Canadian Tire store, a $17.66 million permit for Tatagwa View, the new long-term care facility being built on the Souris Valley grounds, the New Age building on Railway Avenue, and the major renovations to the Colosseum.

"I've worked with the city for 20 years, and I have no recollection of permits reaching that level before," said city building inspector Doug Mulhall.

"It creates lots of activity for the city, and the spinoff effect is a good thing for our community," he added, noting all the construction people need accommodations, eat in local restaurants and shop in our stores.

"Obviously it's not something you have happen every day in any community. There's lots of things happening, and it's a challenge to keep working and everything going on time," said Mulhall.

Besides the permits in the commercial sector, alone worth $7.4 million, and the Tatagwa View permit in the institutional sector, residential permits totalled 52 as of Aug. 31, with 31 for additions and alterations, 17 for new garages, one for a house repair and three for new home construction.

Council approved its "wish list" of a five-year capital plan, but not without disagreement from a mayoralty candidate that the plan be held over until after the election.

The plan lays out the city's potential projects and needs for the next five years, and under provincial legislation, the city had to have its plan to the government by Sept. 1.

This didn't sit well with Coun. George Kalman, who said he wanted to have input on the plan, and suggested with the election coming up that the new council should maybe have a say in what is in or out of the plan.

"I have a problem with it. I was reviewing it and there's a lot of things in there I don't agree with. I was wondering if this could be put off until after the election, so the new people coming on board can look at it, because they'll actually be in office for the next three years," said Kalman.

Mayor Don Schlosser pointed out that the city was actually late with the plan as they were supposed to have it in to the province by Sept. 1.

"Also keep in mind, it's a wish list. We can move things forward or backward and take things out altogether. This was also presented to council in June. If you did have concerns, you had a lot of time to bring them forward," added the mayor.

City manager Smith said the administration could take suggestions for changes at any time, but any changes now won't appear in the plan until when it is presented next June.

"It's an estimate of projects. It helps us know what we're heading into; it certainly doesn't bind us. It also gives the province an idea of infrastructure needs for our city when they're considering things like grants," he said, adding that government grants are now few and far between in any event.

Kalman moved to table the plan until after the election, but this motion was defeated 6-1.

Coun. Rob Stephanson assured Kalman that the plan "is not going to tie the hands of any future council or administration, as each council and administration gets involved with the year-to-year budget."

He added that in the years he's been on council, he has rarely seen the capital plan come through the budget process intact.

The five-year plan includes proposals for an upgrade to the police station, for continuing the asphalt recapping program at $300,000 a year, sidewalks and curbing at about $30,000 a year, and the Colosseum project in four phases at $1.5 million per phase.

Upgrades are proposed for the Soo Line Historical Museum, the Sports Arena (planned for 2007), and major renovations to the Leisure Centre (planned for 2006). Some of the items for Jubilee Park and the Leisure Centre for this year and 2004 are to accommodate the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games.

For the water and sewer utilities, the plan proposes spending $6.15 million on the filtration plant over the next five years, with $3 million in each of 2004 and 2005 to upgrade the water treatment system with carbon filters; $7.1 million for building a new primary lagoon, and $1.85 million for building a storage reservoir, including $1.2 million in 2004 alone.

Council formally endorsed a proposal to support the Weyburn Ag Society's grandstand fund, by providing $5,000 a year over the next five years.

Mayor Schlosser said the council had agreed at last year's council retreat to make this commitment, but it has never been endorsed by a resolution in open council. The first contribution of $5,000 was included in this year's budget.

Asked by Coun. Kalman if the grandstand is proposed to have a cover for it, the mayor answered, "Their projection is still working towards a cover. I was over there (Monday) afternoon and signed papers for a grant that they've applied for. If they are successful, they will definitely have a cover for the stands."

Council's representative to the Ag Society, Dick Michel, concurred, noting, "It all comes down to funding. Coun. Kalman, you're right, people want something for shelter, especially with the heat that we've had."

In other council business:

· Circulation numbers at the library rose significantly over the summer, up by 13.7 and 10 per cent in June and July respectively; also, Internet use on the public access terminals was by 35.5 per cent in June and 40 per cent in July. The summer reading program also had an increase of 287 children from last year's attendance.

· Council approved a request from Lionel Pouliot to set up an outdoor skating rink at the corner of Burge Bay and Clark Avenue, using his own resources. The mayor indicated the only complaint was an anonymous letter which he didn't bring forward. Council will recommend that the boards come down by May 1.

· Weyburn's hot summer weather led to a dramatic increase of use of the outdoor swimming pool, going from 3,016 in August of 2002 to 6,748 this year. Also, water usage for August was up by 34 per cent from last August, with 205,139 cubic metres being used this year.

· Council approved a discretionary use for a company to build a new truck and car wash on 16th Street, near the Humane Society shelter. This parcel of land was rezoned at the council meeting from Urban Holding to Major Arterial Commercial use.