As the number of Rural Municipalities in an education tax revolt climbed to 19 this past week, the RM of Weyburn met after the SARM mid-term convention and deferred making a decision on the matter until their December meeting.

"We touched on it. We decided to ask each councillor to consider it, and talk to the ratepayers in each division to see what their thoughts are on it," said Reeve Carmen Sterling.

The council will decide on whether to withhold education tax at their Dec. 6 council meeting.

In other council business, the RM reviewed their cost-sharing arrangement with the RM of Brokenshell. The two RMs share an administrator and support staff, as well as office expenses, and the latest report shows the RMs are saving money on the arrangement.

The RM of Weyburn purchased two new road graders for January of 2006, and traded their two current graders in. Reeve Sterling said the two new graders will cost a total of under $215,000 after trading in their two graders.

The RM held a joint meeting with the Weyburn city council and discussed a few issues of mutual concern. The fire agreement has been renewed and signed, while the garbage agreement will be finalized at the RM's December meeting. The fire agreement was based on a census figure of 864 people, which is higher than the RM's own census figures show, said the reeve, but they decided to ratify the agreement anyway.

Under the current agreement with the city, the RM pays the city $6,500 for their citizens to use the city's landfill without paying tipping fees at the gate. The RM had been recouping this cost, but this past year they made it part of the RM's general expenses, and will do so again for 2006.