Happy Friday! 

I hope you're enjoying today's beautiful fall weather and that the weekend has some down time in store for you.

Council's agenda is on the lighter side this month, but there's lots to update on. Read on for updates about key files and a heads up about budget items being prioritized for Budget 2020/2021. Budget deliberations are scheduled as an extra set of meetings at the end of next month. I'm keen to hear about your priorities.

Ward 2 updates: 

- A Neighbourhood Traffic Review (NTR) is scheduled for Holiday Park and King George neighbourhoods on October 29th at 7pm. Details here.

- The traffic calming installation at 19th Street and Ave F will be installed before the season's end. This was called for in the Riversdale NTR and has been a topic of discussion given the recent (and many past) incidents at this intersection. Previous crashes have recently been analyzed and slower speeds on 19th should help to reduce future incidents.

- The major Water Main Replacement project in Riversdale this summer is now complete. Thank you to area residents and commuters for your patience and cooperation during this major infrastructure upgrade. Phase 2 is scheduled for next year and neighbours will be engaged directly.

- The funding for Frozen line investigations is confirmed and work will begin very shortly. Residents impacted will be contacted directly by our teams.

City wide policy & updates: 

- An update on budget preparation: the results of City Council's pre-prioritization process for projects to be funded by capital funds such as the Reserve for Capital expenditures (RCE) and the temporarily doubled gas tax fund are available here. I encourage you to take a look and hope you'll share with me any feedback about this list. The full detailed draft budget will be debated and set in late November.  

- The Business Case for the New Central Library project was presented by the Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) to City Council at committee last month, and updates to that information last week. SPL is ready to move this project forward. Next month Council will be asked to consider a borrowing request from the library of $87.5M to make this project happen. Borrowing would be repaid through the Library levy. Detail about the project can be found on the dedicate project page and I welcome your feedback about the decision and project.

- New Ward Boundaries have now been set by an independent commission. No changes have been made to the Ward 2 boundary. Full details here. 

- After extensive upgrades to the track, an expansion of pickle ball courts and upgraded public spaces, the Field House is now reopened!

- More of the funds have been recovered in the fraud investigation. A full report will be made before year's end, and a report on the latest progress can be found here. 

Consultations/Workshops to participate in:

- A Neighbourhood Traffic Review (NTR) is scheduled for Holiday Park and King George neighbourhoods on October 29th at 7pm. Details here.

Did you know...

- Green cart subscribers will receive a bonus Green Cart collection on their scheduled pickup day in the week of Nov 1-7, regardless of when their previous collection was performed. Carts should be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. to ensure successful collection. Please refer to your online collection calendar to confirm dates.

- Winter landfill hours are now in effect. Full details at: Saskatoon.ca/landfill

- The next Household Hazardous Waste date is November 3rd.
Dates and info about what can be accepted can be found online.

- There's an online map where you can find details about all of the ongoing construction projects in the city! Don't stay in the dark about what's happening around the corner - check it out here. Catch up on the progress from the 2019 season as it wraps up.

Community Notes

- Saskatoon's Heritage Awards recognize excellence in heritage restoration, adaptive reuse and more. Applications are now being accepted - deadline Nov 15.

- The City of Saskatoon signed a services agreement with Kahkewistahaw First Nation as it prepares to designate its lands in the city's northwest Urban Reserve. Find more about the Urban Reserve process and those established in Saskatoon on our site.

City Council

City Council meets Monday (October 28th) at City Hall in City Council chambers. As always, Council meetings are open to the public. Brief highlights are outlined below. For full agenda, visit https://www.saskatoon.ca/city-hall/city-council-boards-committees/council/minutes-and-agendas

Regular Business Meeting  |  1:00 PM
  - Civic naming - quarterly update
  - Plumbing permits bylaw - housekeeping amendments
  - Street Activity Subcommittee - Terms of Reference & Community Support Program Update
  - Allocation of Neighbourhood Land Development Fund Profits
  - Reseller Rate for Regional Water customers
  - Riversdale Neighbourhood Traffic Review - follow up
  - Street Network Plannning Principles & Street Hierarchy
  - City Council Strategic Planning & Leadership Initiative - Fund application
  - Review of Municipal Review Commission
  - Appointment of Firefighters' Pension Fund Trustees
  - Saskatoon Freeway Project Update
  - Contract Negotiations IAFF - 2017
  - Downtown Business Improvement District - Board composition
  - Protocol issues - Flag & Proclamations Policy
  - Municipal Wards Commission - Ward Boundaries
  - Motion: (Donauer) - walkway policy - perceptions of safety
  - Motion: (Dubois) - stakeholder non-disclosure agreements
 

Public Hearing Meeting  |  6:00 PM
  Land Use hearings & Bylaw Amendments:
  - Discretionary Use - Residential Care home - 314 Ave T South
  - Proclamations and Flag Raisings

As always, if you'd like to speak to Council as a whole about something on the agenda, please get in touch with the Clerk's office or fill out the form at the link before 10 am the day of the meeting. https://www.saskatoon.ca/write-letter-councilcommittees