By Chris Jaster

Kipling alderman Kevin Kish classified last week’s Saskatchewan Urban Municipality Association convention in Regina as one of the better conventions he’s been to, but not for the expected reasons.

“The quality of speakers and the (presentations of) economic development of reserves and stuff was really interesting. Last year I wasn’t too impressed. It’s just the quality of stuff that was added,” he said.

While Kish and many of the aldermen attended the conference for the speakers and trade show, all but Mark Olson left before the municipalities debated and voted on resolutions.

The biggest concern for Kipling, and most of the members at the convention, dealt with federal revenue sharing with the municipalities. Mayor Kevin Hassler, who missed the convention for shoulder surgery, viewed the sharing plan as being the same for the past 20 years while costs to run things in town have risen.

The congregation, with Kipling’s vote, passed the resolution despite much debate on whether they should try to lock Canadian municipalities in at receiving one per cent of the GST, as Ottawa is talking about lowering the GST by one per cent in the upcoming budget.

The group also passed resolutions to urge the province to increase capital infrastructure funding by $100 per capita per year over a four year basis. They also passed a resolution to find ways to expedite the processing time for construction approvals for water and waste water projects, which may affect the town’s attempt to expand the lagoon.

Hassler was happy with the results as the majority of the voting members voted with Kipling on these resolutions that he believes matters most to the town.

The other goal for the council was to rub shoulders with the new government’s cabinet members. Few Kipling representatives attended the dialogue with ministers and bear pit sessions. Hassler isn’t concerned with that as he hoped members would discuss issues outside these designated times.

“I was more interested in running into people one on one or after they were done speaking or stuff like that. You’re not going to have a chance to have a good conversation about things important to our town in a bear pit,” he said.

Although the council didn’t talk to members of the government he believes it will look after concerns of the town, but knows it will take a while before its agenda is set.

“I think they’re going to do all right,” he said. “They need time to settle in. They haven’t had a chance to get their feet in the ground and do something.