Valleyview Resort

Is there an agreement in place with the Village of Bethune for services received from the RM of Dufferin and if so what percentage of the salaries and equipment usage does the Village of Bethune pay to the RM and where in the financial statements are these funds reflected ? Answer: See question 13

•  Is the Development Officer a paid RM employee or is this a contracted position? What are the duties of this position? Does this position occupy space in the RM office?  Answer: The Development Officer is a paid position. Duties include reviewing development permit  requests, and other office duties as necessary. In more complex issues a planner may be contracted  Summary: This position has been created, access to trained individuals is required for all municipalities, complicated permits , environment, long term land use, urban developments, all contribute to time spent and  the need for government management. Council is required to operate with in the guidelines set out. See: Community Planning Needs Assessment   

•  Under TS maintenance salaries is the LTD bonus from Workers Compensation Board? Answer: This is a long-standing practise where the RM pays back to the employee 25% of the employees contribution for not using long term disability. Summary: This practise can produce negative long term effects, promoting injured workers to return to work is not creating a safe work place. Both the injured & others are at risk. 

•  Note 13 on AFS2024 What are you leasing? Answer: This is to do with the grader purchase in 2024 but will be paying for this year by way of a debenture The purchase agreement is considered a lease for the first year. Summary: Graders are very expensive to acquire, maintain and repair. They operate on a continuous bases.  Breakdowns  are a concern particularly in the winter. Managing the hours on each machine  is extremely important, it eliminates or postpones expensive warranty extensions. The RM is aware of the time frame in regards to the replacement of the graders. Having the oldest grader as a stand by helps out  in emergencies, special circumstances and breakdowns. Grader replacement is expected and planned.

• What assets where purchased in 2024 for 970K?  Answer: RM truck (85,860), Grader (648,642), Mower  (59,907) Findlater water upgrades (175,623) Summary: Findlater is referred to as a  Special Service Area,  this allows the RM to provide different services, mill rates, and  special assessments. See: Communities in Transition Funding         List of Special Service areas   Funds are returned immediately in the form of Grants  The Communities in Transition Fund (CIT).  Ongoing improvements may continue over time. The Mill rate adjusted for the Special Service Area. 

•  Under environmental and Public Health Services what was the 100,000 used for? Answer: This is for Waste Collection, Pest & Rodent control, weed management. 

• We appear to be paying for policing. What percentage of policing are we paying for and does the RM receive that revenue percentage back from the Fines Collection Branch. If the government gets this money why are we  (Cabin Owners) paying for policing when we already pay for it through Provincial and Municipal taxes. Answer: All municipalities are required to pay for policing. It is an invoice based on population that is submitted buy the province for RCMP. We do not receive anything back from the fines collections branch. 

• What is your policy regarding reserve funds? Is there a bylaw that states that a certain monetary amounts must go into a reserve fund, annually? Answer: There is no  policy. Summary: Understanding responsibilities in certain matters are unpredictable and can not be foreseen, rate payers & council should not be subject to financial uncertainty created by matters outside their control. Borrowing & Investment  

• What did the new RM facility cost? Answer: 2.2 Million 

• Is it possible to see a depreciation report for each asset? Answer (See attached report 2025)  Capital Assets Registry 

• How many employees do we have in the RM? How many Village of Bethune councillors and staff use the RM Facility? Answer:  Employees include 1:(COA) Chief Administrator Officer,  1 Development Officer, 5 public works (1 foreman,4 operators), 1 contracted summer Grader operator. Summary:  Salaries & Wages are controlled by council, recommendations are suggested by various groups. See: Rural Municipal Association of Saskatchewan (Salary Schedule) These are well trained individuals, competitive salaries are essential in the smooth operation of the Municipality. 

• Our  RM Grader  works in Disley. What agreement is in place to cover operating in the Village and what revenue does this produce? Answer: This is a service that the RM provides to Disley as a good neighbour gesture, not uncommon amongst municipalities. 

• Can we get detailed job descriptions for the Administrator and Assistant Administrator for the RM and Town of Bethune? We would like to see the time allotments, cost & revenue stream back to the RM to demonstrate the costs are recovered. Answer:  See bylaw 8-2010 (RM Website) The Village of Bethune pays 50% of the Office Managers Salary and benefits. It pays 22% and benefits of the Chief Officers Administrators Salary & Benefits. In 2023 rent  to the Village of Bethune was set at $350.00 a month, billed annually software, labour, Rent etc. billed monthly, office supplies. Summary:  This relationship is beneficial to all involved and has been recently reviewed. See: Bylaws: Joint Administration RM of Dufferin & Village of Bethune      Fees for Municipal Services 

• Why did council pay for eight years on a loan for the road that they want the province to take over now? Why didn't they  lobby the government to build and maintain the road in the first place?  Answer:  Approximately 8 years ago council made this decision. They thought was the best decision for the RM. 

• In regards to the loan of 2.5 Million for the road- Assuming $400K was paid annually for 8  years, the total paid was approximately $3.2 Million. Did council shop ( get three estimates) for the best interest rate or did they just go with the credit union because they are local? Can  council pass  a bylaw that in the future, they must go to 3 financial institutions in order to get the best interest rate (Note  12AFS 2024)? Answer: I am not sure if they got 3 quotes eight years  ago. Council has the ability to pass bylaws and policies regarding this. Summary:  A large percentage of ratepayers are seasonal dwellers banking with different institutions, to avoid conflict perhaps council should review there policies & bylaws in regards to large purchases.

• Note #2 to the financials- Restricted cash of $174,163. Please explain what this cash is set aside for, as it is not available for current purposes use. Answer: This is regarding Northshore Lands it includes the refundable deposit when the development is finished. As well there is 64 lake front lots that had to pay  a $1500.00 refundable deposit for shoreline stabilisation they apply for a refund. Summary: This will eventually clear in the General Ledger.

• The RM has a line of credit of 1,000,000. Do  they use this line? Answer: The RM has used and does use when required.

• Note #10- What is the service agreement deposit payable of $152,131 related too? Answer: Northshore Lands, when the development is finished and signed off, we will reimburse.

• In transportation services, under conditional grants, there is another - K+S grant which received $125,587 into 2024. In 2023 they received $494,256. Why was there such a significant drop year to year? This is in schedule 2-2. Answer:  We have an agreement with them for the term of the loan ( which ends this year) That they will top the potash revenue share to $900,000. Additionally, in 2023, they gave the RM extra money as a one time goodwill payment. Summary:  The RM Council  is one voice, K+S, The Federal and Provincial Governments are included in many decisions regarding the mine.

• K+S paid $781K in taxes. Does this money not cover a substantial cost of maintaining the (Road)s? Answer: Let's say  $900,000 in potash revenue sharing (that includes the top up K+S provides and ends this year) In 2024, we  payed almost $410,000 in principal and interest. Crack  sealing and line painting  approximately $36000. This is not taking into account Grader, man hours, salt and all of the other roads that are being impacted. We also have to amortise approximately $450,000 per year for pavement of legacy road. Summary: See: Municipal Potash Tax Sharing  Currently discussions throughout the province continue.

• What is the cause of the million dollar shortfall? Answer There was not a million dollar shortfall in 2024. In 2025 after reviewing and accepting the budget, council felt it necessary to increase the budget by $1000,000. Summary: See: Final Budget 2025 

• We would like to know where the indigenous solar facility will be? Will the new roads you talked about in the meeting we attended will the roads be built for this facility If not where are new roads being built? If a new road is built who will be responsible for maintenance? Answer:  SE 1-20-25 W2 No roads are currently being considered in regards to this facility. Sask Power Solar (News Release)