(File photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 protocols

NB council rescinds eight per cent rentals surcharge

Mar 1, 2022 | 5:07 PM

North Battleford city council approved administration’s recommendation to rescind the eight per cent COVID-19 cleaning surcharge on rental rates at its recent meeting.

City Parks and Recreation director Cheryl DeNeire said in her report the surcharge was initially added on rental rates to address the increased costs for staff, supplies and equipment to incorporate “extra cleaning duties,” as part of the COVID-19 requirements. Council originally implemented the surcharge at a special council meeting June 25, 2020.

At its meeting this week council removed the eight per cent surcharge for rental rates for city facilities. The increase was not applicable to outdoor sports activity associations, memberships or day-use rates.

DeNeire said cleaning requirements have been become a little less regimented to some extent by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

“We are no longer required to spray down and disinfect player benches and stands between games, and totally disinfect change-rooms and dressing rooms,” she said. “Disinfection of these areas are still required but are limited to high-touch areas. Also, with new information, the list of cleaning products that disinfect against COVID has grown, and expenses have been reduced.”

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DeNeire noted staffing costs have also ‘leveled off’ as tasks became part of staff’s regular duties.

As a result, she said all user groups will be informed that the eight per cent surcharge on rental rates has been eliminated.

“All affected rates will be adjusted, and new rates schedules posted in our facilities as well as on our website,” DeNeire said.

Coun. Len Taylor said that essentially the city learned the added cleaning protocols and is still following them.

“The public has to know that nothing has changed, in terms of the way in which the city is approaching the safety of our facilities, from the perspective of is it a clean surface that they are encountering,” he said.

Taylor said the bottom line is that the city has incorporated cleaning duties that are now part of its function. He said there is no additional cost related to ensuring that the areas are not only clean, but safe.

“Therefore, there is no need to take extra dollars for that particular function,” Taylor said. “That’s why I am moving the motion, and that’s why I am supporting it.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

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