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Battleford mayor pleased with SUMA convention amidst financial announcements

Feb 2, 2016 | 4:38 PM

The mayor of the town of Battleford is enjoying his time at the 2016 Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Assocation (SUMA) convention.

Mayor Derek Mahon is in Regina from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3. During the convention, Premier Brad Wall announcenced his government will run a deficit due to the province’s revenue shortfalls. Mahon said this is the right thing to do, given the circumstances..

“I think it’s probably a good way to do it. There were a number of options that were in front of them and they chose to run the deficit. He did mention that they would address the deficit within, I believe it was, one or two fiscal years.”

Despite the deficit, an increase in municipal revenue sharing was also announced. He says the increase is a result of fiscal dollars from past years.

“It is related to the one point of the sales tax. So it’s a number that we’re reaping the benefits, so to speak, of the previous years’ fiscal dollars that are available,” Mahon said.

After speaking with other SUMA members over the course of the convention, Mahon said the the future looks good for Battleford.

“I think that the town will continue to move forward and look at growth as it comes. (We had) A lot of talk with different municipalities across the province, noting in general that it has slowed to a certain extent but everybody’s still optimistic as we move forward,” he said.

Mahon adds town councillor Gordon Yarde along with retired members of the town management team Randy Redding and Kevin Chaykowski are being honoured for their town service at the convention.

mkelly@jpbg.ca