TOWN OF BREDENBURY
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2025
Office Hours:
The office is open Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Closed over lunch. Office is closed at other periods of time for meetings, helping public works, helping daycare, banking, etc.
The office will be closed February 28-March 9 inclusive – messages only checked occasionally. The office also may be closed towards the end of the month for a few days, yet to be determined call ahead or watch for Facebook posts.
Just a reminder if there is an emergency call our emergency phone line at 306-217-TOWN.
Water:
With this long cold winter it is important that if you do not use water much you keep a tap dripping. Water lines start to freeze into March when frost gets pushed down more and more; this happens quite often when your water line is where you park your vehicle. It is near impossible to thaw a frozen water line.
Snow Removal:
This year we have had a lot of snow compared to other years. We had a contractor come in and move some of the larger piles twice.
We would like to remind residents that the streets that are done first is the bus route, then the other streets follow suit – the back alleys are done last! After all snow is complete then public works will work on getting hydrants cleared.
As far as sidewalks/parking lots we start at the daycare, then proceed to Main Street.
When we have a lot of snow unfortunately there may be ridges left by the overflow of grader blade, if you are not capable of cleaning that snow on your own then call the office and we will put you on the list to have it removed, please note that it may take up to 3 days before we get to it and we will only do the frontage not entire driveways.
Pet Licenses:
Pet licenses for 2025 are now overdue. $10 per dog and $5 per cat. The pet tags help us find the pet’s owner. An unlicensed pet or a pet running at large can constitute in a large fine issued by the municipality. For a copy of the Pet Bylaw please contact the Town office.
Taxes & Assessments:
Assessments were sent out last month. It was a re-valuation year so almost all properties changed values. A re-valuation year happens every four years. Most residential property values went down, whereas commercial and agriculture properties went up.
Council will be reviewing mill rates, base taxes and mill rate factors during budget talks to ensure the municipality has enough revenue to operate for the year, while keeping in mind the high cost of living we all are currently faced with.
We won’t be able to tell you what your taxes will be until this process is complete. Taxes will be mailed out right after the Saskatchewan Budget is announced because that is when the School Division Mill Rate is announced.
Bills & Invoices & Receipts:
Just as a reminder you can receive your bills, invoices and receipts all by email. If you haven’t already signed up for email billing consider doing so, it saves the municipality on postal costs.
Also as a reminder you can sign up with automatic monthly withdrawals for your utility bill and taxes. This service is handy because it saves you from forgetting to pay and accumulating interest. Call the office today to discuss.
United Church:
Hi again from the Knox United Church. Hope you are all coping with the typical Saskatchewan weather.
Bredenbury Knox United Church will hold their Annual Congregational meeting on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 10:00 am in the Bredenbury United Church. This meeting is open to all church members, session members, adherents (those taking an active part in the life of the church) and any interested party.
Just a reminder about our craft/trade show on May 10, 2025. There are limited tables available so book yours now. You don't want to miss out. Louise at 306-744-7540 or Donna at 306-896-7822.
Community Wide Garage Sale:
The date set for Community wide garage sales is May 10 from 9-3. If you wish to put your house on the map and host a garage sale, email the office at bredenbury@sasktel.net or call 306-898-2055 on or before April 30, 2025.
Bredenbury Community Daycare will host a BBQ at the rink this day as well.
Rink Skating:
One of the motors went on a compressor in February. We replaced it with a new one at a cost of $6000.
The ice will be in until March 15. With the Wildcats having a tournament on March 14 & 15.
March public skating will be March 2: 12-2pm and March 9: 11am-2pm.
Curling Funspiel:
We will host our Annual Curling Funspiel on Saturday, March 29, 2025. With a start time around 8 a.m.
There will be a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. $5. The rink kitchen will be open all day starting at 11 a.m. There will be beer gardens starting at 11 a.m.
There will be roast beef with fries and gray and coleslaw for $15 starting at 4 p.m.
There will be 50-50 and a raffle prize table.
Should you wish to donate a prize for the curling funspiel raffle prize please drop it off with Twila Brears or at the town office on or before March 20. All proceeds go to Bredenbury Rink.
Spring:
Spring will show up in March; we expect it to show up with a vengeance. This has been an extreme amount of snow this year.
We will move snow in problem areas such as 5th/6th street 200 block and 100 block of 2nd street. The Town of Bredenbury has pipes in culverts ready to thaw quickly. We have several pumps and hoses to utilize to help water move faster from public areas.
We highly recommend that you have your sump pumps ready to go and have them run outside to a ditch or culvert; if all sumps run into our sewer system our lift station will not be able to keep up. There is a bylaw saying it is illegal to put sump water into sewer as with every municipality.
Some people when it is warmer even move snow away from home. Make sure you are now putting water or snow on your neighbours property.
The Town of Bredenbury has pipes in culverts ready to thaw quickly this year if required.
Bredenbury Community Daycare:
Bredenbury Daycare would like to thank everyone who helped make our first fundraiser of the year a great success! Thank you to everyone who participated in our Cowboy Caviar fundraiser. We managed to raise 2040.00!
We anticipate the addition of our additional spaces on April 1/25! With the addition of available spaces at the daycare we are looking for more staff, and we are always looking for casual staff! If you are interested in applying please contact the daycare.
With spring just around the corner that means yard cleanup and garden planting will be under way. If you have any garden tools, watering cans or seeds you would be willing to donate please contact us, we would really appreciate it!
There will also be an opportunity to get some volunteer hours when the snow starts melting. Parents can contact the daycare about helping with yard cleanup to get those volunteer hours in.
We would like to send a Great Big Thank You to the Mennonite Sewing Group from Bredenbury/Saltcoats for sewing bed covers for our toddler beds, we appreciate it very much.
Another Big Thank You to the Bredenbury Library for your generous donation, it was very thoughtful of you.
Busy Bees:
Bredenbury Busy Bees host coffee Monday to Friday’s 2-4pm. $2. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
Overweight Permits:
The Town of Bredenbury has blocked all heavy traffic from using Broadway Avenue in Bredenbury except for local delivery drivers, local businesses and the RM of Saltcoats.
The RM of Saltcoats paid to have the West side of Broadway Avenue patched this fall and are they are also building a road around Bredenbury so that we don’t have to have semi or farm equipment go through again after this year. Their contractor is N&R Concrete.
Utility Billings:
Starting April first, the quarterly utility billing standard rate will increase from $297 to $318. Water stays the same at $99 base a quarter. Sewer stays the same at $99 base a quarter. Garbage and Recycle increases from $99 a quarter to $120. This increase will take us close to a break even point with Garbage and Recycle rising costs.
For those that pay monthly you will now pay $106 monthly. For those on automatic withdrawals starting in April your monthly withdrawal will increase from $99 to $106. Should you wish to remove yourself from monthly withdrawal please contact the office immediately or we will automatically increase it.
Some people may not know that the Utility Bill includes all three things about, but if you look at your utility bill you will see a line for each item. It is not just water.
Taxes:
Council held their budget meeting on February 24 and had to make some tough choices.
Council has set their new mill rate at 6.5 mills. That is up 0.5 mills from last year. Base tax will remain the same at $1100 for everyone, except vacant base tax will be reduced to $500 to comply with government regulations. Commercial mill rate factor will remain at 6.
With it being a revaluation year, every resident tax will be different. On average residential assessments went down but they went up significantly last revaluation. On average commercial assessments went up but they went down significantly last revaluation. Agriculture assessments went up.
Taxes will not be mailed out until the Government of Saskatchewan announces their budget and their mill rate for the education portion of taxes. For those that might not be aware all municipalities collect education taxes, these taxes are sent monthly to the Government of Saskatchewan; those taxes do not stay in the municipality, so it is important to look at each line of your tax notice.
Employees:
Council would like to remind residents not to harass our town employees. Working for the public and in public view is hard enough without judgement from residents. Should you have a valid concern with safety or operation put that concern in writing and it will be submitted to council. Ignorant comments on Facebook will also not be tolerated that is a form of harassment. Town of Bredenbury prides itself on being a friendly community inclusive of all and we intend to keep it that way.