LEADERSHIP WITH A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Through effective leadership, the RM has built a strong and steady municipality.
REEVE MITCH HUBER
Many factors explain the development you see in the RM of Edenwold today, but for Reeve Mitch Huber, a key one is the approach taken by council for years.
In his time on council – which is more than 20 years -- Huber has seen how being located near Regina and having improvements made to the Trans-Canada highway to the east of Regina has played a role in the development of his rural municipality.
But a common perspective held by those on council was necessary to make things happen for the RM of Edenwold.
“Council has been open for business. That concept has resonated with council for many years,” said Huber.
“Their open mindedness has been a positive for the community and area.”
This approach has led to the development of a diverse tax base that includes residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural.
“That is probably the thing I am most proud of,” said Huber.
“We have all aspects of community and we are proud of that and look to advance that.”
The RM of Edenwold is the first in Saskatchewan to apply to become a municipal district. This diverse tax base is one reason that becoming a municipal district is the next logical step for the RM of Edenwold’s progress.
“In a lot of aspects, we are running a municipal district now,” said Huber.
“The positive of the municipal district is to hopefully, at some point in the future, decrease the size of governance,” Huber explains.
But the benefits go beyond that.
“Basically, the municipal district concept should give us more tax tools, which would be the biggest positive,” Huber said.
“It will diversify some of our mill rate factors and be able to give us a more balanced approach.”
Having a diverse tax base means the RM currently provides varying levels of service to areas within the rural municipality.
Becoming a municipal district would bring positive changes to services delivered.
“It’s another step towards delivering a balanced service, although individual service, to all areas of the municipality.”
Huber recognizes that services are of interest to those living in the RM of Edenwold.
“The ask of people today is for more service, whether it's centralized water and sewer, fire protection or recreation,” said Huber, who explains that responsibly expanding the services provided requires a staged approach.
He encourages White City’s interest in expanding and growing. He points to an opportunity that he sees with vacant land that could be developed for residential and commercial in an area east of that community that has easy access to major highways.
But Huber’s preference is for the municipal district.
“The municipal district concept could be the answer for the area. One government, one council to operate the area we are in. I think that would be the win.”
