He questions public statements made more than once by the mayor and council of White City about the RM of Edenwold and the town’s desire to annex land from the RM.

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First, he points to the numerous annexation attempts made by the Town of White City and the cost to taxpayers in that community. He can count at least six attempts during his time living in Emerald Park, with the recent one the most vexing to him. He points to the many thousands of dollars being spent by the Town of White City to have reports produced to support its attempts. 

 

Joyce can point out how other statements by those at the Town of White City are offering a skewed perspective. 

 

For example, White City has portrayed itself in the media as being in a unique situation surrounded by a rural municipality that makes it a “doughnut hole.” However, that is true of all urban municipalities in Saskatchewan. Cities, towns and villages exist with rural municipalities located around them. White City is no exception.

 

The Town of White City has asked other urban municipalities in Saskatchewan to show support for this annexation attempt, claiming that the town is a hub providing services outside of its borders without “acknowledgement or contribution from those outside of our boundaries.” The word “parasitic” has been used by the mayor to describe the RM of Edenwold, which Joyce finds “offensive.”

 

Joyce disputes this characterization of the RM by pointing out two facts. First, since 2012, the RM of Edenwold has contributed millions to the towns of White City and Balgonie as well as the villages of Pilot Butte and Edenwold. That financial support does not suggest a parasitic relationship to Joyce. 

 

Second, he points out that White City takes credit for facilities that are in place to serve residents in the area some of which are not the responsibility of a municipal government, such as schools. Those facilities could have as easily been located in the RM of Edenwold -- and some have been, Joyce said.  A rink bearing the name of White City is located on land in the RM of Edenwold and is used by residents of the RM and White City, but the Town of White City has not contributed to its funding.

 

White City’s attempt to frame their proposed annexation as necessary for these reasons does not sit well with Joyce.

 

“Why would I ever want to join that community?” he said. 

 

What Joyce feels needs to be clear are a couple of key benefits White City stands to receive should the annexation move from a proposal to a reality. 

 

The first is the RM of Edenwold’s business community. Historically, annexations have been to acquire land that is bare. The area that White City wants from the RM of Edenwold is far from bare and has been part of a plan first initiated by the RM of Edenwold in the early 1980s.

 

“This is about developed land in the RM of Edenwold,” said Joyce.

 

“For decades, the councillors and the reeve have spent a lot of time, energy and money-making Emerald Park, Great Plains Industrial Park, White Butte Business Park and the subdivisions possible through a very organized plan of development.”  

 

For another municipality to take that away through annexation is “nonsense,” said Joyce. 

 

Another benefit White City stands to receive is the millions of dollars in tax revenue from Emerald Park and the other residential areas in the RM of Edenwold. 

 

Based on recent activity in both municipalities, Joyce favours how the RM of Edenwold approaches spending compared to the Town of White City. He points to the RM of Edenwold’s fire hall as an example of responsible approach.

 

“You build within your means, and you build when you can afford to build,” said Joyce.

 

By comparison, a plan by the Town of White City to spend $95 million on a multi-use recreational facility for a community with a population of 3,800 makes little sense to Joyce. 

 

“There is no way that (White City) can afford something of that magnitude and, just as importantly, has no way to operate it,” said Joyce.