Since joining the B-Say-Tah council team in September, I have had the opportunity to meet a number of you who I knew by name but had not met personally. Over this summer, I'm sure I will meet many more of you. Serving on council has allowed me to dis­cover the long and rich history of this community.

I'm also looking forward to doing some of the things council has planned. The Community Plan the village is operating under was written in 1989. The purpose of the plan, among other things, is to de­fine the direction the village wants to go concerning land use and how and where the village should grow.

We are in the process of updating and rewriting the plan. I am sure you will be hearing more about this as the months go by. It is hoped the plan will be in place by October of this year.

I'm also pleased to introduce Caralen Okolita as our village administrator. Caralen comes to us from the town of Fort Qu'Appelie where she was the Assistant Ad­ministrator for a humber of years. I hope you take the opportunity to drop into the office, meet Caralen and welcome her to the village. Caralen's arrival means we will be saying good bye to Beatrice Malach. Beatrice has capably served our village for about 15 years and has decided to retire and spend time with her painting, writing and ceramics. I have frequently counted on Beatrice's knowledge and expertise over the past few months. Without her guidance I would have felt quite lost.

On behalf of the village Beatrice, thank you for your many years of service. We wish you well in all you decide to do.

Have a happy and fun-filled summer!
Mayor Ron Cox

Councillor Ross Cowan

It has been another busy year for Council. With the resignation of Mayor Thompson, the new mayor assigned the duties that Mayor Thompson had held.

I am now the resort village representative on the Fort Qu'Appelle Parks & Recreation Board, in addition to being the resort village representative on the lagoon committee and deputy mayor.

A new office building is still in the works. Funding and design options are being explored.

The B-Say-Tah Foundation has a new Board of Directors and is looking forward to receiving donations.

After the long cold winter, we are all looking forward to the hot weather and a I safe and enjoyable summer. If you have any questions, concerns or comments please do not hesitate to contact me, another Councillor or the resort village office.

SEWAGE LAGOON
There have been numerous meetings with the government to find to find a long term solution for waste water disposal. The Lagoon Committee selected a consultant to find a suitable location for the construction of a new lagoon. Construction could possibly be completed by the fall of 2009.

PARKS & RECREATION BOARD
This Board oversees the operation of the parks and recreation facilities in Fort Qu'Appelle including the Rex­entre, campground and green space in Fort Qu'Appelle. B-Say-Tah gives the board an annual grant to help support the facilities so that they are available for use by our residents.
Councillor Ross Cowan

Tis' the Season to be back to the lake and it couldn't have come sooner with that long winter we had! I hope everyone survived the cold weather. 2009 is going to be an exciting year in B-Say Tah!

B-Say-Tah is one of the most sought after Resorts in Saskatchewan and we are growing. If you take a drive down B-Say-Tah Road you will notice many property improvements and some new construction. This is a community we can be proud of and it is shown with all the improvements residents are making to their properties. Moving forward, I would like to see us have some kind of a slogan for B-Say-Tah. What I am re­ferring to just as an example is; in Regina there is the "I Love Regina" slogan and this has become well known all across Canada. B-Say-Tah could have something similar; obviously not on such a large scale, but rather something unique to our little paradise hidden in the valley. We have a 95th Anniversary coming up next year and I think it would be an appropriate time to have this in place. If you have any thoughts or ideas on this we would be pleased to hear from you before the end of September, 2009.

On a more serious note you may be aware that Staff Sargeant Maureen Levy from the RCMP has left to pursue her career in Vancouver and consequently we have a new member on board. I am pleased to introduce Staff Sargeant Earl Nini to you. Members of the Fort Qu'Appelle RCMP detachment are pleased to welcome their new Staff Sargeant who brings with him 31 years of policing experience. He wants everyone to know he operates an "open door" policy and encourages this community to call or stop in if you have problems or concerns.

Increased visibility of the RCMP will remain a strong fo­cus, as well as a pro-active traffic strategy enforcing the Traffic Safety Act which includes the use of seat belts, speed limit ad­herence and driving illegally or while impaired to name a few. Crime prevention remains a priority and you can do your part by reporting any suspicious activity to the RCMP immediately. We have a vacancy for two Neighbourhood Watch Captains, so if you can help out please contact the office.

We've gone to the DOGS! Actually we still have a prob­lem with dogs running at large and you should be aware that if it is your animal that attacks someone and they report it to the RCMP, you could be charged and given a heavy fine. B-Say­Tah does not have a dog catcher so kindly do your part and keep your animals safe from harm by being responsible pet owners. We love our animals but not everyone'does, therefore be respectful and don't let your animals run at large.

Don't forget to check out the Library in town for good books to read, or surf the net, or check email. They provide a great selection of books and magazines and some are complete with large print. Watch for the book and bake sale coming this summer. Children's reading and/or craft programs will be offered, providing they can get some volunteers to help out. If you would like to donate a few hours of your time please contact Ken at: 332-6411 or just drop by to say Hello.

If you have had a change in address, name or phone number that you would like updated kindly advise the Village Office at: 332-6449. The new Directory will be out in June.

This year is an "Election Year" and we hope that you will all come out and vote on July 25.

Finally, a special "thank you" to all who have helped out in any way on any of the committees or activities we have held; it has made our job easier and we really appreciate you!
Have a Safe and Enjoyable Summer Everyone!
Last but not least...GO RIDERS!!!!!!!
Councillor
Susan Cherewyk

Councillor Jim Muirhead

Jim graduated from the Saskatchewan Technical Institute in Moose Jaw with a diploma in Drafting Technology. He is currently certifiedby the Society of Engineering Technologists and Technicians of Saskatchewan as an applied science technologist.

Jim was employed by the Saskatchewan Water Resources Commission after graduation. He later joined the Cambrian Engineering Group as a Civil Technologist. He was involved in survey and drafting work for many municipal engineering projects including a sewer and water project in Northern Saskatchewan where he was the resident supervisor.

In 1980 Jim started his own construction company and continues in this field.

While a resident of Moose Jaw, Jim was the president of Downtown Moose Jaw's Business Improvement District for several years.

Jim's family began "summering" here in 1916. He has been a permanent resident since 2003. Jim is married to Kari and they have two children, Jamie and Brennan,

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Administrator
Caralen Okolita

I am honoured and excited to accept the position as the "new" Administrator for the Village. I will be working closely with Beatrice during the month of June and will step fully into the position when Beatrice retires June 30.

In addition to my career in municipal government, I also hold the title of wife, mother, chief cook, dish and laundry washer, organizer of everything and finder of all things lost. My husband John, a real estate agent/broker with Hatfield Valley Agencies and I live in Fort Qu'Appelle where we raise "the boss", our 1 year old daughter Catherine.

I look forward to working with the council and members of the village to continue building a community we proudly call home!

Please feel free to stop in with any ideas, questions or concerns or just to say "hi". I know I will see lots of familiar people coming through the door and I look forward to meeting many new ones.