Mayor, council set priorities for 2026

By Joan Janzen

Kindersley Mayor Ken Francis and town council are looking ahead to a busy 2026, with a focus on keeping taxes low while maintaining service levels and ensuring residents continue to have access to affordable recreational facilities.

Francis said council remains committed to long-term infrastructure planning, including annual water and sewer replacements and street paving.

“We have an infrastructure plan in place where we do water and sewer replacements every year, as well as street paving,” he said. “The project on Main Street will be completed this summer with a paving cap that finishes off the work started last year.”

One unexpected expense emerged following an inspection of the town’s water tower, which revealed significant interior issues.

“We need to spend approximately $1 million to repair and re-coat the interior lining this spring,” Francis said. “It was an unforeseen cost, but we caught it before it became a much bigger and more expensive fix.”

Council is also reviewing Kindersley’s water rate structure in an effort to build reserves for future investments in water infrastructure.

“This includes evening out the town and rural water rates so they are consistent and fair,” Francis said, adding that the town continues to prioritize efficiency in operations and tendering processes to ensure value for taxpayers.

Another major priority for 2026 is moving forward with a replacement community hall. Plans to renovate the Elks Hall were abandoned after costs proved higher than anticipated.

“Plans are in the works for a new build at a new location, with double the capacity and double the parking,” Francis said. “That way, larger events can be held here.”

While venues such as the Norman Ritchie Centre, Kindersley Ballroom, Legion Hall and several churches can accommodate smaller gatherings, Francis said the town needs a space capable of hosting events for more than 500 people.

Inflation remains a key challenge for both municipal operations and new construction projects, particularly as council works to avoid increasing property taxes.

“Last year was a reassessment year, so it was a challenge to reshuffle the tax base,” Francis said. “We saw a significant drop in hotel and multi-unit properties, so other classes had to be adjusted to balance revenue. To be honest, hotels were paying too much, so a reduction was appropriate.”

Francis said there are indications that new businesses may be opening in the local mall, though no formal announcements have been made.

Service clubs also continue to play an important role in the community, he added.

“I feel there’s an uptick in service clubs, which help support local businesses through the events they put on,” he said.

Francis said serving on council is both rewarding and impactful, noting that decisions often produce visible results in a short time.

“I hope we see interest in the council position opening up in March,” he said. “Being on council is a great way to be involved and to give back to your community.”