By Marcia Love
Council heard a delegation from the Red Cross in council chambers on Aug. 24.
Christine Hoffman, a volunteer with the Red Cross, discussed the organization’s natural disaster recovery assistance and the benefits it can provide to residents affected by the June 18 flood.
The Red Cross assists with emergency feeding and clothing, personal services, health care, emergency lodging, home repairs and clean up, household goods requirements, child needs, transportation and occupational needs.
Hoffman noted the Red Cross does not provide services already being provided to a resident through another organization.
“The town has done a tremendous job in providing a lot of these needs for the people in the town,” she explained. “But maybe there are just a few areas that... maybe someone’s insurance didn’t cover things – some grey areas or some holes that things have been lost in. So we’re hoping we can help fill some of those voids.”
To determine the number of residents who may need assistance from the Red Cross, Hoffman proposed a door-to-door operation with local volunteers.
The Red Cross is already providing assistance to  the Nekaneet First Nation, where two homes were deemed unfit for residents to live in due to water damage. The families were provided with RVs through the Red Cross.
“This is not charity. This is not a hand-out,” Hoffman noted. “This is people helping people.”
In the event the Red Cross is unable to provide assistance to a resident, the organization will inform the town and discuss other options available.
Council approved the Red Cross to conduct the door-to-door needs assessment.
Maple Creek will have a representative from Corrections, Public Safety and Policing available for residents to meet with over the next few weeks.
The representative will be at the town office every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday by appointment only to address any problems residents are having with the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP).
“They recognize that there are some lingering concerns and misunderstandings... so this is an attempt to reach out to those people,” explained Mark Caswell, town administrator.
Anyone wishing to make an appointment to discuss PDAP concerns may contact the town office.
Council received a request from Formula One Real Estate for the rezoning of a residential property to commercial use.
The company wishes to convert a house at 13 Pacific Ave. to a commercial property. However, the house was deemed to have health concerns due to flood damage.
Formula One is willing to ensure all mould and potential electrical and plumbing issues are addressed.
Council approved the rezoning of the property subject to public health requirements being met.
The extension of the Town of Maple Creek’s state of emergency was also discussed.
Council will meet today to confirm the extension of the emergency status.
A meeting has been held each week to approve the continuation of the town’s state of emergency.
The status allows the town to receive more timely assistance from the provincial government in flood relief efforts.