Rob Carnie - Time for Take 5 with Carnie and Carmichael, featuring Moose Jaw city manager Maurice Carmichael. City manager, let's start with the SAMA contract. It has been renewed; SAMA standing for the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency.
Maryse Carmichael - Yes, so this city needed assessment services a long time ago. Over a decade ago, it was our own employees that were doing the assessment services. Now, we've been with SAMA for several years and this contract was coming to an end at the end of December of 2025.
So, with the ratification of the minutes from the Council meeting at the end of July, now we have a new contract with Sama that will start on the first of January 2026 for SAMA to continue to provide the assessment services for our city.
Rob - I do know, and you know too, there are a number of property owners and homeowners in Moose Jaw who were not happy with the last assessment from SAMA.
Do they deal directly with SAMA? Do they deal with SAMA through the City of Moose Jaw? How does that work?
Maryse - So we have the information on our Moose Jaw website with links to SAMA and what to do if you want to appeal your assessment. Every four years there's a reevaluation in Saskatchewan. We just went through a reevaluation. So yes, some homeowners and property owners have seen a difference on their property assessment. So property owners can appeal, all the information is on MooseJaw.ca with links to SAMA.
I would add one thing — be careful where you get your information from — if you're talking about assessments, go to professionals, go to websites like SAMA and MooseJaw.ca. That's where the correct information is on assessments and what you can and cannot do.