March 2019 – MASTER OF NONE

March 29, 2019March 29, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 45

***Original published in South Mountain Press, February 22, 2019***

RM of Clanwilliam-Erickson Council February Update

The Council for the Rural Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson held their regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, February 13. Numerous agenda items vital to the running of the RM were discussed.

One of the main discussion points dealt with the current state of the Clanwilliam-Erickson Childcare Initiative and the soon to be opened ‘Little Hands Early Learning Center’ daycare. It was reported that opening was going to be delayed a month to April 1^st and all but four of the available twenty six spaces have been spoken for. The delay was due to renovations taking longer than predicted. Fundraising for the project continues with plans for a Casino Night, a Paint Night, and ongoing meat sales. Numerous donations of second hand items and monies have been gratefully received.

Council was asked to ‘bridge finance’ a progressive payment to the daycare’s contractors (who have worked in good faith without payment for two months) for the amount of $43,022.01. The Royal Bank loan for the project has been approved but there has been a short delay in disbursing the funds. It was stressed that there will be no cost to the RM and the money is expected to be replaced shortly.

In addition, it was pointed out that originally during the May 15, 2018 Special Meeting, the amount that Council was to serve as security and guarantor for was placed at $100,000. But when the August 24, 2018 Bylaw #55/18 was written up, the amount had increased to $175,000. There is some trepidation on Council regarding the size of the loan that the RM is covering but there is general agreement that the daycare will succeed and will be a much needed asset for the community and its continued prosperity.

Another important item of discussion related to subdivision plans by the South Ditch Lake Recreation Co-Op. President Lawrence Bertram has asked Council to consider some road closure and Crown Land Reserve issues that are preventing subdivision proposals from moving forward. For example, along the shoreline where the Co-Op cottages sit, there is a 99 foot Crown Reserve setback zone. Council has to apply to the Province to have this transferred to the RM.

Council is looking into further details on how to resolve the Co-Op’s issues so that Ditch Lake development can move forward.

As usual, there were many items related to the RM’s handling of waste.

First item to be discussed was the plans for a review of the Solid Waste Agreement with Rolling River First Nation at the end of the month.

There has been no major movement on the Four Winds Waste Management project. Complicating matters is the impending Keeseekoowenin First Nation Council Election. Meanwhile, Council is still entertaining ideas of sending the RM’s waste to the Franklin Evergreen site or entering into a contract with Municipal Waste Management of Souris.

Erickson’s lagoon site was discussed. The present sludge levels will be closely monitored and discharges into Leda Lake will be limited. There have been two emergency discharges into the lake over the last three years and there is a regular fall discharge. At some point sooner than later, the sludge levels will have to be dealt with.

Keeping with Provincial regulations, a RM employee will be sent to the Manitoba Water & Wastewater Association Conference for training. Also, an employee will be sent for mandatory Solid Waste Association of North America certification. By July 1, 2019, all landfills regulated by Manitoba Sustainable Development will be required to have a certified operator.

Carrying on with Erickson’s 2018 Residential Compost Pickup Pilot project, Council has given direction to initiate a Town Wide Compost Collection Program. Results from the pilot indicated that up to 60 tons of compost could be diverted from landfill annually. The environmental and economic benefits of composting locally only makes fiscal sense. Details of the program will be distributed to the public as they become available.

Infrastructure issues in the RM were discussed. If the Federal and Provincial grants come through for the repaving of Erickson’s airport runway, the RM will have to kick in an amount in the range of $100,000. Discussions were had on how the debenture could be raised. Also with infrastructure, snow plowing procedures and road sanding points were discussed.

Finally, all of these good plans by Council will need to be paid for. The Councilors and staff will be putting their noses to the grindstone during a series of special Financial Plan meetings being held at the end of the month. Line by line 2019/2020 budget items such as gravel expenditures, organization grants, staff costs, etc. will be decided upon.

The myriad of issues Council and RM Staff deal with keep them busy and they are never bored. They are tirelessly working for the betterment of their constituency and welcome everyone’s input and concerns.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 29, 2019March 29, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – CROSSROADS THIS WEEK, VOLUME 17, NUMBER 3

Caroline Hewson explaining her Gasification Plant plan at Rossburn Public Hearing

***Original published in Crossroads This Week, February 22, 2019***

Rossburn RM Council Hears Pitch for Zero Waste Plant

Every municipality in the Province is grappling with the complexities of dealing with the waste that Manitobans generate. There are numerous strategies being considered such as the tried and true landfill, exporting to mega-dumps, ambitious diversion projects, and the new comer – gasification schemes.

Last week on February 13 at the Rossburn Library Drop-In, Rossburn RM Council held a Special meeting to receive information on a proposal related to a ‘Waste-To-Green Power’ solution for the town’s garbage and lagoon sludge. Caroline and James Hewson of JC7 Green Life Energy described their privately funded proposal for a Rapid Organic Convertor (ROC) thermal conversion unit to produce heat and electricity to fuel a Green Energy Park. Their goal is to turn Rossburn into a ‘zero waste’ community.

Specifically, in order to get the Hewson’s plans to moving forward, they are requesting the RM to lease their company approximately 40 acres of land in the vicinity of the town’s lagoon.

Mayor Kerry Lawless was pleased with the presentation and public interest in the project. He reiterated that Council was taking the proposal seriously. In fact, contrary to a recent Crossroads Letter to the Editor, ‘The assertion that Council’s decision was effectively “to reject the Hewson’s Gasification Plant Proposal” is a mischaracterization of the facts. A resolution was introduced at our January Council meeting authorizing the Municipality to enter into an agreement to lease property for the proposed Rapid Organic Converter Project. Some members of council, including me, felt that we did not have adequate details at the time to vote in favour of the resolution. We carefully crafted the resolution (declining the leasing request) to include the words “at this time” so that it left the door open to consider the lease request upon receipt of additional information.’

Mayor Lawless did concede that there has been some community confusion concerning the proposed lease agreement for the Hewson’s proposal. Complicating factors include the fact that the entire council is new as of the last election and they have been dealing with several other handover issues. But Council is determined to rejuvenate the community while balancing the need to conduct the process of due diligence.

There already seems to be strong community support for the ROC solution to the community’s waste issues. A Rossburn business couple, Keegan and Sarah Saley, had circulated a petition asking for support for the JC7 waste disposal concept. They collected 130 signatures and also gave a presentation to Council.

The desire to move forward with the leasing arrangement was generally echoed by the 30 plus concerned citizens in attendance. In a rare move for a Council meeting, the floor was opened for a Q & A session. Most people felt that Council needed to move on this issue sooner than later. They do not want to see their community wither because they were not proactive enough. The feeling was that Rossburn’s garbage issues should be dealt with in Rossburn and not exported along with the resultant economic benefits to other jurisdictions.

Although there was mostly positive agreement that the ROC plant would be a good solution for the RM, there were some cons associated with the project. To begin with, Caroline admitted this would be the first fully functioning ROC plant in the province. Tritec Concrete in St. Eustache runs a ROC plant using grain screenings but it is only licensed to convert biomass. Evergreen Environmental Technologies by Franklin will have their own pilot gasification plant running soon. There have been numerous Manitoba gasification plant pilot projects but a fully functioning ROC plant in Rossburn would be breaking new ground.

Other RMs have expressed interest in the concept but there have been no firm commitments. Some of the reasons for the trepidation have been the shaky reputation of gasification plants in other parts of the world, the perceived newness of the technology, the initial start-up costs, lack of enough waste as feedstock, and possible complications with licensing through Manitoba Sustainable Development.

Caroline and James are confident that the technological and regulatory hurdles can be surmounted. In their opinion, once the RM leases their company the requested land parcel, they should be able to have a working ROC unit converting waste within 18 months. From there, they have plans to attract more business to an adjacent ‘Green Energy Park’ which would run off the resultant gas created from the town’s waste. Later, if all goes well, and more communities send them their waste, they can build more ROC units to handle the inflow.

Mayor Lawless closed the meeting with a pledge to keep the proposal high on the Council’s agenda. It will be discussed again at their next Regular meeting. Meanwhile, the Hewson’s are open to answering all questions related to their proposal and eager for a positive decision on the land lease from the RM.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 29, 2019March 29, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 44

***Original published in South Mountain Press, February 15, 2019***

Are Manitobans Ready for the New Federal Carbon Tax?

As Manitobans shiver during this February deep freeze, they probably will not be too keen on the imposition of the Federal Carbon Tax which is set to take effect on April 1^st. In fact, although Federal Carbon Taxes are not being collected at present, as of January 1^st the meter is running for Manitoba industrial emitters who will be subject to a Federal ‘backstop output-based pricing system’.

Premier Pallister is not buying the Trudeau government’s Carbon Tax scheme and put the brakes on the Province’s own Carbon Tax plan back in October. Hence, Manitoba was added to Trudeau’s ‘Naughty’ province list and will impose the new tax.

For the sake of this article, I will put aside the arguments of the advisability of government imposing a punitive, blanket ‘consumption’ tax which will result in dubious environmental benefits. Instead, the focus will be on how the new tax will affect Manitoban’s wallets.

Let’s start with the obvious taxes that will hit on April 1^st. To begin, every combustible fossil fuel from Aviation gasoline through to Combustible waste will be charged a yearly escalating tax on a per unit basis. A Cessna passing through Erickson’s airport will be charged an extra 4.98 cents/litre. Natural gas to heat Shoal Lake homes and businesses will cost an extra 3.91 cents/cubic metre. Propane for the weekend summer BBQ at the park will set you back another 3.1 cents/litre. Of course, the big one will be gasoline which will hit every litre of fuel with an extra 4.42 cents.

Remember, these are the initial rates. As the Liberal’s plan stands for now, the $20/tonne tax on fossil fuels will increase to $50/tonne as of 2022. For example, for April 2022, the extra tax per litre of gasoline will be 11.05 cents. Who wants to take bets that the rate will stay static if the Liberals are given another mandate?

Years ago, the Rural Municipality of Yellowhead Council was proud to have brought natural gas to the Town of Shoal Lake. According to Manitoba Hydro, the new Federal ‘Carbon Charge’ related to natural gas use for an average household will be an annual increase of about 13% or $88. In three years, it will be an increase of over 30% as the price per cubic metre climbs to an extra 9.79 cents. It will be even worse for businesses whose 2019 natural gas costs will increase 15-30% depending on their customer class and consumption levels.

Those parts of Manitoba’s industry who rely on fossil fuels are going to get hit hard by this new Carbon Tax. Once their share has been figured out, the amount charged will be retroactive to January 1^st.

Compared to the rest of Canada, Manitoba emits relatively little Green House Gases (GHGs) and has few Large Final Emitters (LFEs). But the province does have nine LFEs who account for about 10% of the Province’s GHG emissions. Some of the highest emitters on the list are the Brandon Koch Fertilizer Plant, the TransCanada Pipeline, the Graymont Faulkner lime plant, Vale Thompson Mining Operations, Husky Minnedosa Ethanol, Manitoba Kraft Papers, and three large Winnipeg landfill sites.

Each of these sites have been identified as facilities that emit at least 50,000 tonnes/year of carbon dioxide (CO2). By far and away, the Koch Fertilizer plant which uses enormous amounts of natural gas to create fertilizer, produces the greatest amount of GHGs at about half of the amount of all the other manufacturing facilities put together. The final cost to these facilities will be determined by complicated schemes, pricing systems, and/or cap and trade systems.

There will be a few Carbon Tax exceptions for farmers and commercial fishermen who will not pay extra tax on marked fuel. Other relevant proposed targeted Manitoba relief measures will be directed at rural residents, greenhouse operators, power plants generating electricity for remote communities, and Indigenous Peoples.

The preceding points are the obvious and direct costs associated with the new Federal Carbon tax. In fact, the government is claiming that the average taxpayer will receive more back in income tax than what they will pay in direct tax. As an example, an average Manitoba household should receive an extra $336 on this year’s tax return.

It is the insidious nature of the new tax that will make its true cost to the average Manitoban difficult to determine.

As an example, when the Koch Fertilizer plant gets their new bill for their natural gas use, the higher cost of producing fertilizer will in all likelihood be either wholly or partially passed on to farmers. Government and industry have been cagey about the final price of farmer input costs due to the new Carbon Tax. With regards to nitrogen fertilizer, one estimate from Dr. Mario Tenuta of the University of Manitoba puts the 2019 costs at an extra $7.63/acre for standard fertilizer application rates, climbing to $19.08/acre by 2022. Using 2016 Census data, the average Manitoba farmer with 1300 cropland acres would see a 2019 fertilizer bill increase of $10,000 growing to almost $25,000 by 2022.

On a smaller scale, this will be the same fate for every Manitoba company or consumer. Due to the nature of Manitoba’s economy just about every product, foodstuff, or service has a fossil fuel related component which is going to cost more to produce, manufacture, or deliver. It would almost be impossible to calculate the true costs of this escalating tax and you would have to be particularly naïve to believe that it will end up being revenue neutral.

Ostensibly, the Federal Carbon Tax is meant to wean Canadians away from fossil fuels, embrace ‘Green’ technology and energy sources, and to protect Canadians from the impacts of climate change. Soon enough with a Federal election this fall, we will see if Manitobans will embrace the Liberal’s vision of a CO2 free Canada despite the cost to the pocket book and the financial hits to our industries.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 42 – Part 2

***Original published in South Mountain Press, February 1, 2019***

Logan McKillop Begins Western Canada Tour

Onanole musician Logan McKillop, accompanied by Winnipeg’s Sophie Stevens, recently began his latest Western Canada tour with a series of Westman shows including a packed house concert up in Onanole. In between gigs, Logan kindly spent some time with me to talk about his life, his music, and the pursuit of the great white buffalo.

From Logan’s press release, ‘In January/February 2019, Onanole, MB singer-songwriter Logan McKillop will be touring throughout Western Canada. He will be appearing on 21 stages across MB, SK, AB, and BC. Logan will be performing as a duo with accompaniment provided by Winnipeg pianist/guitarist/vocalist Sophie Stevens. Together, they will be introducing audiences to new songs from Logan’s upcoming album “Anchorless” (to be released on March 22nd, 2019).

Logan will be performing at a variety of venues including music festivals, cafes, community art spaces, lounges, and house concerts.’

This second album, which was funded with $10,000 raised through a Kickstarter campaign, follows Logan’s 20 song debut album “Prairie Sky” released in March 2013. A retro vinyl version of “Anchorless” along with CDs/download options will be offered to the public.

Logan performance style is a unique brand of melancholy, optimistic lyrics and soft guitar chords. His folksy crooning would be the perfect accompaniment for curling up by the fire on a brisk, winter evening while enjoying some quiet, self-reflection. Many of his songs dive deeply into the simple but complex stories of the everyday, ordinary people and places that he has encountered.

As Logan explains, “I base my songs on day to day life experiences and then share their stories. I also feel that as a songwriter, it is my duty to raise awareness on issues I feel that are important. Many of my songs are related to my personal experiences such as my mishaps with my first car or growing up in rural Manitoba. Some songs like ‘Gary’s Lament’ relate to people that I’ve met along all my travels. I find that my music appeals to a wide age range, teens to seniors.”

Hailing from an extremely musically inclined family, Logan was probably pre-destined to be a musician. His mother, Colleen, played in a Bluegrass band before concentrating on raising a family of four kids. His father, Cam, is described as an incredible musician. Logan has numerous aunts and uncles on both sides of the family with musical talent, including his Uncle Jim McKillop of Candle Lake, SK whom he will be touring with later in the spring. Then each of his siblings are active, talented singers, songwriters, and musicians. Even a couple of nieces are carrying on the family ‘business’ and actively playing and singing for audiences.

Logan’s musical path began shaping itself at a young age. He could have easily been a percussionist as his first instrument was the drums. Then a Christmas gift of a guitar helped him settle on his main form of musical expression. He has dabbled with the mandolin and banjo but he prefers the acoustic guitar. The works of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, the Irish Rovers, and Black Sabbath were his first few musical influences.

Over the years, Logan received the aid of numerous people who eventually helped him develop into a self-described ‘folk/roots singer-songwriter and storyteller’. In his own words, “From 2007 to 2010, I had my first taste of sharing my original songs when I was in a duo called the “Prairie Rovers” with local songwriter Troy Fleming (from Onanole). We recorded our first album in Troy’s Ditch Lake cabin.

Around the same time, my high school music teacher Tom Mathews introduced me to Martin Finnie and Jody Weger (the three of them were members of ‘The Farmers’). They were highly influential to me and showed me the ropes of what songwriting and playing in a band was all about. I ended up playing in several band configurations with Martin, Tom and Jody throughout the years (‘The Stray Arrows’ & ‘Old Bones Buffalo’).

I’ve played in several bands/accompanied several songwriters throughout the years (Sebastian Owl, The Micah Erenberg Band, The Route 10 Collective, Alana Levandoski, Carly Dow, Madeleine Roger, Brady Enslen, etc).”

Opening up more about his early years as a professional, touring musician, Logan described a life altering decision in October 2010 when singer/songwriter Alana Levandoski asked him to accompany her on a European tour. He had recently swapped vocational plans from Geology to the Jazz Guitar program at Brandon University. But he said yes to the tour, tossed his fate to the winds, had a great time, and decided ‘I want to do this!’

In due time, the budding, brash musician then boldly strode out on his first solo tour and ran head first into trouble in Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Logan is as much a storyteller as a singer and much of his show involves tales of his self-deprecating, humourous misadventures. Without spoiling the story of what happened in the Sault, it involves a wrong turn while searching for a Pizza Hut, U.S. border security, and a pocket full of weed. Then for good measure, his van got T-boned! Thankfully for his loyal fans, Logan did not listen to the deities and continued his singing career.

As for the rest of 2019, on the heels of this tour, Logan will off to the February Montreal Folk Alliance International Conference. Then he and his partner, contemporary folksinger Madeleine Roger, will do a Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous Aurora Trail tour through Northern BC, Yukon, and North West Territories venues. Logan enjoys playing in Canada’s North and this will be his 4^th time doing this tour. Later in the year, there are plans to tour Alberta and Eastern Canada. Plus the summer will be busy playing in various Folk Festivals.

For local fans, Logan will be back in the area for his favourite small town music festival, Kelwood’s Harvest Sun Music Fest held this summer on August 16 – 18. Meanwhile, you can keep track of this talented young man through his website at www.loganmckillop.com.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 42

***Original published in South Mountain Press, February 1, 2019***

Clanwilliam Farming Family Wins Conservation District Award

Recently, local Clanwilliam cattle ranchers Adele and John Popp, were presented with the 2018 Little Saskatchewan River Conservation District Award in recognition of their land stewardship practices. The Popp family received the award during the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association Awards Banquet held in Brandon on December 11.

The Little Saskatchewan River Conservation District was created in 1999 with the mandate to ‘facilitate and support integrated development and stewardship of water and land resources within watersheds, in ways that assure ecosystem health and sustainability through engagement of local citizens.’

Since the Conservation District’s inception, they have recognized families and organizations who have made contributions that align with the CD’s vision of stakeholders focused upon the land, the water and the other natural resources within its watersheds.

John Popp, who originally emigrated from Germany with his family, has over 20 years of experience in the livestock industry and has a Ph. D. in Ruminant Nutrition. In 1998, he and the family moved back to the Clanwilliam family farm to take it over from his parents. Since then, he and his family have been active stewards of their land and promoting sustainable farming management practices.

Along with ranching, John runs the company Big Bear Genetics Ltd. John’s late father, Werner Popp, had the dream of introducing the Bavarian Fleckvieh cattle breed to North America and started the process in 1999. Today, John continues his father’s vision of promoting Fleckvieh lines to North American beef and dairy producers. Part of the couple’s herd of 170 Red Angus acts as a recipient herd for top quality Fleckvieh dairy embryos.

Adele, who hails from a Saskatchewan grain farm, is an active partner with her husband and runs the farm while John is away on company business. From the fall of 1992 to the spring of 1993, she was with the International Agriculture Exchange Association in Australia. As a trainee, Adele was placed into the home of a host family in the town of Marysville, Victoria (approximately 1.5 hours from Melbourne). She chose a livestock exchange and was matched up with a beef cattle operation that did a lot of rotational grazing of yearlings and cow calf.

Adele has taken her knowledge and overseas farming experience and has since applied it to the running of their own cattle operation. She is very active in studying their farm’s soil nutrition and exploring different methods of land regeneration.

The couple’s children, Viktor and Hanna, also shared the Award with their parents. Both kids have been active with running the farm. Viktor is in his third year of Engineering at the University of Manitoba in the faculty of Biosystems Engineering. He took an 8 month work experience job with MacDon Industries as a test technician. His position involved the operation of prototype combine header out in the field, collecting data, writing reports, and acting as a liaison between the cooperating farmer and company.

Hanna is a high school student at Erickson Collegiate. Along with helping out on the farm, she is active in the local 4-H Beef Club. Through 4H public speaking competitions Hanna qualified to speak at the 2018 Royal Winter Fair at the Canadian Young Speakers Association competition.

The Popp family is well deserving of their recognition in light of their contributions to agriculture and land stewardship. They are happy to share their knowledge and experience and welcome visitors to ask questions and tour their Clanwilliam operation.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 41

Scott Gray, member of the Daycare Board, at the new Daycare site in Erickson

***Original published in South Mountain Press, January 25, 2019***

Erickson’s Little Hands Early Learning Center Nearing Completion

In just over a month, Chrystal Shellborn’s vision of an Erickson professional daycare center should be up and running. Remarkable progress has been made by this young lady and her dedicated volunteers who have only been working on the project for the past year with the opening of the ‘Little Hands Early Learning Center’ projected for March 1st.

About a year ago, when Chrystal returned from vocation training with a young family in tow, she realized there was a desperate need for daycare spaces in the Erickson, Onanole, and Sandy Lake area. After enlisting support through an appeal on social media, other young mothers came to her aid and planning began for building a daycare facility.

A non-profit organization called the Clanwilliam-Erickson Childcare Initiative was formed to oversee planning, fundraising, and implementation of the project. The group is comprised of Chrystal as Chair, other interested young mothers, and former local RM Councilors Scott Gray and Tami Johnson.

Working closely with the Rural Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson, the Childcare Initiative was able to secure monies to help with start-up costs, property purchase, and renovations. During a Special Meeting of Council on May 15, 2018, a $15,000 grant was awarded to assist with the organization’s start-up costs. In addition, the Council agreed to serve as security and guarantor for the Childcare Initiative’s Royal Bank $100,000 loan for the purchase and improvements to the vacated Erickson Royal Bank property on Main Street near the Co-op.

According to Scott Gray, the former building’s owners were very reasonable with their selling price once they became aware of what the property was going to be used for.

As Chrystal describes it, ‘The Clanwilliam-Erickson Childcare Initiative started with concerned mothers who were frustrated with the lack of childcare availability in rural Manitoba – specifically the area of Erickson and the surrounding communities. This group is dedicated to the rural communities and want to revitalize our little towns while benefiting the children. Not only will daycare help to keep and attract new families, it will also make strides in our economic growth to keep our ‘tiny’ Manitoban towns alive. Also, by locating the daycare center in one of Erickson’s vacant business buildings, we can help revitalize the town’s business district and economy.’

Currently, the old bank building is undergoing $150,000 of renovations in order to convert the former teller, office, and vault spaces to play, learning, and rest areas for infants and toddlers. Local contractors are well on their way to finishing the new kitchen and children’s areas. They are also busy replacing the building’s old propane furnace and adding washroom facilities. At the rear of the building, a fenced play area will be created.

Chrystal says that the space will be able to accommodate four infants and twenty two toddlers. Hiring interviews for a Director, Early Childhood Educators, and Childcare Assistants have recently begun and a waiting list for the first ‘Little Hands’ has been created.

An ambitious undertaking such as this would not have been possible without significant financial and volunteer support from the community. Chrystal and the other members of the Childcare Initiative appreciate the generous financial support from the following organizations: the Lions Clubs of Erickson and Sandy Lake, the Erickson Compass Credit Union, the Erickson Heritage Co-op, the Community Development Corporation, and the RM of Clanwilliam-Erickson.

Once the daycare is up and running, it will become eligible for government operating grants. But that process can take up to two years for monies to be awarded.

Meanwhile, in order to keep the fees associated with running the daycare reasonable, Chrystal and her volunteers plan more fundraising activities. They plan a repeat of a successful ‘Paint Nite’, a Casino Night plus chocolate and meat sales. Also, the Childcare Initiative group would appreciate the donation of a gently used washer and dryer for the facility.

For people unfamiliar with what a ‘Paint Nite’ is, it is a fun way for aspiring artists to learn how to paint while enjoying a beverage or two.

For more information on the progress of the Little Hands Early Learning Center’s renovations or to contact the Clanwilliam-Erickson Childcare Initiative visit their Facebook page.

Blair’s LinkedIn Profile

Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 40 – Part 2

***Original published in South Mountain Press, January 18, 2019***

Reeve’s Resolutions for 2019

As the calendar rolls over from the old year, the budgets of Rural Municipalities conclude and Councils begin detailed discussions on 2019 spending priorities. The Reeves of Clanwilliam-Erickson, Victor Baraniuk, and Harrison Park, Jason Potter, graciously spent time with me to go over their plans, priorities, and visions for their respective RMs for the coming year.

Q. Budget time is right around the corner and specific dollar amounts will have to be decided upon. Could you list and elaborate on your Council’s main priorities for 2019?

Reeve Baraniuk – The single, most pressing issue facing the Clanwilliam-Erickson Council this year will be roads and infrastructure. In the rural areas, the roads are in poor shape and they are in sore need of gravelling, grading, and mowing. There will be a marked increase in the road budget compared to previous years. Then in Erickson, there are street repairs that are calling for our attention. Also, obviously due to the season, we need to keep on top of snow clearing.

Reeve Potter – The Council of Harrison Park will be spending most of our energies this year on connecting as many of our citizens as possible to the water and sewer systems, particularly in Onanole and Sandy Lake. Although about one third of the RM’s budget will be allocated to road maintenance, in general our roads are in good shape. In fact, the Manitoba Good Roads Association recently awarded Harrison Park with their ‘Class 1 Best Maintained System of Rural Municipality Roads Capital One Shield’.

Q. What projects, new or on-going, are going to hold the attention of Council this year?

Reeve Baraniuk – One of the main projects the Council will have to decide upon will be the final disposition of the Four Winds Environmental Management partnership. Council is still in the process of exploring options which will determine if we remain in the partnership or go with another waste solution whether alone or with a partner. For example, we have been looking at proposals from Evergreen Environmental Technologies near Franklin and Municipal Waste Management Environmental (MWM) of Souris. Evergreen would be a relatively short extra distance to transfer our waste compared to the original Four Winds site over on the PTH 250. MWM has attractive tipping fees. Ultimately, Council will have to decide what will be the best option for our ratepayers over the long term. More meetings are planned for February and we will keep the public apprised of our progress.

In addition to the RM’s waste issues, we want to keep working on Erickson’s skating and curling rinks, the campgrounds, RV Park, and our area’s appeal to tourists. Longer term we need reasons and employment for young people to settle in the area in order to ensure the RM’s continued vitality.

One of the significant parts of Erickson’s appeal is derived from our airport. The RM, in cooperation with MLA Greg Nesbitt, is in the process of applying for a $1.2 million grant in order to repave the 3000 foot runway.

Reeve Potter – As you know, the ratepayers of Harrison Park delivered an emphatic ‘No’ to the original proposed siting of the Four Winds Waste Management facility in our RM. We are still committed to the project and exploring if another suitable site can be found. Meanwhile, we will keep our options open and see if there are other solutions that make better fiscal sense for our constituents.

Meanwhile, Council will be working on recycling and composting initiatives, beautification projects, and youth-friendly facilities such as parks and ball diamonds.

Although there were plans to move the RM offices over to a new facility, Council is going to shelve that for the time being. We did not feel that it would be a wise use of taxpayer funds to pay for costly renovations at this point. Therefore, the old Onanole Westoba Credit Union building slated for the project has now been put up for tender.

Longer term, we want to hire a Community Development professional to assist with the RM’s development needs and planning. Our RM is fortunate to be in good shape financially and I am loath to propose any tax hikes for future projects. It would be preferable to bring in more businesses and people in order to expand the tax base. But our community is particularly concerned that development blends in with the natural environment. We want to avoid another debacle such as the recent ‘Meadow’ proposal which received so much public backlash.

Q. Although there are the usual challenges such as road or infrastructure maintenance, can you foresee any speedbumps ahead for your Council for 2019?

Reeve Baraniuk – At last November’s Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) Convention, Premier Pallister essentially told the delegates that the Province has no more money for RM infrastructure spending. For example, our RM used to receive about $60,000/year in provincial infrastructure grants. This year’s figure will only be $1,300. Also, I am very concerned that the Province seems to be ignoring the AMM’s Mill Rates and Farmland Assessment Resolutions. The provincial assessment process as it stands puts undo and unfair strain on RMs and their ratepayers who have to deal with high fluctuations of taxes. Plus farmers are getting hit hard as their land values have dramatically increased without a commensurate increase in their farm receipts.

Also, one unique issue that will be causing the Council headaches will be the local beaver population plugging up culverts. It is very expensive to clear a clogged culvert and the area has lost their traditional trappers who used to keep the beaver population in check.

Reeve Potter – Word from the Province is do not expect monetary assistance from us. The RM is fine for now from a budget standpoint but we would like to keep working on creating a positive business, tourism, and living environment that will attract and keep a diverse community.

One challenge for all the new Council members will be the budgetary process itself. Four special budget meetings will be taking place to hammer out the fine details but we will have to rely on staff expertise for guidance.

Q. Do you have a 2019 message to your Municipalities?

Reeve Baraniuk – Amalgamation of the Clanwilliam and Erickson Municipalities was tough. It is difficult to balance the disparate needs of our rural and urban communities. I will be working diligently to ensure that I create a fair balance between all the people that I represent.

Reeve Potter – The Council and I are committed to being open and transparent. We welcome and are actively seeking input from our ratepayers. Also, as a professional body, we will not be playing fast and loose with the tax dollars. In the past, there were too many verbal or ‘handshake’ Municipal agreements. Future RM dealings will all be in writing in order to avoid misunderstandings or confusion.

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March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 40

***Original published in South Mountain Press, January 18, 2019***

Harrison Park Council Holds Town Hall in Sandy Lake

Following through on a key election promise to be accessible and to seek input from the ratepayers, the Reeve and Councilors of Harrison Park Rural Municipality held an evening Town Hall meeting on January 10 at the Sandy Lake Drop-In Centre.

Reeve Jason Potter started the meeting with several statements regarding the state of the Municipality’s affairs:

In the interest of openness and transparency, the Council would continue to hold a series of Town Hall meetings in order to seek out ratepayer’s questions and concerns especially before setting this year’s Municipal budget. To that end, February meetings in Horod and Onanole are planned with specific dates to be determined shortly.
The vacated Onanole Westoba Credit Union building owned by the RM has been listed with a local real estate agent. Previous plans to renovate the building and relocate RM offices have been shelved for the time being.
According to Provincial government officials, RM funding for programs and infrastructure will decrease or altogether cease. Responsibility is being downloaded to the Municipalities. The Reeve and Council are prepared to make the hard financial decisions that may become inevitable.
Although recent tax changes have removed a 15% tax exemption for Council indemnities, the Council voted to keep their compensation at present levels. Indemnity for the Reeve remains at $1000/month and Councilors receive $850/month.
Considering the ratepayer’s objections, it was announced quickly after last fall’s election that the proposed Four Winds Waste Management site was unsuitable. The Council is still committed to the Four Winds partnership but is considering all options and will determine what will be best for their ratepayers.
Grant applications are being received by the Municipal office. Unlike previous years, such as 2018 when disbursements were about $73,000, this year’s grant monies will only be in the range of $30,000. This will be in line with the roughly $34,000 VLT share the RM receives from the Province. This Council intends to keep taxes and expenditures at reasonable and prudent rates.
The financial running of the RM is going to be tightened up. For example, there is approximately $100,000 in accounts receivables that have not been collected by the RM. These types of items will be corrected.
The Reeve made special mention of the volunteer fire departments of Newdale, Onanole, and Sandy Lake. At an annual operating cost of $120,000, the departments more than paid for themselves in decreased fire insurance rates for the area’s citizens.

The twenty plus citizens attending the Town Hall were appreciative of the Reeve’s comments and for the chance to direct queries to their representatives.

Quite a few of the concerns brought up to the Councilors involved water and sewer issues. As Reeve Potter explained, water and sewer for the communities of Onanole and Sandy Lake is high on his ‘To Do’ list for 2019. For example, it is long past the time for Sandy Lake Beach Road residents to be hooked up to the town systems considering how long they have been helping pay for them.

Another concern brought forward was the disparity in base water rates as compared to the neighboring RM of Minto-Odanah or the City of Brandon. But as the Reeve explained, economies of scale keep the rates lower in those areas and since the Manitoba Water Services Board sets the rates, the RM has little say. But the Council will look into the matter.

Other questions were asked related to the allocation of road maintenance resources and timely snow removal. Councilor Ian Drul fielded a few of those questions by explaining that occasionally RM and Local Urban District (LUD) jurisdictions can cause overlapping road responsibility conflicts. As for snow removal complaints, there are some Public Works employee issues that should resolve themselves shortly. In addition, as the union’s contract is up for renewal, the RM could consider bargaining for a better position in regards to snow plow operators running plows after hours in order to clear blocked roads in a timelier manner.

Reeve Potter and the rest of the Councilors were pleased with the Sandy Lake turnout and the chance to meet with the town’s citizens. He wanted to emphasis that whatever the previous Council did or did not do was in the past. The Reeve wants to focus on what is ahead instead of dwelling on what had been done before.

The Council members urge all interested parties to attend the upcoming Town Halls in Horod and Onanole in February especially with budget deliberations upcoming. Specific dates will be set and advertised as soon as possible.

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Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 39

Clanwilliam-Erickson Council started off the New Year serving breakfast at the Rink

***Original published in South Mountain Press, January 11, 2019***

Building Community Spirit One Breakfast at a Time

This past Sunday morning, the Clanwilliam-Erickson Council members were taking their turn at serving up hearty meals at the weekly Erickson Curling and Skating Rink Breakfast fundraiser.

Scott Gray, a main organizer of the community breakfast, was happy to see so many familiar faces back supporting the event after the holidays. When you get a full plate of food and bottomless coffee for $7.50, it is easy to see why there is a loyal group of regulars making the breakfast part of their Sunday morning routine.

Over the years the two rinks, which had been built back in the 70’s, were occasionally short of operating funds and volunteers to keep them running. Scott explained that 10 years ago, the town’s Skating and Curling Rink Committees came up with the idea of serving the Sunday morning breakfast as a fundraiser. Thousands of breakfasts and countless pots of coffee later, the fundraiser has generated $27,000 that has gone to help cover the two facility’s operating expenses.

The current funding being raised for the Curling Rink is earmarked for renovations to the kitchen area.

In Scott’s opinion, the rinks represent part of the heart and soul of the Erickson community. He feels that the Sunday breakfasts not only raise a bit of money for the rinks but they also act as a focal point to bring members of the community together.

The long standing event would not have lasted for a decade without many helping hands. As such, numerous Erickson community organizations have stepped up to volunteer their time to run the fundraiser which runs from November to March.

In addition to the local RM Council, the following organizations volunteer their time: the Erickson Curling Rink Committee, the Erickson Skating Rink Committee, the Erickson & District Lions Club, the Erickson & District Wildlife Association, the Erickson Heritage Co-op, the Erickson Men’s Hockey team, the Erickson Kiddie Kollege, and the South Mountain Archery Shooters & Hunters (SMASH).

The Sunday morning breakfasts will continue to be served 9 to noon at the Erickson Curling Rink until the big Mixed Bonspiel held on the first weekend of March.

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Blair is a personification of a ‘Jack of All Trades and Master of None’. He has held several careers and has all the T-shirts. Time to add the title Blogger to the list.