South Mountain Press – Page 2

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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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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January 30, 2019January 30, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 38 – Part 3

***Original published in South Mountain Press, December 21, 2018***

Onanole Family Dwelling Total Loss After Fire

Last Friday evening, December 14, at 5:00 pm a passerby reported smoke issuing from an Onanole single family residence located on 70 East Avenue. The Onanole Fire Department responded to the call to battle the blaze.

According to Onanole Fire Chief Dwight McMillan, as the incident progressed it was determined that more manpower was needed to put down the fire, so both Sandy Lake and Erickson Fire Departments were called in to assist.

As the structure was a seasonal residence there were no occupants in the house and there were no reported injuries.

As to the cause of the fire, Fire Chief McMillan said that a full investigation will be conducted by the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

There are unconfirmed reports that the fire may have begun in a crawl space possibly due to a heater or heat tape being used to keep water pipes from freezing.

January 30, 2019January 30, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 38 – Part 2

***Original published in South Mountain Press, December 21, 2018***

A RCMP Christmas

While most families will be enjoying themselves opening presents with the kids, visiting with relatives, and enjoying Christmas festive meals, many professions such as your local RCMP detachment will be running normal operations on Christmas Day.

Acting Corporal Paul Morissette of Elphinstone Detachment and Staff Sergeant Dave Porter of Shoal Lake Detachment kindly shared their experience when it comes to RCMP members celebrating Christmas.

Q. What is your police force history and how often have you worked Christmas Day?

A. A/Cpl Morissette has been a member of the RCMP since June, 2006 and over that time period has had approximately five Christmases off, three of which he took vacation time. S/Sgt Porter is a 31 year veteran of the force and has worked the majority of Christmas days.

Q. Many RCMP members are posted in from other provinces. How often do they get home for Christmas?

A. S/Sgt Porter is originally from New Brunswick and has not been back home for Christmas since 2012. Unlike the military which provides Christmas flights and monetary compensation for service members to visit next of kin, the RCMP does not provide any special compensation for Christmas travel back home. The time and expense of returning to the Maritimes with his wife and three kids has limited the S/Sgt’s Christmas visits.

Q. If you work Christmas, do you get New Year’s off or what sort of rotation happens?

A. If you work Christmas you may have News Year’s off, it depends on where your rotation on the schedule falls. This year A/Cpl Morissette has Christmas and New Year’s off. He believes that is only the second time in his career that it has worked out this way. They are currently on a rotation of five shifts on, and three days off over a nine week schedule. Over at the Shoal Lake Detachment, they are doing a seven on/seven off schedule that doesn’t change because of holidays.

Q. For the officers with children, especially young ones, how do you celebrate the day?

A. If you are scheduled to work on Christmas you are put on call, so that you can spend time with your family members. For those members that are single and who do not have family in the area, a fellow member will invite them into their home so that they are not alone over Christmas. Also, most single members are good for volunteering for a shift swap so that those officers with young families can be together.

Q. What sort of shift do you do for Christmas Day?

A. Our scheduled shifts don’t change over Christmas. We attend to calls for service as required. As a senior member, S/Sgt Porter will be available on call.

Q. Although a serious incident could happen at any time, how busy is the day for call outs and what are the normal incidents that you expect to see?

A. It is rare that we receive many calls on Christmas day, as most people are celebrating with loved ones. On a few occasions the detachments have responded to motor vehicle collisions, stranded motorists, and even domestic assaults when the subjects of complaint have had too many celebratory beverages.

Q. Is there anything special that you do at the station or in the community on the 25th?

A. There is nothing special that we do on the 25th at the station. Some of the members have attended a local Christmas supper, whether they are on or off duty.

Q. What is the size of the Xmas crew, does staffing change for the day?

A. Normally we have a skeleton crew on Christmas day, with our minimums as per our unit policy allows. If required there is usually additional members in the area that could be called out to assist if a major incident were to occur.

S/Sgt Porter would like to remind motorists to have alternate plans in place while they are celebrating the holiday season after enjoying alcoholic beverages or marijuana. The Holiday Checkstop Program will be running throughout the province checking for impaired drivers.

New as of December 18, a new Federal law comes into force which allows police to demand a breath sample from any driver they lawfully stop — not just if they suspect a driver has been drinking. In addition, although the Yellowhead detachments are still in the process of acquiring and implementing devices and training for marijuana use detection, they are still able to determine is a driver is drug impaired.

So while you are enjoying your presents and Christmas meals, give a little thanks to the dedicated professionals who are serving your community and helping to keep us all safe. Grandma won’t have to worry about help arriving if she gets run over by a reindeer.

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January 30, 2019January 30, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 35

The results of an improperly secured load of straw bales

***Original published in South Mountain Press, December 21, 2018***

Remember to Properly Secure Bale Loads

Due to this summer’s drought and the wet fall, area farmers are short on their usual stocks of hay and straw for their cattle productions. Area residents have probably noticed an increase in truck and trailer traffic hauling large round bales to local farm operations. Motorists may have also noticed an uptick in lost loads resulting in straw or hay debris hopefully ending up in the ditch versus a bale exploding in front of their vehicle.

Under Section 61(2) of the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act ‘No person shall operate, or permit to be operated, upon a highway any motor vehicle or trailer unless the load that the motor vehicle or trailer is carrying is firmly bound, sufficiently covered, or otherwise secured or loaded, in such a manner that no portion of the load may become dislodged or fall from the motor vehicle or trailer.’

Further in the Traffic Act, it describes how it is an offence if a highway is damaged by an unsecured load leaving a vehicle. Then under the Criminal Code of Canada if a spilled load causes injury or death, the person could be charged with criminal negligence.

Now if a police officer notices an obvious problem with a vehicle’s load, the vehicle would be pulled over and ticketed. For example, fines have been levied against Manitoba drivers for driving with excessive snow piled on their vehicles. If a semi hauling straw bales was losing them all over the highway, they could also be ticketed.

But thankfully, motorist’s encounters with spilled loads rarely involve injury or death. According to the Manitoba Public Insurance Traffic Collision Statistic Reports, the five year average (2011-2015) for accidents caused by loads shifted/spilled only resulted in 2 injuries and 17 Property Damage Only (PDO) incidents. Although there was a bit of an uptick in the 2017 numbers to 3 injuries and 34 PDOs, the totals only represent 0.05% of the over 68,000 Manitoba vehicle collisions.

As for clearing up a spill of straw or other material, the adage of ‘you messed it up, you clean it up’ applies. In the case of large bales, especially straw bales, they tend to explode upon impact with the ground and can make a huge mess. Even if the bale remains intact after falling off, equipment to reload the bale would rarely be available. In those cases, the most expedient and practical remedy for clean-up is to just light the bale on fire. Of course, lighting anything on fire next to a highway can cause numerous other problems such as obscuring smoke, burning debris, and out of control grass fires.

In the cases where the offending driver has just left the mess, the responsibility for cleanup falls to either Manitoba Highways or the Rural Municipality depending on the jurisdiction the road falls under.

Losing the load that you are transporting can end up being expensive and dangerous. Drivers need to take the extra time to ensure that they are operating safely.

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January 30, 2019January 30, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 37

***Original published in South Mountain Press, December 14, 2018***

Four Winds Partnership Stays Strong Despite Harrison Park Resolution

Although it was not entirely unexpected, the RM Council of Harrison Park recently passed an important resolution which will result in deep ramifications for the Four Winds Waste Management regional partnership.

The Four Winds Waste Management and Recycling project became a hot button issue over the summer when former Councils started holding Public Information sessions. Strong opposition coalesced in the RM of Harrison Park over a number of issues related to the project and in particular to the proposed siting and its proximity to the Little Saskatchewan River. It would not be too much of a stretch to say that the whole handling of the project was a major contributor to the almost complete wholesale change of leadership seen in the RMs of Clanwilliam-Erickson and Harrison Park.

The voice of the people demanded that the proposed Four Winds site was ill considered and should not go ahead at the chosen location. To that end, Harrison Park Council unanimously passed Resolution No. 2018/286 which resolved that ‘Council does not move forward with the location of the proposed Regional Waste site.’ It further reads that Council does wish to continue cooperation with Rolling River First Nation, Keeseekoowenin First Nation, and the Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson with respect to the Four Winds Environmental Management Project.

The opposition group against the Four Winds site was pleased to hear that their efforts had been rewarded. When contacted a main spokesman opined that ‘Common sense has finally prevailed. The old Councils were irresponsible and the voters punished them for trying to sneak their plans through. The present Council was sent a very clear message and we are glad they have listened.’

As for recommendations for going forward, the concerned citizens group feels that the stakeholders should slow down the process and get things right. They feel that options such as a gasification plant like the one proposed for the Evergreen Waste facility should be explored possibly with other RM partners. As for the federal money being offered through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Councils should not be bribed into doing the wrong thing or rushed into a bad decision just because that money may be taken off the table.

While attending a Four Winds stakeholder’s working group meeting in Erickson on December 5, Reeve Jason Potter clearly laid out his RM’s position to the rest of the partners. ‘Harrison Park RM and I believe firmly and strongly in the partnership and we are willing to keep an open mind. But the proposed siting is a non-starter with my constituents and I would not be able to go back to them in good conscience with a recommendation to go ahead as planned. The site that was picked is just too close to the Little Saskatchewan.’ Moving forward, he acknowledged that Council will still have some difficult decisions ahead with this project but they are prepared to make them.

Representatives from Rolling River First Nations and Clanwilliam-Erickson RM were also supportive of continuing with the Four Winds partnership and valued the cooperation to date. They understood the concerns brought forward by Harrison Park RM and were open to the idea of taking a step back to explore options despite the challenge of lost time and added costs. But as a Rolling River Elder said, ‘Water affects all of us. It will take all of us working together and money to deal with our garbage. I want to see this happen.’

Now that the stakeholders are being forced to take a step back on the project, different options are back on the table. An obvious first step to be looked at is to take a fresh look for suitable parcels of land or determining if an existing waste site could be made to work. The idea was brought up in regards to expanding the partnership to other RMs and seeing if a site could be found with them. Contracting to private companies or export of waste to facilities such as Evergreen were also brought up. Good work was already completed in the previous two years of the partnership so the new Councils will not have to return straight back to square one.

Of course, delays and mid-course corrections, come at a cost. Both RMs under the previous councils put down $25,000 deposits on purchasing the quarter of land out by PTH 250 and Montcalm Road. Representatives from the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) warned that the funding through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) was not going to be available forever. The attending engineer from Neegan Burnside Ltd. who did the original feasibility study, cautioned about associated costs and time delays if a geotechnical study was needed for a new site. There was also the warning that a future solution may still end up causing severe public backlash and result in being scuttled again. Future Council sessions will have to deal with some hard financial and moral decisions as they move forward.

Reeve Potter realizes that their RM has dealt a setback to the Four Winds project but he is firmly committed to minimize delays and cost overruns as a result of his Council’s decision. His hope is cooperation and communication will create success with dealing with all their shared issues with garbage and recycling. Plus hopefully, this partnership will foster more shared cooperation on future projects of mutual interest.

All of the stakeholders echoed his sentiment and seem willing to keep working through the challenges. Everyone agreed that with some hard work, transparency, and public engagement, the region will be able to work through their common garbage and recycling issues for all their shared benefit. Moving forward, they feel they will sort out a solution which will satisfy all parties.

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January 18, 2019January 18, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 35

***Original published in South Mountain Press, November 30, 2018***

‘The Meadow’ Safe from Development – For Now

The new Harrison Park RM Council dealt with their first major, contentious issue at the last Council meeting on November 20 during a heated Public Hearing concerning development of an Onanole area known as ‘The Meadow’. A company, Riding Mountain Estates, had petitioned to have the Victor Avenue property reclassified from “RG” Residential General Zone to “RMH” Residential Mobile Home Zone.

A five person delegation representing Riding Mountain Estates and Grandeur Housing of Winkler laid out their plans for the undeveloped green space which is located 1 km west of Highway 10 on the south side of Victor Avenue. The proposal was to create a 100 plus unit modular home park. The homes would be a minimum of 20 feet wide, trucked in, placed on pads, and sold for $130,000-$180,000. The Grandeur representative gave a slideshow presentation of some of their model homes and stated that they would be built with skirting and no hitches, there would be some variety, and they would be four season ready. A real estate agent with the group gave his opinion that these would be good entry level houses that were well built by a reputable, experienced company. The main pro argument advanced by the delegation was the economic benefits and spinoffs that would be gained by the local community.

But the packed crowd of 35 plus concerned citizens attending the Public Hearing outright rejected the plan. In fact, there was not a single shred of support from the local community presented during the hearing. It took an hour and a half just to read into record the 33 letters opposing the by-law change. The Grey Owl Estates Board of Directors sent a letter against the proposal. Another five concerned citizens gave verbal rebuttals to the plan. Also, if you take a drive in the Victor Ave/Meadowview Drive area you will see ‘Save the Meadow’ signs in front of just about every home.

The main reasons for the ‘Say No’ campaign centered on the following main points:

There is already a glut of undeveloped lots from Riding Mountain Estates directly across from the Meadow on the north side of Victor Ave. They should be developed first before more building gets started.
Traffic concerns on Victor Ave were a main concern. The road has no shoulders and there would be problems with entry onto Highway 10. The commensurate addition of foot and vehicle traffic would drive up an increase of accidents and noise pollution.
No one was in favour of a ‘trailer park’ that was not going to fit in with the general development of the area. The existing homes are mostly high-end, custom builds on large lots. There has been a long standing stipulation from former Councils that the area would have low density housing that fits into the surrounding environment. There are RM bylaws governing esthetics, size and colour of homes, and limitations on development of land for mobile homes. People felt it was unfair that the rules that they abided by for their home construction were not going to be followed by this developer.
Environmental and infrastructure factors were also a major issue. The neighbors did not want to lose their wildlife corridor and green space. They had questions about water, garbage, and sewage plans for 100 extra homes. They wanted answers to watershed and erosion risk queries before development started.
The last major argument against the plan was a general belief that property values would decrease due to the presence of a ‘trailer park’ in their community.

The considerable assemblage against the proposal were not against development of the Meadow per se. But they were definitely against this type of housing plan which in their opinions did not make any sense.

In the face of the community’s strident opposition and after a brief period of deliberations, Council unanimously defeated the proposal put forward by Riding Mountain Estates.

When contacted for comment, a representative of Riding Mountain Estates said he was disappointed with Council’s decision. When the organization held preliminary discussions with Council during a June 5, 2018 in camera session, there seemed to be a general acceptance for their preliminary site plan proposal. If there was public opposition, the group was willing to retool and work with Council and the affected neighbors.

In fact, the representative believed that had a planned Public Hearing for October 9 had gone ahead, the proposal might have passed. Perhaps the former Council had started to hear the rumblings of disapproval and felt pushing the matter over to after the election was more prudent. The abrupt cancellation of the planned agenda item definitely hurt the proposal’s chance of succeeding.

There was also an issue with a leaked site plan document from that first meeting back in June. According to Riding Mountain Estates, those plans were confidential and preliminary. But they got out and subsequently showed up on social media. Consequently, this helped to stir up opposition which had time to build with the extra six weeks to get organized. The representative was upset with this development and has not ruled out legal action in order to recover financial losses.

As for future plans for the Meadow, Riding Mountain Estates is exploring options to tender for sale both parcels of land on either side of Victor Ave. The property will be advertised to local and foreign buyers and all reasonable offers would be considered. As the representative put it, ‘If the neighbors want to save the Meadow, then buy the Meadow’.

So for now, local residents will be happy that the Meadow is safe from development until new investors take over.

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.

January 18, 2019January 18, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 34 – Part 2

***Original published in South Mountain Press, November 23, 2018***

Endow Manitoba Holds 24-Hour Giving Challenge

Local area residents had an opportunity to stretch their donation dollars this past weekend during Endow Manitoba’s 24-Hour Giving Challenge on November 17. All local monies raised are earmarked for area organizations and for every $5 raised, the contribution was boosted by the Winnipeg Foundation and Manitoba government by a loonie a piece up to separate maximums of $2000 per foundation.

Endow Manitoba is an overarching foundation that includes all community foundations in Manitoba that are members of Community Foundations of Canada. It was created by the parent Winnipeg Foundation and its purpose is to provide other foundations with tools and resources to help them flourish in their communities.

For the RM of Clanwilliam-Erickson, the larger Killarney Foundation helps to manage the municipality’s Endowment Fund. To date contributions raised total in excess of $82,000 and disbursements for the last three years have totaled $9377. Recipients for 2018 include the Erickson & District Recreation Association, the Clanwilliam-Erickson Child Care Initiative, and the Comfort Drop-In Center.

Quinn Greavett, the Chief Administrative Officer for Clanwilliam-Erickson, reported that this year’s fundraising effort for the RM’s Endowment Fund was a huge success.

“This has been the 2nd year that Tami Johnson, Jackie Greavett and myself have organized the Artisan Market in an attempt to create awareness for the Clanwilliam-Erickson Endowment Fund, while showcasing some talented merchants of the area. The whole idea behind the endowment fund is to support our community by investing funds back into the community through local programming, activities, or events that create a benefit for the people that live here. We thought the market would be a “win-win” idea. The fund grows, local merchants have an opportunity to sell their products, it’s a social opportunity, and a facility in town gets another use (the market is held at the Legion). We also received fantastic support for our pie table, with 34 delicious pies donated from different people, and of course all of them went!

Between the 50/50 Draw, Table Fees, Pie Table, and Lunch sales, the event took in 1643.75. After the expenses of the hall rental and food supplies, the event profited $1,131.25 for the Clanwilliam-Erickson Endowment Fund, which we are very pleased with.

We took advantage of the 24 Hour Giving Challenge as well to grow our fund and promote the Artisan Market. Jackie spent a few hours on the 17th at the Erickson Co-op receiving donations for the giving challenge which she received $1,440.

All in all, it was a successful weekend for our local endowment fund. On behalf of the three of us, I’d like to express our thanks to everyone who participated in the event by way of attendance, donation of their time, dollars or pies. Every little bit helps.”

For the RM of Harrison Park, the Onanole Foundation and the Sandy Lake Area Fund are the local affiliated organizations. The Onanole Foundation operates on its own and has managed and distributed community funding since the mid-60’s. The original seed money was contributed from the development of Grey Owl Estates.

The Onanole Foundation’s mission is ‘to build an endowment fund to be distributed for the betterment of the Onanole community.’ To that end, for 2018, the Board granted monies totaling $2750 split between the Wasagaming Arts Council, Erickson Palliative Care, Services to Seniors, Serving Onanole, Erickson & Sandy Lake, and the Onanole & District Fire Department.

The Sandy Lake Endowment Fund is associated with the larger Killarney Foundation and came into being from an original donation of $25,000 from Sandy Lake resident Earl Symonds. To date, the Fund has received contributions of $300,000 and has disbursed over $37,000 to deserving Sandy Lake projects.

More information regarding the Onanole Foundation, Sandy Lake Endowment Fund, and the Clanwilliam-Erickson Endowment Fund can be found at the following websites:

http://www.endowmanitoba.ca/wp-content/uploads/onanolefdn_brochure_2016.pdf

http://www.sandylakemanitoba.com/endowment-fund.html

http://www.ericksonmb.ca/endowment-fund.html

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January 18, 2019January 18, 2019

PRAIRIE SCRIBBLER – SOUTH MOUNTAIN PRESS, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 34

The new Council for the RM of Clanwilliam-Erickson

***Original published in South Mountain Press, November 23, 2018***

New Clanwilliam-Erickson Council Meets

The new Council for the Rural Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson Council met for the first time on November 14 and got right down to business. The Council has a good mixture of seasoned municipal council veterans with some new blood mixed in.

Just like other RM Councils all over the province have been doing for the past couple of weeks, several boilerplate but necessary items needed to be dealt with during this initial meeting. Council was quickly sworn in, minutes and financial statements were accepted, and numerous committees were staffed by Council members. The wheels of governance depend on these necessary details.

Delegations from the Services to Seniors Board and the Ditch Lake Co-op Board gave presentations on the history of their organizations and how the RM has interacted and/or supported them in the past. To the outside observer, it may seem boring but it can be vital for Councilors to hear about what is happening in their constituency. If you are a senior regularly using the Erickson Drop-In center or a recreational fisherman using the Ditch Lake boat launch, it would be reassuring to know that people are forward thinking about these services.

Head of Council Victor Baraniuk brought up a few pressing issues which will need more serious discussion and solutions. Some items needing resolution include working on the general state of PTH 262 sooner than later, dealing with the disposition of the Four Winds Waste Management project, and grappling with the fact that the Province is not providing infrastructure grants at the levels of previous years.

As for the Four Winds project, the Council reaffirmed their commitment to continue cooperation and partnership with the RM of Harrison Park and the First Nations of Rolling River and Keeseekoowenin. There was a general consensus that waste and recycling in the RM needed to be dealt with and that it was beneficial to pair up with other local governing bodies. Mayor Baraniuk reiterated the statement of Reeve Jason Potter that the partners needed to work on the best possible solution for the residents of their constituencies. Further discussion amongst the various stakeholders will take place in Erickson at the Crossroads center on December 5.

One last major item that the new Council worked on was who would be attending the Annual Convention of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) taking place in Winnipeg from November 26-28. The newer Council members will be able to take advantage of a Pre-Conference for Newly Elected Municipal Officials. Delegates will be treated to keynote speaker sessions that will include Premier Brian Pallister, CFL legend Mike “Pinball” Clemons, Fort McMurray’s Fire Chief (Ret’d) Darby Allen, and the ‘Man in Motion’ Rick Hansen. RM representatives will also be working on numerous AMM resolutions related to various Provincial and Federal issues.

As Mayor Baraniuk pointed out, certain AMM resolutions such as ‘Increase Operating Grants for Small Rural Airports’ and ‘Farm Property Assessment’ are of vital concern to the RM. There are plenty of farmers in the Clanwilliam area whose property values keep increasing while their farming receipts remain at static levels. Erickson receives good benefit from having their small airport but infrastructure issues cannot be put off indefinitely. Attending these larger provincial events such as the AMM Convention allows local Council to get their concerns and voices heard on issues where otherwise they might be ignored. It also allows them to find allies with similar concerns and possibly change provincial or federal policy with their weight of numbers.

For those people interested in attending to observe local government in action, Clanwilliam-Erickson Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Their next regular meeting at the Erickson Municipal Office will be on November 28 at 9:00 am. News regarding the RM, meeting dates, upcoming events, Council meeting minutes or documents, and contact information for your local representatives can be found at http://www.ericksonmb.ca/

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