Council Debrief: Councillors’ Choice

Council this week consisted largely of Councillor reports, with no public hearings or large decisions on the docket.

Councillors each have a series of committees or subcommittees that they chair or belong to, and within those there are often other organisations that they will sit on the board of. This gives Council a good sense of important activities going on throughout the area, and also gives area organisations a direct line back to the town council.

Some of the highlights of these reports this week are information on budgeting for the regional library, which Neepawa library is a member of, recreational activities resuming in some areas, and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities annual convention, which fosters face to face communication between the municipalities and the Provincial Government. We also hear about the Rossburn Subdivision Trail Association and the Spruce Plains Justice Committee, which is a regionally operating restorative justice committee to try to keep cases out of the court system where possible.

Funding news was heard in two areas. The first is an agreement between the City of WInnipeg, Association of Manitoba Municipalities, and News Media Canada regarding in-kind advertising for environmental projects. The town is considering using it to help promote and explain the town recycling program, and possibly allocating a portion to no-profit groups in the area.

The second is funding to do a review of the regional hand-transit system, which has been in operation since the 1980s and has never had a review of its efficiency and operations. This review will be fully funded, and the town can choose what to do with the recommendations when it is completed.

The council also reviewed an application for the Storefront Improvement Program and carried out regular financial business.