The Unique Problems of Large Geography and Small Population

Several items at the Municipality of Rosedale’s meeting this month were fairly routine. They addressed requests for donations, including a sizable contribution to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and dealt with some technicalities leading up to the province-wide municipal elections this coming October. The Council approved the purchase of additional firefighting equipment and as well is looking into an opportunity to purchase a used fire truck for one of the communities in the municipality. Equipment maintenance is also a perennial concern.

Other issues particularly highlighted the nature of working in a rural area. The RM of Rosedale is divided into six geographic wards, each with its own representative. At this meeting they heard tenders for gravelling after the spring thaw, which varies from ward to ward depending on their size and distance. One of the major variables this year is the steep increase in gas prices which relates directly to the amount of travel necessary.

The term “monuments” probably brings to mind statues or cairns, but in the context in which it’s used at the meeting it’s a surveying term that refers to anything used to mark a boundary corner or line. They are often buried or lost over time, and that only becomes an issue when the property is divided or changed. That was the case this month, and Council was informed that the municipality was on the hook for the re-surveying costs not just for the one in question but for future replacement of monuments as well.

The last, and maybe most significant, was the issue of snow removal. The municipality has limited equipment to cover a lot of territory, and not every road can be cleared within a day or two of a major storm, particularly with the volume of snow Manitoba has seen this winter. The council has to prioritise, and in that process made it clear just how well the councillors know the ins and outs of their areas - which roads have children living on them, which have people with medical needs, and who has an extra heavy truck or towtruck they can call on when a motorist gets stuck and all the municipal equipment is already tied up.

Other issues discussed included the budget, which was largely tabled for an upcoming meeting, some personnel changes, and the purchase of an additional fuel tank.