#2008-004—Firefighter
Status: Posted Jan. 11, 2008—Jan. 25, 2008.

#2008-005— Info. Center Clerk—Transit
Status: Posted Jan. 10, 2008—Feb. 10, 2008.

#2008-006—Utility Worker Level 3—Sportsplex
Status: Posted Jan. 15, 2008—Jan 31, 2008.

#2008-007—Canteen Attendant—Sportsplex
Status: Posted Jan. 17, 2008—Dec. 31, 2008.

#2008-008—Apprentice Mechanic—Garage
Status: Posted Jan. 22, 2008—Feb. 22, 2008.

#2008-009—Lifeguard—Sportsplex
Status: Posted Jan. 24, 2008—Dec. 31, 2008.

Update from the Mayor
I attended a meeting in Winnipeg on Thursday, January 24th with Minister Chomiak, Grand Chief Ron Evans, Chief Dennis Meeches and other representatives of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. A discussion was held to seek clarity and information relevant to our upcoming plebiscite.

Update from the City Manager
Gerald Cathcart, our Business Development Specialist, and I met with Provincial representatives to discuss Provincial funding for Renaissance Brandon. During the meeting, the Province indicated that they are currently funding Winnipeg's CentreVenture Corporation up to $238,000 annually. This funding is provided on a project basis, with CentreVenture being required to annually submit project proposals for Provincial consideration. It is the Province's position that Provincial funding for Renaissance Brandon should be done on a similar basis.

In considering projects, we understand that the Province would consider each project in the context of various criteria, including the expected outcomes of the projects, the extent to which the projects leveraged private dollars, the extent of tangible development or redevelopment, and consistency with Renaissance Brandon's overall downtown revitalization objectives.

Plebiscite Update
Voting locations have now been confirmed for the March 12th, 2008 plebiscite. Large, easily accessible locations have been sought to ensure ease of parking and ready access for voters.

Advertising with voting locations and full page City maps will commence in February.

Tendering of Sub-Trades by Manitoba Bid Depository (MBD) System
A resolution was passed at a Council Meeting on August 30, 2004 requiring the tendering of projects through the Manitoba Bid Depository system which exceed $1,000,000.00 where the following conditions exist unless the City's prime consultant can satisfactorily demonstrate to City Council reasons against use of the Manitoba Bid depository System:
i. the City of Brandon is involved in financing, directly or indirectly, the construction or renovation of any building or structure with a general contract value of $1,000,000 or more; or if
ii. the City of Brandon will be an owner or lessee of any such building or structure whether or not it contributed financially to the acquisition or renovation of same;
iii. the policy would apply regardless of where the general contractor has its head or main office;
iv. all tender closings will be open to the general public; and
v. in all cases the general contractor shall submit a list of which sub-trades are being used.

We will continue to check into the status of the MBD and keep you posted of any further changes.

Economic Development
In 2007 the Economic Development Officer participated in Manitoba Workforce Connex, an innovative and results-driven forum designed to address the province’s pending skilled trades shortage by taking advantage of the untapped Aboriginal workforce. The day and a half conference brought together well over 200 people representing private business, aboriginal leaders, aboriginal human resource specialists, aboriginal human resources development agreement holders and municipal, provincial and federal government representatives to discuss labour supply and demand issues and how this relates to the aboriginal population. The final forum report is now available online and can be accessed at Manitoba Workforce Connex forum report.

Fire & Emergency Services
Our Water and Ice Rescue team was at Bauer Lake doing practical training on Tuesday this week. They tested a new device to help recover submerged objects and/or persons as well as doing open water training.

The Westman Crisis and Stabilization Unit has agreed to take over the counseling and assessment of BFES staff involved in exposures to blood or bodily fluids. Because this is their field of expertise it will ensure that our staff are receiving the proper advice and treatment that they may require.

Human Resources
This week, Greg Brown and other members of the City Safety and Health Committee attended the 23rd annual Occupational Health and Safety Conference in Winnipeg, This years conference theme was "Wellness at Work". Safety and health professionals from across Canada shared ideas and strategies for promoting employee and workplace wellness, such as managing conflict, injury prevention, identifying and managing stress in the workplace, certificate programs for supervisors, and many more. Many of the strategies that were presented would be useful to enhance the City of Brandon's safety and health program.

Human Resources held a Toolkit Session on January 23 on Prevue Assessment Tools. This presentation was around the assessment applications for increasing hiring effectiveness as well as employee development, coaching and succession planning functions.

Sportsplex
The Brandon Bluefins hosted their Junior Provincial Championship Swim Meet at the Sportsplex January 18th through January 20th. There were over 200 swimmers from across Manitoba participating in the event.

From January 25th – March 9th you are invited to show support for the soldiers deploying from Shilo by taking part in the Walk to Afghanistan challenge. This challenge is open to everyone at CFB Shilo and residents of Brandon and surrounding areas. The Walk to Afghanistan will start with the launch on January 25th at 10:00 a.m. at the Community Centre Annex in Shilo. All participants of the launch are to wear red. For more information or to register contact walktoafghanistan@gmail.com or call 765 - 3000 extension 3867 or 3868.

Retirees
Norm Roziere, after 35 years, is retiring from his position as Lieutenant Firefighter. Norm started with the City April 02, 1973. His last day will be May 05, 2008. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

New Hires and Promotions
#2007-004—Lifeguard
Nicole Carey is the successful candidate for this position. Nicole started on Dec. 31, 2007.

#2007-078—Youth Activity/Lighthouse Youth Leader
Kristina Lindsay is the successful candidate for this position. Kristina started on Dec. 07, 2007.

#2007-083—Apprentice Mechanic
Jeremy Cutler is the successful candidate for this position. Jeremy started on Jan. 02, 2008.

#2007-087—Equipment Operator 2—Streets & Roads
Debi Warren and Aaron Charles are the successful candidates for these positions. They started on Dec. 24, 2007.

#2007-088—Handi Transit Dispatcher— Transit
Jim Bourns is the successful candidate for this position. Jim started on Dec. 31, 2007.

#2007-092—Community Development Coordinator
Cora Lee Baker is the successful candidate for this position. Cora Lee started on Jan. 03, 2008.

#2007-093—Temporary Office Clerk—Sportsplex
Jessica Fleck-Lawrence is the successful candidate for this position. Jessica started on Jan. 03, 2008.

#2007-094—Transit Operator
Chris Engelbretson is the successful candidate for this position. Chris started on Jan. 07, 2008.

Community Services
Iain McDonald attended a Community Places Grant Seminar in Souris on January 21st, hosted by the Westman Regional Manager of the Manitoba Provincial Division of Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport. This informative session highlighted eligible projects that would fall under the scope of the Community Places Grant, facility development strategies and techniques for having a competitive application.

Police Update
Crime Stoppers Luncheon
On Thursday, January 24, 2008 members and staff of the Police Service attended the Annual Crime Stoppers Luncheon held at the Assembly Hall of the Keystone Centre.

2008 In-Service Training
All sworn members will participate in mandatory In-Service Training over the next six weeks.

News for January 21st

Update from the Mayor
The Greenhouse Gas Management General Orientation Workshop in Winnipeg that I attended on Tuesday, January 15 was very informative. The City of Brandon’s environmental initiatives and successes were referred to frequently during the workshop as a leading example.

I have been in contact with Minister Chomiak several times recently regarding the casino issue, and I have also spoken to a federal government representative with respect to negotiations pertaining to urban reserves. Ongoing discussions are necessary in order to provide updates based on factual and accurate information.

Water Treatment
Contractors started work on our Low Lift Pump Upgrade this week. The tasks required will be done in three phases which will consist of demolition of some of the existing starters, pumps, motors and piping, fabricating new piping, site preparation, installing and commissioning the new pumps and associated equipment. The project is expected to be completed sometime this summer.

Wasterwater
Beginning on December 31st, the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Facility was the first treatment facility in Manitoba to have nutrient limits imposed on it's discharge to the Assiniboine River. The nutrient limits are part of a larger program by the Province called the “Nutrient Management Strategy” which has the goal of reducing the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen entering Lake Winnipeg. Due to complications during the commissioning of the newly expanded facility and operational complications causing instability in the biological process, there were initial difficulties in achieving the rate of nutrient removal that had been planned. Using all resources available, including daily consultations with both Maple Leaf Pork and Earthtech engineering consultants, the process has recovered significantly to the point where the nitrogen concentrations in the effluent are below the limits prescribed in the Environmental Licence. Even though we are achieving 85% removal, phosphorous concentrations are slightly above the licence limits but we are confident that the concentrations will be in compliance by the end of January. It should be noted that the inclusion of nutrient removal at the Industrial Facility required a new treatment strategy as it is a new process that runs in conjunction with the existing activated sludge process. As such, the operators have been on a steep learning curve. In closing, it can't be emphasized enough that Brandon is operating the first facility in Manitoba that will be achieving nutrient removal as prescribed by the Province of Manitoba in the “Nutrient Management Strategy."

Rental Housing Availability Directory
Since the online Brandon Rental Housing Availability Directory was introduced in July 2007, there has been a total of 221 units listed, averaging 37 listings per month. Of the 221 listed units, 198 were unique listings, 175 were unique users and 21 were repeat listings. Currently one will find anywhere from 3-7 units listed on the site on any given day. General feedback from both landlords and potential tenants has been positive. With the tight rental market, it is common to have landlords request removal of their listing prior to the 7 day expiry date because their unit has been rented.

As part of the 2nd shift ramp up at the Brandon Maple Leaf facility, approximately 50 temporary foreign workers will arrive from Mauritius in late February 2008. Accommodations have been secured for these individuals. From the end of February to the end of June 2008, foreign workers will arrive in groups of 50 – 60 every two weeks.

Fire & Emergency Services
There has been a new short list fire fighter/paramedic competition posted on our website, as well as the Thursday City Page in the Brandon Sun.

Chief Dane attended a Joint Operating Committee Meeting at the BRHA (Brandon Regional Health Authority). These meetings are held quarterly to discuss issues that may arise between the two organizations regarding the ambulance service.

3rd and Aberdeen Hub
Parks staff will be starting the process of preparing the 3rd and Aberdeen Park for the first Recreation Hub that was identified in the Recreation Master Plan. Crews will be clearing portions of the bluff of trees that is located on the west side of the park, including the area west of 3rd Street. The focus will be to remove the undergrowth and some of the smaller trees. This will create a greenspace that has improved sitelines and will contribute to the overall safety of this area. Work is planned to start the week of January 21, 2008.

Communities in Bloom
Brandon in Bloom – We are pleased to announce that the City of Brandon will once again be participating in the National Communities in Bloom competition. Communities in Bloom is a Canadian beautification program that provides information and education, and awards Bloom Ratings for achievement in the areas of floral displays, landscapes, turf, urban forestry, community involvement, heritage, conservation, environmental awareness and tidiness.

This volunteer-based non-profit organization fosters civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community participation and the challenge of national competition.

Canada Day Celebrations
We are pleased to announce that the Riverbank Discovery Centre has once again agreed to host the Canada Day Celebrations. The City of Brandon enters into a partnership agreement with the Riverbank on the management of the event. The RDC also applies for funding from the Federal Government to help offset the cost of the event.

West Nile Virus Update
A fourth death related to a West Nile virus infection of a person in Manitoba in 2007 has been identified. The person, a male in his 40s who was a resident of the Winnipeg health region, had West Nile virus neurological syndrome and died in August 2007. At the time of his death, the patient had other medical conditions. A blood test for West Nile virus was not done at that time.

Additional information on West Nile virus in Manitoba and data on human cases including classification of disease (West Nile neurological syndrome, West Nile non-neurological syndrome or asymptomatic), decade of age, gender, regional health authority of residence and likeliest area of exposure is provided at www.gov.mb.ca/health/wnv.

News for January 14th

Update from the Mayor
I will be attending a Greenhouse Gas Management General Orientation Workshop in Winnipeg next week on Tuesday, January 15th. Topics will include Manitoba and Climate Change, Greenhouse Gas Essentials, Manitoba Climate Action Portal, and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction/Removal Projects.

Update from the City Manager
At this week’s Chamber Lunch, the results of a Business Climate Survey were jointly presented by Meyers Norris Penny and the Chamber. The results were quite favourable, although there was an indication that the business community would like to see a more clearly defined vision for the City of Brandon. I believe this vision has been clearly articulated through the Community Strategic Plan which sets out specific goals to deal with youth; recreation, leisure and arts; cultural diversity; environmental stewardship; to name a few. Many of these individual plans have been presented to, and adopted by, City Council, with others in the process of being completed for presentation to Council. Another aspect of the Business Climate Survey results indicated a confidence in the work being done by the Economic Development Office and the resulting development in our City which speaks strongly to the quality of staff in that department and the work being done to sell Brandon as a favourable City in which to do business. Overall, we were pleased with the results of the survey and appreciate the work done by MNP and the Chamber to undertake this initiative.

Information on the Plebiscite
The Information Technology Department is working diligently to update the City of Brandon Website with information on the March 12th, 2008 plebiscite and anticipate same should be accessible by the end of today or early next week.

Update from Engineering
A winter works tender for watermain improvements will close on January 17, 2008. Two projects proposed are:
1. Grid improvements for the Victoria Avenue East industrial area;
2. Replacement of a defective main in the Green Acres industrial park.

The replacement work in the Green Acres industrial park is a section of watermain between Park Avenue SE and Paul’s Hauling maintenance yard.

Traffic Counts
Please be advised our office has completed traffic counts for the following intersections:
- 19th Street North & McDonald Avenue
- 17th Street North & Stickney Avenue
- 34th Street & Rosser Avenue

Our office is currently in the process of compiling the data associated with the review of these intersections. The 19th Street North, as well as the 17th Street North intersections noted above will be our first priority. The results of our findings including recommended actions will be reported to City Council once the analysis is complete.

online Brandon photo library
The online Brandon photo library found at www.econdev.brandon.ca continues to be a popular promotion tool. In 2007, the Economic Development office received 73 requests for photos resulting in the distribution of 918 Brandon photos. The photos were used in a variety of presentations, magazines and publications. Comparatively, in 2006 the EDB office distributed 494 photos for promotional purposes.

Update from Fire & Emergency Services
Sheldon Reynolds began his employment with Brandon Fire and Emergency Services this week. He was a Brandon resident prior to his employment with the Thompson Fire Department.

Chris Popowich, an employee with our department for the past 8 years has resigned. He will be pursing his career in Waterhen as a paramedic with Nor-Man Regional Health Authority. We wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.

Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival
The 5th Annual Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival will be held in Brandon on January 31, February 1 & 2. The festival will have 13 pavilions this year including a new group representing the Chinese Community. The Opening Ceremonies will be held at the Métis Pavilion located at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. and the ceremony starting at 5:30 p.m. The Lieutenant Governor, John Harvard, will be in Brandon for the festival and will host a Levee in the foyer of the auditorium following the Opening Ceremonies from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The minimum pavilion hours for each of the venues will be:
Thursday 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

A complete program highlighting each of the pavilions and listing the bus schedule will be in the January 24th issue of the Wheat City Journal. We hope to see you at the pavilions.

Update from the Police
On Saturday, January 5th, 2008, the executive attended to the Manitoba Fire College to observe the Manitoba Urban Search and Rescue Exercise.

Brandon Police Service finished very high in the popular vote and the uniqueness of its design scored very well. Judges especially liked the way it managed to integrate a wheat graphic that parallels the nickname of Brandon as the “Wheat City.”

News for January 7th

Emergency Preparedness
The Brandon Emergency Support Team held their December meeting to review the year and plan for 2008. New initiatives include: advancing the Brandon Emergency Alerting Program; conducting an emergency preparedness survey of Brandon residents; partnering with the City of Winnipeg on an emergency preparedness calendar for 2009; holding another functional exercise and providing another B.E.S.T. conference.

Fire & Emergency Services
The department would like to announce the retirement of two of our staff members. Norm Roziere started with the Brandon Fire Department over 34 years ago in April of 1973. Lieutenant Roziere’s last day with us will be on January 31st. Wayne Ferguson also started with the department over 34 years ago in August of 1973. Wayne has served the department in the last few years as our Fire Training Officer. His last day will be on January 24th. Both of these staff members will be missed in their absence.