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News for September 29th
Manitoba Municipal Administrator’s Association (MMAA) District Meeting
The Deputy City Clerk and General Manager of Corporate Services attended the MMAA District Meeting in Glenella this week. The district meetings are held throughout the province every fall and provide an opportunity for municipal administrators to hear presentations from representatives of the Municipal Employee Benefit Board, Manitoba Hydro, Intergovernmental Affairs, the Association of Municipal Municipalities, the Office of the Ombudsmen and the Executive of the MMAA on issues relevant to municipal corporations. Of note, Mel Holley of the Ombudsman’s Office provided an overview of “The Fairness Project” which will be unveiled during the upcoming AMM Convention to be held in Winnipeg in November. Joe Masi, Executive Director of AMM also advised that the history book of 100 years of municipal government and the history of AMM will be available at the convention for every elected official and CAO in Manitoba. The City of Brandon will be the host for the 2009 District Meeting.
TREASURY
Each year, the City levies Supplementary Taxes for new properties and improvements to existing properties under authority of section 326 of The Municipal Act. These are sent out in the spring and fall, based on information supplied by the Provincial Assessment Branch. The fall 2008 notices were sent out on September 25th and are due December 29th, 2008. The following table represents the additional supplementary tax revenue with the previous years’ comparison figures.
2008 2007 2006
Spring Tax Revenues $260,402 $371,573 $671,046
Fall Tax Revenues $1,557,707 $651,831 $533,000
Totals $1,818,109 $1,023,405 $1,204,046
516 Supplementary notices were issued this fall, with 450 having residential assessment and 66 having other assessment. Approximately $316,217 of the total fall supplementary amount is due to properties being subdivided through development transactions. This creates new roll numbers to replace the original rolls being reduced or written off. The reductions total approximately $106,890 not reflected in the above figures. Included in these fall supplementary notices are 16 new plans, affecting 25 old roll numbers and creating 283 new ones.
Some of the more significant additions to the roll, totalling approximately $549,274.95 in supplementary revenues, include:
Westoba Credit Union on 10th Street
McDonalds on Victoria Ave
Blue Water Wash on Park Ave E
Shape Foods on Victoria Ave E
Ashley Furniture at the Corral Centre
TSC Store on 18th Street North
Expansions at Ayerst, Canexus & Maple Leaf
Also included in the fall supplementary amount is $29,525.13 in tax for renovations to 144 – 10th Street under the Renaissance Program. The Renaissance credit applied to this property was $12,319.01.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
The Emergency Response sub-committee of the provincial Inter-Utility Committee hosted a table top exercise in the Keystone Centre this week. There were 52 participants who examined and "responded" to the scenario which included a fire at the Water Treatment Facility that incapacitated it for several days. This meant a total loss of potable water in Brandon. Members of the City's Emergency Response Control Group reviewed the City plan and found a few areas which need some further work. MB Hydro and MTS Allstream seem relatively self-sufficient. Key issues brought to light were: the single point of failure with one treatment facility; water must be brought in by truck or rail so there is currently no easy access to alternate water; the length of time (weeks) that it would take to bring a repaired system on line again and get things back to normal; the social and economic impact of such an incident.
Third Street Dam Update
Application for approval under the Navigable Waters Protection Act is underway. Navigable Waters Protection is a department under Transport Canada and views the condition of the weir and temporary berm as a significant hazard. The Navigable Waters Protection Act stipulates that the construction, placement, repairing or modification of any work which will substantially interfere with navigation in, over, under, through or across any navigable waterway in Canada must be approved by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES
Chief Dane attended the 100th Fire-Rescue Canada Conference in Whitehorse, YK. This conference is hosted by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and the Association of Yukon Fire Chiefs. It consists of education, training programs and valuable peer networking opportunities.
Deputy Bell attended a table top exercise hosted by the Manitoba Inter-Utility Committee for Emergency Response. This exercise “Operation H2 Oh Oh” was attended by other City Departments, local businesses and Government organizations to prepare in the event that we lose our domestic water supply.
A $2,500 donation was received from the Royal Canadian Legion Joint Poppy Fund for the purchase of EMS equipment.
Our staff are currently participating in vehicle extrication training at the CAA vehicle compound.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Vicki Fifi will be attending the Western Cities Conference in Nanaimo, British Columbia September 29 - October 2, 2008.
Monique Carriere attended a table top exercise put on by Inter-Utilities Emergency Response Committee at the Keystone Centre on September 24, 2008.
The City along with 3M Canada hosted a respiratory protection train the trainer workshop for City staff and other businesses in the community on September 24, 2008. The training that was provided will enable participants to go back to their workplaces and train staff on the proper fit, care, use, and limitations of respiratory protective equipment.
STREETS AND ROADS
Crack sealing and line painting at the Brandon Municipal Airport has been completed. This maintenance work should last until 2010 before more work is required to meet specifications as defined by Transport Canada for Aerodromes.
Fall street sweeping has started in certain areas of the City to help eliminate the potential for leaves to block storm sewer systems during the spring thaw. This preventative maintenance program helps reduce the burden to sewer and water crews in the spring time for plugged catch basins.
SEWER AND WATER
Throughout the course of the year, various storm water drainage ditches in the City become dense with vegetation. Maintenance crews are busy this time of year cleaning these ditches to ensure proper storm water drainage is maintained for the spring thaw. Work will be ongoing in the month of October for drainage ditches throughout the City.
SANITATION
The contractor is delivering bins throughout the weekend and has brought in a second truck and crew for distribution in order to meet the deadline. Residents are encouraged to read the material that is with the new bins or check the web site for information and FAQ. Information can be found at www.brandon.ca/sanitation. Bins are being dropped off in the front of each resident’s house and we are requesting that they be brought into their yard.
Household Hazardous Waste collection event was held last weekend at the Civic Works Complex. There was once again a very large turn out. There was a total of 484 vehicles pass through with over 20,000 litres of paint collected as well as numerous other un-environmental friendly material, We would like to thank The Brandon Rotary Club and the Brandon Air Cadets for their help. Special thanks to all the environmentally friendly people of Brandon for their support at the Household Hazardous Waste Day September 20th.
Also the “E-waste” collection event is coming to the end of its promotion. The end of this special program is slated for September 30th. This may be your last chance to safely recycle your old electronic waste. Information can be found on the web page.
NEW BUSES
Brandon Transit recently put into service 4 new Transit buses that will help replace some of the aging buses that are currently in the fleet. These new buses are 2008 - 30' THOR, diesel buses that are equipped with a particulate filter that converts soot into carbon dioxide, thus reducing emissions.
SPORTSPLEX
Sportsplex staff have been working hard with Healthy Brandon in Motion to promote Walk the talk Challenge. On October 1, 2008, join Healthy Brandon in motion as we go toe-to toe with Brantford Ontario to see which city truly deserves the title of “The Walking Capital of Canada.”
To earn the title, Brandonites need to get out and walk for 30 minutes, anytime between 7 am and 11 pm on Wednesday October 1st.
“The great thing about this challenge is you can complete it as an individual or in a group, at home, school or work” says campaign co-chair Donna Epp. “The goal is to get out, get active, and make use of the wonderful walking trails throughout the Wheat City.”
Planned walks start at 12:10 at the following sites:
* Princess Park, hosted by Brandon’s YMCA
* Brandon’s Community Sportsplex
* Brandon Regional Health Centre – meet at the front doors
Register on-line at www.brandoninmotion.ca
Perry Roque participated in a Healthy Brandon strategic planning meeting regarding Community Capacity Building on Thursday, September 25 from 10 am to 2 pm. The meeting evaluated the work being completed by Healthy Brandon in the community. Specifically, those in attendance looked at the benefits Healthy Brandon provides to the community and what future work will be completed. The meeting was facilitated by the Manitoba Government “Health in Common” program.
Toonie Tuesday public swims are back again! From September 23 through to December 15, 2008, entry into Tuesday evening public swim from 7pm-9pm is $2 per person. Children under 2 years of age swim for free.
Swimming and “Learn to Skate” lessons began for the fall season with another five- week session of swimming lessons beginning in November. Daytime “Learn to Skate” lessons for pre-school aged children will begin in mid-to-late October.
POLICE SERVICES UPDATE
Inspector Grant took part in a roof sit on Friday and Saturday, June 27th and 28th, 2008 to raise funds for the Law Enforcement Torch Run & Special Olympics. We are thrilled to report a total of $6,769.57 was raised for this very worthwhile group. Thank you to everyone involved !
On Friday, September 26th, 2008 Inspector Ian Grant attended the Swearing In Ceremony for Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson in Winnipeg.
News for September 22nd
Update from the Mayor
I attended the 100th anniversary Gala of MTS Allstream in Winnipeg on Thursday, September 18, 2008, with Pierre Blouin, Chief Executive Officer.
On Friday, September 19, 2008, I attended a meeting in Winnipeg regarding the 2010 Memorial Cup with Deputy Minister Barry Todd, Brian MacRae, Ken Fitzpatrick, and Dan Robertson.
Also on Friday, Brian MacRae, Tom Keep (on behalf of Rick Bailey), Ian Broome, and I participated in a meeting with Minister Stan Struthers, as well as representatives from AMM and the City of Winnipeg to discuss waste removal, recyclables, and plastic bag strategy.
Global National Coming to Brandon
We are delighted to announce that Global National with Kevin Newman, Canada’s premier early evening national news is coming to Brandon on Monday September 29. Anchor Kevin Newman and his team will be broadcasting from Assiniboine College north hill campus (former Brandon Mental Health Centre grounds). Please access the grounds via Braecrest Drive. Upon arrival, you will find signage directing you to the set. Organizers kindly request that everyone arrive approximately 45 minutes prior to broadcast (therefore 3:45 p.m.), filming will commence at 4:30 p.m. The entire community is invited to take part in the live national broadcast.
With Canada’s 40th federal election fast approaching, Global National launches its most robust and unprecedented election coverage ever. “Decision 2008: Your Priorities. Their Promises” focuses on the priorities of Canadians and examining the politicians’ promises.
Anchor Kevin Newman embarks on a unique cross-country tour to engage Canadians and open up dialogue at the community level. Broadcasting live from several vibrant towns coast-to-coast culminating with the highly anticipated Leaders’ Debates, Newman speaks to Canadians on issues significant to the communities such as the environment, economy, law and order and other key topics that matter most during this election.
The broadcast in Brandon provides local residents and groups the opportunity to take part in a national broadcast and voice their opinions. Each and every resident is invited and we hope that you can join us for this exciting event.
For more information, please contact Yvonne at 778-241-0143 or ychiang@globaltv.com
First Street and Rosser Avenue
Clean-up of this site will start the week of Monday September 22nd with the installation of a perimeter security fence and the placement of site trailers. The work will be conducted in three phases. The first phase will include the movement of earth within the site from its current location to the area where it will be encapsulated; the next phase will include the installation of the encapsulating membrane; and the final phase will be the landscaping of the site.
A pre-construction meeting was held with the contractor and we have made contact with the adjoining neighbors and have advised them of what to expect and satisfied their concerns. The schedule calls for a completion date of November 7, 2008.
Construction Update
The contractor for the 34th Street and Richmond Avenue intersection is making a concerted effort to complete the paving. Work is expected to be complete by September 26, 2008.
The force main and gravity sewer work to service the new wastewater pumping station south of Crocus Plans High School on 1st Street has proceeded as far as they can go at this time. Restoration work on the excavations made during construction is underway.
The 9th Street and Maryland Avenue traffic circle was put back into service on September 16th, 2008.
Sidewalk installation on Rosser Avenue continues west of 26th Street while landscaping and pavement patching for the sidewalk construction east of 26th Street is also being carried out. If weather conditions stay favourable, completion of this project should be September 30th.
Occupancy Rates
Brandon motels / hotels confirmed a 9.8% increase in the average occupancy rates in Jul 2008 compared to Jul 2007, with a monthly average occupancy rate of 75.6%. The average year to date occupancy rate of 61.7% as of Jul 31st, 2008 reflects a 3.9% increase when compared to the same period in 2007.
July’s strong occupancy rate can be attributed to several events including the Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge, Planet Hockey, Folk Festival and the Canadian National Appaloosa Show as well as a variety of work crews that are staying in Brandon.
Fire & Emergency Services Update
Interviews have taken place this week for the Firefighter/Paramedic recruits for the new short list.
The quarterly Fire Prevention Division meeting took place this week. After the meeting Brent Ewasiuk conducted an orientation on the new FMD platform for the remote mobile system which our Inspectors will be using when doing property fire inspections.
Chief Dane will be departing Friday for one week to attend the Fire Chief’s Conference in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Training Officer, Scott Hemstad is in Oakbank today attending the Regional EMS Training Officers meeting.
Fire drills are going to be conducted in the schools in Brandon within the next week. While at the schools, the Fire Prevention Division will be visiting the Grade 4 class rooms to drop off information on “Fire Chief for a Day” which will be held on October 8, 2008.
Two day Occupational Health & Safety Conference is coming to Brandon in 2009.
Greg Brown, Occupational Safety & Health Coordinator, co-chairs the planning committee along side Safety Services Manitoba and is excited to announce the first annual Brandon Occupational Health & Safety Conference will be held on May 5 and 6, 2009. This landmark event will kick off North American Occupational Health and Safety (NAOSH) week with a focus on injury prevention and risk management in the workplace.
Line Painting Crew
With “Back to School” well underway, the second application of crosswalk line painting in school zones has been completed to ensure proper road markings are visible for motorists, pedestrians and school children. This line painting will help enhance safety issues associated with crosswalks in school zones.
Centre line painting for City streets should be completed within the next week, weather permitting.
The line painting crew will also be working at the Brandon Municipal Airport, completing runway markings to meet visibility specifications as defined by Transport Canada for Aerodromes. Runway 08/26 and the taxiways Alpha and Bravo should be completed within the next week as well, weather permitting.
Maintenance Crew
The Streets and Roads maintenance crew was busy last week constructing five asphalt pads along the Riverbank Discovery Trails for memorial benches. Staff was able to complete this project in a very timely fashion prior to the fall weather disrupting completion.
Taste Test
On Tuesday, September 16th, Kathleen Beaton worked alongside Healthy Brandon Eating Well committee members in conducting a taste test in City Hall from 10 am - 12 pm. 42 employees from City Hall took part in tasting starfruit and juan canary fruit. Each taste tester received a Healthy Brandon eating well lunch bag and hot/cold pack and participants were encouraged to take nutritional handouts and to consider purchasing one or both fruit samples the next time they went grocery shopping.
Sportsplex
The Sportsplex pool will be re-opening on schedule for Monday September 22nd. The pool has been shut down for maintenance since August 30th.
Drive-In Movie
Over 200 cars, with an estimated attendance of 800 people, filled the Riverbank Discovery centre grounds on Friday, September 12th to enjoy the Drive-In movie, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. It was a beautiful fall evening and movie-goers were extremely pleased with the free family event. Pepsi generously donated 20 cases of product and Community Services supplied the crowd with bags of popcorn that was made with care by the Sportsplex staff.
CEMETERY
City of Brandon Municipal Cemetery Administration wishes to inform City Council and the public that a thorough fall clean-up of the cemetery will begin October 15th.
All items must be removed from every grave in the cemetery: all flowers, ornaments, solar lights, plant hooks, stuffed animals, etc. must be cleaned off. Only headstones should remain. Please have all items removed before October 15th. Items that remain after this date will be removed and disposed of by the Cemetery Maintenance Staff.
It is important to note that the Cemetery will be reviewing its By-laws this winter, and regulations governing what is permitted on graves will be changing. Before placing any item at the resting place of a loved one, it is advised to check the City of Brandon website www.brandon.ca or to contact the cemetery office at 729-2150.
Thank you so much for your cooperation as we strive to achieve the highest of maintenance standards for our beautiful and historic cemetery.
News for September 15th
Update from the Mayor
Chief Keith Atkinson and I attended the September 11th Freedom Walk event at the Peace Gardens in commemoration of the 911 attacks.
On Tuesday, September 2, I met with Mayor Katz and Glen Laubenstein for a luncheon meeting at the Mayor’s Office in Winnipeg. This was followed by an afternoon meeting held at the Legislative Bldg. with Premier Doer, several Cabinet ministers, and AMM President Ron Bell. Discussions revolved around funding for municipalities.
Update from the City Manager
I had the opportunity to meet with Gail Cullen, Executive Director of the Brandon Friendship Centre this week. The meeting was very informative with Ms. Cullen providing an update on a number of meaningful initiatives and programs in place at the Centre.
Discussions continue between representatives of the Y and the City as we move to finalize an operational agreement for the new facility which will ensure that the needs of both partners are met.
Public Notice – Revisions to Electoral Ward Boundaries
Copies of the above notice will appear in the Brandon Sun, the Wheat City Journal and be posted with a map on the City’s website advising that at its meeting to be held October 6th, City Council will be considering 3rd and final reading of the by-law to revise the City’s electoral ward boundaries. Any interested member of the public is being asked to contact the City Clerk at 729-2206. It should be noted that the revisions to the ward boundaries, if and when approved by City Council, would not take effect until the next general election in 2010.
Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee
City Council’s establishment of the part-time contract Heritage Co-ordinator position and the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC) having hired Ms. Kim Longstreet in this position is proving to be an extremely beneficial initiative. Committee members and Ms. Longstreet are very dedicated and enthusiastic individuals who are doing much to promote and preserve the City’s heritage.
B.E.S.T. Conference
The Brandon Emergency Support Team will once again be holding a one day emergency management conference. On November 5th at the Keystone Centre, six speakers will provide information on a variety of subjects related to emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. We are expecting approximately 100 delegates from around the province.
Tax Sale
The 2008 Tax Sale is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2008 @ 9:30 am. The 2nd Notice of Tax Sale Auction was sent out at the end of August to the remaining 19 properties that have taxes outstanding for 2006. As there are still several weeks remaining prior to the sale, we do expect that all properties will be redeemed prior to the sale date as in past years. At this same time last year, there were 27 properties on the list.
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
The E911 contract for Clearwater Provincial Park has been completed. The Park will be receiving 911 services as of September 16th.
FIRST STREET AND ROSSER
First Street and Rosser Avenue Remediation Contract - On September 8, 2008, the City awarded a contract to HAZCO Environmental Services to clean up the First Street and Rosser Avenue Site. Work will begin the week of September 15 with the contractor mobilizing to the site. The first order of the contract is to completely fence the entire site for safety reasons and to protect the workers and public. Construction trailers will be brought in for contract workers and resident engineering staff. Pacific Avenue from First Street to Russell Street will be closed to all vehicular traffic during and after the contract.
The main concern with the clean up process is worker and public safety. Earth Tech Canada will have supervisory staff onsite throughout the entire contract. Besides looking after the clean up as per the contract, Earth Tech representatives will be monitoring for dust control and air quality control of the site during the contract.
A portion of the site will become a public park after the contract is completed with grass planting likely this year or early spring. A public walkway will be constructed linking up to the one east of Russell Street and continuing north along the west side of Russell and then west along the south side of Pacific Avenue to meet up with the First Street sidewalks.
The City of Brandon, HAZCO, and Earth Tech are asking the publics assistance by staying clear of the site during the contract. Your assistance will help ensure a safe work environment for both the construction workers and the general public.
Any questions or concerns feel free to contact:
City of Brandon Engineering Department at 729 – 2214
Your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member.
New Traffic Signal
The installation of the left turn signal at 18th Street North and Parker Boulevard has been completed.
FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES UPDATE
Deputy Bell attended the Mutual Aid Coordinators meeting at the Manitoba Emergency Services College on September 10th which was attended by Mutual Aid Coordinators from across Manitoba. On Saturday, September 13th he will be attending a Manitoba Association of Fire Chief’s (MAFC) Board of Director’s meeting in Portage la Prairie.
We are currently researching suitable sites for a helicopter landing area to accommodate transfers from CFB Shilo, as the current Heli-Pad at BRHC is under construction.
We are in the process of creating a Firefighter/Paramedic short list for new BFES employees. Eleven applicants wrote the exam this week. Ten of those will advance on to the interview portion of the competition, which will be processed next week.
SANITATION
The contractor is expecting to deliver bins throughout the weekend and still is expecting to be completed by the deadline. Residents are encouraged to read the material that is with the new bins or check the web site for information and FAQ. Information can be found at www.brandon.ca/sanitation.
At this time we would like to remind residents that Household Hazardous Waste Day is fast approaching. The event is slated for September 20 at the Civic Services Complex at 900 Richmond Ave East, in the back, from 10am to 2 pm. This will be the last event of the year.
Also the “E-waste” collection event is coming to the end of its promotion. The end of this special program is slated to end on September 30. This may be your last chance to safely recycle your old electronic waste. Information can be found on the web page.
The Eco summer promotion is also ending on the 15th of this month, Residents are encouraged to bring their used motor oil to the East View Landfill to receive their lucky keychain and have a chance to win some great prizes. The hours of operation for the Eco Center are: Monday to Saturday 9-12, 1-4. Closed Sundays and Statutory Holidays.
POLICE SERVICE UPDATE
Chief Atkinson and Constable M. Melanson attended the Swearing In Ceremony for Queens Court Bench Judge Robert Cummings on September 9th, 2008.
The Brandon Police Service is sponsoring three students in the Fall Police Studies Course at ACC. A total of twenty-five students have registered for this course.
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