Support for the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund has been tremendous.

The fund has raised more than $100,000 in cash so far.

“Right now we’ve contacted the federal government, the provincial government the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to give us a list of names and contact information of families that are wishing to come,” said Roman Panchenko, adding there are many who have fled Ukraine that have every intention of returning following the conflict.

However, the group’s priority is to fund families that intend to settle permanently in the Parkland

“So if they can identify those that are willing to come to our area with the intentions of settling permanently, then the selection committee will weed those out and make recommendations to the rest of the group, he said.

Committee member Jim Perchaluk added the group is remaining flexible, however.

“This is the first time we’ve done it and let’s just say nobody wants to settle here, but they’re looking for a place to reside for several years. Well then we certainly will review our mandate,” he said. “But our objective is to assist families, hopefully intending to reside in our community.”

Just how many families the group will be able to assist remains to be seen as donations are coming in daily and organizers really don’t know what level of support will be required.

Read the FULL STORY in this week's Dauphin Herald!

Ratepayers in the Mountain View School Division (MVSD) will see a slight reduction in their tax bills as the board of trustees passed a 2022-23 budget focused on the learner and the learning environment, with a special emphasis on the classroom.

While this year’s budget saw an increase of almost $1.5 million in provincial funding for the coming year, an increase of 6.3 per cent, things were a little complicated because a lot of the increase did not flow through the funding formula, MVSD secretary-treasurer Bart Michaleski said.

“They gave us the money in kind of one-time payments because of all the inflationary pressures we’re dealing with,” he said, citing contract settlement costs, insurance and fuel costs as some examples. “But suffice it to say they gave us a fair bit of money in the current year, 2021-22, almost $1.3 million, and then gave us a little over $1.2 million in additional one-time funding for 2022-23.”

As a result, MVSD’s budget is 3.8 per cent higher than last year at $45,458,887, an increase of $1,657,844.

“Our five-year average (increase) is about one per cent, so the budget itself is up quite a bit,” Michaleski said, adding local taxation remains the same at the direction of the province as some of the money received from the government was to offset any tax increases. “So the special levy will remain at the same dollar amount it has for a third year in a row now. Our mill rate will actually drop a little bit from 14.62 to 14.54 and that’s just because we had a little bit of a property assessment increase.”

Residential property within the division has seen a .9 per cent increase in total assessed values since 2021. With the drop in the mill rate residential property valued at $150,000 will see a decrease of $5.24 on this year’s tax bills. Farmland has seen a .3 per cent increase in total assessed values resulting in a $3.03 reduction per $150,000, while commercial property increased in value by .1 per cent resulting in a $7.57 tax reduction per $150,000.

In terms of expenditures, MVSD’s largest increase was in staffing as trustees focused on maintaining staffing levels.

“And, in fact, we actually had in budget, an increase of one teaching position and that was to support the business program at the (Dauphin) high school, the Applied Commerce program,” Michaleski said, adding there were other minor changes in staffing that really did not affect the budget. “Eighty per cent of our increase in budget, $1,375,000, is in staffing costs.”

The remaining $283,256 in increased expenditures for non-salary related budgets primarily included technology infrastructure, insurance, fuel and utilities costs.

The result is expenditures will outpace revenue by approximately $171,000 in 2022-23. It is only the second time in Michaleski’s career with the division that the board has approved a deficit budget.

“I’m not a big proponent of deficit budgeting, nor is the board,” Michaleski said.

Michaleski said the decision to run a deficit was made after meeting with the province where the division indicated the $1.3 million increase received for 2021-22 was more than what was needed, while the $1.2 million received for the coming year was not enough.

“The department basically said because every division is in the same boat with all these costs . . . if you needed more of that money in 2022-23 than in the current year just designate some of that (2021-22) money as surplus in your financial statements and carry it forward to next year and use it to offset your budget,” he said, adding the province is planning to have a new funding formula in place in 2023-24. “Based on how this new formula is supposed to work for us, it shouldn’t be an issue. So that’s why we agreed to do a deficit budget. Obviously, they’re going to have to manage things just to make sure that they can mitigate that deficit as much as they can next year.”

Board chair Floyd Martens said the transition that is occurring in education highlights that the majority of available resources are being prescribed to school divisions, providing budget revenue totals that are finite, including the dollars generated through local taxation.

MVSD worked hard to make the tough decisions on where those resources are best used, he added.

“The deliberations required to prepare and finalize the 2022-23 operating budget become increasingly more difficult as greater restrictions are placed on available funding. These restrictions impact how we can address what our communities want for their educational system,” Martens said. “We are confident in our budget decisions as they prioritize the needs of the learner and the classroom.”

Countryfest organizers are looking forward to a “Return to the Hill.”

And as part of a promotional concert tour of the same name, Doc Walker and Don Amero, festival directors and organizers gathered at Selo Ukraina last week to unveil a new sign that will greet those attending Canada’s longest running country music, July 1 to 3.

The unveiling followed a relaunch of the festival lineup originally disclosed last October.

The all-Canadian bill for the July 1 to 3 festival features headliners Paul Brandt, Johnny Reid, Dallas Smith, Dean Brody and Terri Clark. They will be backed up by some first rate supporting acts including Gord Bamford, The Washboard Union, The Road Hammers, Madeline Merlo, Aaron Pritchett, The Reklaws, Chad Brownlee, Michelle Wright, Doc Walker, JoJo Mason, Hunter Brothers, Jess Moskaluke, Jade Eagleson, Tyler Joe Miller, David James, Don Amero, Clayton Bellamy and the Congregation, Nate Haller, Toque, Snake Oil, Tyler Del Pino, Kendra Kay, Jade Turner, Desiree Dorion, Shantaia, Boy Golden, Past the Perimeter, Bullrider, Ryan Keown, Melissa Livingstone, Kates Outlaw, Jake Yaadeland, Banned and Outlawed, Chris Mitchell, Brandi Yezina, Karissa Hoffart, School of Rock Winnipeg and DJ Johnny Rivex.

“We’ve been resting for a little while, I guess a couple years now so we decided to relaunch the whole lineup and add all the rest of the bands into it that we’re going to have and it went over very well,” Countryfest general manager Rob Waloschuk said.

The full story can be found in this week's Dauphin Herald!

Difficulties posed by the pandemic resulted in a surplus in both the General Operating and the Utility Fund in 2021, Dauphin city councillors were told at their regular meeting, Mar. 14.

The General Operating Fund surplus came in at $697,173. while the Utility Fund had a surplus of $143,237, director of finance Scott Carr told councillors.

“Like many other organizations, we faced a labor shortage in 2021. Unfortunately, this resulted in some work not being completed as budgeted and contributed to our 697,000 surplus,” Carr said, adding the Audit and Finance committee authorized the use of $33,198 of the surplus to pay for the overage on snow clearing in the latter months of 2021, rather than draw down the Snow and Ice Reserve.

The remaining balance of $663,975 was transferred to the General Reserve to help reduce future taxation.

Carr added there were other factors influencing the surplus such as revenue coming in $465,312 over budget.

Taxes added revenue was $41,569 more than budgeted, while income from permits was $13,657, while income at the Waste Disposal Site was $42,186 higher than budget. Federal grants also came in $432,530 more than budget, however, provincial grants were $28,567 lower than budget.

Public donations and funding revenue was also lower than expected by $92,500, while insurance and other rebates were $18,083 more than expected.

When it comes to expenditures, reserve transfers were $1,057,256 under budget, while administrative expenses were $101,312 less than expected and legislative expenses were $2,328 under budget due to two councillor vacancies in 2021.

General administration was under by $44,291, while Protective Services was $10,869 under budget and Transportation was $199,747 under budget.

Environmental Health Department came in $62,990 under budget, Public Health and Welfare Services was on budget, Environmental Development, $59,693 under budget, Community Economic Development, $169,557 under budget and Recreation and Cultural Services was $46,796 under budget. Finally, Fiscal Services, $59,020 over budget.

On the Utility side, Carr said the surplus was due to unexpected savings on replacements of water and sewer mains.

“The only area we were over budget was the purchase of oxygen at our water treatment plant as we planned to be using our new oxygen generator in June 2021, but this project was delayed and will be completed in 2022,” he said.

The full surplus was transferred to reserves, Carr added.

Overall, Utility Fund revenue was $349,710 under budget. Water and sewer revenue was $12,044 more than budget, while bulk water sales were $2,047 under budget. Additionally, provincial grants were $332,157 less than budgeted and custom work sales were $21,087 less than expected.

Reserve transfers and debenture proceeds, $342,696 under budget, while utility administration was $13,887 over budget.

Water supply expenditure were $20,602 under budget, while sewage collection costs were $12,052 less than expected and fiscal services were $673,640 under budget.

Following the transfer of the surpluses, the City’s reserve funds finished the year just $25,000 less than their opening.

“This indicates our taxation levels in 2021 were sustainable,” Carr said.

The closing balance of $11,808,549 in total reserve funds is comprised of the following:
• General Reserve - $4,934,089.50;
• Machinery Reserve - $950,712.33;
• Fire Reserve - $655,384.60;
• Public Land Reserve - $743.26;
• Civic Buildings Reserve - 435,548.71;
• Water and Sewer Reserve - $1,830.960.59;
• Federal Gas Tax Reserve - $2,037,196.18;
• Recreation Facility Reserve - $447,482.40;
• Environmental Stewardship Reserve - $349,778.90;
• Snow and Ice Removal Reserve - $125,193.09; and
• Watson Arts Centre Reserve - $41,459.93.

“With inflation nearing five per cent we are already seeing much higher costs in 2022. But with over $11 million in reserves we are hopeful we can reduce the impact of this inflation by using reserves,” Carr said.
“So (2021) was a good year. 2022 has been quite a bit more expensive so far though. So we’ll see what the next nine months brings.”

Full details have yet to be released, but Lindsay Rubeniuk of 100th Meridian Immigration believes plans to wave Visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war with Russia will make it easier for them to come to Canada.

The Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant said the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel will open options for those accessing it.

“They aren’t going to really be considered refugees, even though they are forced to flee their country. They are going to come here with a visa,” Rubeniuk said. “So once they are here they can either remain as they are, because they’re authorized to be in the country, or else they can apply for a study permit or an open work permit.”

With a four month wait for inland open work permits currently, Rubeniuk hopes the federal government looks for a way to process applications faster.

“So it’s not a magic pill that you wave visa requirements and everything’s good,” she said.

Rubeniuk added there may still be a requirement to provide biometrics and with no offices doing biometrics in Ukraine at the moment she is uncertain how that might affect some refugees. It all comes down to a balancing act, Rubeniuk said, of trying to help as many people as possible while maintaining our national security.

“There might be some limitations for people if they don’t have access to what the government wants,” she said.

How much demand there is for the visas also remains to be seen. Ukrainians, she said are very loyal to their country and will have a hard time leaving. Secondly, Ukrainians, generally, have a strong connection to Europe.

“They love Germany and they love all this, all the surrounding countries. I believe it’s those that have a connection to Canada that will come here, those who already have family and friends here,” she said, “But the good news is they can get here relatively hassle free. I think that it’s really positive what’s happening.”

Mountain View School Division (MVSD) is getting set to shed face masks in its 16 schools.

Effective Mar. 15, MVSD will no longer require the use of a mask in any of its facilities.

“We are following the provincial health mandate. The province has made the decision in the last round of public health order changes that a good number of the restrictions in schools would be scaled back or wound down,” MVSD superintendent/CEO Dan Ward said. “Certainly we encourage anyone, both staff and students who are more comfortable wearing a mask to wear a mask. So it’s certainly encouraged, but it’s no longer going to be required.”

Ward said when the changes to the provincial health orders were announced, the request from the province was that school divisions align their protocols with the new provincial health orders.

“And that’s always been the case. If you look back into many of the health orders or various reasons the public school system was exempt because we had to offer programming in a safe way,” he said. “But we’ve always mirrored public health orders as closely as possible.”

The division is also winding down a number of other pandemic related requirements.

“We’re also looking at easing up on things like social distancing and cohorting although that’s going to happen a little bit more gradually as we approach the spring break,” Ward said. “As of Mar. 15 the cohorts in Kindergarten to Grade six will no longer be required and when we’re looking at the easing of the cohort restriction we’re looking at school to school. Where putting cohorts together has been fairly difficult and where it’s had an impact on programming, those are the schools we’re going to be easing up. But where cohorts are working well, we recommended that schools continue to do that, at least for the time being.”

Ward said administrators will continue to be vigilant and are encouraging staff and students to self-disclose if they become infected with COVID. The division will continue to report weekly attendance on its website.

Attendance has been improving, Ward added.

“And our number of COVID cases continues to go down,” he said. “It’s not overly surprising because it reflects what’s happening in the province. But at the same time we have to be vigilant that if things do get bad again to work with public health to bring back any mitigation measures that public health deems appropriate.”

Mountain View School Division (MVSD) is on the hunt for a new superintendent/CEO as Dan Ward is leaving the division at the end of the school year.

“I’ve taken a position with Garden Valley School Division, which starts in July. I’ll be their superintendent, effective this summer,” Ward said.

When the opportunity came up, Ward discussed the options with his family and they felt this was a good time to move.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision. I really love working for Mountain View. I have been here for seven years, four years as assistant superintendent and three years as superintendent,” he said “The people here are great and work for a very supportive board. But at the end of the day we felt it was a new opportunity and I put my application in and was selected for the position.”

Ward’s last day with MVSD is July 15.

The Parkland Chamber of Commerce held its annual Celebration Night complete with awards at Countryfest Community Cinema, Mar. 10, and Gabe Mercier could not be more excited.

“I really get excited about awards because awards come because of hard work, because of dedication,” the chamber president said to get the evening started. “People succeed and people are nominated for awards because they’re dedicated. They believe in what they’re doing. So everyone tonight who’s nominated, no doubt believed in what they were doing. They have a passion for what they’re doing, they have a cause.”

That does not mean you have to be a crusader for world peace, an environmentalist or a human rights activist.

“Having a cause could be because of your business. You want your business to succeed, you want to provide a service, you want to provide a product for your clients. And so you’re passionate about it,” he said. “So everyone tonight, no doubt you’re successful. You are here tonight because deep down you believed in your business, you believed in the work that you’re doing."

“And it’s good to recognize them and to celebrate the achievement.”

Awards were handed out in several categories.

Winning the Community Appreciation Individual award was Charlene Gulak of Community Futures Parkland, while Under One Roof received the Community Appreciation Group award.

Kyle Zurba of Fire Line Welding was named the Young Entrepreneur of the Year, while Embroidery by Design and Promotions took home the Outstanding Business award.

Carissa Caruk-Ganczar from The Hub Dauphin received the Business Person of the Year award.

The final award of the evening, the Legacy Business Award is a special recognition decided on in private and it caught winner Jim Steiner, the founder of Steiner Plumbing and Heating, by surprise.

Steiner became a plumber after learning the trade from his father in Grandview and as Manitoba’s top apprentice, was invited to compete in an international trade skills competition at Purdue University in 1973.

Steiner and his wife Trudy started the business in 1979 with one van and a shop on the acreage where they lived.

The business grew to point where it employed more than 100 people full-time over the course of four decades.

As one of rural Manitoba’s largest plumbing and heating businesses, there are few commercial buildings in the community the company hasn’t been involved with, either in construction or maintenance.

The Steiner’s success is a testament to Steiner’s people skills and his dedication to being fair and honest, Mercier said in announcing the award. The Steiners retired in 2017, but work was not the entire scope of their community involvement.

“Jim and Trudy believe in community and support countless events and organizations of special significance,” Mercier said, citing the Dauphin Kings, Dauphin and Grandview/Gilbert Plains agricultural societies and several museums around the Parkland as examples. “Personally Jim has volunteered thousands of hours in this community including coaching and refereeing five kids in ringette, hockey and softball teams over two decades.”

Steiner has also served on the boards of several organizations including the Dauphin Snowmobile Club, Dauphin ringette, Manitoba ringette, Parkland Sports Council and Manitoba Games Council. He served as co-chair of the Dauphin CN Station restoration project and the 2004 Manitoba Summer Games in Dauphin. He is currently a member of the Dauphin Agricultural Heritage Club and spends his free time restoring antique John Deere tractors and vehicles, golfing and playing hockey as a member of the Noon Hour Hockey League since the early 1970s.

“This is overwhelming. It means a lot, because we have done a lot and Dauphin means a lot to us,” Steiner said in accepting the award. “We love Dauphin, we love the Parkland. It’s got everything anyone would ever want when you live in the Parkland. You have fishing at the parks all around us. There’s nothing more to ask for in life and it’s been very good to our business.”

Steiner expressed his gratitude that their daughter Carla and her husband Chris Wolfenden took over the business when he and Trudy retired in 2017.

“Because they’re doing an excellent job, taking it over and building upon what we started,” Steiner said, adding everything they did throughout the years was for the betterment of the community.

“It was really a labour of love, everything we ever did. In the business we just kept on plugging along and you don’t expect recognition like this, but it happens, I guess. It’s really overwhelming. Thank you, thanks very much.”

After two years of plying their trade in the shadows of the pandemic, Zirka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble is ready to once again perform and shed a little light on a dark time in the world.

And, considering the war in Ukraine, the group is using its recital, which is normally held for Zirka families, as an opportunity to bring the entire community together at a zabava to benefit Ukraine.

Zirka committee member Rachel Jensen said many people in the Parkland have strong ties to Ukraine.

“We just felt we needed to do something, especially after two years of not being able to do anything, no Ukrainian festival, no nothing. So with restrictions lifting we said, ‘let’s do our part’,” she said, adding all proceeds from the event will be donated to humanitarian relief in Ukraine

“It’s not about Zirka or anything, it’s about the Ukrainian community and putting our culture out there and doing our part for the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.”

The recital and zabava, which will mark the 50th anniversary of the ensemble, are set for April 30 at the Selo Ukraina Hall with the recital starting at 3 p.m.

The recital will feature some special guests, Jensen said.

“We’ve invited to be guest performers the D-Town Steppers, the Métis group. And the reason for that is we have a partnership with the Northwest Métis Council as we practice at their facility,” she said.

“We’ve been trying to figure out ways that we can share each other’s culture, so this is a great way to showcase that we have a peaceful, a very respectful partnership with each other.”

Following the recital, cocktails will be held somewhere around 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.. followed by dinner and a special presentation.

'Danny and Patti Zabiaka are instructors that have been with our group for over 25 years of those 50 years. They have been there for decades. So there’s going to be a special presentation for them because they’re moving on to the next stage of their lives out to Alberta.” Jensen said.

“A special thank you for all their dedication to the group.”

Then comes the zabava featuring the live music of Sloohai.

Originally planned as a smaller event for the Zirka family at the Métis Community Centre where the group practices, as the idea evolved it became necessary to find a larger venue.

“As the idea built we thought let’s bring in a live band, let’s have a bar. Let’s have a good old-fashioned zabava, door prizes and a raffle and a late lunch, all that stuff,” Jensen said, adding the decision was made to move the event to the Selo Hall. “It’s the biggest facility around. It’s also supporting that venue, as well, which also is very tied to Ukrainian heritage and culture and history. It’s a great venue, you can camp there, there’s a lot of good things about that place. It’s a good move for us.”

Tickets for the event are $65 each, while those five and under will be admitted free of charge. Jensen said while the group normally tries to make its events a little more affordable for families, the circumstances dictate a bump in prices.

“We are trying to raise some funds to send over to Ukraine. We stepped it up a notch for this one. But if you think about what you’re getting, you’re getting a lot for that. A full night of dancing at the zabava, the late lunch, the full dinner and that little extra is helping Ukraine,” she said. “The $65 ticket gets you in for the whole thing, all the way from the recital to the end. But then we’re also doing a $35 ticket which is just for the zabava only, if people just want to come for that part just to enjoy the evening and the music.”

A sellout would mean the group could send as much as $4,000 to Ukraine, Jensen said, more if sponsors can be found to help cover some of the costs.

But no matter the final dollar amount raised, simply holding the event is important, Jensen said.

“You can raise money, yes, but you know it’s also important to be positive and to celebrate. There’s a Ukrainian song out there and the way part of the song goes is Ukraine is in deep sorrow, but stand up, wave the flag and rejoice, because we will be okay,” she said. “We have so much here in Canada. As people we’re so lucky, you know, we need to do this for our family in Ukraine. So we’re hoping that we get good support from the community, so that we can send those proceeds over.”

(Larry Hrytsay and Theresa Zabiaka representing the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund, accepted a $5,000 donation from Dauphin Kings president Ashley Shaw and external relations chair Rae Csversko at the junior A hockey club’s Ukrainian Night celebration, Saturday.)

A new fund has been established to help families fleeing the war in Ukraine find a new home here in the Parkland.

An initiative developed by Don Tarrant of Reit-Syd Equipment with the assistance of Darryl Zamrykut of Zaplitny and Zamrykut , and Jason Beyette of Johnston and Company Law Office, the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund will help at least one family, and hopefully more, with relocating expenses.

“If people are going to elect to move out of Ukraine and come to Canada, I just think this is one of the best places for them,” Tarrant said. “Ukrainian culture is very strong here. We’re the home of Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival. We’ve got a full-time site and museum. I just felt that we would be a really welcoming home for them.”

And to get the fund off to a strong start Tarrant committed $25,000 to the initiative and is hoping that other local businesses, government agencies, families and individuals come on board.

“We really, really want to help and want to make our contribution very, very effective,” Tarrant said, adding the $25,000 seemed like an effective way to do that.

He is hoping the community sees it as a worthy cause.

“When people donate, like ourselves, they can have good value for the money. If you donate to another cause it goes over (to Ukraine) which is all well spent, but it’s gone,” he said, adding money from the fund will be spent locally while still aid in the relief effort. “It makes it better for the whole community and for the people that could potentially move here.”

And unlike a lot of charitable organizations which earmark a percentage of donations for administration costs, 100 per cent of donations to the fund will be used for the intended purpose.

All legal and accounting services have been donated and Fusion Credit Union has waived banking fees, Tarrant said.

“Darryl and Jason, they’ve stepped up. Fusion Credit Union, they were asked to set up a trust account and they did. Then they agreed to take the donations and they’re not charging anything for it. It is all donations.”

Also answering the call is the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum Inc. (Selo Ukraina), which will hold and administer the fund and, as a non-profit organization, will provide tax receipts for donations.

“They approached us and as a group our board of directors said, ‘yeah not a problem,’” said Selo board member Larry Hyrtsay. “We’re quite happy with it. I fits us great. It only took us about 30 seconds to make the decision.”

The Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund will be used to provide a one-time gift for one or more families immigrating from Ukraine as a result of being displaced by the Russian invasion. The fund will cover travel and moving, food, shelter, clothing and any other necessities of life to allow for an easier transition to life in the Parkland.

Families will be eligible for funding if they settle in the Parkland for a yet-to-be-determined minimum amount of time and have lost their primary residence, property, business or place of employment in Ukraine.

Tarrant hopes the fund can help as many families as possible. There are just too many unknowns at this point to say for sure how much it will cost to sponsor a family. He expects, however, it might cost as much as $50,000 for a large family.

“Maybe if the federal government puts the money in to get them here that stretches it out. If we have some in-kind stuff that stretches it out,” he said, adding he has purposely not attached a fund-raising goal to initiative. “I think that we should say at this point it’s unlimited. The initial response to it has been really positive.”

Tarrant added the fund will soon begin accepting material donations such as food, toiletries, furniture, clothing and bedding, as well, which will make the cash donated go that much further.

“We’re gonna work at getting something figured out here real quick for in-kind stuff which will really stretch the cash out,” he said.

If people have in-kind stuff in mind they can contact myself or let their church know or let the board members of Selo Ukraina know. We’ll make a list of the stuff and have it ready to go, There will be something set up here soon.”

Anyone who wants to make a monetary donation to the fund can mail a cheque to the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum, Box 658, Dauphin, MB, R7N 2V4. Cheques need to be made payable to the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum.

Donations can also be made in person at any Fusion Credit Union branch.

Anyone wanting more information can contact Hyrtsay at 204-648-5904 or Karen Showdra at 204-648-3567.