Dauphin city councillors promoted the work of the Heart and Stroke Foundation by proclaiming February as Heart Month to kick off their regular meeting, Jan. 20.

The proclamation recognized the grim statistic that heart disease, stroke and related conditions take a life in Canada every five minutes, while applauding the work volunteers do every day to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery.

Added to taxes

Councillors voted to add four outstanding water accounts to the tax rolls totalling $841.64.

That total is made of $254.37 owing at 105 4th Avenue SE, $270.20 outstanding at 113 5th Avenue SE, $235.18 owing at 38 7th Avenue SE  and $81.89 owing at 207 Kirby Avenue West. In all cases the final utility bill was not paid.

Dutch elm dollars

Council received correspondence from  Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie regarding funding for Dutch elm disease management in Dauphin for 2024-25.

The City will receive a total of $55,144 this year.

Parking problems

Councillors were informed adminstration  has received a number of complaints about parking along both sides of   Whitmore Avenue East in front of Assiniboine College. The situation is causing problems with visibility for drivers exiting parking lots at the college and Mountain View Christian Assembly. Additionally, the north shoulder is designated as a “shared path” for pedestrians and cyclists. However, pedestrians and cyclists are forced out onto the roadway because of parked vehicles.

The deputy city manager and bylaw enforcement officer have been working with the college to come up with a solution, likely involving an amendment to the traffic and parking bylaw.

Shop reno

Councillors were informed engineering for the mechanic area renovation at the City Shop has been completed and they are awaiting a provincial permit to start work.

Cameras

Council was informed the installation of camera’s financed through a grant from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund has begun. One camera has been installed at the landfill, with installations at the water treatment plant and the lift stations next in line. The work will be wrapped up with installations at the Dauphin Public Library and Dauphin Veterinary Clinic.

Accounts approved

Council authorized the issuance of 66 cheques totalling $772,536.54 to cover outstanding accounts. Councillors also approved five electronic fund transfers totalling $22,058.42.

Building permits

Councillors were informed there was one City of Dauphin building permit issued in December for work valued at $5,000.

That brings the year end total to 55 City permits issued for work with a total value of $5,346,866, along with 12 Department of Labour permits issued for work valued at $14,428,883.

Policing costs

Council authorized mayor David Bosiak to write a letter to Public Safety minister  Dominic LeBlanc asking for consideration during the upcoming round of collective bargaining with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The letter is to outline that, while the City supports the national police force’s right to collective bargaining and appreciated all the RCMP does to keep us safe, any significant increase in police costs will be a burden for local taxpayers.

The previous two rounds of collective bargaining have resulted in significant cost increases for Dauphin with no “meaningful consultation or consideration of our financial reality” and “not only threatens the viability of our municipality, but also undermines service delivery.”

Ideally, the City would like to see a long-term deal reached to provide greater certainty in future budgeting.

MOU

Council authorized the mayor to sign a memorandum of understanding with Parks Canada to formalize a collaborative relationship in dealing with shared issues.

The priorities outlined in the document include recreation, tourism, water stewardship, culture and truth and reconciliation along with key areas of co-operation, such as enhancing visitor experiences, joint marketing, sustainable tourism, environmental projects and fostering community engagement with the intent to provide mutual benefits.

Lease

Council authorized the mayor and city manager to sign a new lease with the Dauphin Regional Airport Authority for the City’s water pressure reducing station on airport land.

The lease expired on Dec. 31, 2024 and will be renewed for another five years term with no change in terms.

The former chief administrative officer of Gilbert Plains Municipality has been officially charged in connection with allegations of fraud following a two-year investigation.

On Jan. 16, as part of a joint investigation involving the Dauphin RCMP detachment and Manitoba RCMP Cyber and Financial Crime Unit (CFCU), Amber Fisher, 40, was arrested and charged with fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000 and use of proceeds knowing it was obtained by the commission of an offence.

The investigation began following a complaint  in 2022 that Fisher had defrauded the municipality of upwards of $500,000 while employed there.

Reeve Jim Manchur said the municipality has been anticipating this day for some time.

“We initiated this process over two years ago, so we had hoped it would happen sooner than it did, but we’re glad that we’re at this point,” Manchur said.

The investigation involved numerous witness statements, along with the obtaining and review of extensive financial records and other reports.

“Any time you have an investigation of this duration that reaches the charge stage it’s a major milestone. However, the work is not complete,” said Const. Ricky Perkins of the Manitoba RCMP CFCU.

“We realize for the people affected, a lengthy investigation can feel as if there is no progress being made. In reality, there are many investigative steps taking place behind the scenes, and we’ll continue to work with the Dauphin RCMP Detachment until it’s conclusion.”

However the municipality has not been idle while they have been waiting for the investigation to process.

One step they have taken, Manchur said, was to sue Fisher in an attempt to recoup their losses.

“We’re still in the process of that. That’s another, kind of, frustrating thing, it takes time so we’re hoping that will move forward as time goes by,” he said.

He added the municipality has also been working closely with it’s insurance company in an effort to minimize its losses.

“I would say that of the $500,000 plus that we lost, $400,000 did come back from insurance, but we still have other funds to recover in terms of  legal fees and interest and those sorts of things,” Manchur said.

“Ultimately, we’d sure like to recover all our funds and go back to business as normal.”

But it will not be business as it once was.

“We’ve really tightened up everything on our financial side. We revamped our whole administration staff and all our financial controls are really, really tight now. So I really don’t think this could happen again, certainly in our municipality,” Manchur said.

Those changes include  eliminating the ability to etransfer from municipal accounts without dual authorization and requiring council approval on all financial reports. There have also been increased controls put in place to ensure bank statements are reconciled on a regular basis, as well as requirements for regular and up-to-date audits.

“You wouldn’t believe the stress and the frustration that this did cause for us on council over the past few years and, you know, it’s hard to believe that we’d be the victim of it, but that’s what we ended up with. I think a lot of ratepayers aren’t totally happy with how it happened, but in the end we have to continue to be vigilant and go from there,” Manchur said.

“We appreciate the efforts of the RCMP. We were in contact with them through the whole process and they did a great job.”

Fisher was released from custody with conditions and will appear in Dauphin Provincial Court on Mar. 18.

A trip to Dauphin to attend his son’s U13 hockey tournament in Dauphin also provided Obby Khan an opportunity to locally promote his aspiration of becoming leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.

“I’m meeting with Ron (Dauphin MLA Kostyshyn), meeting with a few PC supporters, some people on the board of the association here, meeting with businesses and then I’m trying to get a couple of other stakeholder meetings here in the area,” Khan said, adding it is a formula he follows wherever he travels throughout the province gathering support for his leadership bid.

“I’ve been everywhere. Everywhere from up to Swan Lake, all the way to Virden and all over southern Manitoba. All over.”

Khan, a Winnipeg restaurateur and former professional football player with the Ottawa Renegades, Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, currently sits as the MLA for Fort Whyte since being elected in a by-election in 2022.

Seeking the leadership of the provincial party is the hardest thing he has ever attempted from his time developing a successful restaurant business to his time as an elected official, even including his 10 years as a professional football player.

“It wasn’t just that I played. I went through nine almost career-ending injuries.” he said, listing challenges such as four knee surgeries, ruptured discs, a brain hemorrhage and a tricep muscle torn off the bone, as some of the highlights.

“So I went through that and this is still the hardest thing. It’s a grind. Because this never stops, number one and number two, no matter what you do, you’re never going to make everyone happy.”

What Khan focuses on in politics is the same thing that made him successful in sports and in business; being prepared and taking responsibility for his own perfermance.

“When I can go to bed at night and I believe what I’m doing is right, I’m okay,” he said, adding the feedback he has been receiving about his campaign has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s been unbelievable. Fantastic. I’m absolutely blown away and I am really, really pleased with the way it’s going.”

As a city resident and not being a “traditional conservative leadership candidate”, heading into the process Khan had reservations. It wasn’t until he hit the parade circuit in the summer that he realized he had made the right decision.

“I did I think it was 19 parades this summer all over rural Manitoba. People were like really happy to see me. People were supportive and I hadn’t announced leadership yet,” Khan said.

“I sat at meetings thinking I was going to run, but I wanted to get feedback. People are really coming on board, so it’s been it’s been a lot of fun.”

Those coming on board include his fellow MLAs with some high profile conservatives backing his bid.

Part of the reason for that, Khan believes, is that they like his vision for the party.

“I’m going through this campaign like I’m a thousand votes behind. But I am very confident that we’re going to prevail not so much because of me, but because of the message and what I’m trying to do for this party,” he said.

“It’s the belief in the members. It’s the belief that this party needs to return to its grassroots members. It’s the belief that this party, the PC Party of Manitoba, is an inclusive party with conservative values. It’s the belief that we have a lot of internal work to do as a party. I realize that we have to be accountable and more transparent to our members. I think that message is really resonating with people.”

Khan is one of two candidates vying for the position. The other is Wally Daudrich, a Churchill business owner and a long-time board member for the provincial PCs.

Khan said his vision for the party is quite different than his opponent’s.

“My message has been about a big tent party with conservative values, while still representing and welcoming people to the party and growing,” Khan said, adding that philosophy is illustrated through his campaign co-chairs in Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen and  Lori Shenkarow, a businesswoman who sought the PC nomination in last year’s Tuxedo byelection.

“So you have got a Jewish lady, a conservative Christian and a Muslim candidate all working together as a big tent party in the PC party of Manitoba. That is a powerful message right there.

“This shows that we can come together across the party. My whole message in this is we have to come together as a PC party, as PC members to win not only this leadership, but win the province back in 2027. If we’re divided now we don’t stand a chance in 2027 or 2031 or 2035.”

Khan will continue his efforts to grow the party and build support for his leadership campaign as the process nears it end.

Those wanting to get involved in choosing the new leader must have their party membership purchased by Feb. 28.

“You have got to be 14 years or older and you have to live in Manitoba. It costs $20, but you get $15 back on your taxes, so it costs you $5,” Khan said.

“You will get a ballot in the mail in March and then you mail it back. On April 26th they will announce the winner.

“I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m working because I believe that this election also is an opportunity to unite the party and to grow the party and to strengthen the party.

“If I was to have the honour of going forward and becoming the leader  . . . it’s not about me, this is about the province, my love for the province and that we can do better as a province.”

One Mountain View School Division trustee is upset with and speaking out against a new divisionwide directive that will require students to sing “God Save the King” as part of their daily morning exercises.

Jarri Thompson took to Facebook to spread the word after learning about the requirement secondhand, last week.

“This wasn’t a directive of the board. It was a directive of the chair (trustee Jason Gryba), not on behalf of the board, even though he thinks so,” Thompson said.

“I had given him the opportunity to call a meeting and discuss it as a board, but he seems to think that because it is in the Public Schools Act he doesn’t need to go through the board.”

As part of the 1988 Schools Patriotic Observances Regulation under The Education Administration Act, students are required to sing the opening verse of “God Save the King” at the end of the day or as part of the opening exercises.

The practice was abandon by school divisions in the province following direction from the education minister of the time, approximately 25 years ago. However, the regulation was never officially removed from the legislation. No public school in Manitoba currently includes the song in its opening exercises.

As of Monday, MVSD schools were told to include the song in their opening exercises immediately following the land acknowledgment and announcements.

“I don’t know the procedure behind it except for the one that has been leaked online. Nobody’s shared any procedure with the board itself,” Thompson said, adding the directive is causing concern among the division’s teaching staff.

“It was brought to my attention that teachers don’t know what to tell the students. They’ve been working on reconciliation and the true past of Canada and how the monarchy plays into that. Now they’re going to tell these students to stand to an anthem that is not our own anthem.”

Thompson has received direction from the Manitoba School Boards Association indicating the MVSD board as a whole is required to discuss the issue “as presented by the CEO.”

“Regardless of the fact that it’s still in the act, the board chair was still supposed to talk to the whole board. We were still supposed to sit and discuss this procedure and none of us have done that as far as I know,” she said.

In an email response to a request for information, Gryba stressed that   board approval is not necessary.

“The decision to align with the legislation outlined in The Education Administration Act and Regulations does not require a vote or discussion at the board table. When trustees take their oath of office, they swear to uphold the PSA and other governing Acts and Regulations. Following this legislation is not a matter of debate; it is our duty as trustees to enforce the law. Any concerns with the PSA should be directed to the provincial government, as boards lack the authority to override or disregard provincial legislation.”

Gryba also indicated the new directive offers the opportunity for educating students about their country’s history, including the treaties signed between the Crown and Indigenous people.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of The Dauphin Herald.

Dauphin city council held its first regular meeting of 2025, Jan. 6, a quick get together to work through a relatively small agenda.

Added to taxes

Councillors voted to add a sizeable outstanding water bill to the tax rolls. A total of $24,058.79 is outstanding at 2001-2175 Mountain Road as the property owner did not pay their current water bill.

Recycling

Council received correspondence from Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba executive director Karen Melnychuk outlining Dauphin’s 2025 municipal recycling funding payments. This year, the city will receive a total of  $196,954.74 over four payments in  April, July, October and next January. Funding payments are calculated based on the median three-year rolling average net costs. The amount represents 561 tonnes of recycled material, including eligible OCC, at a rate of $365.17 per tonne.

Gas bar

City manager Sharla Griffiths updated councillors on the Petro Canada gas bar being constructed on land along Main Street South known as Anishinaabe Aki. Last May, the land was removed from the jurisdiction of the City and became reserve land under Pine Creek and Ebb and Flow First Nations. The municipal services agreement signed by all parties includes the requirement of a meeting on or before, Dec. 1, each year to discuss the upcoming year. The first meeting was held recently as the two parties settle into the routine, Griffiths said, and all indications are the gas bar and restaurant will be operational in 2025.

Day care

Griffiths updated council on the slow progress of the Prairie Park Place Childcare Centre. It was anticipated the project would go to tender in November and tender documents, including a set of drawings and a detailed bid package was prepared in anticipation of that. However, the City is still working with the Province regarding funding and tendering had to be delayed. A meeting with the Province is scheduled for early January to discuss the issue.

Accounts approved

Councillors approved the issuance of 100 cheques totalling $1,236,666.62 to cover outstanding accounts. Two electronic payment totalling $33,841.48 were also authorized.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald

The decision to expand capacity at Dauphin’s sewage lagoon was an easy one. It was a project necessary for growth in the community in both the short and long term.

Where the options came in is deciding how to finance the project, currently estimated to cost around $20 million, mayor David Bosiak said, adding the City would be responsible for just under $11 million, which would be financed with a $1.4 million withdrawal from reserves and a $9.385 million debenture to be paid back 50 per cent by utility rates and 50 per cent by taxation.

That option for repayment was chosen from three scenarios the  City’s finance director Scott Carr provided councillors.

The first option considered was using utility rates to repay debt. In his analysis, Carr indicated that while this is the most equitable way to deal with the debt, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) indicated that sewer rates would more than double and other municipalities have had challenges sustaining debt repayments due to a trending decrease in water usage. Additionally, this method requires Municipal Board and PUB approval, which may delay the process, and it could place financial hardship on lower income families.

A second option was the use of a local improvement debt on taxation which, according to Carr, would be the simplest and quickest  choice as the debt would be repaid by all properties in Dauphin. The choice, however, would result in a mill rate increase of approximately 10 per cent beginning in 2027.

The option chosen by council, Carr said, strikes a balance between placing the burden on taxation and the utility, which recognizes the project is needed for future economic growth and for existing utility users. On the downside, the process will be complicated and cumbersome and may still place financial hardship on utility users as sewer rates would still have an increase of 50 per cent.

The estimates being used in current plans are based on a similar project recently completed in The Pas, which went through the same ups and downs as Dauphin has experienced.

Both projects, he said, were originally budgeted to cost between $12 million and $13 million.

“Our whole funding formula is based on that,” Bosiak said.

“So over the couple of years that we were waiting to get approval, obviously costs went up. Then we got approval and we were in the middle of COVID, so that slowed it down a teeny bit more.”

The Pas’ project came at around the $17 million or $18 million mark, Bosiak said, and there is still a chance Dauphin’s project will come in under projections.

“(The estimate) is in between what’s expected and a worst case number. So we’re not lowballing it and then going ‘oh gee we’re short $2 million, now what are we going to do?’” Bosiak said, adding he is encouraged that costs for some of the front end work already completed have been less than expected.

“We were pleasantly surprised that the amount of money that we had to spend last year on the desludging and the environmental, the upfront stuff, came in a little bit less than we had estimated two years previous.”

The federal and provincial governments  have committed a total of $9,135,000 to the project. That contribution agreement was reached when the project was estimated to cost at a little more than $12 million.

While there is no chance a new tripartate agreement will be negotiated, Bosiak is still hopeful there may still be additional support from the other two levels of government.

“We’ve been asking the province for help and we asked the feds for help. So far we haven’t had either of the other senior levels of government saying ‘yeah we’re going to throw some more money at you.’,” he said.

“A former federal politician told me that there’s always corners to be swept out at the end of the fiscal year, if your timing’s right. So that’s what we’re hoping, that somebody somewhere, whether it’s the feds or the province, has some money left over in a specific program that’s related to this.”

But even if that does not happen, Bosiak is confident in the council’s decisions on the project.

“We’ve had some pretty good discussions about this. Scott’s been really good at laying it all out for us and this Council right now is feeling sure of itself. That we’re making the right decisions from an investment point of view,” Bosiak said.

“Part of our philosophy right now with council is we’re willing to incur some of this debt, because we’re viewing it as an investment rather than an expense. It will lead to other things. We are looking very positively at the increase in assessment that’s occurred on the south end because of that development, so we’re going to have a little bit more taxes coming in because of that over time which helps cover this.”

The City also has to be ready for any development opportunities which come its way. Top of mind for Bosiak is the Community Justice Centre currently in the planning phase.

“We have got to be ready for the new justice center, having this lagoon project done, and not be a delay for that project,” Bosiak said.

“The last thing we want to do is have something not happening in town that lets the province say ‘we’re going to wait on this Dauphin thing.’ Because that happened before and that’s why we don’t have it now.

“I hate higher taxes and I hate having debt, but it’s for a good reason.”

Tree removals are under way as part of the City of Dauphin’s Dutch Elm Disease program.

This year 195 trees have been identified for removal from the urban forest. The contract for removal was awarded to Tree Pro of Altona at a cost of $59,563.35. Two other bids were received as part of the tendering process, both well over $90,000.

Under the contract, removals must be completed by Feb. 28.

In recommending the Altona bid be approved by council, deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet said the licensed arborist has completed Dauphin’s removals in each of the last two years with no problems, doing “an exceptional job fulfilling the contract.”

The provincial Dutch Elm Disease Management Program has been running since DED was first detected in Manitoba in 1975.

While the province originally used its own forestry crews to remove trees identified as diseased, municipalities became responsible for the removal in 2015. At that time the province provided financial assistance at a flat rate of  $181.32 per tree.

The program evolved again in 2018 and, while provincial inspectors continue to identify trees for removal, funding is now provided at a rate of $226 for a small tree measuring 10 cms to 30 cms; $452 for a medium tree measuring 31 cms to 79 cms; and $678 for a large elm measuring at least 80 cms.

Since the changes, Dauphin has received $34,010 for the removal of 111 trees in 2019, $63,840 for the removal of 210 trees in 2020, $50,160 for the removal of 196 trees in 2021, $49,400 for the removal of 192 trees in 2022 and $55,144 for the removal of 195 trees in 2023.

The current Dutch Elm Disease and Urban Forest Management Program is administered under The Forest Health Protection Act and Forest Health Protection Regulations.

Presently, the program is active in 38 communities that have significant elm populations.

Dauphin mayor David Bosiak said the community is lucky to be one of those 38 involved in the program.

“When I was a rec director back in the ‘90s, the city was involved in this program as were many other municipalities in the province. The province capped the funding, or reduced the funding back in the day and a lot of communities dropped off the program. But I would acknowledge that the City of Dauphin did not, and so we continue to get some support from the Province as one of the few rural urban municipalities that are continuing with the program,” he said.

“I think it’s done our elm tree population a great service.

One of the things to note is because of that decision made a long time ago, Dauphin is still in that program. There is no way to get into the program today. There are a lot of municipalities who have asked, several times, ‘how did you get into it?’ and I say it’s only because of history. We asked the province how would one get into it now and there is no opportunity for that.

“This has kept our elm tree population in fairly decent condition, considering there’s a number of removals each and every year.”

The early part of winter has seen Dauphin Public Works’ focus set squarely on snow removal.

Several citywide cleanups have already taken place and the work performed by the crews has been exemplary, said Public Works and Operations director Mike VanAlstyne.

“The way our crews operate and the efficiency and the ability to clean up time and time again after these major storm events is remarkable,” he said.

“Within 72 hours we’re pretty well back to normal. I don’t think many communities could say the same, especially communities of our size. Obviously, there is some lag at times, but based on our staff volume, it’s pretty remarkable how quickly we can get a cleanup done.”

This year, with the work on Main Street South completed, there is additional work to do, however, a new services agreement with the province provides compensation for the extra work.

“We have the significant additional length of roadway down in the south end with the creation of the service roads and everything,” VanAlstyne said, adding under the agreement the City will receive $81,713, about $30,000 more than last year.

It should be enough to cover costs, he said.

“Based on what we’ve figured out, we should be very close to covering costs. It’s entirely dependent on snowfall. We’re working with them quite co-operatively where they’re helping with a lot of the ice control, sanding and they’ll use their liquid ice control methods, too, when the temperatures are right and the conditions are right. So that’s helping.” VanAlstyne said.

“But we do have the ability to provide a better level of service than they can in the urban setting, so in the end, it’s the citizens and the users that are benefiting from us being responsible for the snow clearing.”

For those wondering when they will see the plows following a snowfall, the City has a plan of attack when it comes to cleanups.

Plowing operations are governed by accumulation amounts, with anything greater than eight centimetres triggering street clearing and plows hitting the back alleys after 20 centimetres of snow.

And there is a method to the madness, VanAlstyne added.

“We definitely base our clearing operations on priorities. That’s why you’ll see streets be done before most avenues. The intention is that the furthest you should ever have to go to get to a cleared roadway would be a half a block,” VanAlstyne said.

“Then, obviously, we’ll follow up with avenues as the last part of our street clearing before we go to back lanes.”

A complete citywide cleanup costs approximately $50,000, VanAlstyne added.

Dauphin will head into the New Year with the issue of recreation funding remaining unsettled after City council rejected a recent funding proposal from their counterparts in the Rural Municipality.

The RM forwarded the proposal to the City on Dec. 11 and rejected the plan at a meeting, Dec. 13, and informed their rural counterparts by way of a letter.

In part the letter read, “City council reviewed the RM joint services proposal dated Dec. 11, at a meeting held on Dec. 13. After very thorough review and discussion the city council agreed unanimously that it could not accept the proposal as presented. As indicated in your letter, for 2025 the City of Dauphin chooses to revert to the RM of Dauphin’s July 23 resolution. As Dauphin Recreation Services organizes to reflect the situation, please be advised that RM participation in the DRS board for 2025 remains unchanged. It is our intent to continue a dialogue with your council to find a long-term solution for DRS funding. The city looks forward to meeting with the RM soon to resume our liaison community meetings as there are many topics we can discuss that affect and benefit both of our municipalities including, your suggestion of proportional funding for other RM and City agreements.”

RM of Dauphin reeve Ernie Sirski said his council is extremely disappointed with the City’s decision to reject the proposal put forward.

“After only having it in their possession for two days,” he said.

“How serious of a discussion did they have in that short period of time? The RM council and management spent untold hours on the project, after the City’s request for the RM to submit a proposal. The RM proposed a structure that would have the City and RM be true partners in recreation and we are disappointed that the City rejected this concept so quickly.”

On the financial side, the RM proposal called for joint operating to be shared on a per capita basis, adjusted annually.

Additionally, the proposal called for capital cost to also be funded jointly on a per capita basis with the annual maximum contribution from the RM capped at $50,000.

Finally, the proposal called for the RM to receive a per capita share of the recreation portion of Dauphin’s Accommodation Tax.

The financial details of the proposal are materially the same as what the City was asking for from the RM, said mayor David Bosiak. Where city councillors have trouble supporting the proposal, he added, is around the RM’s vision of the board structure.

According to the RM proposal, while Dauphin Recreation Services will continue to operate as a separate agency, the RM plan proposes the current DRS board be disbanded and replaced by a new board made up of two elected officials each from the City and RM, who will be voting members, as well as the city manager and the RM CAO, who will sit as non-voting members. Any motions that result in a tied vote would be defeated.

“Basically they want to dismantle the recreation commission without any reflection that we have a 75-year agreement with the Ag. Society that we’re still in on and we still view them as a partner,” Bosiak said, adding the make up of the board does not reflect the funding realities and was also a sticking point for councillors.

“We’ve told them that their involvement needs to be proportional to their funding amount and to me that makes perfect sense. If you’re funding an organization 22 per cent you should have 22 per cent of the influence, or the say on that board or that body.”

For Sirski, the issue boils down to forming a “true partnership” with the City when it comes to recreation for citizens of both municipalities.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

Dauphin city council took care of some year end business during its Dec. 9 regular meeting, the last of 2024.

Paying the bills

Council tasked mayor David Bosiak to ensure review and payment of accounts falling due by year end in accordance with the Municipal Procurement and Tendering Policy.

Interim budget

Council passed provisional estimates of municipal operating expenditures for the period of Jan. 1, 2025 to adoption of the 2025 operating budget. The interim budget is set for expenditures of just under $6 million in the general operating budget and approximately $1.2 million in the utility budget.

Reserves

Under provisions of The Municipal Act, council authorized the transfer of any excess general revenue reported in the 2024 fiscal year to the General Reserve up to a maximum of $1 million. Additionally, the transfer of any excess utility revenue was authorized up to a maximum of $750,000.

Snow removal

Councillors allowed for  the withdrawal of up to $100,000 from the Snow and Ice Reserve Fund for snow and ice removal costs that exceed the 2024 budget.

Taxes added

Council approved the addition of $48,658.52 to the tax rolls for 2024. The figure is related to 22 construction projects completed in the city throughout the year.

Taxes cancelled

Council approved the cancellation of 2024 taxes in the amount of $19,158.12, due to overassessment, demolitions and properties damaged by fire.

Accounts receivable

Councillors approved the addition of one outstanding invoice to the tax rolls in the amount of $739.18. The amount is related to the replacement of a frozen water meter at a Fourth Avenue Southeast address.

Water accounts

Council also approved the addition of three outstanding water accounts to the tax rolls totalling $1,138.73. That amount is made up of $57.19 outstanding at 103 5th Avenue SE, $564.86 owing at 209 6th Avenue NE and $516.68 owing at 417 2nd Avenue NE. In each case either the owner or previous tenant did not pay a final water bill.

2025 meetings

Council approves its 2025 meeting schedule with regular meetings set for Jan. 6 and 20, Feb. 3 and 24, Mar. 10 and 24, Apr. 7 and 28, May 12 and 26, June 9 and 23, July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 15 and 29, Oct. 20, Nov. 3 and 17 and Dec. 8.

Snow removal

Council was provided with the details of a snow removal agreement with the province for maintenance of provincially-owned roads within the city. The agreement will see Dauphin receive $81,713 for plowing, windrowing and loading and hauling snow to a disposal site related to Main Street  from Whitmore Avenue to River Avenue; Main Street  from Whitmore Avenue to Triangle Road; River Avenue from Main Street to Valour Road; First Avenue Northeast from Main Street to Mountain Road; Second Avenue Northwest from Main Street to Second Street Northwest; Service Road from Road 144 N to 1301 Main Street South; and Mall Service Road from Road 144 N to 1212 Main Street South.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.