Wallace-Woodworth council held their regular meeting on Jan. 25 at 6:00 pm with all councillors attending virtually.
Utility application
Council reviewed a financial statement of the Municipal Utilities that showed a deficit of over $541,000. To manage this deficit an application must be made to the Public Utility Board (PUB). Council welcomed Dale Lyle of Way To Go Consulting to the meeting to discuss options for the deficit application that would allow the RM to cover this shortfall. After discussion council passed a motion to submit the deficit application to the PUB. According to CAO Garth Mitchell, “The operating deficit will come from Utility Surplus and no deficit recovery rate increase will be required.”
Council also passed a motion to hire Dale Lyle of Way To Go Consulting to complete a Utility Rate Quote for submission to the PUB. This is to be prepared after the 2021 audit is completed and will be reviewed by December 2022. CAO Mitchell explained that future rates for utilities “are all calculated off Utility operating expenses and rates are determined by the Public Utilities Board based on Rate Studies which we must complete and submit.”
Fire department news
Woodworth Fire Department (WFD) has expressed interest in developing the property located at 310 Woodworth Avenue in Kenton as a training facility. Municipal development officer and building inspector Cory Nixon prepared a report on the condition and zoning of the building. After reviewing the information council expressed some concerns about acquiring a property that would need to be re-zoned and would need extensive renovation to comply with standards, as well as the possible liability risk. The report will be forwarded to WFD for their information.
Councillor Rea Kinnaird reported that Colin O’Hara, deputy chief of the North Battleford Fire Department has been hired as Virden’s new fire chief. O’Hara will begin his duties here next week.
In other fire department news council was informed that the insurance company is now reducing the insurable lifespan of a firetruck from 20 years to 15 years, at which time they must be replaced. Councillor Kinnaird said, “This change will have a major effect on every municipal budget whether you’re a smaller rural municipality right up to the cities”. Reeve Clayton Canart noted that this change would impact smaller communities more than larger ones as a 20-year-old firetruck in Virden is in far better condition than one the same age in a city. The fire department is beginning the process of ordering a new fire truck as they take two years to build and cost $700,000 each.
Manitoba Auto Museum
Councillor Humphries reported that the museum has applied for an eight-year grant worth up to $25,000 per year. The grant has many categories of eligibility, like inclusion, accessibility and reconciliation that apply to the museum, so they are optimistic about approval.
Another potential grant, provided jointly by the federal and provincial governments, is available for major building upgrades, some of which are badly needed here. This grant has proved to be very lucrative for museums with some Manitoba grants in multiple million dollars. Humphries noted that with a deadline in April the application process must begin very soon. He said the museum board and staff “would need help from Cory (Nixon) or an architect to draw up plans of the existing building.” Humphries requested that council respond quickly to this request for assistance.
Museum staff are considering several enhancements to their programming and accessibility, including the creation of a virtual guided tour that visitors could use by downloading an app to join the tour.
