Council begins this week with a public hearing for a zoning bylaw amendment. There are quite a few of these throughout the year, and they exist to give residents, business owners, and government departments the opportunity to weigh in on changes being made with regards to the town’s zoning. This one in particular is to rezone a parcel of land on the north side of Gill Drive from industrial to residential mobile and modular homes. Most of the comments were regarding ensuring there were drainage and traffic studies done for the area prior to development, with one comment against the change entirely.

Councillor Nadeau reports on the latest Yellowhead board meeting, where they began having a serious conversation about strategic planning and looking at the long term, including possibly a new facility in the future. Councillor Kostenchuk reports that she attended her first meeting of the Home Assistance Neepawa and District board (HAND) where they discussed meal costs and delivery, as well as income tax preparation assistance for clients. Councillor Sisley reports that she held a meeting of the recreation and economic development committee, where they received the happy news that the town has received a grant from Participaction for some outdoor activities. As well, Sisley reports on the success of two recent programs, Paint the Ice at the Flats and the  Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Training information session as well as mentioning the upcoming Chamber Fair and Job Fair.

Councillors Pottinger and Parrott both comment on their attendance at the recent Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) conference. Pottinger highlights the abundance of ideas and information that was available as well as the warm welcome they received at the legislature from Agassiz MLA Eileen Clarke. Parrott notes that Neepawa was being held up by several attendees, including provincial politicians, as a positive example of a town that was, as he puts it, doing things right.

Because we are into spring melt, flood repair work at the parks means that work on the waterways can not get underway until June 15th. However, the town expects the golf course work to be done in time for golf season. As well, work at the new lagoon is proceeding well. A new project, the renovation of the old RCMP station to be used as an Assiniboine Community College training centre, is well underway. Demolition of the interior has been completed by town employees and now the facility must be rebuilt to ACC’s standards for the program.

Also covered were the January-March RCMP narrative report for spruce plains and the regular financial report..