This week’s “ask the mayor” segment focusses on the need for positive relationships outside of the municipal.

The question for candidates Kerri Riehl and David Bosiak specifically asked, “Considering no municipality can operate successfully as an island, what weight do you give to relationships with neighboring municipalities and the two senior levels of government?
Further, how would you nurture and evolve those relationships?”

Here are their answers.

Kerri Riehl

It is critical for the City of Dauphin to build and sustain strong relationships with other municipalities, as well as the other two levels of government. These connections are the lifeblood of our community.

How would I nurture and evolve these relationships?

I own and operate an Incorporated business, Riehl Security Solutions. For the last seven years as an entrepreneur and sole owner of my company, I’ve examined revenue streams and expenses. I survived and pivoted during the covid era. I have a business mindset which requires analyses of markets and marketing, customers, finance, operations communication, information technology and business policies and strategies. The City of Dauphin is an incorporated business also bound by these same principles. The city financial audited revenue and expenses for the 2021 tax year:

Revenue
• Property taxes - $6,077,954
• Grants in lieu of taxation - $382,396
• User fees - $1,497,417
• Grants, Province of Manitoba - $2,098,450
Grants, Other - $849, 693
• Permits, licences and fees - $217,513
• Investment income - $67,830
• Other revenue - $421,130
• Water and sewer - $5,134,494.
• Total revenue - $16,746,877

Expenses
• General government services - $1,390,017
• Pretective services - $3,285,973
• Transportation services - $2,933,571
• Environmental health services - $977,681
• Public health and welfare services - $108,900
• Regional planning and development - $221,685
• Resource conservation and industrial development - $540,199
• Recreation and cultural services - $3,373,080
• Water and sewer services - $3,089,970
• Total expenses - $15,921,076
• Annual surplus - $825,801

In my opinion, we greatly need to increase revenue without relying solely on the taxpayer to “foot the bill” and bear the burden of increased taxation. Recent funding announcements:
• $9.1 million from the Provincial and Federal government for Dauphin’s lagoon expansion. We waited 10 years for this funding.
• $13 million to reconstruct Provincial Trunk Highway 5A.
• V15 million courthouse renovation.

The cities revenue was $16,746,877.00. Without funding from other levels of government the above infrastructure developments would not be possible. Therefore, it is imperative to work with these levels of government. The political system is designed for municipalities to capitalize on these opportunities.

The City of Dauphin is part of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. This organization represents 2,000 municipalities and 90 per cent of the population. FCM’s annual conference and tradeshow provide council the opportunity to attend and learn best practices. It also provides council the opportunity to bring back ideas to our community. For example, I spoke with a Mayor from Nova Scotia whose city hired a grant writer to access and obtain funds from all levels of government. They received many grants increasing their revenue drastically for their community. I brought this idea back from FCM to our municipality.

The City of Dauphin is also a part of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. The AMM is comprised of 137 municipalities across Manitoba. They hold two conferences and tradeshows a year. They have an executive board which I, as deputy-mayor, ran for vice -president. Unfortunately, I was not successful at the time. Dauphin has not had representation on this board in its 124 years of municipal governance. I will try again as the mayor of Dauphin.

I believe Dauphin needs to greatly improve its relationship with other municipalities. This is one of the key reasons we have not been successful at growing our economy. The provincial government’s regional and economic profile for this area clearly indicates agriculture, health care and education opportunities are vital to our economic growth.

I believe opportunities come from within our region as a collective force who then leverage provincial and federal funding. We have all the data, studies, plans, information at our fingertips. We need an action plan and not another document to sit idle on the shelf.

I have demonstrated over the last five years that I am action in motion. I started and developed a successful business. I work with municipalities and various levels of government daily. I teach for the province of Manitoba and been in 30 different communities reaching over 300 students. I am a private investigator and hold a Manitoba security guard license. I am a member of the Dauphin Parkland Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

I am going to continue to do what I’ve done since returning home in 2015. Be active, energetic, involved, engaged, attend meetings, be prepared, and be a voice for all citizens in our community. Our city is not an island. We are part of the broader development area called the Parkland region.

David Bosiak

When I started thinking about this topic the question “where are you from” kept running through my mind.

Whenever I’m away from home I speak of the benefits of life in Dauphin and those benefits extend beyond the city limits.

The Rural Municipality of Dauphin and its people and amenities are knitted into the fabric of this community and we in theirs. Our families are their families, our kids play on teams together, we are co-workers, we go to the same schools and churches. When good things happen in the RM the City benefits, and vice versa.

A positive relationship with the Rural Municipality of Dauphin is key to our collective success. If elected mayor I will maintain this important bond by increasing the number of joint City/RM council meetings and continue the beneficial relationship that has been created by the City/RM liaison committee meetings that include the mayor and reeve, RM CAO and City manager. Neither council should ever be surprised by a project or issue in each other’s jurisdiction.

Municipalities and governments are systems - systems I am familiar with. My previous work experiences took me throughout the province to most municipalities and many First Nations. I worked with mayors and reeves, chiefs, councillors, CAOs and city managers. I’ve seen relationships that work and those that didn’t. Things that don’t work? Bullying. Being a know-it-all. I guard against those instincts.

I remember the advice of a friend early in my career. While attending a national conference he said “attend as many sessions as you can, but make sure you put great effort into networking. Get to know people who know things you don’t. The connections you make will help you in the future.” I took that advice and applied it in literally everything I have done since. The advice to be curious about other perspectives and humble enough to admit there will always be things you don’t know was sound and continues to benefit me as a leader.

I am more interested in moving forward than being the person who comes up with the best idea first and consider myself an optimist and a bridge-builder.

I have never asked anyone to do anything I wasn’t prepared to do myself. I truly believe that anything is possible when people work together and relationships have to be respected for that to happen. A culture of relationship development and retention is the most important indicator in an organization that things will get done. I would set this expectation on council by never leaving a table of discussion if I didn’t get my way.

Relationships with other levels of government are also key to our success. My years of experience dealing with ministers, deputy-ministers, assistant deputy-ministers and program directors in a variety of departments and portfolios was an education in government relations.

I would continue these conversations for the benefit of the citizens of Dauphin, and would ensure that council is never blindsided by a decision like the closure of the jail again. I will further ensure that council members and city staff also develop working relationships with appropriate government representatives.

The work of building relationships with other governments is evolving in Dauphin. First Nation and Metis government organizations are making significant infrastructure and other investments in our community. These investments are key to our continued growth and prosperity.

Be it with the RM, our neighbouring municipalities or other levels of government, I will make sure we are ready and able to work together and that we are never an island unto ourselves.

Editor’s note: In an effort to help city of Dauphin voters make an informed decision when choosing a new mayor this fall, the Herald provide an opportunity for candidates David Bosiak and Kerri Riehl to share their platforms, priorities and plans in their own words through a series of questions and answers.

The first question, answered here this week was “What do you see as the biggest issue facing Dauphin and how would you like to see it addressed?”

David Bosiak

On the campaign trail I’ve asked voters the same question posed to me by the Dauphin Herald: “What is the biggest issue facing our community?” The responses I received were varied to say the least. When I thought about each and every (different) response, I realized there was a critical theme relating to each one.

All issues presented to me could be addressed by following through on a well-developed plan. The City does not currently have a fully complete strategic plan. A completed plan will allow us to tackle problems and issues transparently, proactively and move us forward together.

As you can imagine, I received a multitude of responses. There were common themes, like community safety and crime, the lack of affordable housing and the condition of Main Street (and other streets and back lanes for that matter). I was also told the biggest issue was a lack of big box retailers, a lack of development in our industrial park, and a lack of new housing sub-divisions. I also heard about our incomplete trail and bike path system, the wavering strength of our relationship with other levels of government and the lingering impacts related to the closing of the jail.

The lack of incentives and barriers to industrial and business development were common among those looking to develop property in our community. I was told more than once that Dauphin needed good paying jobs that would attract and keep young people here.

What I found was that it was hard to pinpoint the one “biggest” issue facing Dauphin. What I did conclude was that the biggest issue wasn’t a singular issue at all – but a lack of a collective vision for our future.

What this means to me is this, our community needs a clear and concise plan that identifies, quantifies and prioritizes all the “biggest” issues presented to me by the public. Our last Council developed a strategic plan in 2021. That plan identified five major goals, with the third being public engagement and awareness. However, the planning process used by the City did not actually engage the community to include their input, or provide them with any awareness of their activity, thus it is incomplete.

If elected Mayor the first step I will take is to bring Council, staff and the public together to revise and complete our strategic plan. This will be achieved by holding a community consultation meeting where Council hears and engages the public. As a new Council, prioritizing community initiatives should be our primary focus.

The current plan outlines the City’s vision, mission and mandate but it does not include specifics on how any of the objectives would be achieved. Newly elected Council members will hold their own beliefs of what should happen in the next four years, but I believe it is equally important that public input be included to validate future actions we take together as a community.

We need a completed strategic plan that clearly outlines what we want as a community and how we are going to achieve it. Elect me on Oct. 26th and I’ll make sure it happens.

Kerri Riehl

The biggest issue facing Dauphin is the lack of efficient and principled municipal governance.

The City of Dauphin is an incorporated business. Municipalities are bound by laws and legislation. Under the Manitoba Municipal Act, councils are democratically accountable to the citizens they serve despite any differences of opinions, beliefs, or their socioeconomic status. All citizens are equal stakeholders in our community.

A role of council is to listen and engage with the public while considering the best interests of the entire community. Nepotism has no place on councils.

All councillors must have the opportunity to have an equal voice, and only all of council can make decisions for the municipality.

Council is the decisionmaker of policy while administration implements the policies decided upon by council. In other words, “council steers the boat and administration rows.”

Realistically, this is a system closest to the people where citizens can have the greatest impact. I believe the system and the Act to be efficient and effective. My experience, however, having served on Dauphin city council, was not as described above.

There is a historical stagnant culture of saying “this is the way things are and the way it’s always been done.” I believe this is often a justification for doing little or nothing. Those councillors who do not engage have abandoned their responsibility to advance real change. In 1986 when I went to the U of M to study Criminology, Dauphin’s population was 8,875. In 2016 the population was 8,457. In 2021 our population was 8,368. The data is quite clear. The status quo has not worked.

How would I address this?

My council experience, my term as deputy-mayor, and filling in for the mayor during his absence has given me the experience and understanding necessary to lead our city.

I have studied to become proficient in the Manitoba Municipal Act and will promote accountability, transparency, and guarantee efficient and principled politics.

I will set regular office hours at city hall ensuring accessibility to the public. Quarterly town hall meetings will be held. The citizens of Dauphin will have many opportunities to become involved in the decision making process.

Council will receive orientation training. Ongoing training opportunities will be provided to ensure competency. My expectations are that all of council will have an equal voice without exception.

Advocacy to gain funding at the provincial and federal levels will be sought at every opportunity.

My goal is to achieve effective services, financial stewardship, and use of resources.

I have a long-term vision for our community and am committed to seeing that vision become a reality as mayor of Dauphin.

I believe good governance increases Dauphin’s chances of “effectively meeting the needs of its people thereby creating conditions where all citizens can lead meaningful, prosperous and happy lives.”

Local residents had a chance to take a step back in time, Saturday, when the Dauphin Agricultural Heritage Club hosted its 22nd annual Threshing Day, north of Dauphin.

Those in attendance got to see how farming was done in the early to mid 1900s thanks to combining, threshing and baling demonstrations using farm equipment of old.

The local 4-H club hosted a fund-raising concession to feed the hungry patrons.

By Ed Stozek
For the Herald

While watching an episode of Family Feud one of the questions made me think about high school. Steve Harvey asked the show’s contestants how many friends from high school does a typical adult keep in touch with? It was surprizing that out of the 100 people surveyed the top answer was zero.

During my three-years of attending Grades 10 to 12 at the Elphinstone Collegiate, class sizes were relatively small and I got to know most of the students at the school.

A new crop of Grade 9 students was officially welcomed in early September during Freshie Days. Dressed up in Hawaiian themed costumes they participated in a variety of initiation activities.

We all had a favourite group of individuals to “hang out with.” During recess and noon hour we often walked the hallways or sat at the back of the classroom, discussed a variety of topics and listened to our favourite music.

School dances provided more social interaction. Three of my school friends learned to play some popular rock songs. Instead of listening to 45 rpm records at the school dance, we were privileged to have them play for us. Since the caretaker did not want marks left by shoes on the gymnasium floor, students were asked to remove their foot wear at these dances. Our vigilant elderly caretaker often pointed to our feet and reminded us, “No shoes.”

Prior to the Christmas holidays each class decorated their own room.

Our Grade 12 room was judged as the best decorated and we were rewarded with a box of oranges and two boxes of chocolate. On Dec. 23 our school held an all-day Christmas party starting with a curling bonspiel. Those students who did not curl spent their day skating and playing broomball. In the evening everyone watched the film, “The Tale of Two Cities.” After the film, gifts were exchanged and the evening came to a successful end.

Organized intramural sports included volleyball, basketball, curling and badminton. They provided an avenue for us to exert physical activity during noon hour. We also participated in other “non-organized activities.”

One day a classmate brought two pairs of boxing gloves to school. During noon hour the equipment room became a boxing ring.

Dennis, a very strong specimen of physical ability challenged me to a round of boxing. Luckily, I had watched some of Mohammed Ali's moves and was able to evade most of the punches.

In June, the dreaded provincial exams were administered. The exams determined if one passed or failed the subject. Since exams were written in the morning there was no need to take the school bus and spend a whole day at school. Instead, I drove my parent’s car and was home by noon to help out with the farm work or study for the next exam. It was a great feeling to drive home after the last exam. It was even more exciting when the exam results arrived via Canada Post and passing grades were achieved.

Our grad class in 1970 coincided with Manitoba's centennial and that year we became the proud recipients of Elphinstone Collegiate’s Spirit of 70 yearbook.

In his principal’s message, Mr. Garry Bochinski noted, “Few books which you will ever own have the lasting value of this Centennial Yearbook. Its true value will only be realized in retrospect. Ten years from now as you page through this book you will again relive the events of this school year. The sound of the nine o'clock bell, the exchange of opinions over a controversial lecture, the noisy bus ride home, the excitement of planning for the spring prom, all of these make you feel the significance of these vital years.”

Mr. Bochinski's words were very true.

1970 marked the end of high school and the beginning of a new phase in my life.

Our graduating class all had different interests and we went our separate ways. It is always interesting to peruse the E.C.I. yearbook, wonder where my schoolmates ended up and reflect upon the highlights of a school year from over 50 years ago.

Sadly, the answer to the question on Family Feud turned out to be true.

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The special Dauphin Kings section can be found in the May 17th edition of the
Dauphin Herald!