As the 125th anniversary of incorporation, 2023 is a special year for the residents of the city Dauphin and Dauphin mayor David Bosiak is hoping to bring several community organizations together to plan a special celebration.

Incorporated as a village in 1898, a town in 1901 and a city in 1998, the history of the community is worth celebrating.

“It’s a big deal for us, 125 years,” Bosiak said. “We (the City of Dauphin) want to work with, and have already started to reach out to a couple of the groups - Fort Dauphin Museum, the train station museum and the arts center - to really fulfill the plans that some of them have already come up with in terms of celebrating our 125th. So there’s some really neat ideas that have been percolating and we will get that going soon.”

The collaborative effort aligns with Bosiak’s message of everyone pulling in the same direction for the common good.

“I really think that getting these organizations to work a little bit more closely together will be really good for them and good for us, as well, as a community,” he said. “The real positive thing is all of the groups that we’ve engaged with have a willingness to have these discussions."

"These groups are all functioning effectively, have great volunteer engagement and are really meeting a lot of the outcomes that they’ve sort of posted or projected for themselves. And that’s just good for all of us, so we’re really working on that kind of a philosophy of what’s good for one is likely good for all.”

Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club is using a recent windfall from the federal government to improve the visitor experience at Northgate Trails.

The group recently received $212,000 from Prairie Economic Development.

“It was a form of economic development for rural communities. That’s probably why we got it,” Derailleurs president Brenda Gregory said.

This latest round of money will be used to make four of the river crossings on the trail more permanent. As well, lighting has been installed in the timber frame shelter at the trailhead and a fieldstone fireplace will be constructed in that structure in the near future. Finally, a sea can the group purchased to secure its equipment will be given a facelift to make it fit more seamlessly into the environment of the facility.

The Derailleurs applied for the grant last June but did not receive notice their application was successful until after Christmas. With the money needing to be spent before the end of March, timelines were tight. However, the government did provide the group a lifeline, Gregory said.

“Even though we were given very little notice about the approval, they did consider bills that we had paid retroactive to the awarding of the grant,” Gregory said, adding there was no shortage of places to spend the money. “We’ve always got plans. You dream and you hope that you’re going to be able to execute. But we don’t know, because, at this point in time, we don’t have a steady revenue source.”

Despite that, the group has been extremely successful at building a world class facility in a short time frame, mostly through grants.

“It’s a board initiative. It is really a team effort,” Gregory said, adding when one person finds a grant and runs it past the rest of the board for input and advice before finalizing the application. One board member in particular has been instrumental in securing substantial dollars for the group.

“Mel Stefaniw has obtained two large grants for us equivalent to over half a million dollars. So we’re very grateful for her.”

Gregory added the group has benefitted greatly through support from the community at large by way of volunteer labour and contractors willing to perform work at minimal cost.

“In that regard we’ve been very lucky. The stars have completely aligned for us,” she said.

With the infrastructure they now have in place, the Derailleurs are starting to shift their focus towards programming.

“That’s one area where we haven’t really focused, most of all because we couldn’t. We weren’t allowed to have people gather, even in the outdoors in the initial stages of COVID,” Gregory said, adding the group has welcomed new board members David Bosiak and J.L. Guillas and has contracted

Decipher Wilderness Experiences to provide programming.

“So there will be more of a focus on programs, particularly with children and youth,” Gregory said. “We have things we want to do, targeted at Indigenous youth, as well. So lots of things that are cooking.”

The Heritage Day Fair is making its return to Dauphin Market Place Mall, Feb. 17 and 18.

Organizing committee member, Don White said it nice to be back after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

And with 13 organizations participating to celebrate the history of the Parkland, there will be plenty to see, White added.

For example, those attending the free event can expect to see Manitoba’s winning entry into the 1967 Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant, the Pierre Radisson, courtesy of Fort Dauphin Museum. All aspects of the area’s history will be highlighted, White added, noting the Negrych Homestead and the history of the Dauphin Fire Department are popular topics among fairgoers.

The displays will be set up in the former Ardene’s location, which has allowed organizers to run the fair over two days.

“It’s two days so we can lock the door and everything’s secure,” White said, adding the move to two days was a positive one as it was a lot of work for the exhibitors to pack up their displays and head to the mall for a one-day event.

Get more info in this week's Herald!

The Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club held an appreciation for its donors and supporters at the Selo Ukraina Hall, Feb. 3.

More than 200 people attended to learn a little more about the club’s history and its future plans.

Major sponsors, landowner partners, funders and volunteers that assisted with the development of the Northgate Trails system were recognized throughout the evening, interspersed with short films from the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, as well as some locally-produced content.

A review of Dauphin Fire Department (DFD) operations in the search of efficiencies is underway as part of the Municipal Services Delivery Improvement Plan.

The program, which was introduced by the provincial government in 2021, provides municipalities and planning districts with financial support to complete value-for-money service delivery reviews of programs and services searching for improvement which do not raise taxes or reduce front line services.

The work is done in consultation with a third-party consultant and the three-year program is fully funded by the Province to a maximum of $120,000 per project.

The Dauphin Fire Department, with support of the City and the RM of Dauphin, applied to the program during the second intake in 2022 and was awarded funding up to $120,000. Exchange Chartered Professional Accountants LLP was assigned as the consultant to perform an organizational study and operations review of the department.

Check this week's Herald for the full story!

In general terms, the recent education funding announcement by the province is a positive one, but Mountain View School Division will need a little time to digest the announcement to determine its benefits locally, said secretary-treasurer Lori Slepicka.

“Anytime they’re saying that nobody’s going to see a decrease and everyone’s going to see an increase, that’s definitely positive news,” Slepicka said. “But I haven’t even had a chance to really look at the information. Our details are just coming out. So we haven’t had a chance to work through those at all to see how it all applies to our specific division.”

Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced an extra $100 million for Kindergarten to Grade 12 School for the 2023-24 school year, representing an increase of 6.1 per cent over last year’s funding levels.

Since 2016-17, operational funding to schools has increased by $328 million or 23 per cent, the minister noted.

This year’s annual funding increase of $100 million includes:
• a $62.9-million increase in operating support including an additional $20 million to address cost pressures, $5 million for special needs along with increases in other existing grants;
• an $8-million increase in capital support payments;
• a $24-million increase to the Property Tax Offset Grant; and
• an additional $5-million increase for independent schools.

“Our government believes that all students must succeed regardless of where they live, their background or circumstances, and this year’s investment will provide an operating funding increase to each and every school division across the province,” Ewasko said. “Every division will see an increase in funding next year, which will help them engage students and invest in the programs and services that will best meet the needs of local communities.”

It is not that cut and dried for MVSD, however, as there are a lot of unknown variables affecting the budget.

“We’ll definitely see an increase. Whether it’s going to be enough to even cover salary increases, we’ll see about that. We have to crunch some numbers yet,” Slepicka said. “All of our contracts expired in June of 2022 so we don’t know what this year holds for increases. We have seen huge increases in interest and fuel, like everyone else has. Just supplies in general are all going up.”

The province is also investing another $106 million to make one-time funding provided to school divisions last year permanent. This includes $22 million to support student presence and engagement to facilitate the implementation of Safe and Caring Schools, the new policy directive and action plan for enhancing student presence and engagement.

“They’re going to use the old funding formula for this year, but by next year we’ll have a new funding formula so it’s all going to be recalculated,” Slepicka said. “But the dollars should stay unless they do decrease funding.”

Making this funding permanent will help divisions respond to financial pressures, strengthen student learning and supports, and provide additional support for students with special learning needs. Building these increases into the annual funding allotment to schools will ensure these funds remain available now and into the future, Ewasko said.

“This significant investment in Kindergarten to Grade 12 education keeps Manitoba among the highest per-pupil funded provinces across Canada,” he said. “This investment continues to highlight our ongoing commitment to improving literacy and numeracy and strengthening Indigenous education.”

Work continues on the development of a new education funding model, with one-to-one consultations planned with each school division post-budget.

This year’s funding announcement is an important piece in the division’s budgeting puzzle, Slepicka said, adding the process is progressing well.

“We should have a draft put together shortly, especially now that the (funding) announcement is out,” she said, adding a public presentation of the draft budget will be held sometime in early March.

Three area fire departments are on the list of organizations receiving a $2,000 grant from Manitoba Ag Days this year.

Ochre River Fire Department will receive funding to help purchase a side-by-side grassland attack all-terrain vehicle to help in protecting the vast farmlands with difficult terrain under its care.

In addition, Ste. Rose Fire Department and Roblin Fire and Rescue will put their grants toward the purchase of grain rescue equipment.

The funds are supplied by the Ag Days Gives Back program through Manitoba Ag Days, which ran Jan. 17 to 19, at the Keystone Centre in Brandon. One hundred per cent of the 50/50 funds raised at the show are returned to community organizations throughout the province invested in agricultural education, as well as community fire departments.

This year the program awarded $29,000, bringing the total in its 10-year history to $376,500.

Other fire departments receiving support include Glenboro South Cypress Fire Department, Ste. Anne Fire Department, Whitemouth Fire Department, Edward Fire Department and Clandeboye Fire Department.

The Education and Leadership Grant of $10,000 was awarded to Agriculture in the Classroom - Manitoba, while $1,000 scholarships were provided to Rhett Grieve in the ACC Diploma program, Lacey Shirley Calder in the U of M Diploma program and Emily Rob in the U of M Degree program.

Manitoba Ag Days show is an annual three-day exposition of agriculture production expertise, technology and equipment that attracts exhibitors and visitors from across Canada and the U.S. held at the Keystone Centre in Brandon. Applications for the next round of Ag Days Gives Back grants and scholarships will open in the fall and be awarded at the 2024 show, which runs Jan. 16 to 18, 2024.

Some minor changes are being made to the structure of policing in the city with an officer currently assigned to the Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST) being reassigned to general policing duties.

City council approved the plan at its Jan. 13 regular meeting and will officially be making the request under the Municipal Policing Agreement.

In 2019, the City increased its compliment of officers from 14 to 15 in order to support a newly-created Investigative Support Team, which was tasked with combatting drugs and gang activity in the communities of Dauphin, Winnipegosis and Ste. Rose.

In 2020, the IST evolved into CREST, which is provincially funded and does the same type of work, but on a provincewide basis.

The City continued to fund the CREST position - the only municipality on the hook for funding - after the provincial government indicated that removing City dollars would result in that position being removed from CREST, a reduction the City did not want to see at the time.

“Council at the time said, ‘okay we’ll let it play out and see how it goes, right, wrong or otherwise,’” city manager Sharla Griffiths said. “This council is looking at more of a community policing. We want more boots on the ground in our community. We want to have that 15th officer in our community.”

The move, she said should not affect the service the City receives from the CREST.

“Each district has its own, and when other areas of the province need them, they go," Griffiths said. "So the process should be if Dauphin needs something, they’ll come from other parts of the province.”

The time was right to make the move, Griffiths said, as the city is preparing for the development and implementation of a Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan later this year.

The world of community service has evolved and Dauphin’s new mayor is hopeful that not only will his council be open to new possibilities, but that other community organizations will take a critical look at their operations.

From a City perspective, David Bosiak would like to see councillors spend their time on projects they are passionate about and that they actually add value to a group or organization with which they are working.

“I don’t want councillors to grudgingly have to go to inefficient or ineffectively operated meetings, to sit through meetings that information could have been shared in a different way,” Bosiak said. “Councillors’ time is valuable and we have lots of things on our plates. I want the time they spend engaging with groups to be as effective and efficient as possible.”

Like any municipality, the City of Dauphin has to make decisions based on available resources, Bosiak said, adding he wants to ensure those resources are properly targeted.

“So I want to ensure that council and staff time is spent very effectively, but also those organizations which we fund, whether it’s with operating grants or special grants, even things like letters of support, I want to ensure that it’s all legitimate,” he said. “That the organizations are running as effectively as they possibly can to meet their mandate. Not to bow down to the City, but to meet their desired mandate.”

As part of that, Bosiak is hoping all community organizations take an open and honest look at their operations to ensure the time they spend in meetings and the time spent engaging with volunteers is effective. Volunteers are a valuable resource, Bosiak said, and organizations across the board are struggling to attract and retain them.

“In my work history of dealing with organizations who are functional and dysfunctional there’s a common thread. Many of the dysfunctional organizations have an inefficient and ineffective use of their resources, be that people or time or money ,” he said. “So I’m just trying to get organizations to take an honest look to see if there are more efficient ways of being. I want groups to willingly, not forced, but willingly look at themselves and determine are we being as effective as we possibly can be? Because resources are tight. That’s people, money, time, it’s all tight.”

Bosiak added he did not undertake this exercise presupposing any outcomes and whether those reviews will result in any changes is unclear.

“That’s the irony or the uniqueness of this. I have no motive . . . not to reduce funding or to reduce the number of meetings or the length of meetings, if that’s not necessary. My real goal is to determine what is necessary and to spend as much time and energy on those things and not the distractions,” he said. “I’ve had meetings with all of the councillors to discuss their roles on the various committees they’re on and (encourage them) to work towards making them efficient. And efficient doesn’t mean less, necessarily, because a lot of people get scared. ‘oh you’re going to cut our funding.’ No it’s about making you be as good as you can possibly be.”