(minutes prepared by Brandice Bator)
Attendees
Eric Bjornson; Kristy Vermiere Contreras; Heather Howdle; Brandice Bator; Valerie Soltys; Nigel Kerr; Reghan Langston
Regrets: Julietta Hardiman; Laurence Bertram
Minutes
Updates:
- Eric will send agenda out earlier as a google doc so it can be changed/updated right up until meeting time
- Addition to agenda (Nigel): commercial park/industrial area at airport – lots of land that isn’t being utilized other than for farming. Lease agreement with business that you don’t want in residential areas.
- Eric: Subcommittee last year focusing on airport location and other potential locations around town (south of town) for commercial development
- Nigel: Onanole Rec Center has decided to remove LED sign (3x6) – possibility that we could obtain for Erickson – highway warnings, community events advertised etc. (appraised at $80,000 range) selling for $20,000 (possibly negotiable)
- Eric: challenges trying to do signage off the highway because of highway/traffic rules and regulations. Could it replace manual lettering system below the existing sign
- Kristy: Updating Erickson sign to digital – location too close to highway and cost it was a deterrent. Flashing next to highway might be the issue
- Valerie: might be info at municipal office about the sign
- Defer sign discussion to next meeting – do some more research for next meeting (if/where we can use it)
1. Adoption of February Minutes:
- Heather made edit to Foodbank – charitable organization instead of non-for profit
- Motion to adopt: Valerie, Seconded by Nigel, all in favour
2. Ag weather station:
- desire to set up weather station related to Agriculture information gathering – small area on north side of chamber quarter identified as being suitable. Tower and ground probes
- Need indication from us that we’re ok with it. Don’t need a formal agreement or caveat
- Nigel has one on his land – very small footprint (20x20ft square), a small bit of noise pollution from wind censors
- Heather: liability issues?
- Eric will look into liability
- Should reach out to person who rents hayland
- Motion to approve weather station: Heather, Seconded by Nigel – all in favour - motion carried
3. Consideration for hiring GM/Admin Assistant
- Paid outside help would take weight off of other members and help with continuity of the organization
- Start with person working 4-6 hours/month and possibly increase if needed
- Roles and responsibilities: membership drive (recruitment), writing/letters, take minutes, assist with book keeping, grant writing, routine work so that we can focus our attention on making decisions
- Should come up with job description to determine what qualifications they need and present to the group
- Heather: Concept is good, we just haven’t looked at the budget yet – in combination with getting job description together we should figure out what it might cost
- Eric: contract position, not an employee position. Hourly rate ballpark $20/hr range
- 6hrs/month at $20 = $1500/year
- Kristy: potential for this to grow into something we can apply for a government grant to pay salary or wages?
- Eric: this would be an ideal scenario – hire someone with additional capacity to help with other projects
- Target larger catchment range
- Action item: come up with job description and hourly rate – check with Laurence to see if he was working on this
4. Shop Local flyer update:
- in the process of sending flyer to print
- now at 38 members which is surpassing membership at the end of 2021
- Land acknowledgement piece should be reviewed before printing – who can we reach out to assist with this?
- Heather: Provincial government came out with a standard land acknowledgement – nuanced to the organization/context. Looks inclusive and positive – the truth part is very important
- Eric – will check out provincial government’s guidance
- Kristy: found that people are scared to be a member because they don’t want to be on the board
5. 2022 Budget
- Land rental will be going up for tender this August for 2023 rental
- Action Item: Add line item for administrative position for $1000 for this year
- Heather: may be beneficial to put in part of the budget for major grant writing – assistance from someone external to review before submission (Melissa)
- Action Item: add line for “Consulting” under grant writing
- [amount withheld] should be sufficient for this year (depends on how much we use her services)
- Could have a fund set aside for this type of thing that grows and shrinks year to year depending on what we need/use it for – e.g. launching Southquill Greenhouse Initiative when in the initial stages of grant writing or Leda Lake Park design (special projects fund) – any opportunity that comes our way would get discussed as a board (or beyond) to ensure we’re representing the whole community
- Make it a reserve fund for future developments
- Motion to accept budget: Nigel, Seconded by Valerie, all in favour - motion carried
6. New members and renewals
- motion to accept new members and renewals: Heather, Seconded by Eric, all in favour – motion carried
7. membership drive update
- 38 members now – surpasses 2021 – a few others still left to renew
- Feel free to forward on original membership email to others
8. Chamber training Opportunity
- Digital Media Boot Camp (March 23) by Steve Langston
- Legion meets tonight, but informal discussions will follow MB Health orders – no vaccine card needed
- Will send to membership first and then community at large
9. 2021 Census
- Should make a point of reaching out to RRFN businesses
10. Leda Lake Park Update
- Reghan: one more revision happening – alpine garden is going to change to a pollinator garden
- New opportunity – Active transportation grant, 60% funded, others provide 40% of the cost – would need to be led by the RM
- Proposition is to bring this project to the RM and ask if they’d be willing and interested to take on as project lead and make a modest contribution and for other community members to contribute as well
- Are we willing to offer our support for the project through a letter of support and possible involvement in the future for the overall support of the project?
- 4-phase project – callout to the fund right now to ask what they will actually cover as part of the active transportation – will help scope what’s covered – will know more next week
- Kristy: a lot of projects that council is doing this summer so if we want them to be project lead we need to spell out expectations – if it’s not clear, it could be a no
- Reghan: Fund wants more of a partnership with RM – put it into 2023, would not be starting it this year
- Kristy: this project may fit into Rec commission fund
- Grant has to be submitted by the end of March
- Kristy will mention to RSTA (Rossburn Subdivision Trail Association)
- In favour of taking this to the RM asking them to be official project partner and asking for 10% commitment to project?
- Motion to pursue this project through Active Transportation Grant and request that RM be the project partner and to contribute 10% of project costs – Eric, Seconded by Nigel, all in favour – motion passed
11. Additional Items
- Valerie: Canada Post Small Business Solutions card – Eric made an account for the Chamber to determine mailing options
- MB Chamber Renewal – info center has resources, but we need login info (Eric may have it)
Meeting adjourned at 13:26