Council Debrief: The New Home Builds Keep Coming

We open the second half of this week’s Council meeting with a public hearing for a bylaw amendment, which is Neepawa usually means that we will have more housing going up. The housing being proposed is multi-unit and is intended to offer a portion of the available units at below-market rates in order to be an affordable housing option. The total number of units is still to be determined.

The applicant is currently undergoing a market research project in the Neepawa area, the results of which they intend to share with Council, so we may have more details on that in a future program. This is the same group that is still proceeding with the 144 unit modular home park project.

An exciting upcoming event is the Filipino Heritage Month festival on June 18th. Organisers are expecting around 2,000 participants and visitors to the event this year, which includes a parade, activities, and food, and have approached Council for a contribution to help with the costs of the event. Council has a history of helping to fund town-wide festivals such as this, especially as this is intended to be seed money and any proceeds from the event can be carried over year to year.

While proper use of the compost site, especially in this spring cleanup and planting time, is encouraged, illegal dumping has become a problem in that area as well as in the dumpsters at the town maintenance sheds. Residents are reminded that they can take waste, including construction waste, directly to Evergreen Environmental.

There are consequences for the town sites being used improperly in this way, which can include an increase in costs to taxpayers. Residents are also reminded that the town maintenance sheds are covered by security cameras that can identify offenders.

Council also renewed the firearms permit for specific individuals to deal with public nuisance vermin, and remind everyone that those two individuals are the only citizens permitted to discharge firearms within town limits.

Also covered were the sale of a town-owned lot, the process for proceeding with lagoon phase two, and the purchase of a new riding mower.