Gimli council discussed the future of the Gimli Community Development Corporation at its regular meeting on Oct. 23, signalling the corporation may live to see another day.
The CDC became non-operational after a majority of its board members stepped down late this summer. The resignations, which were not announced publicly, came after the CDC’s sole shareholder – the RM of Gimli – rejected the board’s strategic plan.
The CDC had experienced financial losses of just under $1 million since about 2019. Councillor Andy Damm brought the situation to the public’s attention in April (see April 25, 2024, online edition of the Express).
The RM of Gimli’s interim chief administrative officer DJ Sigmundson said the CDC will remain a legal entity for now (i.e., the RM won’t embark on dissolving the corporation), and it could be revived in future.
“The CDC will continue as a legal entity for the foreseeable future. A new mandate may be developed over the next few years, at which time the council of the day would consider a new structure to achieve that mandate,” said Sigmundson.
Other council news:
-Council held a public hearing on Oct. 23 to consider a request for the establishment of a home occupation named This Guy, which will offer computer and telephone repairs.
Applicant Dmytro Kozyr rents a home at 39 Fourth Ave. and said he had obtained the owners’ approval for the business, which he wants to operate seven days a week.
There would be an anticipated maximum of two to three customers at a time at the residence, with a maximum of 20 customers a day, according to Kozyr’s application. There would be a minimal increase to traffic flow in the area. The home would not generate noise, dust or fumes and can accommodate onsite parking in the back.
Third Avenue residents across the lane from the proposed business said in a letter they have concerns about increased traffic flow down the back lane and would prefer that customers park on Fourth.
Other Third Ave residents who also live across the back lane from the proposed business said in a letter they’d support the home occupation if customers were restricted to parking on Fourth rather than at the back of the house as vehicles down the back lane generate dust.
“If the maximum of 20 customers a day (as suggested in the application) were to occur, coming and going, seven days a week via the gravelled back lane, it would greatly increase the amount of air polluting dust dispersing to neighbouring properties. This increase in dust thereby would have the potential to greatly decrease the opportunity for neighbours to continue to enjoy our outdoor space in the same manner as which we do now,” said the residents.
Council approved the business with a parking stipulation.
“He is to receive customers off Fourth Avenue versus the lane,” said Sigmundson.
-The RM of Gimli had submitted a letter of support late this summer to the Association of Manitoba Municipalities regarding a 2024 provincial agricultural disaster financial assistance program after producers in certain areas of the province experienced losses from too much moisture.
The AMM in turn wrote a letter to the province in September, indicating it had received Gimli’s resolution of support and encouraged the province to respond to Gimli regarding supports available to municipalities.
“On August 28, 2024, the AMM Board of Directors reviewed the attached resolution and kindly request that your department provide an official written response directly to the RM of Gimli that outlines how the provincial government is responding to this issue and what supports are available to municipalities,” said AMM president Kam Blight in the letter dated Sept. 6.
In his October response letter to the RM of Gimli, provincial agriculture minister Ron Kostyshyn said the department is monitoring the situation and outlined a number of programs already in place to help agricultural producers cope with losses from adverse climate events.
“We understand the challenges and empathize with producers facing such difficult circumstances,” said Kostyshyn.
There are several programs through the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation that support producers, and producers are encouraged to reach out to their local MASC representatives for information about coverage options and the claims process. AgriStability is another program that helps offset declines in farming income by providing financial support. And the Agrilnvest program also offers support for income declines. Producers can get counselling support through the Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services (1-866-367-3276).
Although the RM of Gimli supported a call for the creation of a provincial agriculture disaster assistance program, the number of producers in the RM of Gimli itself that submitted excess moisture claims was not substantial.
“We looked into agriculture disaster financial assistance claims from the RM and were told they had no indication of a large number of excess moisture claims from the RM of Gimli,” said Sigmundson. “There may have been a few spots where the owner would address the matter with their insurer. Provincially, there is currently no agricultural DFA in effect at this time.”
