The RM of Armstrong awarded the ditch restoration project to Tri-Line Construction Ltd. for $1,926,568.35. The funds are within the Disaster Financial Assistance budget from the claim for the 2022 flood, and the RM of Armstrong isn’t responsible for any additional funds. This project is for ditch restoration of a specific section of Road 0 (Meridian Road) between roads 125N and 126N.
In other council news:
• Council approved the purchase of a 53-foot-high sea can container from Cantrans Containers for $8,000 plus a $400 delivery cost. The container will be used for public works storage.
“We are currently in the process of upgrading our public works shop, and in order to do that, we needed to clear the shop out,” said CAO Colleen Mayer. “It is currently being used for storage; however, it will be utilized to better organize our shop and yard for workflow efficiency going forward.”
• Reeve Wasylowski and councillors Humeny, Rohne and Tyndale are authorized to attend the Interlake School Division’s municipal partners dinner on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.
• Council approved a letter of support to the Chatfield Community Club’s Buck Night on Nov. 29 so they can sell tickets at the door.
• The RM of Armstrong bought a bronze sponsorship table for the South West District Palliative Care fundraising gala dinner on Nov. 22 at the legion in Stonewall. A council member brought greetings.
• Road 12N between roads 7E and 9E will get 250 years of ¾ down, and the cost will come out of the road repair budget.
• Council endorses the plan to rehabilitate the north ditch of Provincial Road 419 since it will improve drainage in the area, especially for the Narcisse Ducks Unlimited Canada project that is mainly located in the RM of the Armstrong.
• Council approved hiring Kendall Friesen for roadside brushing on Armstrong roads up to a maximum of $40,000.
“Roadside brushing is the clearing of RM right-of-way — essentially ditches — of brush and trees,” Mayer said. “It’s needed to ensure that water flows properly around the municipality to help mitigate overland flooding.”
• Council approved the cleaning of the Fraserwood drain and the removal of the beaver dam located north of Road 109. Council also approved having a trapper remove beavers from a location south of Provincial Road 229.
• The RM will hire a consultant to look at the capacity and layout of the Chatfield and Inwood transfer stations and the Meleb waste disposal grounds.
“The current cell at Meleb is nearing capacity sooner than expected, and council is forward-thinking on what needs to be done so that we can budget accordingly in the coming years,” Mayer said. “We aren’t there yet; however, council has expressed a desire to include all our sites to ensure we are not missing anything at the transfer stations as well. This study will ensure that we are optimizing funds to the best of our ability.”
• The Nov. 25 council meeting was rescheduled to Nov. 18. On Dec. 24, the public works department and administrative office will close at noon. The administrative office will also be closed from Dec. 29 to Jan. 2.
• Council approved a $50 monthly phone allowance for the Fraserwood and Inwood fire chiefs of retroactive to January 2025.
• Council approved grants in lieu of property taxes for multiple organizations: Inwood Memorial Community Centre ($289.37), the Rutherian Catholic Order of St. Basil ($220.33), Evergreen School Division ($5.67), Ukrainian National People’s Home Association ($103.42), The School Division of Lakeshore No. 23 ($196.04), Chatfield Community Club Inc. ($198.55), Interlake Pioneer Trail Inc. ($980.33), Silver Community Centre ($197.85) and Roman Catholic Archiepiscopale ($104.42).
• Council approved a submitted bid and awarded the public works building improvement project to Countryside Home Building Centre for $118,500, plus the cost of a boiler for $6,622.91. The total amount is $125,122.91 plus GST.
• Council approves awarding the municipality’s waste management assessment study for engineering services to Environmental Consulting Solutions for $22,960 plus tax.
• Council received a progress report from Interlake Offroad Club and approved the plan to place three kiosk signs along the trail. They also approved naming the trail Armstrong Way.
