The City of Winnipeg’s water and waste department has submitted a proposal to operate a biosolids field storage and land application program in the RM of Rosser once again this year. This program has taken place in various areas of Rosser since 2018.
This year’s request would span a total of 1,515 acres, with portions divided among Rutherford Farms, Oatway Farms and Braun Grain Farm.
The city’s proposal includes transportation management requirements including specified haul routes, maximum tonnage and restricted speed limits.
Rosser council conditionally approved the request. One of the conditions is that the City of Winnipeg will be responsible for all costs related to road, ditch and drainage upgrades, as well as maintenance, dust control and restoration of municipal property. The city will also need to inform all residents within 0.8 kilometres of each program site.
In other Rosser council news:
• The RM of Rosser will donate $10,000 to the STARS Foundation for the Night with STARS Gala fundraiser sponsorship.
• The RM also donated $200 worth of gift cards to the Stony On Ice skating competition, which they Stony Mountain Skating Club ran from March 22 to 24.
• Council approved a three per cent wage adjustment for all eligible employees for 2024. The adjustment will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024.
• Council conditionally approved a request to authorize a 1,000-square-foot secondary suite attached to a new 1,250-square-foot garage/workshop. One of the conditions is that the secondary suite can only be leased to a first- or second-degree relative of the property owner. First-degree relatives are parents, siblings and children. Second-degree relatives are nieces and nephews, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts and uncles. A maximum of four people can live in the secondary suite.
• Council defeated a request to vary the distance between a detached secondary suite and the main dwelling from 50 feet to 280 feet.
• Council conditionally approved a request to authorize a private vehicle collection on a Rosser property. The maximum vehicles permitted on the site will be 250, including personal vehicles. The vehicle collection must be reasonably obstructed from the general public’s view and from neighbours’ view.
• Council conditionally approved a request to authorize the intensification of a farm operation at Sturgeon Creek Colony. The intensification over the next several years would include a new boiler and biomass storage building, new welding shop, new residential buildings and agricultural and farm buildings. Council authorized the purchase of a 2024 CAT grader from Toromont CAT.
• The RM of Rosser ended 2023 with a surplus. Council approved a transfer of $225,000 to the machinery replacement reserve to replace aging equipment as needed, $105,000 to the fire reserve for the future purchase of firefighting equipment and $25,000 to the office reserve to use toward the future expansion of the municipal office.
• The RM of Rosser will host its 2024 financial plan public hearing on Tuesday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at the municipal office.
