After several weeks of public consultation and feedback from residents as well as the business community, Brandon City Council has approved a borrowing By-Law for the Southwest Wastewater Servicing Project. The City of Brandon is planning for population growth to be 63,000 to 65,000 people within 30 years. The City has determined the southwest area will be a focus for residential and commercial growth. New wastewater infrastructure is required to support continued development. City Council took a planned and principled approach to making this decision. With over a decade of progressive decisions being made, the plan to grow in South Brandon has been through many Councils and Mayors. City Council navigated through questions, concerns, and various scenarios with the assistance of city administration, the business community, and residents of Brandon to make the best decision possible for now and the future. City Council approved the By-Law to borrow up to $30 million with the following caveats: That City Administration be authorized to debenture up to $18 million dollars, tender Phase 1 of the project, and have a complete detailed design of Phase 2 That prior to borrowing additional funds for this project, City administration will report back to Council for review and approval. Repayment of borrowing, over the long run, is anticipated to be covered by developer and builder paid fees called Developer Cost Charges. By passing this By-Law, Brandon City Council has not only proven their commitment to growing in South Brandon, but it also ensures that housing is a top priority. Without prioritizing growth, current housing prices would increase, thus making housing less affordable for residents.  “I am extremely proud of the way City Council and City Administration has worked through this process to ensure that we are poised to grow in Brandon,” notes Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “While we have taken our time and due diligence to ensure we are getting this right, we are confident that we have set Brandon up for a strong future.”

As we head into another electoral cycle, one of my pet peeves rears its ugly head.  If you are running for an elected office, show that office enough respect to know what it is actually called. Know what, in fact, you are representing.  With nomination races and pre-election leaflets now hitting the public spaces, I am seeing people refer to provincial electoral districts, and even sometimes municipal electoral districts, as ridings.  What the candidate is trying to say is they want to represent the area. What they are actually saying is they need more training on what government is, before they seek decision making powers within one.  Candidates are by no means the only offenders. Media personnel, reporters, editors, producers and the like have joined in this slippery slope of laziness, to the point where the rest of society follows along. This has been going on for years now, and it needs to stop.  Federal Members of Parliament represent ridings. Our Members of the Legislative Assembly represent constituencies. Where there are electoral districts in municipalities, they are called wards, though some municipalities just elect a set number of councillors, regardless of where they may live.  What would you think of people who watch a rugby game and start calling it water polo? What if you were at a grocery store and asked where the lumber aisle was? Would you ask for a steak at Starbucks?  If you did, you would sound pretty unintelligent, and people might question if you maybe should be in concussion protocol. So why is it considered acceptable to forgive these errors?  While this may seem like a little thing, it actually shows a decreasing amount of respect our society is showing towards elected offices, and the institutions of government. It shows the institutions don’t matter to the people making those errors. It may indicate the candidates don’t actually understand what the powers of the office actually are (which should also disqualify them from running).  If the voting public is not willing to demand basic standards in their candidates, they won’t get better elected representatives.

With the country of Ukraine still bravely battling against a Russian invasion, residents of Brandon are invited to join the world in showing solidarity and support. This Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, the one-year anniversary of the start of the invasion, Brandon will once again host a community march and rally. The march is based on a similar one that was held in early March 2022 and will once again begin at Brandon University and go to Brandon City Hall. Starting at 5:30 p.m. at the BU campus, the university will raise a flag of Ukraine. After a few brief remarks, the march will head to Brandon City Hall, for a short program of speeches, and for the flag of Ukraine to be raised there as well. “The continuing support from the Brandon and Westman community for Ukraine has been so important and so special,” said Ukrainian community president Vasyl Marchuk. “For the last year, the heroic Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian people have stood united in defense of freedom in Europe athwart Russia’s genocidal onslaught. With their courage and determination the Ukrainian people inspire the world,” stated Alexandra Chyczij, National President of the UCC. “To mark 365 days of Ukraine’s resilience against Russia’s genocidal war– join us on February 24 to show that all Canadians Stand With Ukraine!” Everyone is invited to join the march and show their support for Ukraine. You are invited to bring candles — especially blue and yellow candles, the colours of Ukraine — to march with. The event will coincide with many others happening the same day across Canada and around the world. “With Brandon home to many Ukrainians, we once again gather as a community to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine both at home and abroad against the Russian invasion, said City of Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “This anniversary march will be a demonstration that our resolve continues. We are proud to stand with our community to show the enduring support for the people of Ukraine.” At least year’s march, BU President David Docherty announced new measures to support university students fleeing the conflict, including alternate admissions for those unable to access their documents, eased deadlines, and waived fees. These supports have now also been extended to any displaced person who is otherwise eligible to attend BU. Three new Ukrainian students have since started classes at BU, with close to a dozen more who have been officially admitted but who have not yet been able to attend. “One of the biggest smiles I’ve seen all year was when I met our first incoming Ukrainian student, Andrii, as he was being given a tour around the BU campus,” Docherty recalled. “I keep that moment close as a reminder that the grim news from Ukraine will not last, and that our support hastens the day that all smiles can return to the faces of all Ukraine.”

At approx. 2:20 Sunday, police were called to a single vehicle vs fence collision in the 000 block of 23rd St, however the driver of the vehicle fled prior to police arrival. During the course of investigating the incident officers attended to a residence in the 300 block of 2nd St.  A 40 year old male, well known to police, confronted the officers outside the residence. He made threatening comments and gestures before discarding a knife in the snow, and retreating into the residence. The male then sent his dog after the officers, however they were able to subdue it without injury to the dog or the officers. Shortly thereafter the male exited the residence and was arrested.  The male has been charged with uttering threats and will appear in court on May 1.

On February 17, 2023, at 2:38pm, staff from a business located in the 900 block of 18th St. North, contacted police regarding a male who had stolen a television earlier in the day.  At 4:23pm, police were contacted regarding a male sleeping in a restaurant in the 900 block of 18th St.  Police attended and located a 51 year old male who was in possession of the stolen television.  The male was arrested and was also in possession of several other items that had been stolen from other area businesses.  The male was detained at the Brandon Police Service where he appeared before a Justice regarding the matter.