Brandon, MB – Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest and all members of Brandon City Council are extremely pleased to announce that longtime City of Brandon leader Rod Sage has been selected to helm the corporation as its newest City Manager. Effective today, Sage takes over the City Manager position and brings with him 30-plus years of staff experience within the City of Brandon. Sage has been serving in the Acting City Manager role since late-February of 2017 following the departure of former City Manager Scott Hildebrand, and has also held the role of City of Brandon General Manager of Operational Services since 2008. Sage has also held various progressive leadership roles within Brandon’s local government realm dating back to the early 2000’s. In making the official announcement today, Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest noted that Sage was City Council’s first choice from a nationwide pool of candidates. “I’m extremely pleased and proud to see someone who started out as a young seasonal staffer, holding a survey rod while working for our Engineering Department, advance and improve himself up through the ranks to finally land in the City Manager’s chair,” Chrest said. “With the assistance of national executive search firm Davies Park, Brandon City Council has conducted a very robust and open selection process and we all feel very confident that Rod will do a fabulous job leading our City’s unique collective of employees dedicated to serving and building our community.” In accepting the position, Sage said he is very committed to building trust within the very community he has served for more than three decades. “I’m a big believer that local government is the closest form of government to its citizens, and I want to build on that relationship with our residents, not only to achieve a better understanding in the community about what we do for them, but why we do it, as well,” Sage said. “It all boils down to trust, and I will be working hard to increase that level of trust, both within the corporation and externally with our citizens, for the benefit of the City of Brandon as a whole.” Sage added that among his initial priorities in the City Manager role will be to deliver a draft 2018 municipal budget later this year that is acceptable to City Council in the final year of its mandate, and to set an expectation of time management in the City Manager’s office to fit with his leadership philosophies. Upon official ratification at tonight’s regular Brandon City Council meeting, Sage’s contract will be in place for five years. As per the City of Brandon’s established Vacancy Management practice, Sage’s now-vacant General Manager of Operational Services position will be reviewed prior to a replacement search beginning. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

CAA Manitoba News Release Winnipeg, November 6, 2017 – As the temperature drops to -19 Celsius overnight tonight, Manitobans will find out very quickly if their vehicle and battery are ready for winter. “Tonight’s frozen temperatures might test your vehicle’s ability to turn over in the morning, especially if your battery is around three to five years old,” says Erika Miller, public and media relations specialist for CAA Manitoba. “In cold temperatures, it can take almost twice as much of your battery’s charge to start your engine. Now is the time to get your battery tested and winterize your vehicle, if you haven’t already.” Drivers are encouraged to give their car a good look over and follow four guidelines for a winter-worthy vehicle to cut down on potential issues. Four guidelines for a winter-worthy vehicle: 1. Ready your ride - Test your battery and block heater, install winter tires, and top up antifreeze and windshield wiper fluids with temperature-appropriate solutions. 2. Ensure you can see safely – The sun rises and sets earlier in winter, which means our daily commute is generally in the dark. Visit your local Approved Auto Repair Services location to check and replace any headlights, taillights, signal lights or hazard lights and remember to turn them on before you head out. If need be, install new wiper blades to help clear your windshield effectively in snowy, wet weather. 3. Prevent frozen locks – Thanks to keyless electronic entry, people may not need to use their physical locks until their doors won’t seem to open. Don’t get caught in the cold! Inject lock deicer lubricant in the locks on your doors and use a spray lubricant on trunk and hood seals to help safeguard against being stuck outside. Remember to reapply the de-icer after washing your vehicle or a particularly rainy or snowy day. 4. Be prepared with a roadside emergency kit – Ensure your kit has enough food and water for the number of passengers you’re travelling with, along with tools, weatherproof emergency flares, and blankets. Prepackaged emergency kits are available at any CAA store. CAA Manitoba reminds motorists that when weather changes, driving conditions can change quickly too. Black ice can develop on bridges and overpasses when winds pick up. Slowing down and driving to conditions, and keeping a safe stopping distance between cars can help prevent a costly collision.

Brandon Police Service Media Release At 9:40 pm a male entered a downtown retail business armed with what appeared to be a shotgun.  There was no demand for money or other merchandise. The business owner stated that the male, would be robber, shot a hole in the wall of the business and then immediately fled.  Police cordoned off the area, and a search was conducted with a Police canine.  No suspect was apprehended.  Police continue to investigate. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The snow has already fallen and City crews try to keep our roads as clear and as safe as possible every winter.  If you are uncertain of when you area/zone is going to be cleared then this is a great time to get reacquainted with the City of Brandon's online snow-clearing operations map! Visit snowmap.brandon.ca to "Find Your Zone" or access the interactive information via the City's free "My City" app on the Apple App Store. The map will be updated through the winter for various snow-plowing and hauling events. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre BRANDON, November 3rd, 2017 – The “Back to the River” Master Plan comes to life in 3D imagery in the newest promotional tool for this exciting community development project. Altus Group - Manitoba Land Surveyors and Brandon Riverbank Inc. have been working together since the Spring of 2016 on this initiative, with the result being a 6-minute video that tells the story of the development that will take place around the Riverbank Discovery Centre over the next 20 years, painting a virtual picture of this area as a premiere community gathering place and tourism destination for Brandon and southwestern Manitoba. Altus Group – Manitoba Land Surveyors, donated all of their time and technology to this project and is excited about the data-gathering and photogrammetry skills that they could lend to telling the story of the Master Plan. Ian Baley, Brandon Branch Manager states, “The chance to showcase the Back to the River Master Plan in a unique fashion using the latest technologies has been very rewarding for us at Altus Group. We are honoured to be a part of Brandon’s history…and future”. The video will act as a valuable resource to gain friends and funds in moving the ‘Back to the River’ Master Plan forward. The inaugural project, Festival Park, is currently under construction and a fundraising campaign is well underway to support this project. Lois MacDonald, General Manager of Brandon Riverbank Inc. states “This virtual reality video will be an amazing tool for our organization and fundraising group, as we work to bring all of these exciting projects to life in the coming years. It helps us all to re-imagine the Riverbank as a very unique space that we can all enjoy and be proud of. We are so grateful to Altus Group for their partnership and support”. Supported by HTFC Planning + Design, and funded in part by the Star Attractions Enhancement Grant Program, the video can be viewed online at www.riverbank.mb.ca. Thank you to Tyler Glen Studio for his talent and expertise in crafting the audio portion of the video. Brandon Riverbank Inc. is very grateful to Altus Group - Manitoba Land Surveyors for their enthusiasm, creativity and generosity in helping us get “Back to the River”. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});