Less interest in second round
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, March 14, 2018
By Sheila Runions
Rivers Banner
Last November, Riverdale Municipality held an informational meeting to hear from ratepayers their questions and concerns regarding a new police services bylaw council proposed. More than 75 people attended that public hearing, so council set 117 chairs in Rivers Legion Hall for a follow-up meeting on Feb. 27; only 16 people plus council and WCG-TV/newspaper reporters attended.
In his opening remarks, Mayor Todd Gill expressed surprise at the “smaller crowd than anticipated.” He announced council had received three written objections to the proposal, which were noted and filed. One person complained of paying more taxes in general while the other two were from seasonal cottage dwellers at Chimo Resort, claiming Rivers Police Service would be of “no value to them.” Gill told the nine rural residents and seven townspeople that council had given “careful consideration to Chimo especially. We tried to develop a bylaw people would find favourable. Chimo residents will pay $178; lots of people in Rivers are gone for six months and they still have to pay $500-plus.”
During his introduction, Gill reminded residents “The Municipal Act legislated by the province states that an urban municipality with a population over 750 people must ensure policing services are provided. With the exception of a short period in the 1930s, Rivers has always operated its own police department. RM of Daly has always been served by RCMP. Rivers Police has always provided assistance to RCMP in Daly, by providing a presence in the provincial park and in recent years, providing a presence in Chimo and the urban areas surrounding Rivers. All services have been provided in the rural areas at little cost to anyone outside of the town of Rivers.
“In 2014 The Modernization Act was passed in Manitoba. That legislation orders that a municipal corporation must be of one police provider [by the year 2020]. This left Riverdale Municipality in a very unique situation — we are the only amalgamated municipality in Manitoba that falls under these circumstances. The legislation not only left us in a unique situation, but left Rivers Police in a very vulnerable state of uncertainty. Council felt it was prudent to act on this sooner, due to retaining and recruiting officers.
“Following four years of public consultation, council resolved on Dec. 5, 2017 that Riverdale would be provided with policing by way of Rivers Police Service. The issue of being two parts [rural and urban] leaves the decision of not how to fund the department, but what method of taxation would be used to derive the revenue required. Rivers Police has been funded by a special services bylaw since 1999. We have determined the bylaw presented is in the best interest of all parties.”
What council is proposing is to raise $440,152 in the form of $20 per year (farmland only), $138 per year rural residential, $178 annually from rural high density areas (Chimo Resort, Aspen Acres and Wheatland), $378 off commercial farmland, $506 by Rivers residents (reduced from the current rate of $532.95) and $660 per year for commercial properties and apartment buildings in Rivers.
One rural resident questioned the need to implement the bylaw before the mandated one-service date; Gill replied, “Having funding in place will ensure long-term staffing of Rivers Police Service.” This same resident was “100 per cent for our own police, they will be very much better than having people [RCMP officers] switched out from all over the province. I like to have people who know our community and who will stay here. But did council give any consideration to the levy by geography?” He went on to state his locale in the Poplar Hill district would have RCMP closer to his acreage than Rivers Police and suggested that council levy according to those within a seven kilometre radius and those without; Gill said council had not considered geography.
One urban resident asked if reducing the levy in Rivers was “wise. Shouldn’t it be kept at the current rate so we have some excess funding if a major expense arises?” Gill explained unforeseen expenditures would be “absorbed out of the financial plan of the entire RM.”
He wrapped up the 20-minute meeting by thanking the few for “coming to participate. We anticipated a fairly large crowd because it was well-attended last year. But we had lots of good discussion then and lots of talk on the streets afterwards; maybe everyone has realized this is a good thing. RCMP are not thrilled we’ have made this decision but we’ve always had an excellent working relationship with them and we’ll keep that. You’ll still see RCMP on our highways and Rivers Police will still call them if they need their services.”
Council has passed first reading of the bylaw as presented that evening. It is now in the hands of the municipal board, which has 90 days to approve the proposed bylaw after which council must pass second and third readings before it becomes official.
