Niverville’s council met on the morning of March 3 to discuss a variety of items on the town’s agenda. Councillor Chris Wiebe was absent.
Council voted to dissolve the Open Health advisory committee, giving way to the new Niverville Healthcare Services Inc. (NHCSI) board. The committee previously functioned in a role alongside Open Health. While not all members of the new board have been appointed yet, it is projected to include Mayor Myron Dyck, Dr. Chris Burnett, Councillor Nathan Dueck, a representative of the Niverville Chamber of Commerce, one member at large, and the clinic’s newly hired business manager, Kristen Fyfe.
Fyfe is a Niverville resident with both business management expertise and experience in the healthcare industry. Her role will include a heavy emphasis on recruiting new clinicians and managing the clinic to meet the goal of a return to profitability in one year’s time. The new structure of the clinic means it will perform as a not-for-profit, with any eventual surplus funds being rolled back into the clinic.
“Further information on the new board and the town’s involvement in the structure of Open Health will be available in a news release shortly,” said Dyck. “The new structure will be similar to the not-for-profit structure setup, such as the Mayo Clinic near Minneapolis, for example.”
Council members then announced a contribution of $5,000 towards the Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre (CRRC). The donation is a personal donation from council members and shows their individual commitment to the success of the project.
While a significant portion of the CRRC’s needed funds are secure, fundraising efforts are still underway to obtain the remaining $3.2 million. The total cost for the centre is projected to be $19.5 million. Mayor Dyck and Council Funk encouraged other citizens to consider making personal donations as well.
“The seat sale continues,” said Funk. “For $1,000, you can sponsor a seat. This payment can be made at the town office. Just contact us and you can still get involved.”
Next up, council approved a permit to serve alcohol at the annual Clipper Ice Sports adult four-by-four tournament fundraiser, which takes place March 20–22 at the Niverville Arena. The permit is in keeping with previous events. All proceeds of this fundraiser will go toward equipment purchases, ice time, and fees.
Mayor Dyck reported on hosting the Community Futures Triple R dinner and meeting with other southern municipalities. Community Futures is a community-based economic renewal initiative funded by the Government of Canada and directed by local volunteer boards. Its main objectives are to help rural Canadians start or expand a business and to help sustain and improve communities and their local economies.
“Thanks to staff for all their hard work getting the event to come together,” said Dyck. “It’s nice to be able to connect with our friends and neighbours around southern Manitoba and support them in this way.”
Last month, Dyck and Funk served as judges for approximately a dozen local Grade Nine students who were working on research projects on federal politics. The projects showcased a review of various federal governing systems and topics, such as electoral reform. The students exhibited knowledge of how governing structures currently work. They also addressed the question of what changes to these systems could look like.
“Congratulations to all the winners and all participating students,” said Dyck.
Finally, council voted in favour of waiving the picnic shelter fee for a community group to hold an upcoming spring event on Arbor Day. Dyck noted that the town often supports community initiatives in this way by reducing event costs for groups, bringing social benefits to the community.