Reeve for the RM of Stuartburn says the past year has been a time of working together with other municipalities to make the southeast a better place to live.
Michelle Gawronski says, besides the learning curve of working with new council members and office staff, they have made sure all the i's were dotted and t’s were crossed. Besides a busy day-to-day schedule, she has also connected with neighboring communities on several projects.
“We’ve been working in collaboration with neighboring RM’s, mainly Piney and Emerson-Franklin when it comes to various watershed projects, doing a bridge replacement on road 30E, then there’s the Southeast Regional Transit initiative that we've started with the whole southeast region. A drainage project with the Seine Rat Roseau watershed district.”
She adds, “We've been working on tourism with the RM of Piney and Sunrise Corner. We've got our economic development that we've been doing, there have been special projects like the experimental tourism experience, investment in readiness strategy, lobbying again for RTACing of our highway.”
And finally, “Another highlight is that we installed our very first electric vehicle charger in the RM. So, we're very excited to be moving into, what are we now, the 22nd century.”
Gawronsky says they continued to improve recreational sites like the Vita Arena and Curling Club.
“They have done some major improvements and repairs to both buildings. We got a grant for emergency lighting at the Vita Hall, Vita Friendship Centre, the Vita Curling Club, and the Vita Arena. So that is wonderful.”
She adds they have seen some growth with the construction of 12 new homes that were built in the RM of Stuartburn, plus plans for another subdivision in the near future.
Gawronsky notes that before more businesses come to the area and before more residents move in, the 201 needs to be improved.
"RTACing of our highway is only going to help promote that, so we're quite excited, because we did have a meeting with Minister Naylor recently, who reassured us that the RTACing is still on the books, and it is still on schedule as per the five-year plan that was there. So, we are looking forward to working very closely with this provincial government as well as any of the other watershed districts and RM’s in moving things forward within our community.”
Gawronsky admits that once they actually put a shovel in the ground, “You're going to hear the almighty scream from me coming, because that'll be the exciting day that it'll be cheesecake for all, for sure. That'll be a major one for us.”
She continues,
“We are also working with the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District regarding a project around the Sundown area, where we are looking at harnessing water and trying to get control of that water. In fact, we had a meeting with them recently, and I’m happy to report that we've made a commitment that the RM’s property can be used for emergency overflow of water. We have committed that we will work in any way that we can with the provincial government on how we move these projects forward in our municipality, as we've got lots to offer. It is a wonderful area to live in.”
Reeve Gawronsky adds, “I jokingly teased the other Reeves and councils that we've got the best RM, but it’s just because I do believe in it, I believe strongly in our area.”