The pandemic restrictions of the last few weeks has changed the way our local municipalities are doing business. With the Town of Niverville and the RM of Ritchot are both operating with some new code red protocols, it’s important to understand how we can still engage with them.
Niverville
Niverville’s town office is closed to walk-in traffic, but the office can be reached by phone during normal business hours. People who are paying their bills are encouraged to either use the drop box outside, use online payment methods, or use the town’s online payment portal.
During this time, essential services and maintenance duties are still being performed.
To date, council meetings and public hearings have been conducted in person, but starting in December the town will be moving the proceedings online. This virtual format will be new to council, so they are asking for patience from the public as everyone learns to conduct town business in a new way.
“Everyone will have the opportunity to register for the meetings online ahead of time,” says CAO Eric King. “Everyone can watch online and we will conduct a question-and-answer time online. It will be a learning process, but virtual public hearings have been tried elsewhere and have succeeded, so we’re going to try.”
The town will also adhere to advertising requirements that must be met to ensure residents are made aware of public hearings in advance and informed about how they can participate. Council asks residents to check the town’s website for information on how to participate in the upcoming virtual meetings.
“We need to advertise and provide sometimes three or four weeks to give residents in the community the opportunity to know about the meeting and also where it will be held,” says Mayor Myron Dyck. “So everyone should be aware that our December meetings will be held virtually and this decision will remain in place whether we are still in code red or not.”
King adds that the town is in direct contact with the Province of Manitoba multiple times per week to stay on top of the latest developments.
“Currently I have at least three calls a week with the province in different areas,” King says. “For a while, they were down to once a week, but the last few weeks it is much more often.”
Mayor Dyck acknowledges that the town has been operating in code red for somewhat longer than some other areas in the southeast, due to Niverville’s proximity to Winnipeg, and that the town has found ways to adapt well to the restrictions.
“We have been in red for a while now, so for the most part we have become accustomed to operating as we have for the last while,” says Dyck. “To residents, I would simply want to encourage neighbours to remain strong and resilient, to adhere to the messages that Dr. Roussin has been telling all of us to do, and to seek help if someone is not coping well. To those who can, please reach out to others who may need help during this time.”
RM of Ritchot
For those living in the RM of Ritchot, the municipal office in St. Adolphe is still open to walk-in traffic, but residents should be advised that the offices are minimally staffed.
“We are supporting the ‘work from home if you are able to’ situation,” says CAO Mitch Duval. “Otherwise, it is business as usual with the exception of recreational services, which is to say that arenas and programs are suspended for [at least] the next two weeks as per code red.”
If residents have any questions about accessing municipal services, they are invited to call or email the office or individual council members. Council meetings and public hearings are being conducted entirely online, and have been since the spring.
Duval welcomes any member of the public to join in the meetings. “If some do not have the technological capabilities, we will assist in other manners.”
Like in the case of Niverville, Duval says that Ritchot is in regular contact with the province to stay on top of things. They currently have biweekly COVID calls with the provincial government.
On behalf of council, Duval encourages residents to “stay safe.”