Missing person

The RCMP in Dauphin, Manitoba are seeking the public's assistance in locating 15 year old Sheldon Desmond Wayne MOAR. MOAR was last seen at his foster home in Dauphin on January 8th, 2010. Sheldon MOAR is approximately 190 cm (6'3",) 78 kg (170 lbs) with short black hair and brown eyes. Anyone who has seen or knows the whereabouts of Sheldon MOAR is asked to contact the Dauphin RCMP at (204) 622-5020.

Springhill wage agreement up for a vote

By Ken Waddell
The Neepawa Banner

As the United Food and Commercial Workers #832 (UFCW) and Hytek-Springhill hog processing plant at Neepawa wait for the new proposed wage agreement to be translated from English into Korean and Ukrainian, both sides are hoping for a positive ratification vote.
The outcome of the vote may have been placed in jeopardy by an incorrect story in one of the local newspapers, The Neepawa Press.
In an interview with The Neepawa Banner, UFCW negotiator Jeff Traeger said,"The front page story in The Neepawa Press was completely wrong"
The Neepawa Press quoted a web site source and outlined details for an old proposed wage agreement. Those details have nothing to do with the proposed new agreement. Traeger said on Thursday, Feb. 4, "I'm having a really bad day. When I read the story, I see it was from an archived web site from 2002 that The Neepawa Press quoted. In the article, they quoted from the Members for Democracy which ceased to exist in 2006. That old archived web site still has the June 10, 2002 Springhill wage agreement proposal listed and that agreement was good for two years." Since that time a later five year agreement was accepted and it just ran out on January 31, 2010.
A very upset Traeger said, "The only true part in the story in The Neepawa Press is that we negotiated a new agreement before the old one ran out. This is the most shoddy piece of journalism I have ever seen. Here we have an agreement being translated and that will be released to every member at meetings on February 8 and we have this untrue story in every member's mail box."
Traeger went on to say, "We have a very good contract proposal on the table and both the union and the company are recommending members accept it. It's sad that members might take this false information from The Neepawa Press story and decide to go on strike. It will be a sad day for Neepawa and everyone involved if the workers are walking the picket line based on an inaccurate story."
The UFCW is planning member information sessions at Neepawa's Yellowhead Centre on February 8. Traeger said," We are having the information sessions on Monday and I had hoped I could spend my time explaining the agreement rather than having to have every member have a Neepawa Press in their hands and then having to explain that their story is wrong."
Traeger said, "We have obtained the use of the former lunch room right at the (Springhill) plant to hold the vote on February 9, starting at 5 a.m and running until 6 p.m. We're hoping that with a 13 hour vote and with it being held on-site we will give everyone a chance to vote"

East View Lodge gets green light

Minister approves sale to Town of Neepawa
By Ken Waddell/The Neepawa Banner

Although it's been stalled in amongst political traffic for about 8 months, the old East View Lodge housing project in Neepawa has finally been given the green light. The five story former care home, a land mark on Neepawa's east entrance, was de-commisioned in the spring of 2009 when residents were moved to Country Meadows Care Home located at Neepawa's west end.

Throughout the planning and constructions stage of Country Meadows, a big question was always "what to do with East View"? The building had been turned over by the community to the Marquette Regional Health Authority in the mid 1990s. MRHA later amalgamated with South-West Regional Health Authority and was named Assiniboine Regional Health Authority. EVL is considered to be a solid building, just not suitable for the high level of care needs that are being met at Country Meadows. The ARHA had always intended to dispose of EVL and had wanted to do so as soon as it was empty. The monthly costs of taxes, hydro, heat and maintenance have eaten an unnecessary and unwanted hole in the ARHA budget. That disposal didn't happen as wished as the provincial government, specifically Health Minister Theresa Oswald held up the process. Although no clear reason was given for the delay, it was assumed that the government wanted to try and get some value for the old building and wanted a clear and transparent process. As it turned out the delay was costly both in terms of time, money and delaying much needed housing

The Town of Neepawa had submitted a plan in conjunction with Adler Properties, a consortium of three companies who planned to turn the building into apartments.That proposal and the accompanying agreements lapsed as the months dragged on. The government then agreed to put EVL up for tender and tenders closed late in 2009. No bids were received.

Local MLA Stu Briese, the Town of Neepawa lobbied hard to get a decision from Minister Oswald.

On Jan, 13 the word finally came down that the ARHA had been given permission to go ahead with the deal. ARHA VP of Finance Ted Bartlett said, "The board has received approval from the minister of health to dispose of East View to the Town of Neepawa for one dollar." Bartett explained that as of Jan. 14 the documents had been forwarded to the Town's solicitor for the paper work to be processed.

Town of Neepawa Mayor Bob Durston confirmed that the Town had received the go ahead. "Agreements have to be signed," said Durston which confirmed what Bartlett had said. It also means that the Town of Neepawa can now go ahead with updating the lapsed agreement with Adler properties.

Adler Properties' plan calls for renovations to begin as soon as the documents are in place. They have workers and sub-trades lined up and have blueprints ready to go that call for turning the EVL into apartment style housing.

Neepawa has a huge and chronic housing shortage in part due to 225 immigrant workers coming to Neepawa to work at Hytek-Springhill hog plant. Hytek plans to bring in several more workers to staff the expanding plant.

Historical side note: In 1999 it was announced that EVL was to be replaced. The government changed in 1999 and the project was delayed and not completed until 2009. The cost more than doubled to $29 million. Around 2000, the then CEO of the MRHA anticipated the new care home project might go ahead soon and offered to sell the EVL for a dollar. I happen to know that's true as I was mayor of Neepawa at the time and the offer was extended to me on behalf of the Town of Neepawa. I assured the CEO that the Town would look favorably on that offer. Neither of us knew how many years would pass before it came true.

The cauldron is lit!

Posted by Kate/Neepawa Banner

Neepawa's community torch bearer Muriel Gamey lit the cauldron at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay community celebration in Neepawa today.

On January 8 at 12:48 p.m., John Nelson kicked off Neepawa's leg of the Olympic Torch Relay riding on a 1940 International Harvester Model H tractor owned by Barrie Baker. The Olympic flame came from Gladstone, where torchbearers carried it north on Morris St and then west on Dennis St.

After stopping in Neepawa, the flame headed west to Minnedosa.

In Neepawa, volunteers and torch run organizers began early this morning setting up tents and stages for the community celebration which ran over lunch. Initially scheduled to take place outside at the Yellowhead Centre, the entertainment was moved inside due to temperatures reaching -30C.

Despite the cold weather, as the flame made its way down Mountain Ave., the streets were lined with people cheering.

Community torch bearer Muriel Gamey took the flame to the Yellowhead Centre for the community celebration. After passing through the hall, she went outside to light the cauldron.

When torch bearer Karen Hickman left the Yellowhead with the flame, she was joined by runners from Hazel M. Kellington School.

Read more in next week's Neepawa Banner


See a video of the torch run.

Check our YouTube Channel for additional videos.

Want to know where the torch is now? Click here!

VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY TORCHBEARER LIST

Day 71: January 08, 2010 - Portage la Prairie, MB to
Brandon, MB

Billy Meeches
Joshua Pashe
Oleksandr Kondrashov
Brandon Ashcroft
Chris Coppinger
Stephanie Reling
Jim Anderson
Warren Beleyowski
ken koots
Phillip Fontaine
Chad Dedelley
dale kasper
Roger Merrick
Eryn Wiebe
Peter Reid
Janelle Lafantaisie
Justin Ford
Jovan Hofer
John Nelson
Lise Leflour
Murray Lang
Allison Snezyk
Elorie Macchia
Harold Isfeld
Muriel Gamey
Karen Hickman
Cheryl Dixon
Gregory Wiebe
Denise Tinkler
Kenny Proden
Meghan Classen
Patrick Gross
Jessica Biggs
Debra Kasprick
Paige Krueger-Trottier
Bonnie Glasman
Michael McNabb
Kara Falkowski
Doug Fansher
Elaine Feniuk
Nina Crawford
Carmen Henry
kristjana schure
Matt Chartrand
Kaitlyn Spulnick
Marc Lavoie
Adam Cyr
Sean Osztian
Mark Pelletier
Andrew Evans
Marco Lauzon
Candace Mundy
Sheri Fisher
Jason O'Neill
Chelsea Braybrook
George Kennedy
Paul Caines
Tom Foster
Donald Askeland
Michael Tintor
Michael Burns
Glen Kirkland
Ryan Coward
Julie Joannette
Jamie McKinley
James Mackenzie
Thomas Mauthe
Dale Fust
Michael Blatherwick
Maria Leach
Barry Hales
Allison Manning
Jaime Manser
Jaimee Schmidt
Jonathan Tyler Blatz
Kris Prior
Drew Caldwell
Debbie Burkart
Lowell Haugen
Marla Fontaine
Johnathan Kelly
Grace Farmer
Orlando Sanchez
Brad Alexander
Benjamin Kay
Jean-Paul Bellamy
Patrick Rae
Ken Shepherd
Grace Krinke
Richard Amann
Don McNabb
Wade Strand
Marcus Krinke
Leo Collins

ROUTE MAP LINK
http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/torch-relays/olympic-torch-relay/theroute/
interactive-map/-/58040/17ckajb/index.html

Eastview Lodge may soon be transformed

Neepawa's housing crisis may lessen in 2010
By Ken Waddell
The Neepawa Banner

The long awaited decision on the fate of Eastview Lodge may be coming soon.
Last spring when it was obvious that the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority would no longer be using Eastview Lodge there was a joint effort by the Town of Neepawa and a company named Adler Properties to turn the former care home into housing. Neepawa has a housing crisis, the ARHA no longer needed Eastview with the construction the new Country Meadows Personal Care home so it seemed like perfect fit. The RHA agreed, the town agreed and Adler properties had a plan in place to convert the former 120 room care home into about 60 small apartments. Those apartments, it's assumed, would soon be filled with workers, about 225 of them, who have immigrated to Canada to work at Hytek-Springhill hog processing plant.

The plan ground to a halt when the proposal hit the desk of Minister of Health Theresa Oswald. The government decided that in spite of the fact that the ARHA was running up a hefty bill every month for taxes, maintenance and utilities that a public bidding process should take place. Local MLA Stu Briese, who had lobbied Oswald for a quick decision said, "They have incurred about $180,000 extra cost and delayed the project by several months."
Briese said his fear is that workers are moving to Brandon to live due to the severity of the housing shortage in Neepawa and that once their two year commitment at Springhill is up they will find work in Brandon and not live or work in Neepawa.

As of the Nov. 27 deadline, there were no bids on the EVL property. That resulted in the ARHA board asking Minister Oswald to allow them to release the property to the Town of Neepawa. That request went in Dec. 17 to the minister's office according to ARHA VP of Finance Ted Bartlett. "We've asked the minister to allow us to a accept the Town of Neepawa's offer"

Town of Neepawa Mayor Bob Durston said, "Our council is still wiling to accept the property from the ARHA and then move forward on the offer from Adler properties. The dates will have to be changed as the old agreement has run out but if the company is still interested, we want to go ahead. That proposal is based on converting EVL to apartments. We hope to get apartments in place by the end of 2010."

Peter Thiessen who represents Adler Properties said "I think the government had to make the decision they made, it had to be an open process, transparent. They had to look after the greater good of the public interest ahead of just the Town of Neepawa's interest or a developer's interest."
Thiessen went on to say that "I believe very strongly in the Town of Neepawa as a growth centre, [it's] very well located with a mixture of private enterprise, good education structure and health care structure. I think this building will fit well in the community and the hog plant (Hytek-Springhill) is a viable company. We are planning to proceed with our contractors as soon as possible."

When that will be be is now again up to Minister Oswald, but no one yet is predicting how soon that decision will be made.

Cops Corner

By Brian L. Huff Cpl.
Detachment Commander
Minnedosa Detachment

Your Minnedosa members responded to just over 20 calls for service this past week. Normally this time of year, our calls for service increase due to increased traffic, colder weather and sometimes as a result of extended visits by the in-laws. All kidding aside, Christmas is unfortunately the season where our Impaired Driving statistics increase and we've been trying to curb that through this article, education and visibility by being out there as often as we can. I am very pleased that we did not apprehend a single Impaired Driver this past week. Keep up the great work Minnedosa!

Although Impaired Driving is one of our priorities over the Season, we got an additional "surprise" when we stopped a vehicle from Alberta the other evening. Now I would have to agree that our police vehicles are pretty "cool" when it comes to everything in it, but one of the best items is what's known as a radar detector detector. Nope...didn't repeat myself. It's a device that actually identifies when someone is using a radar detector and boy was it squawking and beeping that night when the 2006 Porsche Cayenne from Calgary went by.

The members approached the vehicle and aside from the dozen or more air fresheners, bad cologne and general weirdness of the 2 people inside, the smell of fresh marihuana literally radiated from the car. That in and of itself puts everyone police don't know under arrest and "assuming the position". Following the arrest, a search is conducted. Now it's not rocket science....when you smell dope, you expect to find dope but imagine our surprise when a shoe-box overflowing with Canadian currency was also located.

In all, $49,615.00 in cash was seized. Something tells me they weren't Christmas Shopping when in addition to the money, we located 4.5 pounds of marihuana, 1.5 ounces of hash and about $25,000 in steroids....liquid testosterone prohibited in Canada.

Our specialists with the Integrated Proceeds of Crime Section were also down for a visit thanks to these two and it appears the Porsche might be the Queen's property shortly....maybe Minnedosa will have a new "Police Car" for Christmas?

The 2 males from Alberta were remanded in custody with numerous charges under the Controlled Drugs & Substances Act.

Speaking of Court and recent drug charges, some local youth recently had their charges dismissed when they appeared in court and the Federal Crown Attorney was not present. For those of us that don't know, a special Federal Crown Attorney is responsible for handling all Federal charges like those under the Controlled Drugs & Substances Act. Sometimes there are hiccups in the system and through no fault of our own, it happened in Minnedosa. Although we could have re-laid these charges and sent them back to court yet again, the important thing is what these youth learned and take with them as a result of their experience. I sincerely hope that they use this opportunity to do things a little differently.

Our 2009 speeder of the week goes to 56 year old Ayana NEPHTELAM of the USA for traveling 126 Kph on Highway #16.

When I came in to write this article tonight, I couldn't help but notice the sudden increase in sugary "supplements" for my diet waiting on the counter. With these tasty morsels of pure excitement calling my name (and everything with the exception of my waistline thanks you) was a card. I mention this not because of the need to justify why I'm eating yet again tonight but for the sincere thoughts and feeling that went into it's presentation. For in this card was a message from the parents of a very special person. A special person who wound up "slipping" on the road of life and needed some support from police. A message that said thanks. Although not necessary, it was very nice to hear that our youth was doing alright. That's why we're here. We don't come to work every morning or night saying "who's kid can we pick on today" or "How many charges can I lay tonight". If you ask any RCMP officer why they wanted to become a Mountie and if they are honest with you, they'll tell you it was because they wanted to serve and "help people".

Although I think the world of our Officers and believe me, you won't find a better team anywhere, it is YOU the parents that deserve the thanks. For your unwavering understanding, support and dedication to providing a safe and secure environment for our youth all while working with your RCMP members when our kids sometimes trip and fall. For this and many other reasons, THANK YOU.

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season.