Brandon Minute: Bus Fleet, Washroom Purchase, and Poverty Committee Dissolved

Brandon Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Brandon politics

This Week In Brandon:

• There will be a Special Council Meeting on Wednesday at 6:00 pm. Council will receive a presentation from the Engineering Department regarding development charges rates.
  
  
• Starting today, transit routes will be adjusted due to challenges with the aging bus fleet. Out of 17 active buses, 11 are from 2010 and frequently require maintenance, leading to reduced service on routes 5, 14, and 8. Council has approved using up to $3.5 million from the 2024 capital plan to refurbish or purchase used buses, as new buses would take up to four years to arrive. Refurbishment, costing $350,000 per bus and taking about 12 weeks, is seen as the best immediate solution. In the meantime, the City will use rental equipment and additional services to maintain transit coverage. The long-term transit plan will be discussed further at Council in October.
  
  
• City Council is revisiting the proposal to purchase a $300,000 vandal-proof washroom for Pacific Avenue, initially discussed in December. The City's current washrooms, particularly at Princess Park, suffer from frequent vandalism, prompting the consideration of a more durable solution. The vandal-proof washroom, made by Urben Blu, includes features like self-cleaning and supply monitoring, and could be installed for $300,000, including utility connections. Alternatives such as building a conventional washroom or purchasing additional vandal-proof units in future years were also considered.

Last Week In Brandon:

• The number of wildfire evacuees in Brandon has surged to around 1,000, up from about 200. The increase in evacuees includes those from Manto Sipi Cree Nation, St. Theresa Point First Nation, and Red Sucker Lake Anisininew Nation. Many evacuees have now returned to their homes, but the Red Cross continues to provide support to those displaced, including lodging and security. Local emergency services are working overtime due to the influx, and police have investigated various incidents at hotels housing evacuees. The Red Cross is addressing security concerns and working with local authorities to manage the situation effectively.
  
  
• The City has officially dissolved its Poverty Committee, transferring its responsibilities to the Community Wellness Collaborative. The change was approved unanimously by Council, and the former Committee's funds, amounting to $9,723, will be redirected to the Collaborative as a one-time grant. Councilors previously on the Poverty Committee will join the Collaborative until their terms end. The merger aims to create a more unified and holistic strategy for tackling community challenges.
  
  
• The City has hired a contractor to start paving work on several streets over the next month, including milling off old asphalt and applying new layers. The tentative schedule includes work on Park Avenue (16th Street to 10th Street) until August 29th, while some paving dates are still to be determined. Motorists can find updated information on road closures online.