Griffin (cpd) - The RM of Griffin held its regular meeting on May 8. Council began with a 75-minute in-camera session where they discussed strategic planning, then met briefly with Cindy Giroux, a representative from Kramer Ltd.
Griffin (cpd) - The RM of Griffin held its regular meeting on May 8. Council began with a 75-minute in-camera session where they discussed strategic planning, then met briefly with Cindy Giroux, a representative from Kramer Ltd.
The municipality advertised to hire a new grader operator this spring, but didn't receive any responses from qualified applicants. Reeve Stacy Lund said, "We would have liked to have found an experienced grader operator." But, like neighboring RMs, Griffin is having trouble attracting staff. Council will not hire any more new staff, and passed a motion to train the new employee, Cody Knoblauch, as a grader operator.
Councillor Suzanne Stomp introduced a motion that council hold a ratepayers meeting sometime in the next year, prior to April 1, 2013. This motion passed; more information will be available later in the year.
There was much discussion of the state of roads in the municipality. Wet weather has been making spring roadwork difficult. Reeve Lund said, "If we can get a stretch of good weather, we all have roads in every division that need to be graded." There is also other spring work underway. Lund said, "We've still got culverts to dig in that never got put in last fall."
Lots are still selling in the Hamlet of Griffin. Council had a brief discussion about zoning, potentially specifying where commercial activity could take place in the future. The council decided not to pursue any zoning work at this time.
The RM has ordered enough dust control product for 32 yard sites located on busy roads. Ratepayers who want dust control for their yards will pay $300 for the service. Product will not be applied until later in the season.
Council had a preliminary discussion about the 2012/13 budget. Revenues are currently estimated at $2.48 million; expenses are tentatively estimated at $2.19 million. This estimate includes $850,000 for gravel, considerably more than the $750,000 budgeted in previous years.
So far, no large capital expenditures are planned for the coming year, and $100,000 is currently budgeted to build new roads.
"We'll spend more, if we dry right out this summer," Lund said. "If we can build more roads, we'll build more roads." These numbers aren't finalized; administrator Tawnya Moore hopes that next year's budget can be brought forward for a vote at council's next meeting.
