Altona



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Without your help, Manitoba’s beautiful green spaces could be seriously damaged by tree infestations like the Emerald Ash Borer and Dutch Elm Disease.

By following these three simple steps, you can help keep Manitoba’s tree population healthy and our communities green:

1. Do not move firewood. If you’re camping, purchase your firewood on site and when you leave, do not take your firewood with you.

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These and other items were all discussed with Council and senior management at last year’s planning session

At this writing, we are about to embark on another planning session with Council and staff are busy putting the final touches on a number of administrative reports, all having to do with the effective administration and operation of your municipality. 

Preliminary items being considered for this year’s agenda include; economic development, land drainage, health care, police staffing, solid waste management, regional tourism and the next phase of lagoon expansion, to name but a few.  Council, along with senior management, will gather in early December to discuss these and other initiatives. Following these meetings, the parties will begin the process of building the financial plan or budget around these priorities.  

In 2010 staff produced an Orientation Handbook for elected officials, as a guide to assisting any new or returning members of Council to further their understanding of requisite municipal laws and provide some context on the affairs of the municipal organization. In that document, we indicated the high quality and value of services delivered in Altona come directly from Town employees. Employees provide a foundation of strength that is critical to preserving and enhancing the qualities that make Altona a special place to live. It is important that employees do their jobs well, with sensitivity to the needs and interests of you, the public, and with pride in their abilities. Your Town employees have had a busy and successful season and in closing, I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for their continued dedication and commitment. 

On behalf of Joyce and myself we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Russ Phillips

December 2010 Newsletter

Attention Contractors, Auctioneers, Piano Teachers

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Christmas Tree Pick Schedule

Wednesday,

January 12th,

2011

10th Annual Winter Festival

Join us for our 10th Annual Winter Festival on February 5th.  Prizes and fun for everyone!  Outdoor games, activities and Multi-cultural events to enjoy all day at the Buffalo Creek Nature Pond and at the Rhineland Pioneer Centre.

More information to come!

Town of Altona Christmas Hours:

Closing at 12:00 p.m.

on December 24th

Closed

December 27th & 28th

Closing at 12:00 p.m. on

December 31st

Closed

January 3rd, 2011

I heard a similar complaint when I was going door to door during the recent election campaign.

How can we do a better job?

I believe a step forward would be to hold ‘open meetings’ where we as a Council would take the time to listen to concerns or great ideas that you the citizens have to make the town a better place to live. This could be done in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce. This would be open to all generations where information and ideas could be discussed and shared.

We presently make the minutes of our Council meetings available online at the Town’s website. We are also looking at ways by which we can make our meeting agendas and other pertinent information available online.

But in the end we also have to realize that the receiver of this information has to be willing to make an effort to get and receive the information.

There is an old axiom that we’ve all heard at one time or another: “You can lead a horse to water but to force him to drink is another matter”.

On behalf of Margaret and myself,

have an enjoyable Christmas!

Mayor Melvin Klassen

Mayor’s Desk- Melvin Klassen

Happy holidays from our families to yours!

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Town of Altona

Altona Library

Regular Hours

Mon.: closed

Tues & Thurs: 10—8:30

Wed, Fri & Sat: 10—5:30

Holiday Hours

Dec. 24 & 31: 

Library closes at 3:00

Closed

Dec. 25, 26, & Jan. 1:

MILLENNIUM EXHIBITION CENTRE HOLIDAY HOURS

Friday, December 24 – Offices and arena closing at 12 noon

Saturday, December 25 – M.E.C. closed

Sunday, December 26 – M.E.C. closed

Monday, December 27 – Recreation offices closed, arena open regular hours

Tuesday, December 28 – Recreation offices closed, arena open regular hours

Wednesday, December 29 – M.E.C. & offices open regular hours

Thursday, December 30 – M.E.C. & offices open regular hours

Friday, December 31 – Offices & Arena closing at 12 noon,

Saturday, January 1 – M.E.C. closed

Monday, January 3 - Recreation offices closed, arena open regular hours

All changes to Public Skating will be posted on the website at

Protect our trees from diseases and pests by not storing or moving firewood

Altona Library

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Christmas around the world

Altona Library and South Central Immigrant Services invite everyone: Christmas Around the World at the Altona Library

Tues. Dec. 21, 7:00 pm.

Everyone welcome

Come & join us for

Christmas Coffee Breaks at the Altona Library

Dec. 7th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00

Dec. 24thfrom 10:00 a.m. – 2:30

Enjoy refreshments at the library as you stock up on holiday reading.

By the time you read this newsletter the Town’s 2010 fiscal year will be winding down. Looking back it has been a demanding, but productive year.  A number of projects which were identified at the Council planning workshop, held just one year ago, have been successfully completed. These include such programs and initiatives as; the improvements at the former Bueckert Motors and its subsequent sale to Keystone Kat, improvements to our Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and changes in the library accommodations. The Town of Altona was very fortunate to receive funding from senior levels of government during the course of 2010.  These funds permitted Altona to complete the hard-surfacing of 14th Avenue NE from Highway 30 to 2nd Street NW and also complete the new trail from the Spruce Ridge subdivision to the Millennium Exhibition Centre. Government assistance, along with corporate and private fundraising, also aided the completion of the first phase of the Altona Centennial Park’s new playground.

Other projects that were identified at last year’s planning session are currently underway, such as the changes being implemented with Canada Post to provide neighbourhood mail service.  The Altona Community Development Corporation recently approved the appointment of two firms to assist them in the “community branding” process.  It’s anticipated that through this project input will be sought from residents and local businesses as to what our town’s brand and image will be.  This is expected to be an engaging process.

Staff also completed a review of the community’s Zoning By-Law, and along with the Fees and Charges By-Law both were brought forward to Council for their adoption.

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Chief Administrative Officer Russ Phillips

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Fire Safety Tips

Attention Pet Owners

Holiday Shopping – Stow your purchases in the trunk – visible packages are an invitation to theft. Keep all receipts on your person.

If you are shopping at night make sure to park in a well lit area and have your keys ready when returning to your car.

After opening gifts at Christmas, break down cardboard boxes of expensive electronics and put them in plastic bags to hide the fact you have valuable items in your home.

If you are planning on some holiday “cheer” make sure to have a designated driver.

Altona Police Service wishes you a safe

and happy holiday season.

Attention Pet Owners

Please make sure to register your cat(s) and/or dog(s) at the Altona Town Administration Office. All cats and dogs must have a new licence every year. Please keep your pets on a leash and respect other people’s property by cleaning up after your pets.

Fire Safety Tips

Christmas Trees

▪ Regularly check your tree for fresh, green needles. Trees that have dried out over several weeks are easier to ignite. Remember to keep your tree watered at all times.

▪ Make sure your tree stand holds at least 1 gallon of water. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter. The average 6-foot tree has a 4-inch diameter trunk and can consume as much as 4 quarts or 1 gallon of water per day.

▪ Keep your tree at least 3 feet from fireplaces, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat.

▪ Don’t’ place the tree where it blocks an exit.

Please be advised that the Town of Altona has a Business Licence Bylaw. Under this by-law you must hold a current Town of Altona Business Licence in order to conduct business within the corporate limits of the Town of Altona. You may obtain such a business Licence by purchasing it at the Town of Altona Administration Office.

Candles

▪ Never use gel candles. They are contained in unapproved containers and are subject to cracking and starting fires.

▪ Keep candles away from decorations, curtains, bedding, paper, walls, furniture and other combustible materials.

▪ Place candles away from spots where they could be knocked over by a person or pet.

▪ Use sturdy, non-combustible candleholders that can collect dripping wax and won’t tip over.

▪ Extinguish a candle when 2 inches of wax or a half-inch of the candle is in a container. This prevents head damage to the surface and stops glass containers from breaking.

▪ Don’t leave children unattended in a room with lit candles.

▪ Always keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, out the reach of children.

▪ Never use lit candles to decorate Christmas trees.

▪ Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.

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Seasons Greetings &

Best Wishes to everyone from the

Altona/Rhineland

Fire Fighters!

New programs for 2011

Kids Rec Hockey ( ages 8-13 )

      Date: Mondays, Nov. 15th – March 21st (No rec hockey on January 24th or 31st)

      Time: 4:00 - 4:45

      Location : Altona Arena

      Cost : $80.00 or $6.00 drop in fee

      Instruction by Alec Klippenstein

Shin Pads, Elbow Pads, Neck Guard and Helmet with Full Cage are MANDATORY

Self Defense for Women

New!

  Ages:         12 & up

Date:          January 15th

Time:          1:30 – 4:30pm

Location:    Rhineland Pioneer Centre

Cost:          $25.00 per person

Instruction by Guy Vincent

Fire arms Safety Course

New!

Date:          January 15th

  Time:          8:00am – 4:00pm

Location:    MEC Craft Room

Cost:          $90.00 per person

Instruction by Dennis Wiebe

Senior Safety Awareness Program Presented by Altona Police Service

January 12th Driving Tips       

Coffee and Dainties included

January 19th Emergency Preparedness

Coffee and Dainties included

February 2nd Estate Planning

Soup & Dessert lunch to follow $6.50 per person

February 9th Fraud Prevention

Coffee and Dainties included

March 2nd Elder Abuse

Coffee and Dainties included

March 9th Drug Awareness

Soup & Dessert lunch to follow $6.50 per person

Location:          MEC Craft Room

Time:                10:30 - 11:30am

No Registration Necessary

Register online at



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Holiday Garbage Pick Reminder

There will be NO change in garbage pick schedule during the holidays.

This is a reminder to recycle your used oil, filters and oil containers. The Altona / Rhineland landfill facility is one of 76 licensed used oil collection facilities in Manitoba.

We have also been informed that sometime in 2011 we will also start collecting automotive anti-freeze.

For more information on the oil recycling program contact Bill Loewen at the Public Works Department at 324-6439.

2. If you heat your house with firewood, get your firewood from a local source.

3. Do not store elm firewood. All elm wood spreads Dutch elm disease by breeding elm bark beetles.

To learn more about how you can keep Manitoba green, please call the Manitoba Conservation Tree Line at 204-945-7866; all other areas 1-866-626-4862; or visit the province’s website at .mb.ca/conservation/forestry/forest-urban/

Altona Police Service

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Keep Manitoba Green

During the election campaign, we were reminded that Council failed to communicate with the general public, although we do attempt to communicate through many avenues. We have Council meetings which are open to the public every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month. All committee meetings are open to the public and if you want to make a presentation at these meetings you are welcome to do so. We include a newsletter with the Red River Valley Echo mail outs, four times yearly. Whenever we require a variance we advertise in the local newspaper. We also air a Mayor’s Report on the first Wednesday of every month.

After we as a Council have deliberated and discussed with our management team our proposed yearly budget we set aside a council meeting where we inform you of what our expenditures should be like in the coming year.

But even though we think we are doing a good job of communicating our plans for the town we are still being told that we need to do more. Those who interviewed our business people during our Business Retention and Expansion Survey heard a similar complaint. The complaint we heard was that the town councilors only came around to their businesses when they wanted their vote.

Snow Removal

By-Law

Reminder to Residents

Residents are reminded that the Town of Altona Public Works Crews will be removing snow throughout the Winter Season. We ask that you observe the following in order to have a safe and efficient season:

PARKING DURING SNOW REMOVAL:

Persons shall remove parked vehicles and refrain from parking on public streets and lanes during and after snowfall events which require the removal of accumulated snow.

No person shall deposit snow from private properties onto cleared public roads, streets and lanes. Persons found depositing snow on public roads, streets and lanes after the snow on the roadway has been removed will be charged the cost to remove such snow.

It should be noted that the Town of Altona has enacted by-laws which allow the towing of vehicles, etc (at the owners expense) if the above conditions are not complied with.

[pic] Senior Waffle Breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 16th and January 20th at the Rhineland Pioneer Centre starting at 9:00 a.m.

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