City of Steinbach mayor Chris Goertzen, along with the mayors of Manitoba’s cities, met in Brandon on November 23 during the AMM Annual Convention to establish priorities for the coming year.
According to the Chair of the AMM Cities Caucus, Steinbach Mayor Chris Goertzen, having an organized group that works within the auspices of the AMM makes sense. “Cities share similar issues and collectively we can all benefit from an organized forum to share our specific concerns and find ways to lobby for the things our cities need,” Goertzen said.
Topics discussed by caucus members included the amount of PST municipalities pay each year, policing costs and services, mandatory accessibility plans currently being proposed by the Province, and the 2016 Provincial Election.
The final item on the agenda was to elect a new Chair for the Cities Caucus to replace Goertzen, who was appointed AMM President last July. Mayor Rick Chrest, City of Brandon stepped forward to fill the role for the coming year.
“I am really pleased to be taking the helm of the AMM Cities Caucus,” said Chrest. “Our unique roles in municipal government are tremendously strengthened through our collective involvement in the AMM, which is one of the only municipal associations in Canada that represents all municipalities,” he explained. At the same time, “we recognize there can be great benefit for communities that share common ground to join forces. That is what the Cities Caucus is about.”
Members of the AMM Clties Caucus include Brandon, Dauphin, Flin Flon, Morden, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, Thompson, Winkler and Winnipeg.
