Construction crews will begin base work preparation on roads in the Village of Chortitz in early June.

R.M. of Stanley Deputy Reeve Pete Froese, says the work is in advance of an approved pavement project in the village.

"There are 42 properties that are going to be getting a benefit out of this," says Froese. "They're each paying $5,000 for this service and they can finance that on their property taxes over ten years."

Roads to be paved include the unpaved portion of Chortitz Street South, Emerald Drive, Emerald Crescent, and Back Forty Road.

Meseyton Construction was awarded the asphalt paving work at a price of $260,000.

Froese says the work is expected to be completed this summer.

The R.M. is also continuing a number of programs for 2020. Froese says one of them is its agricultural shelterbelt program.

"Agricultural shelterbelts provide numerous benefits to the community and the R.M. would like to encourage appropriately located shelterbelts by providing up to $500 for a 1/2 mile of planting."

Over the years, Froese notes some farmers have removed existing shelterbelts, either because of the age of the shelterbelts, and some were removed with the intention of replacing them with a new, more strategically placed shelterbelt.

Froese says there has been some uptake on the program, but not as much as they expected there to be. He says it just may be a matter of people not being aware of the program.

The R.M. of Stanley is also promoting a gopher program (pocket gophers/moles) this year from May 1st to September 1st. "We're going to pay $1 a tail, all they need to do is contact council or the R.M. office...anyone under the age of 18 will be eligible for the bounty."

More info is available on the R.M. of Stanley's website or by calling the office.