30 farmers from the RM of Emerson-Franklin attended this weeks council meeting to voice their concerns with taxes, drainage planning, and road maintenance.

Delegation representative and area farmer Matthias Lehenbauer says some of his peers are paying 70-125 percent more in taxes. This is due to an increase in school taxes and the 2016 provincial reassessment on land values. Municipality CAO Tracey French notes recent high market sales impacted land assessments in the area, which affected local taxes.

While $250,000 has been added to the RM budget, an additional $500,000 in farmland taxes on drain lands has been imposed. Lehenbauer says the farmers want to "get a little more of a fair balance ... and to make sure that our voice is heard." He added, "if we are being told to be paying these taxes then we also want a few more services for those tax dollars, and I think that's just reasonable and fair."

The biggest issue in Emerson-Franklin is the need for additional drainage projects, notes Lehenbauer. "These timely rains seem to come more and more often so we need to get the water off the field so we can still produce a pretty big crop." He believes part of the problem is that the RM is not completing enough miles each year and the drains are not being maintained well enough. Issues with plugged drains and water backups "compound the problem," he says.

The farmers understand that a drainage plan is important, but when water sits too long "we can't get in there with our equipment." Sitting water means farmers are unable to do basic maintnance like mowing, so a better plan is needed, especially one "every farmer abides by."

CAO Tracey French says the municipality has had a drainage and road maintenance plan for approximately 8 years, but better communication is needed going forward "to make sure they (farmers) are recieving it and have an opportunity to review it prior to the financial plan." She adds that the delegation has been clear in their desire to see additional funding in the financial plan allocated towards drainage, and also want improved road maintenance.

The frustrated group of farmers began discussing the issues amongst themselves in October, before approaching the council, who agreed to discuss and review plans for the 2017 financial plan with delegation representatives. Multiple farmers have been added to the drainage committee going forward, and Lahenbauer believes "we can be a big help with the RM in deciding what drains are a priority and what needs to get done."

Lehenbauer says the group wants progress and "better for everybody" in the municipality.