Brandon restarts city plan engagement after raucous session prompted pause

A file image of the skyline in Brandon, Manitoba. (Source: Cody Carter/ CTV News Winnipeg)

The City of Brandon is restarting public engagement sessions on its 30-year plan nearly a month after a raucous event prompted the city to put the sessions on hold.

"I am hopeful that we can sit down and have a respectful discussion," Sonikile Tembo, the principal planner with the city, told CTV News. "There's been already a lot of successes, there's been good collaboration, and we hope that we can move forward that way."

In late March, the City of Brandon announced it was pausing its public engagement sessions after it said city staff were treated disrespectfully by some loud and boisterous residents.

One resident, Rick Macl, who attended the meeting, however, disagreed with the city. Macl previously told CTV News he attended the meeting to bring forward concerns with the plans, but said it became disorganized.

READ MORE: Brandon pauses public engagement on 30-year vision over 'inappropriate and unsafe behaviour'

"The engagement sessions were paused because there was a lot of misinformation that was being communicated that we heard about when we had these open houses," Tembo said, adding the city paused the sessions as they were no longer productive.

"We had to reassess what is the information that's coming to us, and how can we create the right type of platform where people can come and ask questions, and be heard, have answers."

This time round, the City of Brandon is making some changes.

It will be holding a moderated public meeting on Thursday, May 18, at Keystone Centre to review the facts of the city plan.

"Have the opportunity for people to ask questions, and we'll answer their questions, and we'll have a conversation," she said. "Really to be able to come and sit down and have a respectful conversation – that's what's important."

There will be other public engagement sessions as well, though residents are asked to sign up for topics they are interested in. Residents can fill out an online form for the engagement sessions, or call the city at 204-729-2523.

In addition, the city is also planning on sending out information by mail citywide with an explanation of the project and different ways residents can participate.

Residents who want to formally support or oppose the plan can do so during City Council's public hearing process.