Weed Notes - Apr. 17
- Details
- Published on Friday, April 17, 2015
By Sid Lewis
Supervisor
I would like to clarify something I have been asked many times in the last week or so — no, I am not staying on as supervisor for Midwest Weed District.
Under the Noxious Weed Act, every municipality, town and weed control district has to send MAFRD the name of their supervisor or inspector by March 1 every year. In the Hamiota Municipality council minutes a little time ago, it was stated I was the supervisor for 2015. It should have read, Sid Lewis will be the supervisor from January 1 to April 30. An error was made somewhere.
At last week’s training seminar in Russell, another item showed its ugly head again. Manitoba Conservation, in its comedy of blunders, now states it is against the Cosmetic Spray Ban to spray cemeteries with conventional products we have used in the past! A policy maker for Conservation told us after further investigation, that since cemeteries are usually mowed more than two times a year, they fall under the Act. I raised my hand as I used to do in Grade 1, asking to speak. I said, “In the 36 years I have sprayed cemeteries with conventional products, I have never seen a child playing there.” The audience clapped and laughed BIG TIME!
Another supervisor said he didn’t imagine the people staying there were worried, which brought another round of applause and laughter.
For 26 years we have been at the Russell Inn for the spring seminar, and for all but two of those I have been part of the planning committee working with the Inn program planner in setting up agendas. Friday morning during one of our sessions, a knock came to the room door; the Inn program planner asked for a few minutes of our time.
“As Sid Lewis is retiring the end of the month, we at The Russell Inn wish to congratulate him and give him a few mementoes in appreciation for bringing the seminar to us for those years.” Wheeling in a wheelchair, she then asked me to come to the front and sit in the chair. I was given a gift certificate towards a night stay at The Inn and a bottle of champagne to share with my wife. But The Russell Inn wasn’t finished yet, a box of Depends were given as well! Emotions combined with shock so I had little to say at the time but a very humble thank-you. I thought at the end of this column I could give a HUGE bouquet of roses to The Russell Inn for being a five-star establishment!
If you have any questions for Midwest Weed District please phone 204-764-2128.
