Community Listening, Accountability & Reporting Back

LISTEN. REPORT BACK. FOLLOW THE MONEY. BUILD SOLUTIONS.

Mynarski residents deserve a councillor who listens throughout the entire four-year term, not only during an election.

Residents should know how to contact their councillor, what happens after they raise an issue, which City department is responsible, what follow-up has occurred and when they can expect another update.

My goal is to create a different relationship between the councillor's office and the community.

The councillor's office should function as a neighbourhood accountability office. It should listen, document concerns, follow up with the appropriate City department or level of government, track progress and report back clearly.

The promise is not that every request will be approved or every problem will be fixed immediately.

The promise is that residents will not simply be ignored.

Residents are paying more. Residents expect better. Residents deserve better.

My governing framework is simple:

Listen.

Report Back.

Follow the Money.

Build Solutions.

Throughout door knocking, community meetings, online conversations and everyday discussions, residents have repeatedly raised concerns about how difficult it can be to get clear answers from government.

• People contact government and sometimes never hear back.
• Residents can be transferred between departments without understanding who is actually responsible.
• Residents have told me that 311 requests can be closed or delayed without enough explanation for them to understand what happened.
• People do not always know whether their councillor followed up on an issue they reported.
• Residents often hear about major City decisions after important choices have already been made.
• People want clearer information about where property taxes, utility charges, fees and other City revenues are going.
• Residents want councillors physically present in their neighbourhoods, not only visible at City Hall.
• People want more town halls, coffee meetings and informal opportunities to speak directly with their representative.
• Residents want answers about roads, transit, boarded properties, recreation, libraries, public safety, taxes, Water and Waste, snow clearing, parks, community centres and other local services.
• Residents understand that not every problem can be fixed immediately, but they expect communication, follow-up and an honest explanation when something cannot be done.

People are not asking for impossible guarantees.

They are asking to know what happened after they spoke up.

I will establish a Mynarski Community Listening and Reporting Back System built around consistent contact, documented follow-up and public accountability.

The system will not replace 311, City departments, Council procedures or formal public hearings. It will help my office track what residents are raising, identify recurring ward issues, follow up through the correct channels and report back on what happens next.

The approach will include:

• Regular neighbourhood listening sessions and community coffee meetings.
• Town halls on major ward and City issues.
• Door knocking and neighbourhood visits throughout the four-year term, not only during election periods.
• Visits to community centres, libraries, businesses, schools, seniors buildings, parks and neighbourhood organizations.
• Telephone, email and online access to the councillor's office.
• A practical internal system for recording resident concerns, responsible departments, follow-up dates and outstanding actions.
• Issue categories that allow recurring neighbourhood problems to be identified without exposing private resident information.
• Regular public Reporting Back updates.
• Quarterly ward accountability reporting where practical.
• An annual State of Mynarski or annual ward accountability report summarizing major issues, actions, spending, progress and unresolved concerns.
• Special public reports when major projects, emergencies or decisions require more detailed explanation.

I will start with a system that is practical and maintainable. I will not promise an expensive technology platform when a clear webpage, newsletter, spreadsheet or public report may do the job just as well.

• Maintain regular and clearly advertised ways for residents to contact my office.
• Hold community office hours, listening sessions, coffee meetings, town halls and neighbourhood visits throughout the term.
• Log concerns brought directly to my office and track follow-up dates.
• Help residents identify whether an issue belongs with 311, a City department, Council, the Province of Manitoba, the Government of Canada or another organization.
• Request updates from City administration on unresolved ward matters.
• Ask questions at Council and committee meetings and request reports where appropriate.
• Bring motions forward or support motions when Council action is required.
• Review publicly available budgets, audits, reports, project updates and voting records.
• Explain major votes and decisions affecting Mynarski.
• Track funding requests and partnerships involving other levels of government.
• Protect resident privacy while publicly reporting on broader issues and trends.
• Admit when an issue is outside my authority and explain who is responsible.
• Report publicly when progress is made, when something is delayed and when a request is rejected.

A councillor cannot personally direct every City employee, guarantee every 311 outcome or approve a project without Council and administrative processes.

A councillor can listen, investigate, ask questions, advocate, build support, follow up and keep residents informed.

• Clearer public explanations of who is responsible for City decisions and services.
• Better status information and follow-up for City service requests.
• Clear explanations when service requests are closed, delayed or redirected where operationally practical and legally permitted.
• Public service standards and performance reporting where useful and measurable.
• City information written in plain language that residents can understand without having to interpret technical reports.
• Earlier and more meaningful consultation before major neighbourhood changes are effectively finalized.
• Continued public access to agendas, minutes, Council and committee votes, reports and decision-making records.
• More accessible budget information showing operating costs, capital investments, major project changes and funding sources.
• Better reporting on cost overruns, delays and changes to major City projects.
• Clear information showing provincial and federal contributions to City projects where applicable.
• Governance reforms that strengthen transparency, Council accountability and the meaningful role of all elected councillors.
• Regular evaluation of whether City programs and spending are producing measurable results.

Most of this priority concerns City government and the way a councillor communicates with residents. Manitoba has a narrower but important role.

• Transparent reporting when provincial funding is requested for Winnipeg projects and when funding is approved, delayed or denied.
• Clear coordination when issues raised by residents fall under provincial responsibilities such as healthcare, justice, Manitoba Housing, education or provincial infrastructure.
• Provincial cooperation when City governance changes require amendments to The City of Winnipeg Charter or other provincial legislation.
• Accessible public information about provincial programs and decisions that directly affect Mynarski residents.

When the Province is responsible, I will say so clearly and advocate on behalf of residents rather than pretending City Hall controls the decision.

The Government of Canada has an even more limited direct role in day-to-day City service delivery, but federal funding and policy can affect major Winnipeg projects and community programs.

• Clear reporting on federal funding requested, approved, delayed or denied for major Winnipeg and Mynarski projects.
• Transparent information about federal contributions to infrastructure, housing, transit, community facilities and other shared initiatives.
• Better coordination when resident concerns involve federal departments, programs or responsibilities.
• Accessible public information about federal funding agreements that affect City projects where disclosure is permitted.

I will not blame another level of government for a City responsibility, and I will not claim credit for decisions I do not control.

Residents should be able to see what major issues are being worked on without exposing anyone's private information.

I will investigate a public-facing Mynarski Issue Tracker or regular public issue report that could organize major ward concerns into categories such as:

• Roads and potholes.
• Sidewalks and accessibility.
• Transit.
• Boarded and vacant properties.
• Housing concerns.
• Recreation.
• Libraries and community centres.
• Water and Waste.
• Snow clearing.
• Drainage.
• Public safety concerns.
• Parks and playgrounds.
• City service requests.

Where appropriate and legally permitted, a public report could show:

• The issue identified.
• The date it was raised or added to the public tracker.
• The department or organization responsible.
• What action my office requested.
• The current status.
• Known funding requirements where public information is available.
• The next step.
• Whether the issue is resolved, ongoing, delayed or outside City jurisdiction.

Private names, addresses, medical information, personal complaints and other protected information would not be published.

I will not promise a sophisticated custom technology system unless research shows it is practical, secure and worth the cost. The goal is accountability, not expensive software.

Reporting Back is not a slogan to me. It is a standard for how the councillor's office should operate.

I want residents to know what I heard, what I did with the information and what happened next.

My reporting approach will include regular community updates, monthly or periodic issue summaries where useful, quarterly accountability reporting where practical, an annual State of Mynarski report and special reports when major issues arise.

Reporting Back should explain:

• What residents raised.
• What my office investigated.
• Who was contacted.
• What City administration said.
• What action was requested.
• What Council or a committee decided.
• What funding was approved or denied.
• Why something is delayed when that information is available.
• What still needs to happen.
• When residents should expect another update.

Not every update will contain good news.

Sometimes the answer will be that a project is too expensive, the City does not have jurisdiction, another level of government declined funding or Council voted against the proposal.

Residents still deserve to know.

Follow the Money means examining public budgets, audits, reports, contracts, funding decisions and measurable results.

It does not mean accusing people of corruption or wrongdoing without evidence.

Residents deserve understandable information about:

• Where City money is going.
• How much major projects are expected to cost.
• How actual costs compare with approved budgets where public data is available.
• The difference between operating spending and capital investment.
• Which services are growing, changing or being reduced.
• Major investments affecting Mynarski and the North End.
• Provincial and federal funding involved in City projects.
• Projects approved, delayed, changed or cancelled.
• Publicly reported cost overruns and the explanations provided for them.
• Whether programs and investments are producing the results residents were told to expect.

I will ask where the money came from, where it went, what residents received for it and what evidence shows the investment worked.

Accessibility means more than answering email from City Hall.

Residents should have reasonable opportunities to speak directly with their councillor in the communities they live in.

I will work to provide:

• Regular community office hours.
• Rotating neighbourhood office hours at community locations where practical and permitted.
• Telephone and email access.
• Town halls and public meetings.
• Door knocking and neighbourhood visits between elections.
• Meetings with seniors and residents who face transportation or mobility barriers where practical.
• Regular meetings with community organizations, businesses and service providers.
• Attendance at neighbourhood events and community activities whenever my schedule reasonably allows.
• Clear office response expectations and follow-up standards.
• A clear explanation when an issue must be handled by City administration rather than by the councillor personally.

I will not promise to be personally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

I will promise to build an office culture where residents know how to reach us and where messages, issues and follow-ups are taken seriously.

I will explore creating a Mynarski Community Advisory Network as a practical way to hear from different parts of the ward throughout the term.

This would not be another expensive bureaucracy and it would not replace public consultation.

The network could include residents and representatives connected to:

• Youth.
• Seniors.
• Families.
• People with disabilities.
• Indigenous community voices.
• Newcomers.
• Community centres.
• Libraries.
• Local businesses.
• Housing organizations.
• Recreation organizations.
• Transit riders.
• Neighbourhood groups.
• Community and nonprofit organizations.

The purpose would be to identify emerging issues, test ideas, review progress and improve communication.

Participation should be open, transparent and refreshed over time. It must not become a closed group of political insiders or campaign supporters controlling access to the councillor.

Different issues require different voices at the table.

I will use focused roundtables where they can help residents with direct experience contribute before major positions or motions are finalized.

Potential roundtables could focus on:

• Public safety.
• Addiction, mental health and recovery.
• Housing and neighbourhood revitalization.
• Transit and accessibility.
• Families and recreation.
• Seniors.
• Youth.
• Small businesses.
• Accessibility.
• Budget, taxes and affordability.

Roundtables will not replace broader public consultation. They will give people with direct experience another way to contribute practical information.

Residents should not have to watch hours of Council and committee meetings to understand what their representative did.

For major decisions affecting Mynarski, I will work to:

• Explain the proposal in plain language before a vote where timing allows.
• Provide links or directions to the official City report and public meeting information.
• Summarize major costs and funding sources using available public information.
• Explain the potential effect on Mynarski.
• Seek resident feedback before important decisions where practical.
• Explain how I voted and why.
• Report the final Council or committee decision.
• Explain what happens next.

Some decisions move quickly, involve confidential legal or personnel matters, or have statutory timelines. I will respect those legal requirements while communicating as much as I responsibly can.

City Hall can be difficult to understand if you do not work inside it.

Residents deserve clear explanations of how decisions move through Council, standing committees, community committees and the Executive Policy Committee.

I will support:

• Plain-language explanations of which body has decision-making authority.
• Easy access to major reports, agendas, minutes and voting information.
• Public explanation of significant votes affecting Mynarski.
• Disclosure of meetings and interests where required by law, policy or ethical rules.
• Clear separation between verified facts, my advocacy and my personal opinion.
• Open government and accessible public records.
• Continued publication of Council and committee decision records and voting data.
• Practical improvements that make City information easier for residents to find and understand.

I have concerns about how much influence can be concentrated within Winnipeg's Executive Policy Committee structure.

This issue must be approached honestly and within the law.

The City of Winnipeg Charter requires an Executive Policy Committee. The Mayor chairs it, and its membership includes standing committee chairs and any additional councillors appointed by the Mayor, with total membership limited by the Charter. Council's governance by-law also delegates responsibilities within the City's committee structure.

That means one councillor cannot simply abolish EPC.

I will advocate for a serious governance review examining how Winnipeg can:

• Give all elected councillors a meaningful role in major City decisions.
• Improve transparency around how recommendations are developed and advanced.
• Review delegations and procedures that Council has authority to change.
• Reduce unnecessary concentration of decision-making where Council can lawfully do so.
• Improve public understanding of EPC, standing committees and Council.
• Strengthen accountability to individual wards while maintaining effective city-wide government.

Where reforms can be made by Council through its own by-laws, procedures or delegations, I will advocate for Council to consider them.

Where a proposed structural change would conflict with The City of Winnipeg Charter, it would require provincial legislative change, and I would advocate with Manitoba rather than pretending Council can do it alone.

311 is an important City service and already provides reference numbers and estimated completion timeframes for service requests. The City's MyAccount system also allows residents to track certain requests online.

The opportunity is to make the experience clearer when an issue is delayed, closed, redirected or repeatedly unresolved.

I will advocate for reviewing options such as:

• Clearer status information.
• Better explanations when requests are closed or redirected where operationally possible.
• Clear identification of the responsible service area where appropriate.
• Estimated timelines where reliable estimates can be provided.
• Practical escalation paths for repeated unresolved issues.
• Tools that help councillor offices identify recurring ward-wide service problems without exposing private resident information.
• Public reporting on common service-request categories and performance where useful and feasible.

I will not promise that my office can personally control 311 operations or override City service standards.

I will use resident reports to identify patterns, ask questions and push for improvements when the same problems keep returning.

Residents should be consulted early enough for their input to matter.

That is especially important for:

• Major road and infrastructure projects.
• Transit changes.
• Community-centre and library changes.
• Recreation projects.
• Park redevelopment.
• Major housing initiatives.
• Significant zoning and land-use matters.
• Neighbourhood infrastructure changes.

Meaningful consultation does not mean every resident will agree.

It also does not mean every decision requires a referendum.

It means residents should receive understandable information, reasonable notice where possible and a genuine opportunity to provide input before important decisions are effectively complete.

Accountability must apply to the councillor too.

If I ask City departments and other governments to report their results, residents should also be able to measure mine.

I will publicly report, where practical, on:

• Community meetings and listening sessions held.
• Neighbourhood visits and door-knocking activity.
• Resident concerns received and tracked in aggregate.
• Issues resolved and issues still outstanding.
• Reports requested.
• Motions introduced or supported.
• Major Council votes and my position on them.
• Funding requests made.
• Funding secured where my office participated in the advocacy, without claiming sole credit.
• Community organizations consulted.
• Major projects advanced.
• Platform commitments completed, underway, delayed or not achieved.

If a commitment is delayed or cannot be completed, I will explain why.

If I make a mistake, I will acknowledge it and explain what I will do differently.

Some outcomes can be reported directly by my office. Others require City data or are influenced by many factors outside one councillor's control. I will distinguish between them honestly.

Measures my office can directly report:

• Resident meetings, town halls, coffee meetings and roundtables held.
• Neighbourhood visits conducted.
• Resident concerns logged and followed up.
• Follow-up updates completed.
• Public reports and newsletters issued.
• Average office response times where reliable measurement is practical.
• Community organizations consulted.
• Reports requested from City administration.
• Motions introduced or supported.
• Budget questions and funding requests raised.
• Major Council votes publicly explained.
• Platform commitments reported as completed, underway, delayed or not achieved.

Measures requiring City data:

• 311 response and service-request completion information.
• Road, sidewalk, snow-clearing and drainage service performance.
• Transit service information.
• Capital spending and infrastructure investment.
• Recreation, library and community-facility investment.
• Water and Waste spending and service information.
• Major project budgets, timelines and publicly reported cost changes.
• Program and service performance data relevant to Mynarski.

Broader indicators I will monitor without claiming direct control:

• Resident satisfaction with communication from the councillor's office.
• Confidence that neighbourhood concerns receive follow-up.
• Resident understanding of major City decisions.
• Participation in community meetings and consultations.
• Trust and confidence in City Hall where reliable measures are available.
• Perception that residents are being heard.
• Neighbourhood participation and civic engagement.

I will report on these indicators without pretending that one councillor alone controls public trust or City-wide performance.

I am a father, a homeowner and a North End resident.

As a Registered Nurse with 20 plus years of experience, I learned that documentation, follow-up and accountability matter. You do not simply identify a problem and walk away. You document what happened, take action within your role, follow up and communicate what comes next.

As the founder of Mr. Bones Pizza, I built a business that grew to employ approximately 120 people. Business taught me that results have to be measured and that people deserve answers when something is not working.

As a Realtor, I know how important clear communication and follow-through are when people are making decisions that affect their homes and their futures.

Community life has taught me something just as important: people want representatives who show up.

I will not promise that I can fix everything.

I will promise to listen, investigate, ask the hard questions, follow the money, build practical solutions and tell residents exactly what is happening.

Accountability should not end when the election is over.

Listen.

Report Back.

Follow the Money.

Build Solutions.

If elected:

• I will tell residents what I am working on.
• I will tell residents what major projects and proposals cost using available public information.
• I will tell residents when progress is being made.
• I will tell residents when something is delayed.
• I will explain when City administration is responsible for the next step.
• I will explain when Manitoba or Canada is responsible.
• I will tell residents when Council rejects something I support.
• I will explain my vote on major issues affecting Mynarski.
• I will tell residents when funding is approved, denied or still pending.
• I will report on commitments that are completed, underway, delayed or not achieved.
• I will tell residents when I make a mistake.

I will not disappear after election day.

Residents deserve answers.

Residents deserve accountability.

Residents deserve a councillor who reports back.

Let's Make Change Together.