The Westman Recycling Council was started by a small group of avid recyclers with financial and volunteer help from the Kiwanis Club of Brandon, among others. Volunteers organized the first outdoor recycling depots in June and October 1989. The first event with recorded minutes was the first annual meeting, November 15, 1989.
The organization was incorporated in February 1990, and became a registered charity in 1995. The Mission Statement was: "to support and promote the reduction, re-use, and recycling of material resources for the benefit of Westman's environment and future generations."
The major partner in the work of the organization was the City of Brandon. In 2003, Westman Recycling, in partnership with the City, built a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at the Brandon Landfill; Westman Recycling owned the building on the City-owned land. It was a $4 million structure - financed by federal and provincial grants (about one-quarter of the total) and a mortgage (about three-quarters). Details are in the Board and other Committee minutes and agreements.
In late 2005, Westman Recycling faced a severe cash crunch - as a result of poor markets for recyclables, changes in support funding from the Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation (MPSC), and a drop in public recycling levels. In February 2006, the City decided to sign a contract with another organization to operate the MRF; after that there appeared to be no role for Westman Recycling.
A general meeting on September 22, 2008 voted to dissolve the organization. At that meeting, the suggestion was made (agreed to by consensus) that the files of the organization be donated to Brandon University to be made available for researchers. A Board of Directors meeting on the same date voted to donate all remaining funds to a perpetual "Westman Recycling" fund with the Brandon Area Community Foundation.
A final wind-up meeting was held on March 26, 2009
Custodial History
The organization was overseen by volunteers / volunteer Board of Directors. The files were first held by volunteers / Board members in their homes. In May 1991, the organization hired David McConkey as Coordinator / General Manager, who was directed by the Board to manage the files on a daily basis from that date forward.
The files were kept in the organization's rented office space in the 1300 block of Pacific Avenue from May 1991 to September 1992, and then in the rented space in the Massey building at 6th Street and Pacific Avenue. The files were kept at the new facility at the landfill from April 2003 to February 2006. They were then stored in the basement of the Marquis Project, 912 Rosser Avenue, until August 2011 when they were donated to the S.J. McKee Archives, Brandon University.
Some files (e.g. minutes from 1995-96) were found to be missing entirely. Other files were disposed of by recycling and/or shredding as they were judged to be confidential (e.g. personnel), of an ordinary business nature only (e.g. invoices), or not useful for future research (e.g. extra copies, routine correspondence, building and equipment plans and other arrangements).
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records that document the origin, activities, demise, and legacy of the Westman Recycling Council. Records include minutes, financial summaries, scrapbooks, newsletters, brochures, media clippings, photographs and miscellaneous documents related to the construction in collaboration with the City of Brandon of Brandon's principal recycling facility.
Notes
Administrative history courtesy David McConkey. See additional notes on the organization in the curatorial file. Description by Tom Mitchell.
File consists of lists of ethnocultural groups in Manitoba and contact information based on the Manitoba Multicultral Registry (1982) and updates through MIC.
Storage Location
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
MG 3 1.19 May Yoh
Boissevain Co-operative Elevator Association Limited Organizational papers: 1928 - 1961 Meeting re: By-law nos. 1-11, no date Certificate of Incorporation, 14 March 1928 Memorandum of Association, 14 March 1928 Meeting By-law nos. 1-7, 5 April 1928 Agreement between Boissevain CEA and MPE, 1 August 1931 Acceptance of share on allotment, 14 August 1931 By-law nos. 12 and 13, 14 August 1931 Shareholders meeting re: By-laws 12 and 13, 14 August 1931 Directors meeting re: By-laws 12 and 13, 14 August 1931 By-law no. 14, 7 November 1931 Directors' Resolution, 18 October 1961 Letter re: Draft by-laws of the New Co-operative Union of Manitoba, October 20, 1958 Resolutions re Financial Statements Elevator Associations Annual Meetings Resolution to be used by those Associations which have granted a bonus to Agent or other payments since the statements were drawn By-law 26 November 7, 1966 Minutes of Executive Board meetings, volume 1, 21 July 1928 - volume 5, 4 December 1969 Minutes of Shareholders Annual meetings, 1946 - 1964 (7 reports) Financial records and statistics Auditors report, July 31, 1955, July 31, 1958 Cost of Elevator and equipment, 29 January 1929 Analysis of Operating Results 1953 - 1960 Statement of surplus by years 1953 - 1955 General Expenses 1955 - 1956 Correspondence, 1929 - 1960 Membership list Membership list, March 1943 - 3 May 1946 Membership certificates, 1951 - 1957 Changes in Membership, 26 November 1956 Memberships of new members July 5, 1960 Miscellaneous, Membership Card to Co-operative Association Ltd. Newspaper clipping for advertisement for Boissevain Co-operative Seeds Department Letter to the Editor no date Various notes for minutes no dates Attendance of Directors at meetings 1953 - 1961 Directors Reports 1954 - 1967 (13 reports) Corporate Name: Rural Municipality of Morton; local Pool Committee mintues November 27, 1980 - June 6, 1991.
File consists of correspondence, financial information, lists of officers, minutes, and proposed composition and terms of reference for the Brandon University Fund (Aug. 27, 1968).
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 2: Board of Governors
2.4 Correspondence and subject files
Box 5
File consists of correspondence, a notice and financial records.
Notes
This file was marked confidential. As a result MacKay has cut out the names of the sender on all correspondence, and some of the names listed on the financial records.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
4.2 Office of the Vice-President (Administration &Finance)
Box 1
