Saturday, May 25, 2013
Times Web Design
Commercial Printing
Rainy River Record
FortFrances.com
Poll
Council opts not to top up reserves
Tuesday, 5 March 2013 - 2:04pm
A total of $1,188,640 of this is the amount the town must pay back to Resolute after the recent reassessment agreement regarding its mill property here.
Council agreed to shift $1 million of this year’s budget, which was to go to reserves, to be used to pay for this instead (the town currently has about $10 million in its reserves).
This leaves council currently looking at a deficit of $769,668, which equals a 7.7 percent operating levy increase (this levy increase is overall, and would be split up between various tax classes according to tax ratios).
However, council will continue to look at reducing this amount in order to soften the impact on taxpayers, with various members saying yesterday they felt an acceptable overall levy increase would fall between one and 3.5 percent.
Council started to talk of service cuts and increasing user fees, especially for non-residents, at yesterday’s meeting but no decisions were made.
But council is expected to delve further into the matter at its next budget meeting March 13.
Also at yesterday’s meeting, council met with Rainy River Future Development Corp. regional economic developer Geoff Gillon and board chair George Emes to discuss what the RRFDC does for the town.
Council said it would like to see RRFDC do more Fort Frances-specific projects.
For his part, Emes said the RRFDC would like to get more ideas from town council, as well as the community at large, as to what they want to see happen in the future.
He added it may be time to rely on local investors to get projects off the ground, as opposed to looking outside.
Also yesterday, council agreed to execute a funding agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The town will receive $25,731.89 to assist with the preparation of an asset management plan.
By Duane Hicks
The town won’t be putting money into reserves this year but instead will earmark funds towards paying off retroactive taxes owed to Resolute.
At the start of yesterday’s budget meeting, the town’s operating budget showed a deficit of $1,769,668.
Council agreed to shift $1 million of this year’s budget, which was to go to reserves, to be used to pay for this instead (the town currently has about $10 million in its reserves).
This leaves council currently looking at a deficit of $769,668, which equals a 7.7 percent operating levy increase (this levy increase is overall, and would be split up between various tax classes according to tax ratios).
However, council will continue to look at reducing this amount in order to soften the impact on taxpayers, with various members saying yesterday they felt an acceptable overall levy increase would fall between one and 3.5 percent.
Council started to talk of service cuts and increasing user fees, especially for non-residents, at yesterday’s meeting but no decisions were made.
But council is expected to delve further into the matter at its next budget meeting March 13.
Also at yesterday’s meeting, council met with Rainy River Future Development Corp. regional economic developer Geoff Gillon and board chair George Emes to discuss what the RRFDC does for the town.
Council said it would like to see RRFDC do more Fort Frances-specific projects.
For his part, Emes said the RRFDC would like to get more ideas from town council, as well as the community at large, as to what they want to see happen in the future.
He added it may be time to rely on local investors to get projects off the ground, as opposed to looking outside.
Also yesterday, council agreed to execute a funding agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The town will receive $25,731.89 to assist with the preparation of an asset management plan.
More stories
