Clinic seeking tax relief

The Fort Frances Community Clinic is looking to town council for tax relief at the old library building (363 Church St.) because it cannot continue to maintain it at a loss.
In a letter from Marlis Bruyere, executive director for the Fort Frances Community Clinic, she explained the clinic has not been able to start renovations due to a reduction in rent after Dr. Cynthia Saliba left and Dr. Elaine Spencer retired.

“We are maintaining the building but have incurred some huge maintenance costs because the building has been closed for so long and the heat system was not working,” Bruyere wrote.
“Since we have not yet occupied the building, we are asking that we not be taxed for the building,” she added.
“We understand the need for taxes in our community but we cannot continue to maintain the library at a loss,” Bruyere stressed.
“We would be glad to meet with you to discuss some of these issues at your convenience.”
Council will receive the letter at its regular meeting tomorrow evening, which was rescheduled from Monday due to a lack of a quorum.
The public portion of the meeting is set to begin at 6:35 p.m.
Other business on the agenda includes:
•the awarding of Tender No. 13-OF-01 (a three-year contract for the cleaning and CCTV inspection of sanitary sewer collection system piping);
•a report re: execution of a corporate-wide Master Mobility Service Agreement (MMSA) with Tbaytel;
•an amendment to the Continuous Safety Services Agreement (CSSA) with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA);
•a draft of the town’s letter in response to Transport Canada re: the Fort Frances Airport and the proposed landfill site at Couchiching First Nation;
•a report re: telecommunications audit by Telecom Enterprises;
•a report re: the FFHS “chem-free” grad prize donation request;
•Minutes of Settlement re: 1721 King’s Highway (2012);
•a report re: 2012 capital financing;
•a report re: new nominal fee for the transfer of a business license;
•travel and per diem claims for Mayor Roy Avis and Couns. Ken Perry and Rick Wiedenhoeft (for attendance at the OGRA/ROMA conference in Toronto last month);
•a public hearing to applications for tax adjustment re: 410 Crowe Ave. (2012) and CNR-leased vacant property (2010, 2011, and 2012).
•a reminder from Coun. Wiedenhoeft re: pet feces;
•a flag-raising request from Autism Ontario re: World Autism Awareness Day on April 2;
•a financial request from the Rainy River District Music Festival Association re: the 73rd Festival of the Performing Arts in April;
•a request from Leroy Carpenter re: sale of property legally described as PT HB RES PCL 8372;
•a request from Rosanna DeGagne-Tweedie re: 810 Cornwall Ave. and 352 Church St.
•a request from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association re: a letter of support to Premier Kathleen Wynne over stakeholder opposition to proposed Endangered Species Act transition measures;
•a request from A. Bedard re: a presentation of the Fort Frances Seniors Advisory Committee report on Huffman School (item to be reconsidered);
•a bylaw to approve certain agreements and Minutes of Settlement with Bowater Canadian Forest Products Inc. (now known as Resolute FP Canada Inc.) and the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC); and
•a bylaw to approve a funding agreement with the minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for Ontario.