Town council denied a request from the local soup kitchen known as “David’s Deli,” located at the Joy of Life Fellowship Church, to be exempted from the use of “bag tags” just because it’s a not-for-profit organization.
But David’s Deli still might get a break of some sort, as the matter has been referred to the Administration and Finance executive committee as a request for a donation from the town.
The decision to deny the request to waive the “bag tags” came after a report from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown, in which he stated the town, from “purely a financial point of view,” can’t support the request.
The town only has collected $15,209 from “bag tag” revenues as of Sept. 10.
The town’s 2004 operating budget had projected revenues from “bag tags” at roughly $120,140, meaning there’s a projected shortfall of $89,000 for the year from a lack of sales.
Brown added other non-profit organizations also would likely make similar requests to waive the use of “bag tags” if this one went through.
He noted that when he worked in Marathon, the town did not make exceptions for churches, but did for areas such as a Lions Club park, which is used by the entire community and visitors.
Coun. Neil Kabel, speaking as a member of the Joy of Life Fellowship Church, said council should consider the soup kitchen’s financial situation.
“It runs on donations. Money donated goes to food, and they’re just scraping by now,” he noted. “Any money used for anything other than food takes food off plates.
“Do we have any authority to say to the contractor, ‘Pick it up without a ‘bag tag?’” added Coun. Kabel.
But Coun. Roy Avis said the town shouldn’t start to “move in that direction” when it comes to waiving who needs to use “bag tags,” though he added David’s Deli could apply for a donation from the town.
Council voted in favour of denying the request, but agreed to forward it to the Administration and Finance executive committee in the form of a request for a donation as opposed to a request to waive “bag tags.”
In response to another request, council agreed to a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to give $500 to the Fort Frances Recreation Advisory Committee for prizes in a contest for those who fill out a recreation survey.
This $500 will come out of council’s public relations account.
At the Sept. 12 council meeting, the recreation advisory committee had asked council for financial support—in the form of a prize—to encourage local residents to fill out a programs and facilities questionnaire survey.
As directed by council, the rec committee has developed a questionnaire survey to go out to every household in the community.
The survey focuses on programs and facilities currently available in the community, and asks householders to indicate whether or not they have participated in the activities or used the facilities in the past year.
The survey also will ask residents to recommend the development of other programs or facilities they feel would enhance the quality of life and health in Fort Frances.
The survey will begin later this fall.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
