Town counting pennies to fix Front Street

While councillors refused to pay the $1.7 million price tag originally attached to the job to rebuild Front Street last week, they said yes Monday to paying about $674,900 to reconstruct it this summer—hopefully in time to get it done for the grand opening of Phase II of the La Verendrye Parkway.
But that doesn’t mean the town will be accruing any debt to do so, as one of the conditions to council agreeing was that the Planning & Development, Operations & Facilities and Administration & Finance Executive Committees would immediately look at their finances and come up with the dough.
“The bottom line is there has to be no debenture and minimal draw of reserves,” said CAO Bill Naturkach.
This condition falls in line with the reasoning of some councillors, who refused to approve of reconstructing Front Street on several occasions late last year and this spring.
“I don’t think this council, or any future council, will have enough money in one year, to do this. We are not going to debenture,” said Coun. Deane Cunningham before voting in favour of the motion with the aforementioned added stipulation.
“”I have to agree with Deane. I think we’re going to have to find the money in the 2003 budget,” noted Coun. Roy Avis.
With three choices before them, council went with option two, a $674,900 job that will see the reconstruction of Victoria Avenue to Crowe Avenue, and patching from Crowe Avenue to Butler Avenue, and Butler Avenue to the Sorting Gap Marina.
With $205,000 available for repairs, the balance of $469,900 would come from the 2003 Planning and Development and capital projects reserves, in a report from Pat Hickerson, Manager of Operations & Facilities.
However, due to the aforementioned condition, this money now will be sought elsewhere within the 2003 budget, and likely will see cuts to other construction projects this year.
The other options included: reconstructing Crowe Avenue to Butler Avenue, and patching Victoria Avenue to Crow Avenue and Butler Avenue to the Sorting Gap Marina; and $50,000 worth of patching that would have a life between but three months and one year.
There has been some pressure on council to do something with Front Street as its been aiming to have the road repaired before the July 1 opening of Phase II of the La Verendrye Parkway.
On Monday, Mayor Glenn Witherspoon encouraged council to agree on some type of repairs to be done, as the Sorting Gap and La Verendrye Parkway is a “focal point in our community.”
This job will immediately go out to tender, and not automatically come in under a contract amendment with George Armstrong Co. Ltd. This was a second condition of the motion passed Monday evening.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•saw a presentation by Jillian Langtry and Riley Tibbs of Mrs. Jordbro’s Grade 3 class at St. Michael’s School. This was done in response to a request for local schools to participate in the town centennial celebration;
•heard a presentation by Steve Maki, chair of the Kiwanis skatepark committee. Maki made an appeal for interim bridge funding in the amount of $150,000 to be put towards the proposed skatepark, to which council agreed to refer the matter to the Administration and Finance Executive Committee on the condition Maki make available more information, such as a cost breakdown, as soon as possible;
•referred a request from the Northwest Catholic District School Board regarding the provision of handicapped parking on Frenette Avenue, just outside St. Michael’s School, to the Planning and Development Executive Committee for recommendation;
•authorized the purchase of a double door refrigerator from Russell Foods for $3,118 plus taxes and shipping as a non-budgeted capital expense for the auditorium at the Memorial Sports Centre;
•authorized the application for wage subsidy to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines under their summer jobs program;
•authorized firefighter Greg Allan to attend the fire investigation seminar in Thunder Bay on May 26-27;
•authorized the purchase of a new riding tractor from DeGagne Equipment, complete with trade-in as per quote of $6,089.25, taxes included; and
•authorized the purchase of an ad for $95 from the Wawatay Native Communications Group to recognize National Aboriginal Day.