The local Business Improvement Association is making two requests to the Town of Fort Frances—one to do with getting a break on electrical charges and another with changing BIA board membership—which council will receive at its regular meeting tonight.
The first request is for an exemption from the monthly charges for electricity supplying the outlets located on the lampposts and trees in the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Scott Street which the BIA has been paying since January, 1996.
In a letter, BIA chair Russ Ling explained the BIA receives a monthly invoice from the Fort Frances Power Corp. for a scattered load of 675 kWh at the lampposts and trees located in the downtown core.
“The sole purpose of these outlets is to supply power to the Christmas rope lights and decorations for the downtown over the winter months,” noted Ling, adding the BIA purchased and supplied these decorations at a cost of $20,000 in 2006.
“The electrical expense totalled over $710 in 2006, with an 11-year total of approximately $7,810,” continued Ling. “It is an expense we feel shouldn’t be charged to a group only concerned with the betterment of the downtown.”
In its second request, the BIA’s board of management is asking the town to amend Bylaw 32-78 section 4, which would mean a change to its membership structure.
The amendment calls for the addition of the three appointed members—one from council, one from the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, and one from the Rainy River Future Development Corp.—to the BIA’s board.
These appointees would have the same voting rights as the other 10 members representing downtown area businesses.
Other business at tonight’s meeting will include:
- a defibrillator presentation by Dan McCormick, health services manager for the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board;
- executive committee reports from the chairpersons of the Administration and Finance, Community Service, and Planning and Development divisions;
- a break-open ticket licence application from the La Verendrye General Hospital Auxiliary at Bonnie Blue from June 26-Dec. 26, 2007;
- a bylaw to provide temporary relief from calendar parking on the 200 block of First Street East during road construction in 2007;
- a bylaw to approve a licence agreement with the Ministry of the Environment with respect to a reference climate weather station to be located at the municipal airport;
- a financial request from the Economic Development Advisory Committee regarding gas expenses for Willie Pruys and Bruce Caldwell;
- a request for a building permit from Heikki and Laverne Lampi (this is for property at 1244 First St. E.);
- a financial request from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship to help pay for security;
- a request from the FFCBC for the town to set up and take down the tent; and
- an advertising request from Child Find News magazine.
Tonight’s council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. It will be preceded by the committee of the whole, which is expected to be in-camera from 5:30-6:10 p.m.
