Traffic lights to be replaced by signage–Council also divvies up Moffat Funds

The town will go ahead and decommission traffic lights at the intersection of Mowat Avenue and Church Street in the near future.
Town council amended the Traffic Control Bylaw last night to get rid of the traffic lights and replace them with two yield signs along Mowat Avenue and two stop signs along Church Street.
While a pubic meeting was held prior to the vote to amend the bylaw, no one spoke either for or against the decommissioning.
As first reported last month, a traffic count conducted in May found traffic at that intersection had declined to such a point that the existing traffic control signals no longer were justifiable in accordance with Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s guidelines.
The town’s engineering department recommended the town remove them to improve traffic flow.
Also at last night’s council meeting, Mayor Roy Avis handed out a total of $54,000 in Moffat Foundation grant awards to 10 successful applicants.
This year’s recipients included:
•The Salvation Army ($11,100);
•Fort Frances Lions Club ($10,000);
•United Native Friendship Centre ($8,000);
•Fort Frances Aquanauts ($5,000);
•Fort Frances Museum ($4,400);
•Northwestern Health Unit ($4,000);
•Fort Frances Curling Club ($3,000);
•Fort Frances Highlanders ($3,000);
•Women’s Health Symposium 2008 ($3,000); and
•908 Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron ($2,500).
For the sixth-straight year, the town received money from the Moffat Family Fund to dispense to local groups and service clubs aimed at helping youths and families.
A total of 15 groups put in requests for a total of $95,753.05 in funding this year.
The selection committee consisted of deputy mayor Sharon Tibbs, Coun. Andrew Hallikas, Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig, Salvation Army Capt. Angel Sandoval, Linda Hamilton, and Marie Howells.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•received a presentation of the 2007 consolidated financial statements and management letter from Jon Evans of BDO Dunwoody;
•approved applications for tax adjustments at: 707 Scott St., 825 Colonization Rd. E., 657 Second St. E., and 533 Sixth St. W.;
•agreed to a request from the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau to proclaim Sept. 14 as “Terry Fox Day” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•referred a request form the Youth Action Alliance of Fort Frances to use the Sorting Gap Marina and Pither’s Point Park for International Youth Day (Aug. 12) events to the Community Services and Operations and Facilities executive committees for their recommendations;
•referred a request from Trevor Bowles regarding a potential property acquisition (a 10-foot parcel of land on Elizabeth St. East) to the Planning and Development executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a financial request from the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres regarding potential sponsorship options to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation; and
•agreed to a request from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada to proclaim Sept. 18 as “National Family Dinner Night” in the Town of Fort Frances.