Staff
Although it will be a while before the 2015 municipal budget is passed, town council will vote tonight on a bylaw to institute an interim tax levy.
As in previous years, the interim levy is equal to about half of the total amount of taxes property owners paid in 2014.
Interim tax levies are a means to secure revenue to keep operating while council determines the final tax rates for 2015.
Implementing interim tax levies is a common practice each January, and is permissible under the Municipal Act.
If the bylaw is passed tonight (as expected), interim tax bills will be mailed out shortly.
Fifty percent of the levy will be due and payable by Feb. 27, with the balance due by March 31.
Council also will vote on a bylaw to authorize temporary borrowing in the amount of $4 million to meet 2015 expenditures (this is normal procedure until revenues are collected).
In related news, council will receive the preliminary operating and capital budgets for 2015 at tonight’s meeting.
Council is scheduled to start having its regular committee of the whole budget meetings every other Monday, with the first one being Jan. 19.
Tonight’s committee of the whole meeting will start at 5:30 p.m., but will be in-camera for an indefinite amount of time to discuss three items before being opened to the public.
The regular meeting of council will follow.
Other business on the agenda includes:
•a report re: a designated location request for an adult entertainment parlour in the 200 block of Scott Street;
•a report re: goose management;
•a report re: the Rainy River Future Development Corp. per capita request;
•a report re: the 2014 OPP annual auction proceeds;
•a report re: use of 2014 museum donation money;
•a report re: a records retention schedule;
•a report re: accessibility during 2014 municipal elections;
•a report re: the 2015 Ontario pre-budget consultation to be held Jan. 20 in Fort Frances;
•a report re: preliminary 2015 operating and capital budgets;
•a report re: corporate and family user fees;
•a report re: dog activity at Seven Oaks;
•a purchase card expense claim for Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig;
•a request for reconsideration of Minutes of Settlement for property located on Sixth Street West;
•a request from Linda Plumridge, chair of Safe Communities Rainy River District, for 2014-15 per capita funding;
•a request from Shayne Campbell, president and executive director of Settlers, Rails & Trails Museum, for a Town of Fort Frances flag;
•a request from Chris Ruby, Delivery Planning Officer, Canada Post Corp., re: the installation of a community mail box;
•a sponsorship request from Wendy Kabel, producer and volunteer with V-Day Fort Frances (TVM);
•a bylaw to amend By-law 06/06, as amended, to establish the retention periods for documents and records of the Town of Fort Frances;
•a bylaw to approve a licence agreement with Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. and ESRI Canada for access to online services;
•a request from the Rainy River Future Development Corp. for a letter of support for a telecommunications project; and
•a request from Elm Avenue resident Bob Dobransky to discuss a matter with council.
