After four months of deliberating and a second round of voting, the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) finally has settled on an apportionment formula.
DSSAB members spent hours discussing the formula which determines how much each municipality will be levied by DSSAB, eventually choosing the second of three options.
“That’s the one that we wanted,” said Fort Frances Mayor Glenn Witherspoon. “Number one was the best formula for us but it was too incomprehensible.
“The second formula was the best formula for the district,” he noted.
For most of the district’s municipalities, the second formula was the compromise solution between saving a substantial amount and losing a substantial amount.
“We came up with formula #2 that’s a little more expensive than formula #1 for Atikokan but I think, under the circumstances, it was the best that we could do,” said Atikokan Mayor Dennis Brown.
Only Chapple will stand to pay $100,000 more than it would have under either formula #1 or #3.
“Well, what can I say, I guess you’ve got to take what the majority wants,” conceded Chapple rep Peter Van Heyst. “I guess we have to follow the guidelines that the government sets up to use.”
“I guess they’ll eventually look into it and find a more equitable way of doing it,” he added.
DSSAB reps had some difficulty with the voting process that requires a so-called double majority–meaning the majority of municipal councils representing the majority of the population.
But they’re confident the process be faster next year.
“We laid a lot of the groundwork and I think the ground rules are set and it will be a lot easier,” said Rainy River Mayor Gordon Armstrong.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
