Emo council gets update on repairs

Public Works superintendent Dan Wilson gave Emo council an oral report on the progress of road repairs in the municipality at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
All necessary work will be completed soon, including preparing the dump for the winter months, said Wilson.
Wilspon also briefed the Council on the condition of the water leak in front of the hospital, indicating that they would be working on it over the next few days and that it would probably mean replacing a section of pipe and possibly adding a valve.
Wilson also added that they would have to issue a boiled water advisory due to the fact that they would be cutting into the system.
In other news, Peter VanHeyst made a presentation to the council concerning property that he owns at the corner of Front and Robert Street,
His plan is to construct two residences on the site. One would be a semi-detached unit, while the other would be a single residence.
Van Heyst informed the council that he would be applying for a minor variance because of the size and location of each unit.
He asked council to consider replacing the sewer pipes that lead up to the edge of the property due to their age and also wondered if it would be possible to add a sidewalk along Robert Street.
Council agreed to discuss the sewer pipe issue but cautioned Mr. Van Heyst that the sidewalk would have to be reconsidered some time in the future.
Council then considered and passed several resolutions that were on the agenda. These included:
•Solar lights will be purchased and installed on the sign at each entrance to the town;
•A part-time water and sewer operator will be hired in conjunction with AKN (Anishinaabeg Kakenwaydemiwatch Nepi) and will work on weekends and also cover holidays;
•T-Bay Tel will be installing a new tower at the corner of Byng and Adelaide. The tower will service the hospital and Northwestern Health Unit, but also supply the town with high-speed Internet and digital cellphone service;
•In consultation with DDSSAB, the town will increase the rental fee for the basement of the Emo Library by $800 per year;
•Clerk Brenda Cooke will be attending the fall meetings of AMCTO (Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario), which will take place in Thunder Bay on Sept. 16-17, followed by a NOMA (Northern Ontario Municipal Association) conference on Sept. 18-19. She will also be attending meetings on Sept. 23-24 and then again on Oct. 7-8;
•Cooke, along with Jack Siemens, the arena manager, will be attending the Municipal Energy and Management Workshop, which will take place in Dryden on Sept. 10-11;
•Council will make an application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for a low interest loan/grant from the Green Municipal Fund;
•Koochiching County sent Emo council a questionnaire in conjunction with their Renewable Energy Clean Air Project (RECAP). Council agreed to fill in the questionnaire but decided that they are not interested in a long-term agreement with the county at this time;
•Council agreed to meet their financial obligations (levy) with respect to Rainycrest Home for the Aged;
•The clerk and council will be attending the Community Palliative Care luncheon and open house for the End-of-Life Care Program, which is scheduled on Friday, Sept. 12 at the Emo United Church; and
•The clerk and council will be attending an Emergency Management Ontario training and exercise session, which is scheduled on November 20, 2008 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. upstairs at the Emo-La Vallee Community Centre. Woody Linton, from Sioux Narrows will be leading the training session which will focus on Emergency Communication systems.
Before retiring to consider in-camera issues, Emo council passed one further resolution. From now on, the head of the council will be referred to as “Mayor.” Congratulations to Mayor Ed Carlson.
The next regular council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in the council meeting room. Reminders will be posted around town.