Higher health unit levy in offing

Things are not healthy in Rainy River District and they’re not getting any better, Alberton council learned last Wednesday.
Emo Reeve Russ Fortier, the district’s municipal rep on the Northwestern Health Unit’s board, briefed councillors on the health unit’s regular monthly meeting held May 19.
He said the general state of health and the capabilities of the health unit are far below average—and showing no indication of improving without a significant injection of funding.
“Of the 30-some-odd health units in Ontario, we’re the worst,” Reeve Fortier announced.
“We’re currently running at about 71 percent of our mandated service delivery,” he added, noting the provincial average is about 85 percent.
Reeve Fortier attributed the problem partly to the small population and vast area. He said there only are 140 people on staff to cover the entire district.
Furthermore, with the population still declining and getting older as a result of the continuing out-migration of young people, the situation shows no sign of improving.
As it is, Alberton’s health unit levy is $24,750 per year, Reeve Fortier noted, and he advised council to be prepared for higher levies down the road.
Reeve Fortier also addressed the issue of the ruling by the Health Services Appeal and Review Board against the health unit’s medical officer of health’s attempt to ban smoking in all workplaces in the district.
“[Dr. Pete] Sarsfield did not have the authority to do what he did and we recommended he not appeal it,” he remarked. “Let the province deal with it.”
Reeve Fortier also addressed the progress being made on the Emergency Response Plan for district communities. He said the plan is progressing well, since the various municipalities decided to co-operate with each other and come up with an integrated response.
The next speaker was Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board rep Cathe Hoszowski, who gave an overview of the status of the social housing administered by the DSSAB.
Hoszowski said the DSSAB currently is supervising 301 units since the province downloaded that responsibility to municipalities.
The problem, she noted, is no funding came with that responsibility and it is essential the district make every effort to maintain full occupancy in order to create the maximum income stream from those units.
Hoszowski stressed the significance of the interdependence of the various municipalities and how the cost of carrying vacant units ultimately is borne by all the municipalities.
“What happens in one end of the district can have an impact on the other end,” she explained, citing the example of a number of excess units in Atikokan.
“Everybody winds up paying for those vacant units,” she stressed.
The matter is further complicated by the shrinking tax base as a result of the out-migration of youth, and Hoszowski reminded Alberton council that any deficits that arise as a result of lost rental revenue are the responsibility of the municipalities since all federal and provincial funds are fixed.
Next, Roads Superintendent Larry George briefed Alberton council on the status of the municipality’s roads and maintenance.
George said he and his crew have been on the go constantly trying to keep up with repairs necessary since the winter and was concerned about his ability to meet his commitments in a timely fashion.
Council assured him they have been receiving good reports from the public on his work.
In a related matter, council awarded three maintenance contracts from a number of sealed bids submitted. George Armstrong Co. Ltd. was awarded the contract to supply road gravel for the municipality while Dennis Robinson Ltd. received the nod for the ditching contract.
General Chemical Ltd. will be providing calcium chloride dust suppressant.
In other business last Wednesday, Alberton council:
•passed a resolution to authorize the payment of $50,096.53 (accounts payable);
•passed a resolution to adopt 2003 tax rates;
•resolved to draft a letter of intent to make a contribution of $1,000-$2,000 toward the acquisition and operating costs of a new handi-van for the district;
•approved a resolution to authorize the publication of a congratulatory ad in the La Vallee centennial edition of the Fort Frances Times;
•passed a resolution to recognize Irene Hill-Haver as Alberton Citizen of the Year;
•authorized Couns. Mike Ford and Barb Cournoyer to attend the public information session on planning and reform in Thunder Bay on July 8; and
•endorsed a resolution to support the Municipality of Hastings Highland and the Township of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards in their opposition to certain provisions of Ontario Regulation 170/03 (the Clean Water Act).
The next regular meeting of Alberton council is slated Wednesday, July 14 at 7 p.m. in the municipal office.