Staff
Concerns about winter highway maintenance are liable to generate discussion at the 22nd-annual general meeting of the Rainy River District Municipal Association this Saturday in Barwick.
Many people have been complaining about the road conditions of Highway 11, and this is the first winter the maintenance has been handled by Transfield Services, which, as of last June, is responsible for provincial highway maintenance in the Rainy River and Kenora districts under an area maintenance contract.
“I am not saying it’s all their fault. It has been kind of a crazy winter,” conceded Rainy River Mayor and RRDMA president Deb Ewald.
“But I am sure, from different things I have heard, that that is going to be a hot topic,” she added.
Wayne Prystanski, manager of operations for the Ministry of Transportation (Northwest Region), will be on hand for Saturday’s meeting.
Other than that, Mayor Ewald said no topics stand out in advance of the meeting, which more than anything is a chance for the municipalities to catch up on new provincial regulations and the activities of various district boards and agencies.
Other business on the agenda includes:
•an update on NOMA activities by Atikokan Mayor Dennis Brown;
•presentations by local MP John Rafferty and local MPP Sarah Campbell;
•an activity update from Geoff Gillon of the Rainy River Future Development Corp.;
•a presentation on forest tenure by Jeff Wiume of the Ministry of Natural Resources;
•an update from Dr. Jim Arthurs and Mark Perrault of the Northwestern Health Unit;
•a presentation by Heather Nickerson, of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, regarding a feed-in tariff analysis;
•a presentation by Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing planner Scott Abick re: changes to the Planning Act (second units and garden suites);
•a presentation by Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig on a regional airport partnership;
•a presentation by Fort Frances CBO Rick Hallam and sustainability co-ordinator Travis Rob on contract services available;
•an update on the loss of a resident judge and other judicial issues by Barb Morgan of the Rainy River District Law Society;
•an update by CAO Dan McCormick of the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board;
•a report from Linda Plumridge of Safe Communities Rainy River District;
•an update on the physician recruitment and retention strategy by Allan Katz, CEO of Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc., and physician recruiter Todd Hamilton;
•a report from Tony Marinaro, chief business development officer of the Naicatchewenin Development Corp.;
•an update from Rainy River Coun. Gord Armstrong re: the local government network group; and
•a presentation by Bob and Erma Armit and Robert Schulz of the Assisted Living Action Group (A.L.A.G.)
