Alberton Reeve John Milling is struggling to govern a municipality in an identity crisis.
“That’s all an area that I don’t really understand,” Reeve Milling admitted. “I get a sense from citizens who say that they absolutely don’t want to be a part of Fort Frances but, at the same time, there is no movement to preserve an identity.”
Sitting as a councillor during the previous three-year term, Milling had suggested government grants and budget surplus be spent to build a new community hall in Alberton.
The outcry was one of the largest the community has seen recently as residents filled the council chambers to oppose Milling’s proposal.
Yet just 254 residents (217 again and 37 in favour) turned to vote in a referendum on the community hall held in conjunction with the Nov. 13 election.
As for the election itself, Milling was the only person to file for reeve, winning by acclamation. And now he’s trying to figure out what Alberton residents want.
“Do I still think a hall would be a good idea? Well, not as strongly as I used to think,” Reeve Milling said.
The challenge of figuring out what people want has come to a head as council works on setting the township’s budget for 2001.
There is still a $95,000 grant available from the government for an infrastructure project–the money Reeve Milling would have used for the new hall. And the grant will be lost if it is not used by this September.
“The government’s trying to help us and we’re not even helping ourselves. I mean, we’re about to give up $95,000,” the reeve stressed.
Besides the grant, council also has more than $110,000 in budget surplus with no project to spend it on.
“Well people, what do you want us to do?” Reeve Milling asked. “We can’t manage in a bubble. If you don’t want a recreation budget, then we can shut it down.”
Alberton council also must decide what to do with the old community hall which, besides the school and municipal office, is the only real public infrastructure in the municipality. But it is in severe disrepair.
“You’re looking at that kind of money and you have citizens who are willing and capable to donate all kinds of stuff for a new hall . . . ” Milling began.
“We have to discuss what we are going to do to the old hall. Do we tear it down?” he asked.
What Alberton residents want isn’t likely to remain a moot issue for the reeve, or the community, as looming issues such as the proposed closure of Alberton School and a move by Fort Frances to annex a parcel of land begin to pick up momentum.
“We can’t afford not to identify ourselves specifically as a separate entity from Fort Frances. Otherwise we’re going to get run over. But if that’s what they want, they should let us know,” Reeve Milling said.
“I’m going to suggest we have a planning session with the Rainy River Future Development Corp. because I don’t know what the people want,” he added.