Duane Hicks
The Downtown BIA is looking to restructure its organization to better utilize its dollars—and is asking town council if it can assist them.
In a letter council will receive from BIA chair Connie Cuthbertson at tonight’s regular meeting (delayed a day due to the Victoria Day holiday), Cuthbertson said the BIA is looking at ways to trim expenses by no longer having an office or co-ordinator, and free up money for larger projects, promotions, and beautification.
“Having said this, we still require a small space for our computer with Internet access, a desk, and file cabinet,” she wrote.
“We will also require the services of a secretary to pick up mail from the post office and distribute to the chairman, type up our monthly minutes/agenda and letters of proposal as needed.
“We are estimating approximately five hours per month for these services.
“We are asking at this time to see if the Town of Fort Frances can find a way to assist us with these requests and what expenses would be incurred,” Cuthbertson added.
“By working together to strengthen our community and our relationship with the Town of Fort Frances, we look forward to [helping] create a more vibrant and exciting BIA area,” she concluded.
In an interview Friday, Cuthbertson said the BIA board hasn’t made any decisions regarding the restructuring as it’s still in the process of gathering information, including asking the town for assistance, before deciding a direction.
“That’s kind of where we’re at right now. We have to wait and see,” she explained.
“We have a couple of letters out there, so we’re going to gather that information.”
Cuthbertson stressed the BIA has a limited budget.
“If we want to work on a larger project, we have to figure out a way to have more money,” she remarked.
“You run it like business—where can you trim, and where is it feasible to trim?
“Maybe not everything should be trimmed. We have to look at all of the angles.”
The public portion of tonight’s council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:05 p.m.
The committee of the whole will meet first in-camera starting at 5:30 p.m.
Other business at tonight’s meeting will include:
•a FedNor contact amendment for the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre;
•janitorial tender results for the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre;
•a request from the Fort Frances Curling Club re: changing the date of tax arrears payments from July to September;
•a request from 1578289 Ontario Ltd. re: the old Fort Frances High School;
•a report re: the International Tug-of-War slated for June 4;
•verbal updates on local projects from Community Services manager George Bell and Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown;
•an application for funding to enter bridge data into the Municipal Data Works;
•a police services activity report by OPP detachment commander Insp. John Kendrick;
•a letter from D. Angus re: sewer issues at 606 Second St. W.;
•a request from Bev Melnychuk of the Rainycrest Family Council to proclaim June 12, 2010 as “Family Council Day” in Fort Frances;
•a bylaw to amend Zoning Bylaw 8/98-824 Victoria Ave.;
•a bylaw to amend Bylaw 22/99 (a bylaw to approve an agreement with CHUMS Financing Corp. and Local Authority Services Ltd. with respect to the One Investment Program);
•a bylaw to approve an amendment to a development agreement with Steve William Both, Charles Richard Morken, and Russell James Pollard re: development at 260 First St. E. (the old Fort Frances High School);
•a bylaw to regulate the erection of signs and other advertising devices within the Town of Fort Frances;
•a bylaw to continue the Town of Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service; and
•a bylaw to establish tax ratios for the prescribed property classes.
