Council will vote whether to authorize a special levy and collection of taxes from Business Improvement Area members at Monday night’s regular meeting here.
During their budget process, the BIA board determined about $45,000 is required for BIA activity to continue this year, said BIA chair Ted DeBenetti.
“We’ve been trying to get by on a small budget that hasn’t increased in years,” he remarked. “I don’t believe it’s changed in 15-20 years.”
If approved, the bylaw will see the BIA’s roughly 50 members pay the levy—50 percent of which shall be due and payable July 31, with the balance due Aug. 30.
“We really need the money. We want to do more promotions, more advertising,” noted DeBenetti. “If you even try to get into the cross-border, TV, or radio advertising, it’s expensive.”
He added funds also are needed to maintain current projects like the benches and trash cans downtown, as well as the banners hanging from lamp posts and flower baskets.
“They’re all very nice to have, but it adds up,” said DeBenetti.
With the levy, shoppers also could expect to see more events like “Mall Day” and “Winter Wonderland.”
BIA taxes are paid to the town just like any other, and can be done in person, or through mail, pre-authorized payment, telebanking, or Internet services.
Fort Frances CAO Bill Naturkach noted while the BIA is an autonomous group, it still must go through the town in matters such as bylaws under the Municipal Act.
Other business at Monday night’s council meeting will include:
•a public hearing regarding a zoning bylaw amendment (amendment of this bylaw would allow Jim McKinnon to build a “fourplex dwelling” at 1127-1133 Scott St.);
•information regarding a FedNor agreement with respect to the “Re-Inventing Fort Frances” feasibility study;
•a report on disaster relief stemming from a meeting of district reps held June 20;
•a verbal discussion of the museum sites at Pither’s Point Park;
•a presentation by local resident Stanley Hoard regarding a petition for the replacement of a roadway off Elizabeth Street East, and a statement regarding waterfront launch fees;
•a non-budgeted capital purchase for the public library;
•a non-budgeted capital purchase for the Fort Frances Children’s Complex;
•a request for watering assistance from the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau;
•a schedule of summer hours for the Civic Centre;
•a bylaw to authorize the entering into of a lease agreement with Canadian Wilderness Outposts Ltd. at the Fort Frances Municipal Airport; and
•a bylaw to approve an agreement with CIBC to provide direct deposit of payroll.