Business licensing bylaw up for vote

Staff

The amended version of the town’s business licensing bylaw could take another step forward tonight.
The Planning and Development executive committee has recommended town council approve the amended business licensing bylaw and direct staff to prepare a final version for passage at council’s Nov. 14 meeting.
An open house regarding a draft of the amended bylaw was held Aug. 24, which was attended by about 30 members of the local business community.
Subsequent to that open house, the business licensing bylaw working group further discussed and researched areas such as WSIB, insurance, professionals, hairstylists, committee composition, and fundraising.
Bylaw enforcement officer Patrick Briere noted the wording regarding insurance, for example, has been further clarified since that open house.
He added other parts of the amended bylaw, such as
professionals requiring business licences, will remain as they are under the current bylaw.
The group then brought a revised draft bylaw to the Planning and Development executive committee several weeks ago, which sent it to council for approval at its Oct. 11 meeting.
Council then sent it back to the Planning and Development executive committee, which made “minor housekeeping wording changes” to the bylaw at its Oct. 17 meeting.
Town staff have been working on a review of the bylaw since last summer, with the intent being “to find efficiencies and make some positive changes to the overall process, as well as to ultimately make the bylaw better and easier for the public, business owners, and enforcement officers,” town clerk Lisa Slomke noted in a written report to council.
“Subsequent to that, a significant amount of research was undertaken to review how other municipalities in Ontario handle business licensing,” she added.
“Regular meetings were held with various staff as we gathered wording that would ultimately create a ‘made in Fort Frances’ business licensing bylaw.”
There are not any significant additions or deletions to the categories as they presently exist in the current business licensing bylaw, Slomke said.
“The majority of our time was spent sourcing clear, concise wording in order to provide clarity and consistency,” she explained.
The committee of the whole will meet first today at 5:30 p.m., but will go in-camera for an indefinite length of time to discuss two items, including a property matter and a sewage back-up incident.
Other business on the agenda includes:

•a verbal update on capital projects;
•a request re: encroachment agreement on Scott Street;
•a recommendation re: purchasing tickets for the Friends of the Museum’s annual gala Nov. 3;
•a recommendation re: an advertising request from Royal Canadian Legion Manitoba/NW Ontario Command;
•a recommendation re: CUPE Local 65 retirement dinner and dance;
•a recommendation re: a “Meals on Wheels” financial request for 2017;
•a recommendation re: 509 Victoria Ave. sewer back-up;
•a recommendation re: Parks and Cemeteries flowers;
•a recommendation re: a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for 2017 user fees;
•a recommendation re: a 2016 utility vehicle tender for fire department; and
•requests for assistance from the International Early Iron Car Club.