Council asked to waive some fees at landfill

FORT FRANCES—Council will hear a a request from local business owner Glenn Witherspoon regarding the waiving of certain fees at the town’s landfill site during Monday night’s meeting.
In a letter to be received by council, Witherspoon noted he’s received an offer from Loblaws West to buy Witherspoon’s One-Stop, but it is contingent upon a clean environmental rating.
The cost of cleaning up the property is estimated at $100,000, including labour, equipment, gravel landfill charges, and engineering costs.
“I am hoping the town will consider waiving the $3 per tonne charge at the landfill site,” wrote Witherspoon. “And I note that it is estimated that there will be about 3,000-4,000 tonnes which could be used for cover at no cost to the town.”
He added Witherspoon’s One-Stop has been in business here for 50 years, and that this is an opportunity to promote the property and increase taxes collected—potentially by 10 times the current amount.
“When most businesses are sold, the sellers do not have to face clean-up costs, the size of which our business is facing at this time,” he remarked. “If council could consider waiving these dumping fees, it would greatly assist realizing the sale of our business.
“I know that I, as well as our town fathers, want our town to move ahead towards a financially stable future, and establishment of a valuable tax base for the property would go a long way in promoting such a future,” Witherspoon added.
Monday night’s council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. It will be preceded by the committee of he whole, which is slated to meet in-camera from 5:30-6 p.m.
Other business at the meeting will include:
•a bylaw to approve a contract with Ed Kaun and Sons Ltd. for construction of an addition and renovations at the Fort Frances Museum;
•a bylaw to authorize the entering into of certain lease agreements at the Fort Frances Municipal Airport;
•a bylaw to appoint BDO Dunwoody as auditor for the town for the fiscal year commencing Jan. 1, 2006 and ending Dec. 31, 2006;
•a bylaw to approve an agreement with the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board for child care services;
•a bylaw to amend Traffic Control Bylaw No. 10/03 (to remove the two east-west top signs at the corner of Third Street West and Lillie Avenue);
•a resolution passed July 10, 2006 from the Economic Development Advisory Committee re the University of Manitoba design studio;
•a request from Fort Frances Friends of Animals re animal control issues;
•a letter from Mark Fontana of Rainy Lake Sports and Tackle re town dock fee and maintenance issues; and
•a deeming application from Charles Turgeon re Lots 95-97 on Plan M-94-611 and 613 First St. E.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)