Staff
Town council turned down a recommendation to increase the town’s mileage rate by two cents yesterday evening, deeming it’s not the right time given last week’s grim news about the local pulp and paper mill.
Council previously directed that the town’s travel policy be reviewed, and a review committee had recommended the policy be updated to increase mileage from $0.45 per km to $0.47 per km, as well as make some minor wording changes to the policy.
But council instead agreed to amend the policy to make the wording changes but not increase the mileage rate.
“I don’t think it’s prudent at this time that we entertain an increase in metrage,” said Coun. Ken Perry, adding he had no problem with the wording changes.
Council made the wording amendments when it passed a bylaw last night to amend By-Law 02/10 (remuneration and benefits for elected officials).
Meanwhile, a public meeting regarding the proposed re-zoning of the former Huffman School property on Williams Avenue into a residential subdivision was held in conjunction with last night’s council meeting.
Robert Schulz, representing Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.) and the Assisted Living Action Group (A.L.A.G.), and local resident Bob Armit asked council to delay making a decision on the re-zoning until the location for an assisted living facility in Rainy River District is determined.
Couns. Rick Wiedenhoeft and Ken Perry spoke in favour of the re-zoning, noting there is a demand for housing lots and that re-zoning the property in question from institutional to residential does not necessarily preclude the land from being used for assisted living purposes.
Coun. Wiedenhoeft also noted S.A.L.T. and A.L.A.G. have been invited to attend the Dec. 3 meeting of the Planning and Development executive committee to discuss potential building sites for a future assisted living facility.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•passed a bylaw to approve increases to certain user fees in the 2013 user fee schedule;
•authorized a refund of a fee for Minor Variance A11/2012 (940 Crowe Ave.) in the amount of $283.10;
•endorsed the Rainy River Future Development Corp. to investigate a potential purchase of the former tourism information building, and come up with a schedule of associated timelines and a business plan to provide tourism information; and
•referred the rescheduling/reformatting of the town’s annual appreciation dinner to the next meeting of the Administration and Finance executive committee.
