Council eyeing 3.2% tax hike

With town council close to wrapping up its 2008 budget, it looks like residential property owners will be in for a 3.19 percent tax hike this year.
Council voted unanimously last night in favour of a tax scenario that will see residential tax rates jump 3.19 percent, or $57.16 per $100,000 of assessment.
Multi-residential will go up 3.496 percent (or $140.57 per $100,000 of assessment) while commercial will increase 1.071 percent (or $58.92 per $100,000 of assessment).
Industrial rates will go up 1.376 percent ($66.51 per $100,000 of assessment) while large industrial would go up 1.377 percent ($121.28 per $100,000 of assessment).
Pipeline will increase 2.422 percent ($144.17 per $100,000 of assessment).
The tax scenario covers the town’s operating budget shortfall of $178,710, as well as $810,000 in capital long-term debt to be paid back over a 10-year period (which, with principal and interest, amounts to $103,095 per year for 10 years).
These capital projects range from a new chiller for the ’52 Canadians Arena to a new pumper truck for the fire department.
The budget will be the subject of a public meeting in coming weeks, at which time council will vote on the bylaw to finalize it.
< *c>Library funding
The budget also includes a $100,000 capital contribution to the library building reserve fund, but does not otherwise include funding for the new library project within the 2008 budget year (a total of $250,000 is being taken from the reserves to pay for architect work and project manager fees).
Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon explained that at this stage, it does not seem likely any library construction will begin until early 2009 as library plans have not been finalized and the tender process has not yet begun.
As such, council can hold off on committing funds within this year’s budget and wait until they have a better idea as to how much the project eventually will end up costing.
As it stands now, it is not known how much the library, in its current design will cost, whether the library plans must be downsized to further reduce costs, or whether the library board will pursue a joint project with the public school board.
The $100,000 contribution to library reserves this year will help with whatever the town ends up putting towards the library next year.
In related news, council also voted to cap its contribution to a new library at $592,380 plus the value of a building permit.
This total includes $140,000 in reserves plus $452,000 council previously had committed towards a new library at the start of the 2008 budget discussions.
Several councillors noted it was important to come up with an amount as soon as possible to let the library board know how much the town would be willing to contribute, so it could move forward with its planning.
For example, the library board will be meeting with the school board tomorrow to further discuss a possible project done in conjunction with the new Robert Moore School.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•approved a break-open ticket licence application from the La Verendrye General Hospital Auxiliary at the Bonnie Blue from April 28-Oct. 28, 2008;
•referred a deeming application request from Tina and Jamie Roth regarding Lots 13 and 14, Plan SM60 to the municipal planner for processing;
•referred a financial request from Rainy River Vet Services Committee regarding a veteran assistant trust fund to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a financial donation request from the Rainy River District Regional Abattoir Committee for a regional abattoir to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•agreed to a request from Fire Chief Gerry Armstrong to proclaim May 4-10, 2008 as “Emergency Preparedness Week” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•agreed to a request from P. Love, Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer, to proclaim May 25-31, 2008 as “Energy Conservation Week” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•passed a bylaw to authorize entering into an agreement Leesa and Michael Schimid with respect to use of certain town lands;
•passed a bylaw to authorize the town’s participation in $191,885 in funding from the Minister of Transportation for road and bridge capital investment needs for 2008; and
•passed a bylaw to provide for certain temporary traffic control measures on municipal highways in construction zones in 2008 (these include restricting parking on the west side of Mowat Avenue from Second Street East to Scott Street, and erecting stop signs, facing both northbound and southbound traffic, at the intersection of Mowat and First Street East).