Staff
With several local groups planning fundraisers next month, town council is expected to receive a couple of financial requests at tonight’s meeting.
The first is from the Sunset Country Métis for the “Heart of the Arts” benefit concert, auction, art exhibition, and market slated to be held Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Townshend Theatre here.
The Sunset Country Métis and Rainy River Arts Collective are teaming up for the event, which will celebrate the talent of local musicians, artists, dancers, actors/actresses, comedians, and writers who thrive in Rainy River District while raising money for both groups.
Sunset Country Métis president Clint Calder has written a letter to council requesting the mayor offer a brief speech to open the event, as well as to see if council would donate use of the Townshend Theatre for the rehearsal on Feb. 15 and the fundraiser itself Feb. 16.
Calder asked council to consider that the Fort Frances Toy Library’s program runs out of the Métis Hall on a weekly basis with no rent being charged.
This program also benefits from free use of one room for toy storage on an ongoing basis.
Council also will receive a financial request from the Fort Frances Community Chest regarding its annual dinner coming up Feb. 12 at La Place Rendez-Vous.
Organizers are asking the town to by tickets for the event, which raises money to help local families with medical emergencies.
Tickets cost $35 each or $300 for a table of 10, which are available now at La Place Rendez-Vous.
The public portion of tonight’s meeting is scheduled to start around 6:10 p.m.
Other items on the agenda include:
•the award of Phase II of tender No. 11-OF-09 for roadway reconstruction and watermain improvements;
•a report re: renewal of lease agreements at the airport facility;
•the drinking water systems monthly summary report for December, 2011;
•a report re: changes in council meeting dates in 2012;
•a verbal update from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown re: the water meter upgrade project;
•a report recommending the town apply to the Rainy River Future Development Corp. Local Initiatives Fund;
•a request from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, on behalf of “Step by Step,” to have a representative receive a torch during the eighth-annual Torch of Life Relay to promote online organ and tissue registry awareness, or alternately, write a letter of support;
•a bylaw to authorize the entering into of certain contracts with respect to the provision of janitorial services;
•a bylaw to authorize long-term capital financing of a project to install roof-mounted solar panels on certain municipal buildings;
•a bylaw to approve an agreement with Nortrax Canada Inc. for the purchase of a backhoe loader (tender No. 11-OF-14);
•a bylaw to approve the award of a contract for consulting services to Myron Edwards Consulting Services regarding replacement of part of the Civic Centre roof; and
•a request from C. Fisher, Canada Border Services Agency, re: the 100-year anniversary celebration of the traffic bridge between Fort Frances and International Falls.
