Council to vote on sale of lot tonight

Town council will vote tonight on a bylaw to authorize the sale of property at 821 Sixth St. W. to Iron Range Bus Lines Inc.
Iron Range Bus Lines, which provides transportation requirements for schools boards in various parts of Northwestern Ontario, has a main office in Thunder Bay and locally has been operating out of 505 McIrvine Rd. (Peterbilt Fort Frances).
Iron Range will be using the property to maintain and park its fleet of school buses.
The company intends to hire a local contractor and individuals to upgrade the property, including:
•paving 20 percent of the lot;
•putting down new crushed gravel;
•adding outdoor electrical poles and receptacles for all vehicles;
•securing the property with a fence and gate;
•maintaining the interior and exterior of the building; and
•upgrading the existing building to accommodate offices and a training room.
Council had declared the property surplus back on June 11.
Following an unsuccessful tender process, the property was offered for direct sale on Aug. 13. Then on Oct. 22, council approved the recommendation of the municipal planner to accept an offer to purchase from Iron Range Bus Lines Inc.
Tonight’s meeting (which was delayed a day due to Remembrance Day observances) is scheduled to start at 6:30. It will be preceded by the committee of the whole at 4:30 p.m., which is expected to be in-camera until 6.
Other business at tonight’s council meeting will include:
•applications for tax adjustment at 321 Sixth St. W., 910 Smith Ave., and 821 Sixth St. W.;
•a break-open ticket application from La Verendrye General Hospital Auxiliary at Bonnie Blue from Nov. 15, 2007-May 15, 2008;
•a letter from the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce regarding road construction concerns at Central Avenue and the Portage Avenue underpass;
•a request from the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce to appoint a new representative from the Town of Fort Frances to sit on its board of directors;
•a request from the Economic Development Advisory Committee to have CN make a presentation to council regarding increased train traffic through the area and if there is potential for any business opportunities that could be fostered in conjunction with the increased traffic flow;
•a request from the Economic Development Advisory Committee that council consider developing a marketing and branding project for the Town of Fort Frances; and
•a financial request from the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal for advertising costs of the MasoniCh.i.p. (child identification) program.