Council wants DSSAB to halt renovations on new office

FORT FRANCES—After receiving news from Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board rep Coun. Tannis Drysdale that renovations at DSSAB’s new office are going over-budget, council is petitioning DSSAB to halt the work until it can get a better handle on costs.
“I have some very disturbing news to report tonight and that is renovations to that building [the former Family and Children’s Services] are over-budget,” Coun. Drysdale said at Monday night’s council meeting.
“As of Friday night [Nov. 24], there was at least a $300,000 overage. All tenders have not been received yet, so I can’t give an exact figure,” she added.
Coun. Drysdale noted this information came to her as a DSSAB member at their monthly board meeting held Nov. 16, but not before. As a result, at that Nov. 16 meeting, the board voted to shut down construction.
The board then had another meeting Friday night, at which time it voted in favour of resuming the work.
“I voted to continue to refrain from construction—to halt construction until such a time as real figures could be obtained and we could revise the plans,” Coun. Drysdale said.
“I was unsuccessful in encouraging the board to do that and construction continues. So we’re looking at approximately a $300,000 overage on this particular project,” she warned.
Coun. Drysdale said she would provide council with a full report on the circumstances of the overage in the near future.
Coun. Roy Avis then suggested a resolution be introduced reflecting council’s support of Coun. Drysdale’s stance, which later passed at Monday night’s meeting.
Mayor Dan Onichuk also noted that DSSAB CEO Donna Dittaro should be asked appear before council in the future to further explain the situation.
< *c>Final meeting
Monday night’s meeting also marked the last of the current council, and therefore the final one for outgoing Mayor Dan Onichuk and Couns. Todd Hamilton and Neil Kabel.
The new council—featuring Coun. Avis as mayor and incumbents Couns. Drysdale, John Albanese, and Rick Wiedenhoeft being joined by former councillor Sharon Tibbs and newcomers Andrew Hallikas and Paul Ryan—will be sworn-in next Monday (Dec. 4).
This new council will have two more regular meetings before the end of the year (Dec. 11 and Dec. 18).
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•approved a break-open ticket licence application from the La Verendrye General Hospital Auxiliary at Bonnie Blue from Nov. 29, 2006-May 29, 2007;
•referred a request for financial support from the “Coming Together for Kids Coalition” to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request for assistance from the Fort Frances Lions Club regarding a proposed walkway at Lions Millennium Park to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation;
•agreed to support a resolution from the Corporation of the Township of Chapple regarding the condemnation of meat in Rainy River District;
•passed a bylaw to authorize the sale of certain land to Tom Veert Contracting Ltd. and approve an agreement with Tom Veert Contracting Ltd. regarding the conditions of said land sale;
•passed a bylaw to de-register Lots 1, 2, 15, and 16 Plan 48M-353 (Eighth Street West); and
•passed a bylaw for the purpose of approving the 2006 minutes of council.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)