Staff
The Fort Frances Curling Club is requesting a meeting with the town to discuss its tax arrears situation.
In a letter from club president Ron Silver, he informed council that despite the best efforts of management, it’s been tough to make ends meet.
“Due to the downturn in the regional economy, the Fort Frances Curling Club has experienced a reduction in the number of members which has put the club in financial difficulty,” Silver wrote.
“The Board of Management has worked diligently to reduce costs and to solicit more members,” he added.
“However, expenses are still exceeding revenues.”
The Fort Frances Curling Club currently is in tax arrears to the tune of $30,868.01 as of Aug. 31, Silver noted.
“At this point, we are unable to meet this expense,” he wrote.
“We understand the club may be eligible for a tax rebate for charitable organizations, which we intend to make application for as soon as our financial statements are available,” Silver added.
Council referred the tax rebate request to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•awarded Tender 15-PD-16 (demolition of the Rainy Lake Hotel) to JMX Contracting of Gormley, Ont. for the total contract price of $597,432.96, including allowances and the town’s portion of HST;
•approved the recommendation of the Planning and Development executive committee to engage Pinchin Environmental, at a cost of $5,135, to complete quality assurance and air monitoring during the demolition of the Rainy Lake Hotel;
•received a quarterly activity report from the Rainy River Future Development Corp.;
•received the 2014 annual report and bi-annual report for the first half of 2015 from the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service;
•endorsed the application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation, on behalf of the Multi-Use Courts Committee, in the amount of $150,000 (if successful, this money will be used to build new tennis courts in the west end);
•authorized that calendar parking be waived on the 400 and 500 blocks of Nelson Street during the Seniors’ Fair being held Friday, Sept. 18 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Sister Kennedy Centre;
•referred a request from The Shops on Scott (BIA), re: relocation of a mural and sidewalk brick replacements, to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a request from The Shops on Scott for tree removal to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a sponsorship request from the Riverside Foundation for Health Care, re: its annual fall dinner, to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred parking concerns from resident Joy Lockman to the Planning and Development executive committee for its recommendation; and
•referred an advertising request from the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and Museum to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation.
