‘Download’ hot topic for ’98

1998 will be a year of change.
That’s the way district municipal leaders are describing the year ahead as the province hands down responsibility for services such as public health, land ambulance, social assistance, long-term care, policing, social housing–along with the bill that goes with them.
All agree “downloading” will be the biggest challenge facing area councils. But while municipal governments have voiced their concerns and opposition to it, they’re also tackling the changes with quite a bit of optimism.
“As far as that goes, we’ll take it as it comes,” Alberton Reeve Judy Koski noted.
“Nobody knows where they’re going, I guess. We’ll have to see what comes down the pipe,” echoed Chapple Reeve Cecil Wilson. “All I’m worried about is being ready for it.”
Emo Reeve Brian Reid added “downloading” isn’t as fearful as it was six months ago, noting that with the transitional funding, the picture wasn’t as dark and gloomy as municipalities were calculating. He stressed much of the “guess work” was over.
And he felt the important thing now was for district municipalities to get “focused” on a plan for the year ahead–and “get on with the show.”
“I look forward to the area services board being a reality,” said Fort Frances Mayor Glenn Witherspoon, noting that would give the district taxing authority to pay for the “downloaded” services.
But he admitted implementing the ASB was what he looked forward to least in the coming year, explaining it was going to be very time-consuming to get everything in place.
“We seem to be having some difficulty getting our [ASB] in place,” agreed Reeve Koski, adding the legislation still needed to be passed giving it taxing authority over unincorporated areas and First Nations.
“I think it’s important getting that underway,” she said.
Another challenge facing each council will be to pare 1.6 percent from their 1996 budgets to give them their 1998 ones.
“I don’t predict that that will be difficult,” said Reeve Koski, noting at least now each knows how much it will get from the province’s transitional fund.
But she admitted it was not easy making ends meet with less and less dollars. Reeve Wilson agreed, warning smaller townships had no excess fat to trim.
“The government is saying that we have to do this. We’ve already done it dozens of times,” he argued. “We’re bare bones.”
“It’s going to be tough but you’re going to have to do with less of something along the way,” warned Reeve Reid.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for the year ahead. Fort Frances Mayor Glenn Witherspoon assured the town is in good shape to cope with the changes.
“I personally think when you look at Kenora and Dryden and other towns our size, we’re way, way ahead of them,” he said.
He noted the town’s infrastructure was in “excellent shape,” with the new water pollution control plant to open early this year and work underway on the new auditorium at Westfort.
“And hopefully, the problems with the arena will be worked out,” he added. “They both can become a reality in ’98.”
Reeve Koski noted they hadn’t yet talked about infrastructure projects. In Alberton, the immediate challenge is to fill the two seats still vacant on council.
While things may be confusing in the political arena, Reeve Reid felt the district’s economy was looking healthy, pointing to the new OSB mill in Barwick and the spinoffs being reaped throughout the district.
Reeve Wilson agreed, predicting a prosperous year for his township and the entire district, with more industry being lured to the area. He noted a peat plant could be opening this spring in Barwick, with talk of a mine opening, too.
“We’re gearing for anything to happen,” he enthused. “I think 1998’s going to be a good year.”