Duane Hicks
The public has a chance to give their input on the future of Fort Frances.
Council and administration are working on a new four-year strategic plan and asking local residents to provide their ideas at a public meeting set for Monday, June 8 before they hash out the plan on June 11.
Residents who have something they believe the town should undertake, or consider as a strategic planning initiative, should come forward, Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig said at Monday night’s regular council meeting.
He noted suggestions could have to do with future land use, tourism, recreation, active transportation, or any number of other areas.
“So on June 8, which is the Monday prior to the planning, we’re going to have an open meeting at council and it’s an opportunity for the public to make some brief presentations on initiatives that they think the town should undertake,” McCaig explained.
The public can arrange to speak at that meeting or make a submission in writing.
“You don’t have to go into great detail,” McCaig stressed.
“You just suggest the initiative that you think would be a good one for the town to undertake.”
In either case, they should contact municipal clerk Lisa Slomke or deputy clerk Kathy Lawson at the Civic Centre.
This must be done prior to noon on Thursday, June 4.
McCaig said any information that’s gathered will be considered at the June 11 planning session.
“We can’t guarantee the initiative put forward will end up in the final strategic plan,” he remarked.
“But I can guarantee you that if you put something forward [on] June 8—either submitted in writing or presented verbally—that we will consider it for approval at the June 11 meeting,” he pledged.
Meanwhile, McCaig noted prep work on the strategic plan already has begun.
“Over the last couple of months, we’ve spent time trying to get as much stakeholder input as we possibly could regarding our upcoming strategic planning session, which essentially is the blueprint for any of the activities that the town will undertake during the present council’s mandate,” he said.
“It’s important,” McCaig stressed. “When we’ve done the last two, we’ve made sure that we got them done within the first six months of the mandate and this is no different.”
He said soliciting input from town committees has been part of the process so far.
“We’re going to consider presently more than 50 initiatives that have been put forward from the various executive committees and the other committees that we have,” McCaig noted.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•awarded Tender No. 15-OF-08 to Tom Veert Contracting Ltd. for the supply and delivery of various granular materials in 2015, 2016, and 2017 as per unit prices outlined in the report;
•received a verbal update on capital projects;
•referred a request from the Northwestern Health Unit, re: Smoke-Free Ontario regulation amendments, to the Planning and Development executive committee for its recommendation;
•agreed to proclaim “English as a Second Language Week” as per a request from Teachers of English as a Second Language Association of Ontario;
•referred a request from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation, with input from all the other executive committees;
•received a financial request from the La Verendrye General Hospital Auxiliary for its “Rock’n for a Reason” fundraiser and urged council members to make individual pledges;
•approved a report to make a donation to the Rainy River Vet Services vet assistance trust fund in the amount of $650;
•approved travel expenses for McCaig in the amount of $61 (for his attendance at a forestry consultation meeting held April 23 in Thunder Bay) and purchase card expenses in the amount of $62.31;
•approved the Rainy River Substance Abuse Prevention Team utilizing Point Park to host a “Family Safety Day” event in September;
•authorized the mayor and clerk to enter into an agreement with the Rainy River District Trappers’ Council to address nuisance beavers within the community;
•approved travel expenses for Mayor Roy Avis in the amount of $293.22 (for his attendance at a forestry consultation meeting last month); and
•approved a per diem and travel expense claim from Coun. June Caul in the amount of $518.02 (for attendance at the NOMA conference April 22-24 in Thunder Bay).
