Staff
Town council held its final regular meeting of 2017 on Monday evening, during which Mayor Roy Avis took a moment to review some highlights of the past year.
“I feel that council has done a tremendous job in making sure this community runs in a proper manner,” he remarked.
‘”You have to remember that we have four divisions [Administration and Finance, Community Services, Planning and Development, and Operations and Facilities] and the four divisions all cater to different people in the community, and we try to make that balance so that everybody is treated equally throughout,” Mayor Avis added.
He noted council was very happy that, even with the town’s overall assessment decreasing, it was able to able to hold the line with tax increases and set a positive tone for this year, which, of course, was Canada’s 150th birthday.
One of the year’s highlights was the realization of a long-awaited market square in the downtown core, along with construction of new sidewalks on the 200 block of Scott Street and in front of the Civic Centre.
Council approved the new “Fibre” project by tbaytel, which has improved Internet service here and enhances the town’s potential for economic development.
The new tennis court and pickle ball courts finally opened after all of the hard work from a committee of local volunteers, and the sewer and water infrastructure and road surface on Second Street East–from Mowat Avenue to Portage Avenue–was replaced.
The town also paid for a de-watering project at the sewage treatment plant, which allows the plant to remove more water from its sludge (biosolids) and allow the town to dispose of it at the landfill in accordance with updated provincial regulations.
New shingles were put on the day care and museum roofs, and the town installed 10 new lamp posts along La Verendrye Parkway as part of an ongoing replacement project.
The town also purchased two new handi-van buses, as well as a large-wheeled excavator and Bobcat.
Mayor Avis also acknowledged the hard work of the Canada Day committee for putting on a top-notch July 1 celebration for “Canada 150,” including a “second-to-none fireworks display.”
“We wish to thank all of the volunteers and retirees who have dedicated themselves to the well-being of our community,” he said.
Mayor Avis wished all local residents a happy holiday season and a happy new year in 2018, and urged everyone to not drink and drive (remember to get a designated driver or take a cab).
He also thanked council and administration, and presented “Canada 150” pins to all members of council, as well as Fort Frances CAO Doug Brown, clerk Lisa Slomke, and deputy clerk Kathy Lawson.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•agreed to a recommendation to ensure the pavement markings at the Legion crosswalk on Church Street are brought into conformance with the Ontario Traffic Manual (this will be done in the summer of 2018);
•approved the purchase of 26 15-second “Holiday Greeting” ads to be aired on 93.1 The Border from Dec. 19-31, at a cost of $249 plus HST;
•approved a donation, in the amount of $100, to the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau for the 2017 community Christmas dinner to be held at Knox United Church on Dec. 25;
•agreed to make necessary amendments and housekeeping changes to the current Municipal Emergency Plan to ensure compliance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA), and passed the amending bylaw;
•referred a request from the Economic Development Advisory Committee, re: a review of existing sewer and water infrastructure installation costs for residential properties, to the Operations and Facilities executive committee for its recommendation, with input from municipal planner Tyson Dennis; and
•passed a bylaw to amend Zoning Bylaw 03/14 re: The Planning Act, Section 34 (setback from navigable and non-navigable watercourses, hazard land, and municipal surface drains).
