Duane Hicks
A new report received by town council Monday night shows how much mayor and councillors were paid in 2008, with Mayor Roy Avis ranking as the highest-paid and having the most expenses.
Mayor Avis, who also sits on the Fort Frances Power Corp. board of directors and local Police Services Board, had expenses and remuneration totalling $37,534.12.
This total consists of a base salary of $22,322 plus $2,700 in per diems, $1,850 for being on the Police Services Board, $4,802.20 for being on the FFPC board, and $5,859.92 in conference expenses.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft, who also sits on the Police Services Board, ranked second earning $16,650.88.
This breaks down to a base salary of $10,507.12, plus $1,620 in per diems, $1,850 for the Police Services Board, and $2,673.76 in expenses while attending conference as a representative of the town.
Coun. Paul Ryan had total expenses and remuneration equal to $13,795.45 (base salary $10,507.12, per diems $1,080, and conference expenses $2,208.33).
Coun. Ryan also received an honorarium of $2,580, and had travel expenses equalling $2,527.86 as a council appointee to the Northwestern Health Unit board.
Coun. Ken Perry had total expenses and remuneration equal to $13,700.78 (base salary $9,698.12, per diems $1,080, and conference expenses $2,381.90). Coun. Perry’s base salary is slightly lower than everyone else’s because he wasn’t sworn in until mid-January in 2008.
Coun. John Albanese had total expenses and remuneration equal to $13,393.23 (base salary $10,507.12, per diems $1,200, and conference expenses $1,686.11).
Coun. Andrew Hallikas had total expenses and remuneration equal to $12,504.78 (base salary $10507.12, per diems $1,080, and conference expenses $917.66).
Finally, Coun. Sharon Tibbs had total expenses and remuneration equal to $11,354.02 (base salary $10,507.12, per diems $720, and conference expenses $126.90).
Coun. Tibbs also received an honorarium for $2,400 as council appointee to the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board.
The annual report was issued in accordance with the Municipal Act.
Abzac request
Also Monday night, town council referred a request from Abzac Canada-Fort Frances Division to reduce its current tax levy at 840 Fifth St. W. to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation.
As reported in Monday’s Daily Bulletin, plant manager Peter Engberg said Abzac, which produces paper cores for use in rolls of paper at AbitibiBowater and other area mills, is looking for ways to keep its operations viable.
“We’re just approaching the town to see if there’s some relief we can gain there and do what we can,” Engberg explained.
“We have 17 personnel working here at this plant and we’d like to keep that up if we can,” he stressed. “But in this climate, we don’t know if we’ll be a victim or not.
“The town has recommended we go through the MPAC and go through that avenue first. We’ll go through all the hoops that we’re supposed to, and what the outcome will be, I am unsure of.
“But certainly Abzac, as a company, is looking for all avenues to maintain doing business here in Fort Frances,” Engberg pledged.
Abzac Canada-Fort Frances Division employs 14 union employees and three management staff.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•passed a bylaw to officially appoint bylaw enforcement officers Arlene Byrnes and Patrick Briere as “municipal weed inspectors,” pursuant to Section 8 (1) of the provincial Weed Control Act (this is not a new duty since the bylaw officers already monitor weeds in accordance to municipal property standards);
•authorized human resources manager Christine Ruppenstein to pursue a change in plan design with respect to Manulife Health and Dental benefits from “experience rated non-refund accounting” to “experience rated refund accounting”;
•approved the February, 2009 drinking water systems monthly report;
•accepted the Federal Gas Tax Revenues Auditor’s Report for 2008, and agreed the invoice for audited services be paid to BDO Dunwoody in the amount of $1,600 (plus GST);
•received the 2008 Schedule 22 (drinking water systems) summary report;
•approved a recommendation to make a donation to the “Community Chest” for $240 in response to a letter sent to the town regarding the fundraising social held last Friday (March 20);
•passed a bylaw to authorize an agreement for an asbestos survey and management plan with DST Consulting Engineers;
•passed a bylaw to authorize the sale of land located at Eight Street and McIrvine Road to Daryl’s Custom Landscapes Ltd.; and
•agreed to support a resolution from the City of Sault Ste. Mare regarding the positive effect of the Northern Ontario Medical School of Medicine on attracting specialists and specialist services to Northern Ontario in the future.
