Duane Hicks
Smokers will have to step away from the entrances to the Memorial Sports Centre when they go out for a puff in the future.
Council approved a report Monday night to authorize the appropriate bylaw be amended to prohibit smoking nine metres from the front overhang and west entrances to the Memorial Sports Centre, and that the “no smoking” zone be clearly marked.
The recommendation was made by the Community Services executive committee, with input from the Planning and Development executive committee, after council received a letter from Dr. Lorena Jenks.
In her letter received by council at its Oct. 27 meeting, Dr. Jenks wrote: “My understanding of the current provincial law is that there is to be no smoking nine metres from the entrance to a public facility, such as hospital and schools.
“I realize that this does not include the arena, but I think that the town can be proactive in this respect and make their own bylaw so that smoking is prohibited in this area.
“The main reason for prohibiting smoking should be, first of all, that it sets a very bad example for the hundreds of children that enter the arena complex each day, and secondly, it forces non-smokers to walk through second-hand smoke with all its attendant health risks,” Dr. Jenks added, noting the health risks related to first- and second-hand smoke are well-known and need not be repeated.
“Since this is a town that is obviously committed to improving the health and well-being of its citizens, you should pass this bylaw forthwith as there really is no good reason not to,” Dr. Jenks concluded.
This bylaw amendment will be up for vote at a future council meeting.
Also Monday, council agreed to a recommendation of the Administration and Finance executive committee to approve the Provincial Offences Act collection/write-off policy, and authorize the initial write-off of $970,000.
Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon explained in a report that the town assumed responsibility for the administration and collection of POA fines, which previously was handled by the Ministry of the Attorney General, back in September, 2000. At that time, the province downloaded about $1.2 million in outstanding fines to the Fort Frances POA office.
The Ministry of the Attorney General recently developed guidelines for a write-off policy for uncollectable fines in the ICON system used by the Provincial Offences Court offices. Accordingly, town treasury staff developed a POA collection/write-off policy.
The initial write-off is about $970,000, of which $700,000 is estimated to be pre-transfer receivables (i.e., fines downloaded from the province to the town).
Witherspoon stressed fines are written off for accounting purposes, and do not absolve a convicted offender from the requirement to pay a fine as debts to the Crown are owed in perpetuity and are never forgiven.
Also at Monday evening’s meeting, council:
•authorized Fort Frances Fire Chief Gerry Armstrong to present a proposal to provide fire chief services to the Township of La Vallee council (this is in response to a request from the township);
•received a report on semi-annual testing of lead in the water distribution system;
•approved a report to enter into an agreement with Pryde, Schropp, McComb Inc. (PSMI) to complete an airport safety management system over the next four years at an estimated cost of $35,750 (plus GST);
•received a report regarding airport hangar leases, approving a termination of a lease with Garth Donald and entering into a lease agreement with Kent Seguin;
•approved the Finanicial Incentive Program (FIP) as amended and authorized the development of applications, processes, and a marketing program for it;
•referred a report on Heritage Tourism Project Phase II (regarding the location of the Hallett) to the Community Services executive committee for further review and its recommendation;
•voted against reconsidering the removal of sidewalks from the 1200 block of Scott Street;
•passed a bylaw to amend Bylaw 10/03 (Traffic Control Bylaw) to designate a church loading zone on Victoria Avenue (in front of the Salvation Army citadel);
•passed a bylaw to approve an agreement with Shred-it for document shredding services; and
•appointed Coun. Ken Perry to the Fort Frances Community Clinic Inc. board for a term ending Nov. 30, 2010.
•approved a report from Superintendent of Planning and Development Rick Hallam regarding an offer to purchase town property at Williams Avenue;
•accepted an offer to purchase town property in the industrial park; and
•referred a request from the Rainy River Future Development Corp. to declare certain properties surplus, for the purposes of potential development, to the Planning and Development division for appropriate action.
