Town balks at price tag for land parcels

Friction between Fort Frances and the townships of Miscampbell and Alberton may be growing over the town’s bid to extend the municipal boundary around two small parcels of land.
“They are asking for some remuneration to make the deal happen. We are willing to [pay] any of the costs of this transfer,” noted Fort Frances Mayor Glenn Witherspoon.
“[But] they’re asking for $50,000 [each] and I think that’s absurd.”
The town has approached Alberton to move the landfill site into municipal boundaries. Fort Frances currently owns the land but it is under the municipal control of Alberton council.
Meanwhile, the town also approached Miscampbell’s local roads board to discuss an application to move a section of road leading to the Fort Frances Airport within town boundaries. Fort Frances currently pays taxes for the road but also pays for its maintenance.
“We’re simply trying to do housekeeping here. These are properties we administer to,” Coun. Sharon Tibbs said at Monday night’s council meeting.
“What is going to happen there is we will respond and tell them the offer is not acceptable but we would like this resolved at the local level,” she added.
Throughout these negotiations, the possibility of amalgamation may be lurking in everyone’s minds, especially in the wake of the provincially-ordered amalgamation of Nestor Falls and Sioux Narrows last year.
“There’s always a concern it could possibly happen,” noted Al Best, a member of the Miscampbell local roads board.
“We thought they’d come down to a smaller amount, we just didn’t think they would come back to nothing,” he added.
“I think the issue of their looking west to amalgamate is one of the issues that prompted us to look at it,” noted Coun. Tibbs.
“We will go through a proper process and at such time as the process is not fruitful, we will have to look at options available to us,” she added. “What we are saying here is of the proposal they have given us tonight . . . is not acceptable.”
“It’s funny that both groups have asked for the same thing,” noted Coun. Struchan Gilson. “I’m just trying to understand where the $50,000 came from.”
Alberton Reeve John Milling said he has to ask for compensation for the land as a responsible representative.
“It would be remiss of us not to as for anything,” said Reeve Milling, who added the number represents potential tax revenue lost over the next 25 years.
“Their decision doesn’t surprise me,” he added. “It’s just negotiations but if they don’t want to pay anything, that’s unreasonable.
“[Recovering] a loss of 25 years of revenue for a small township is not unreasonable,” Milling continued. “We discussed what we felt is fair and reasonable but negotiations are just that–we made an offer and they can counter.”
Council later approved a recommendation to deny the financial request of Alberton and Miscampbell and continue the restructuring process.
A public session on this issue for residents of all three municipalities has been slated for Monday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre.