Duane Hicks
The Town of Fort Frances will get some extra revenue thanks to a deal with Bell Mobility to install six wireless mobility antennae to the water tower.
Council approved an agreement with Bell Mobility at last night’s regular meeting.
The 20-year term deal will see the town paid $500 during the installation of the equipment and antennae, then $6,000/year for the first five years of operation.
This amount will go up to $6,900/year for the five years after that, then to $6,900/year plus the Consumer Price Index for the last 10 years or fair market value.
The town presently receives $2,882.16 per year from Dryden Municipal Phone System and $2,968.68 a year from Vianet for rental of space on the water tower for wireless antennae and equipment.
The six wireless mobility antennae will be affixed to the water tower’s concrete foundation. Testing has been done to assure the town this won’t compromise the tower’s structural integrity.
A small building to house equipment also will be erected at the base of the foundation.
As reported yesterday, tax bills will be in the mail next month after council passed the 2012 budget last night.
Council passed a bylaw to adopt the estimates of all sums required for all municipal purposes in 2012, as well as a bylaw to authorize the levy and collection of taxes in 2012.
The first instalment of taxes will be due on July 31, with the second instalment due Aug. 31.
As previously reported, the budget includes a residential tax levy increase of 2.49 percent.
Only Coun. Ken Perry voted against the budget, saying he felt the increase too high.
Also at last night’s meeting, council:
•was introduced to Insp. Steve Shouldice, who recently was promoted to detachment commander of the Rainy River District OPP;
•approved the recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to adjust 2011 taxes at 1118 First St. E.;
•heard a verbal update from Mayor Avis re: the recent NOMA conference;
•proclaimed May 6-12 as “Emergency Preparedness Week” in the Town of Fort Frances.
•proclaimed June as “Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Month” in the Town of Fort Frances.
•referred a financial request from the Mayors Coalition Steering Committee, re: Mayors Coalition for Affordable Sustainable Accountable Policing Initiative, to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a financial request from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•received an invitation from The Respect—It Lives Here Work Group re: a hate crimes workshop on May 28;
•agreed to hear presentations regarding mill reassessment and tax downloading, cuts to Old Age Security, and changes in pension legislation from Seniors Retirees Against Pension and Elder Abuse (SRPEA) at the next council meeting (May 28); and
•received an invitation from Rainy River First Nations re: the 42nd-annual fish fry on May 18, and agreed that any member of council may attend.
