Town finalizes disaster relief claim

The Town of Fort Frances looks like it will be paid $34,004.36 for damages and costs incurred from the three vicious storms that hit the district last July 31, council learned at Monday night’s regular meeting.
“The various divisions have put together the damage reports, and the final report will be signed, sealed, and sent in the next day or two,” noted Administration and Finance manager Darryl Allan.
Allan said the amount factors in the costs for labour, overtime, restoration, equipment use, tree-removal operations, and repairing damaged equipment.
“Of course, this claim is only for the Town of Fort Frances and doesn’t include ongoing personal property claims that are going on out there,” he added.
Council approved the final report to be sent to the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program.
Those earmarked to receive disaster relief funding by the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines back in October included Fort Frances and Rainy River, the townships of Emo, Chapple, Lake of the Woods, Dawson, Morson, and La Vallee, and the Dance Statute Labour Board and Tupman Lake Road Association.
Flooding, strong winds, and torrential downpours damaged hundreds of roads, barns, and homes—and even stranded residents in several communities—in the wake of the three storms.
In other news, council passed a resolution Monday night to provide a grant of $67,448.70 to La Verendrye hospital for 2002. This is an annual grant to be used for the “direct benefit of the hospital,” and is based on a rate of $17.82 per household (3,785).
This is an increase of $35.70 over last year’s grant.
Also Monday night, council forwarded a request from the Economic Development Advisory Committee to have tree and flower planting at the airport added to the Parks Board’s list of locations to the operations and facilities executive committee for review.