Duane Hicks
Making for some good news in what is proving to be a tough budget year, the Town of Fort Frances will continue to get federal gas tax dollars over the next four years.
On Feb. 19, the town received an amending municipal funding agreement from the Association of the Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to extend the transfer of federal gas tax revenues under the “New Deal for Cities and Communities” for a further four-year period (2010-13) in the total amount of $1,988,476.24.
This money is to be used for capital investment in environmentally-sustainable municipal infrastructure.
Mayor Roy Avis said it is good to see the government continue the program, adding it’s too early to know exactly what the funding will be used for this year.
Council made the agreement official after passing a bylaw Monday evening to enter into an amending municipal funding agreement with AMO, which is the agent disbursing the funds to municipalities.
The town previously had received federal gas tax revenues in 2005-09, resulting in $1,350,974.53 over the five-year term.
Also at Monday’s meeting, council:
•endorsed the policy framework of Affordable Access to Recreation for Ontarians;
•awarded a tender for equipment for the new Fort Frances Public Library and Technology Centre to Northland Basics ($43,912 for new computers), Evolutions ($48,609 for presentation technologies), and Wilson’s ($16,839 for network equipment);
•approved a request for an easement from Union Gas;
•agreed to proclaim March as “Red Cross Month” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•referred a request from G. Domanski, re: interim tax bill 2010 at 755 Riverview Dr., to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•referred a financial request, re: the fourth-annual Women’s Health Symposium scheduled for May 8, to the Administration and Finance executive committee for its recommendation;
•directed that a previous resolution that dealt with the removal of all reference to “sight triangle” from the zoning bylaw be rescinded and that such references be reinstated;
•approved a request for a waiver of a fee (Minor Variance A2/2010) in the amount of $270.30;
•authorized the mayor and clerk to execute a notice of intent to use the Ontario Land Information Directory;
•authorized administration to purchase a new blueprint copier at a net cost of $21,000;
•declined membership in 2010 Pitch-In Canada Week (April 19-25) due to the town’s financial position;
•denied a request for a donation towards the paramedics and dispatchers curling bonspiel held at the Fort Frances Curling Club on March 6, noting the town already contributes by other means to charities;
•received a public meeting notice from the Committee of Adjustment for a meeting March 15 re: File No. A1/2010 (821 Williams Ave.) and A2/2010 (920 Victoria Ave.);
•received POA audited statements for the year ending Dec. 31, 2009, and agreed to pay an invoice in the amount of $3,150 for audited services; and
•approved travel expense/per diem claims for CAO Mark McCaig ($404), Mayor Roy Avis ($852.22), and Coun. Ken Perry ($768) for attendance at the OGRA-ROMA conference in Toronto on Feb. 21-24.
