Town struggles with provincial decision

Provincial legislation passed May 17 has left the town’s administration struggling to avoid costly delays to June’s tax bills.
The new legislation requires all municipalities to include an individual levy breakdown with every property tax bill. But that information may not be prepared in time for the June billing dates because an outside agency is required to compile it.
As such, the town is facing the possibility of delaying the bills, incurring substantial losses because of the lost interest collected from the property tax payments.
And those losses would have a heavy impact on this year’s budget.
“The province is getting away with putting more cost on you,” CAO Bill Naturkach told councillors at last night’s regular meeting (which was held Tuesday night due to the Victoria Day holiday).
Naturkach said most municipalities across Ontario are facing similar difficulties, and agencies compiling the information have long waiting lists.
The town’s administration had begun looking into gathering the information after the province had indicated it would be required but the timing of the legislation caught everyone off guard.
“We were making strides to be compliant when this was passed,” noted Coun. Sharon Tibbs.
Also last night, council received a delegation from the local Business Improvement Area along with a request for financial assistance to help maintain hanging plants after they are purchased and hung up by the board.
BIA representative Julian Morelli also outlined a number of projects the board was completing this year.
“This year we are going to be spending approximately $10,000 on urban development,” said Morelli, who said that spending includes new garbage cans, flags, and 21 benches for downtown Fort Frances.
During yesterday’s meeting of the committee of the whole, Coun. Dave Bourgeault suggested the town look into the possibility of restricting the use of harmful pesticides within town boundaries as a number of Ontario cities recently have done.
“The information has come forward and laws enacted to ban pesticide sprays in several larger cities. Perhaps we should propose a bylaw locally,” suggested Coun. Bourgeault.
“They are extremely harmful to people and to pets,” he added.