Duane Hicks
The entire 2011 budget will be explained at a public meeting tonight, after which town council will vote on bylaws to pass the estimates and accompanying tax rates to support the municipal levy.
“We’ll go through a summary of all the revenues and expenditures, and take a little look at our debt level, any changes from the previous year,” noted treasurer Laurie Witherspoon.
“We’ll explain a little bit about the tax ratios and rates, and give a general overview of where our reserve funds are,” she added.
During a budget meeting earlier this month, council voted in favour of a long-term debt financing scenario, which, among other tax changes, would see residential taxpayers face a tax levy increase of 2.55 percent.
However, due to a decrease in the education tax rate, as well as changes in the assessed values, some property owners will see an increase in levy but a decrease in the amount of dollars paid.
For example, 2,856 residential property owners will see an average tax increase of $55 while 227 will see their taxes go down an average of $4.
The levy increase will be 2.77 percent for multi-residential, meaning 18 multi-residential property owners will see an average tax increase of $162.
Meanwhile, the levy increase will be one percent for commercial.
This means 46 commercial property owners will see an average tax increase of $862 while 213 will see their taxes go down an average of $235.
The levy increase will be 1.12 percent for industrial, meaning eight industrial property owners will see an average tax increase of $47 while 14 will see their taxes go down an average of $62.
The levy increase will be 1.25 percent for large industrial, meaning one large industrial property owner (the mill) will see a tax increase of $5,170.
Finally, the levy increase will be 2.2 percent for pipeline, meaning two pipeline property owners will see an average tax increase of $804.
The levy increase is being used to pay for an operating budget increase of $245,976.
The 2011 budget is balanced at $21,349,038.
Tonight’s council meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
It will be preceded by the committee of the whole, which will meet in-camera at 5:30 p.m. but then open to the public at 6:30.
Other business at tonight’s meeting will include:
•a public meeting re: 357/358 applications for tax adjustment at 704 Armit Ave. (2010), 1046 Cornwall Ave. (2010), and Plan SM 122 Lot 5 PCL Plan-1 (2010);
•a three-year agreement with the Electrical Safety Authority;
•the March, 2011 drinking water systems monthly summary report;
•an adjustment to aviation fuel pump prices at Fort Frances Airport;
•recommendations in response to requests from the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship;
•a report re: 2009 year-end surplus/deficit adjustment;
•a report re: 2011 capping parameters for capped properties;
•a report regarding a vacancy on the Fort Frances Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corp. board of directors;
•a report regarding a possible change in start time for regular meetings of committee of the whole of council and regular council meetings.
•a break-open ticket licence application from the Rainycrest Auxiliary at 1561330 Ontario Ltd. o/a Xtra Cash from May 1-Oct. 31, 2011;
•an appplication for Zoning By-Law Amendment 08/98-SS re: Thunder Bay Truck Centre HOL–705 McIrvine Rd.;
•a request from The Métis Nation of Ontario re: consultation with Métis communities on official plans;
•a request from Fire Chief/CEMC Frank Sheppard to proclaim May 1-7 as “Emergency Preparedness Week” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•a financial request from District 1A Senior Games–Fort Frances committee re: Senior Games in Fort Frances on June 21-23;
•a financial request from Bruce Caldwell re: 12th-annual “Fly-In, Drive-In BBQ” at the Fort Frances Airport on June 4;
•a financial request from the Border Shrine Club re: purchase of tickets for the Shrine Circus here May 17;
•a request dated from Salvation Army–Fort Frances Ministries to proclaim May as “The Salvation Army Red Shield Month” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•a request from Teachers of English as a Second Language Association of Ontario to proclaim Oct. 23-29 as “English as a Second Language Week” in the Town of Fort Frances;
•a bylaw to approve a service agreement with Ontario One Call Ltd.;
•a bylaw to authorize the entering into of a collective agreement with the Fort Frances Professional Fire Fighters Association; and
•a bylaw to approve an agreement with Lisa Pocock, doing business as North Air Services, for provision of “Dial-a-Ride” services.
