Division managers for the town have less than a week to find another $410,000 that can be removed from the system to allow council to pass the 1999 budget with no tax increase at its next meeting Monday.
Council debated the budget in-camera for several hours before the last council meeting this past Monday.
The preliminary budget brought before council last month saw the town looking at a shortfall of just under $1.5 million–which represented about a 20 percent tax hike needed to cover the cost of the town’s spending.
But CAO Bill Naturkach said yesterday that figure has been knocked down to $410,000, which represents about a six percent tax increase.
“The direction was to administration to find $410,000 [within the budget] and put council in the position to pass the budget on the 21st,” he noted.
“I emphasize the direction was to bring it to a zero change,” he added.
Mayor Glenn Witherspoon said council hoped to have the budget passed before the end of the year. “We’re waiting for a final report next Monday from the managers,” he added.
In other news from Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Witherspoon expressed dismay after council voted 4-2 to nix a proposal to reduce a lot at the airport as per the request of a tenant there.
Mayor Witherspoon said a pilot from Minneapolis had rented a hanger there that used to be for commercial use but now only needed it for private use. While the lease rate was changed from commercial to private, the mayor said the pilot didn’t need the most of the property and wanted to reduce its size by about half.
Mayor Witherspoon also argued this pilot had many connections with the flying community in the U.S. and by treating him right here, the airport potentially could attract more business.
But Coun. Dave Bourgeault countered the reduction of the lot brought a reduction of revenue of several hundred dollars. And he said if they do this for one pilot, they would have to do it for everyone else who leased lots at the airport.
Coun. Sharon Tibbs asked if there was anything else the proposed vacant space could be used for. Operations and Facilities manager Jerry Tetu said the hanger was to one side of the full lot, and the rest of the space had no other buildings on it.
He also noted it would become the responsibility of the town to maintain the unused area of the lot.
“I can’t believe we’re stepping over nickels to save pennies,” Mayor Witherspoon bemoaned after council defeated the motion.
The mayor maintained that position yesterday, saying he was disappointed council was making a “big fuss” over $400-$500.
“He doesn’t need all the space the commercial people have,” he stressed. “I’m told if they don’t get [the reduced lot], he won’t bother and they’ll just tear down the hangar.
“It’s a democratic vote and that’s the way the majority rules,” he said. “[But] when the airport is suffering from lack of activity, we know one of the reasons why.”
Also Monday night:
•council seemed to agree, in principle, to a proposal from the local Lions Club to upgrade Lions Park on Second Street East, referring the report to all the different managers of their committees to look at the feasibility of the project;
•Mayor Witherspoon said council will be taking a closer look at a proposal from the Rainy River First Nations to join the “Community Environmental Watch” program for the Rainy River watershed basin, noting council “would like to be part of the team”;
•museum tender #98-CS-14, architectural proposals, will be put out for re-tender after the two initial tenders came in too high; and
•an invoice for $314,874 was received concerning the community auditorium.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
