Council passes tax rates for 2001

Ken Johnston
Editor

Monday evening the Rainy River Town Council passed its 2001 tax rates. Town Administrator, Deb Bowman, said after the meeting that the rates remained the same as last year, with the exception of education which declined slightly. Those rates are set by the province.

For town purposes council will collect $314,712 and for education will collect $117,115.

Bowman hopes to have the final 2001 tax bills out by the end of the month.

Water Please

Long time resident and former Town Clerk Art Solomonian made an impassioned plea for the council to consider putting a water line with fire hydrants along his street, River Ave. E.

Mayor Gord Prost said that if all the residents in that area would be interested in obtaining a water line there, council would be more than willing to meet with them to discuss partnering.

Solomonian who has been trying for about 20 years to get a water line there, said that no one else wants water there because they all have two inch lines and 60 lbs. pressure. He only has a one inch line and 20 lbs. pressure.

He said he would gladly pay the cost of bringing the water from the new line to his house.

The one inch line was installed by a previous owner and is a private line; not the town’s responsibility said council.

Solomonian said that since he has lived there he has paid $22,000 in taxes to the town. He has an estimate that it would cost about $29,000 to install the line he is asking for and feels he has paid his fair share of the cost over the years.

Mayor Prost referred the issue back to committee for more review.

Promoting the District

Geoff Gillon, Telford Advent and Moe Henry of the Rainy River Future Development Corporation presented council with a list of projects they are working on as well as a video they are working on to promote the district.

Several councillors raised questions about several topics of interest to them.

Councillor Lance Lindal asked about the time frame for getting more cell phone channels for the RR tower. Gillon said that Fort France’s tower is being expanded now and he feels that should spill over to an upgrade for RR’s tower.

After Gillon and co. were gone Councillor Dennis Ewald asked if RRFDC is working on helping RR with its need for better infrastructure.

It was decided that the Economic Development Committee of Council will contact RRFDC and ask for their assistance. The feeling on the subject is that while RRFDC is trying to attract business in the district, that is putting the cart before the horse in Rainy River since it can not expand its sewage usage until something is done to repair or expand the sewer system. Council is still waiting to hear if they will get a grant from the government to do just that.

New Church?

Council unanimously passed a motion to sell a 200’ by 300’ piece of property at the Southwest Corner of the old Mill Yard to the Evangelical Covenant Church for $50,000.

New Library Board Member

Council passed a motion accepting Riverview Elementary School Teacher Jacquie Gaborieau as a member of the RR Public Library Board.