Council passes interim tax bylaw

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River town council held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, with a quorum.
Council dealt with several items of interest including passing an Interim Tax Bylaw.
Passed Tuesday, the bylaw will see interim tax bills sent out very soon. They will be for 50% of the previous year's taxes and due on March 31, 2011.
Council also passed a motion releasing long term Rainy River Fire Chief Steward McNally from his position.
They then hired Gerald Armstrong of Fort Frances to be fire chief from Feb. 15, 2011 to Feb. 15, 2015 at a cost of $30,000 per year.
Council said that they paid McNally about $3,600 per year but the move to hire Armstrong is part of efforts to save money in the long run.
Armstrong will coordinate efforts to amalgamate Rainy River, Dawson and Lake of the Woods fire depts together and all three will share the cost of his wages annually.
The three communities hope to save money by amalgamating.
Other business
•Council heard a complaint from taxpayer Wayne McCarthy. He said that town employee Leroy Hancharyk and he had a disagreement over a parking spot at the hospital when the latter was clearing snow there.
McCarthy claims to have been threatened by Hancharyk.
Mayor Deb Ewald said that this is the first time they have had any complaints about Hancharyk's conduct or work performance. She said, "We are dealing with this internally."
•Council agreed to pay half the replacement costs of a new heater for the ice surface area at the Rainy River Curling Club.
•Council donated $100 to the Family Fun Day activities.
•Council accepted the nominations of Gordon Prost, Gill Stamler, Geraldine White, Veronica Nordberg and Linda Armstrong to the Rainy River Library Board.
•Council purchased insurance from Northwest Insurance at a cost of $49,296 for the year Mar. 1, 2011 to Mar. 1/2012.
•Council agreed to pay 50¢ per capital to the group Safe Communities Rainy River District.
•The town approved in kind contributions towards the development of multi-use trails in Rainy River.
•Council passed a 3% increase across the board (with water and sewer being the only exception) for user fees. The increase takes effect April 1, 2011.
•The Northwestern Health Unit received a Vacancy Rebate of Property taxes.
•Council passed a new smoking bylaw that enhances previous laws. This one will ban smoking in all town vehicles whether owned or leased. It also sets a 9 meter parameter from building entrances in which smoking can not occur anymore.
•Council purchased a new dental cart for $2,150 including taxes. Mayor Ewald said the old one has become defunct.
•Council moved its March meeting a week later to the 22nd as numerous councillors will be out of town the previous week.
•Mayor Deb Ewald asked if the dilapidated chimney issue has been dealt with at the Rec. Centre. Clerk Vel Vogan said she is working on it with Rec. Dir. Meghan Shanks.
•Councillor Ashley Stamler said she is also working with Shanks on rekindling the skate-park project. "Our biggest thing is we need a location for it," said Stamler.