No tax hikes - Council passes 2004 budget

Ken Johnston

Rainy River residents can breathe a sigh of relief this year.
Town council passed the 2004 budget Monday evening with 0% tax increases for all property owners.
Finance Committee Chair Brent Anderson said, “The total budget is $1.3 million.”
That covers a $41,000 deficit from last year, $100,000 in capital spending and the final payment on the community centre renovations project.
Councillor Gerry Marchuk expressed personal concerns about over spending on the centennial and whether the town will make that money back.
Anderson said that the centennial committee presented a good plan to council and if all goes well, which he feels it likely will, the town will not lose very much money if any on the event.
Factoring the future of the factory
A motion was introduced Monday to proceed with an auction of the chattels in the former Koeneman Lumber building. However, Property Committee Chair Gerry Marchuk said that his committee has learned of an interest in the building as it is, chattels intact. Council agreed to allow the motion to be withdrawn so that the new interest can fully be explored.
Other business
•Council renewed its contract for cleaning of town buildings with B & B Cleaners.
•Council awarded a tender to O & K Construction for the renovation of washroom and shower facilities at the fire hall in the amount of $3,450.
•Council approved Gramma Dyanmite’s request for a liquor license.
•Council purchased ten commemorative centennial coin box sets at a cost of $250.
•Council paid its dues to Ontario Sunset Country in the amount of $209.93.
•Councillor Ed Tymkin asked Fire Committee Chair Dennis Ewald to look into how the volunteer fire dept. disperses its annual stipends ($9,000 annually). Tymkin said that one dept. member did not know who gets what.
“There should be some kind of accountability or paper trail saying who gets what,” said Tymkin.