Tax bills coming

Ken Johnston

Interim tax bills will be in the mail very soon.
Monday Rainy River town council passed a bylaw to levy an interim tax bill equal to 50% of last year’s bill. At the same time council passed another bylaw to borrow up to $300,000 to meet town expenses until taxes can be collected.
Future Development
Council received a delegation consisting of Geoff Gillon and Telford Advent representing the Rainy River Future Development Corporation.
Gillon spoke to council about several ongoing projects for the district and of some that would be of particular interest to Rainy River.
Currently a project to erect a series of seven 8’X24’ banners at the Fort Frances border crossing is nearing fruition. “I think we can do something similar down here,” said Gillon. The price tag is about $25,000, but Gillon is confident that grant money for half of it could be raised.
Gillon also said that RRFDC is working on getting broadband internet services funded for the west end of the district. He noted that Thunder Bay Telephone is now offering the service in a wireless capacity but that the cost per month makes it almost prohibitive for homeowners.
“We (RRFDC) are working to try and help underwrite the cost of the hardware for homeowners... much like the cell phones when they first came on line... you paid like $50 when the phone actually cost $150.”
Gillon and Advent both said work is moving forward on the Abattoir with three locations being considered for it at this time. One is in Emo and two in the Morley and Chapple areas. The Emo one would see the project tied to the town’s sewer system providing the lagoons can handle it. “That would save a lot of the cost in constructing the abattoir,” said Gillon. The project is being planned on federal standards.
Gillon also spoke of working with the local business community to develop a strategy to promote itself as a real shopping solution in the district. “You not only have businesses you have services.”
Councillor Gerry Marchuk said, “We now have Walmart.”
Gillon noted that they feel not everyone goes to Walmart. “Not everyone is willing to get in their car and drive two hours to save a few bucks.”
Town council also held a special meeting last week to approve the application for federal infrastructure dollars to fix the town’s ailing sewer system. The project’s price tag is about $2.3 million of which the province and feds would each pay a third. They are hoping to hear by the end of March.