Council questions staffing levels of O.P.P in RR

Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Town Council met with Staff Sgt. Dave Lucas Monday evening for the first time.
Several issues were raised by council including the number of officers working in Rainy River.
Lucas explained that there is always an officer assigned this zone here which spans from Rainy River to just east of Emo.
Council was concerned that when that officer is at the far reaches of the zone that Rainy River may need police assistance and be without it.
“I admit we have a huge area to cover but we have the ability to move resources around,” said Lucas. He note d that officers are not based in Fort Frances, they are based in the Rainy River District and they are moved to where they are needed when they are needed.
He did admit that in a multiple emergency situation there could be up to a 45 minute delay before officers arrive on the scene but he said they try to do the best they can and send officers from the closest possible location to the problem.
Lucas presented council with the cost estimates for policing in Rainy River for 2007. At $183,792 they are about 10% higher than the year before. But the total number of occurrences in Rainy River last year rose to 322 from 257 the year before.
Statistically there were 13 violent crimes, 38 property crimes, four drug crimes, no impaired drivers and 13 car accidents.
Mayor Debbie Ewald asked why Rainy River does not have a sgt. on staff here anymore.
Lucas said that the detachment went to a platoon system last year and that all sgts. are shared throughout the region. “They go where they are needed.”
Other business
•Council passed a new cemetery bylaw making some minor revisions including:
“One regular interment shall be permitted in each lot. In addition, a maximum of six urns will be permitted and standard urn interment charges apply to each. There shall be one charge for perpetual care.”
“Please see the current miscellaneous user fee’s by-law for all costs.”
•Council adopted a new lease agreement with Dr. Qi Zhang, the local dentist. In it he will get a reduction in rent to $1,400 per month which is his old rent prior to an increase last year. This offer to Zhang is good until July 1, 2007.
•Council passed a bylaw to borrow up to $300,000 from CIBC to cover operating expenses until taxes can be collected.
•Finance Chair Brent Anderson reported that his committee hopes to have the budget passed in June.
He hopes that something can be done to help out the business community through lower taxes and user fees. He hopes to do that with nominal impact on residential tax rates.
•Councillor Brent Anderson questioned why the town had to pay $2,000 to rent scaffolding.
Clerk Veldron Vogan noted that it was used to put insulation up at the town garage.
Councillor Gord Armstrong noted that the town could have bought its own scaffolding for $1,000 and had it for life.
Anderson said, “We have to start making better decisions.”
•Councillor Gerry Marchuk noted he will attend a meeting on Jan. 16th regarding hiring a firm from Fort Frances area to do the towns building inspections. However, he cautioned that he thinks that company may be to expensive and that other small communities may opt out. “We may have to look at other options,” said Marchuk.
•Councillor Gord Armstrong reported that the strategic plan should be ready for council to peruse by the end of the month.
•Councillor Marilyn McAlister noted that the chamber of commerce has lined up a meeting with MP Ken Boshcoff to discuss the community’s needs and that they want council’s input on it.
She also noted that the chamber wanted to know if the town is going to produce a new town brochure.
Eco. Dev. Chair Gord Armstrong said it is in the strategic plan.