Council renews insurance at a cost of $56,631

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Town Council met Monday evening with only two councillors present.
Mayor Deb Ewald was joined by Councillors Marilyn McAlister and Brent Anderson, which is a quorum under the new structure of four councillors and a mayor. Councillor Gerry Marchuk is recovering from surgery and Gord Armstrong is away on vacation.
Most of the business for the evening was routine including:
•Renewing the Town’s insurance with AON Stenhouse for one year at a cost of $56,631 plus applicable taxes.
•Agreeing to pay the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition 50¢ per capita to sustain programs it is running here and in the district. The total cost to RR taxpayers is $433.
•Council appointed BDO Dunwoody as its auditor for 2007.
•Council passed a motion extending temporary office clerk Donna Wolanicki’s position until the job can be filled permanently.
•Gerry’s Electric was hired at a cost of $714.42 to install some more breakers in the Rainy River Activity Depot.
•The Roadrunner Motel/Chesterfried Chicken were given permission to erect billboards advertising their business at each end of town.
•Mayor Ewald reported that Nurse Practioner Nicole Therrien has left RR to take a job in Fort Frances. There was no word as to whether work on attracting a replacement for her is underway.
•Council sent a letter to the CRTC supporting the Ontario Good Roads Assoc.’s request to leave The Weather Network as a basic television service rather than charging extra for it.
•Council passed a motion asking the provincial government to hold full public hearings on the Ont. Species At Risk legislation; citing that it may cost many jobs in this region.
•Councillor McAlister and Clerk Admin. Vel Vogan received permission to attend an Emergency Management Info. Officer meeting.