Council passes interim tax bills

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Town Council passed the 2009 interim tax levy at Monday evening's regular monthly meeting.
The bylaw passed will allow the Town to send out tax bills in the amount of 50% of last year's total bill. Finance Committee Chair Brent Anderson pointed out that anyone that saw a change in their assessment last year will not see any change in the interim billing. "The change, whether less or higher will be in the second (final) tax bill (later this year)."
Interim tax bills will be due on March 31, 2009.
Housekeeping
At the recommendation of their auditor, Town Council passed three motions Monday evening to do some housekeeping.
The first one involved stating the amount left outstanding on a previous loan they took out from the Town's reserves. Initially the loan was in the amount of $217,000 against tax receivables. Some of the money was used for the Little St. project. The town did pay back about $107,000 last year and once money flows from Transport Canada for the Little St. project more will be paid down. Council borrowed the money at a rate of 4%.
Another motion to transfer $9,420.00 from the Gas Tax Reserve Fund to finance the new furnace system at the curling rink was passed.
Another motion to transfer $33,875.77 to the Gas Tax Reserve Fund (the amount received from the government in 2008 but unspent) was carried. Town Clerk Veldron Vogan informed council that the money does have a shelf life. "I believe we have to spend about $20,000 of it this calendar year."
Garbage Contract
Council passed a motion to renew the garbage collection contract with Clarence Advent from March 1, 2009-February 28, 2012 at a cost of $39,600 per year.
Council also waived the normal purchasing bylaw as to avoid any interruption in garbage collection services to residents.
Other Business
•Council appointed BDO Dunwoody LLP as the town's auditor for 2008 and 2009.
•Council renewed its membership in the Ontario Municipal Water Association at a cost of $288.75.
•Council passed a new regulatory bylaw for the fire dept.
•Council passed a motion to send town eco. dev. officer Anthony Mason and Councillor Gord Armstrong to a public meeting in Roosevelt, MN. on biomass boilers.
•Council passed a motion to send Councillor Armstrong to a Think North meeting in Thunder Bay.
•Mayor Deb Ewald reported on her recent attendance to the Rainy River District Municipal Association meeting in Atikokan. She noted that Rainy River's resolution asking the government not to release funding amounts until after projects are tendered was overwhelmingly received.
Councillor Gerry Marchuk said that one member from another community asked why no one had thought of that before.
•Council passed a motion to pay the 50¢ per capita membership fee to belong to the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition based on a population of 866.
•Council hired Spark Check to do safety inspections and charge town fire extinguishers for 2009.