Fort Frances Budget Finalized

Fort Frances town council has put the final touches to the 2011 budget.

It comes with a 2.55 per cent increase for most residential ratepayers.

Councillor Ken Perry says it's a budget he can accept.

"We worked hard on it," says Perry. "We've chiseled away at everything we could and we've questioned every aspect of life in Fort Frances to get it down to where it is without hurting services. I know we've cut a few, but there' probably still more to cut in years to come if the economy continues to go the way it's going."

Council will formally accept the budget at their meeting next Monday

Connecting Link Funding Denied Again

The town of Fort Frances has again been denied provincial funding for upgrades to a section of Scott Street.

The town was informed so-called Connecting Link funding was distributed early last month and that it was not among the thirty-one communities benefiting.

It puts the Fort Frances road project on hold for a third straight year.

Solar Panel Project Gets Nod

A plan to install solar panels on some municipal buildings in Fort Frances is getting approval from town councillors.

Mayor Roy Avis says the $375-thousand project is an asset for the community for the future.

"I know that people are quite skeptical when you get paid 80 cents per kilowatt hour and your only getting charged 5 cents on your power bill," says Avis, "but that's the legislation that government has in place at the present time."

The panels will go on the roofs of the Memorial Sports Centre, public works building, daycare centre and water treatment centre.

A plan to put them on the sewage treatment plant was scrapped but it was deemed the building was suitable for the panels.

New College Program In Place

Confederation College has received funding to offer a new pre-apprenticeship program in automotive and heavy equipment mechanics at its campuses in Fort Frances and Kenora this spring.

Don Bernosky, executive director of Innovation and Skills Development says it addresses a demand for the program.

"We haven't offered this particular program at all in Fort Frances," says Bernosky. "We offered it a number of years ago in Kenora. It's an opportunity to be able to build the foundation and get the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to pursue a career in automotive and heavy equipment mechanics."

The $275-thousand in government money allows the College to offer the program for 40 weeks beginning at the end of May.

Debates Planned

At least two candidate debates are being planned for the Rainy River District this month.

April 19 will see the Thunder Bay-Rainy River candidates in Stratton.

The next day they will be in Fort Frances for a debate organized by the Chamber of Commerce.

All of the candidates but Conservative Maureen Comuzzi-Stehman have confirmed their attendance.

Former LHIN CEO Salary Questioned

The salary of a former government health agency CEO is taking centre stage.

Gwen Dubois-Wing made $276 thousand last year as the head of the Northwest Local Health Integration Network, but held left in February.

Board Chair Jan Beazley won't say why.

"Our CEO contracts are negotiated between the CEO and the board," says Beazley,"including any seperation packages that may be applicable. It's a human resource issue and the details of the contract are confidential."

The reason Dubois-Wing left the position has never been made public.

Building Code Change Concerns

The chief building official with the town of Fort Frances is opposing a change to the provincial building code.

The change will allow builders to connect non-potable water services to an existing municipal line.

Rick Hallam says it opens the door for toxins getting into the local water system.

"It could have anything in it," says Hallam, "from chemicals that are spilled, noxious or toxic, even to excrement from animals to human. We don't know. You have no control over what goes into that non-potable water supply."

Hallam is making his opposition known in a submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

News Mine Centre School Name Selected

A committee, tasked with finding a name for the new elementary school in Mine Centre, is recommending it remain Mine Centre School.

In a report to Rainy River District School Board trustees, the committee says there were lots of suggestions offered, but submissions put forward by students interested it the most.

Their submissions focused on the historical aspect of Mine Centre School.

Trustees are to vote on the proposed name at their meeting tomorrow.

Rafferty Opens Office

One of the first candidate campaign offices to open in Fort Frances happens tonight.

NDP incumbent John Rafferty will hold an official opening for his office on Mowatt Avenue tonight at 7 p.m.

Dry March

March turned out to be a dry month for much of the Rainy River district.

Statistics compiled by Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw show Fort Frances received 16 millimetres of precipitation in March, almost two-thirds of its normal for the month.

Atikokan's precipitation of almost 9 millimetres was about 80 per cent below normal.

Festival Starts Today

The 71st annual Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts gets underway today.

Piano competitions begin at the Townshend Theatre at 9 a.m. and later tonight at Knox United Church.

All events are open to the public.

Pennies for Play Carnival

Purple Pride was well on display Saturday in International Falls.

A group, trying to raise money for new playground equipment at Kerry Park, staged a football-themed carnival at Falls High School.

Three former Minnesota Vikings were on hand to lend their support.

Doug Sutherland, a member of the famed Purple People Eater defence, travelled from his home in Duluth to take part.

"It's giving back to the communities," says Sutherland, "and meeting some of the fans who were fans back then and new fans. It's just fun to be around."

Frank Youso, an original member of the first Vikings team, lives in International Falls.

He says the Pennies for Play campaign is a great initiative.

"I think it's wonderful," says Youso. "I think we need this. I think the playground at Kerry Park is run down and we'd like to build it up again. It's my pleasure to help."

Fellow alumni Matt Blair also attended.

Former Teacher Pens Second book

(Author Frank Maraj (l) with Randy Thoms and family)

A former Fort Frances High School teacher is out with his second book.

Snapshots II continues an autobiography Frank Maraj's first told in an early book.

"After the demand for the book, I though I would chronicle the university years," says Maraj. "So this book specifically addresses the events while I was a student at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay."

The book will soon be available at select stores in the Fort Frances area.

$100,000 List Grows

The number of public service employees in the Rainy River District who earned over one-hundred thousand dollars last year has grown.

The so-called Sunshine list was released yesterday by the province.

The Rainy River District School Board leads with twenty employees earning over the salary threshold, compared with nine reported in 2009.

Riverside Health Care Facilities has eight on the so-called sunshine list, compared with five in 2009.

Here is a list of some of public service workers identified

Northwest Catholic District School Board
Alvin Cesiunas, Superintendent of Education, $134,675.97
Teresa Dennis, Principal, $110,697.86
Guy Durand, Principal, $106,306.83
Ronald Fryer, Principal, $100,031.76
Christopher Howarth, Superintendent of Business $134,675.97
Brendan Hyatt, Principal, $100,938.78
Mary Catherine-Kelly, Director of Education, $184,670.45
MArk Lugli, Principal, $110,697.86
Joanne Querel, Assistant to the Superintendent, $121,046.93
Margot Saari, Principal, $110,697.86
David Sharp, Student Success Leader, $121,046.90


Rainy River District School Board
Jennifer Baker, Vice-Principal, $100,964.81
Leslie Barr-Kellar, Principal, $109,487.81
Heather Campbell, Director of Education, $166,748.24
James Chorney, Principal, $105,490.44
William Daley, Principal, $110,609.10
Paul Elliott, Teacher, $162,454.44
Darryl Gannon, Principal, $107,090.40
Pegeen Keffer, Vice-Principal, $104,823.96
Donna Kowalski, Vice-Principal, $100,023.50
Gary Lipinski, Teacher, $119,535.60
Donald McBride, Vice-Principal, $100,934.50
Gord McCabe, Principal, $115,209.85
Al McManaman, Principal, $119,131.77
Lucina Meyers, Principal, $106,253.15
Laura Mills, Superintendent of Business, $148,991.11
Kendall Olsen, Principal, $106,253.15
Sylvia Parker, Assistant to the Director, $124,500.79
Ian Simpson, Vice-Principal, $104,004.05
Casey Slack, Superintendent of Education, $131,138.10
Dianne Thompson, Principal, $112,402.13
Kerri Tolen, Principal, $106,253.15


Town of Fort Frances
Mark McCaig, Chief Administrative Officer, $129,285.70

Atikokan General Hospital
Marie Comell, Laboratory Manager, $103,068.90
Kim Cross, Assistant Executive Director, Finance, $103,568.81
Wayne Smith, Assistant Executive Director, Patient Care Services, $104,704.40
Robert Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, $185,764.48

Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc.
Edith Bodnar, Administrator, Rainycrest Long-Term Care Facility, $110,413.68
Debbie Canfield, Registered Nurse, $103,680.90
Shelley Gustafson, Registered Nurse, $107,518.45
Lori Maki, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, $156,610.02
Marna Martin, Registered Nurse First Assist, $113,319.92
Tammy McNally, Manager of Care, Rainy River Health Centre, $100,721.30
Dianna Whalen, Registered Nurse, $101,964.20
Wayne Woods, President/Chief Executive Officer, $228,000.02


Family & Children's Services of the Rainy River District
Vik Nowak, Executive Director, $114,260.83


Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board
Donna Dittaro, Chief Administrative Officer, $147,603.40

Arts Centre Looks at Bankruptcy

The volunteer board responsible for the operations of the Atikokan Arts Centre is considering filing for bankruptcy.

Chair Jada Siegfried says with the centre having run out of funds, the group is left with little choice.

"We would much prefer the building to stay open and the vision of the Arts Centre continue," says Siegfried. "Unfortunately, the funding isn't there for a qualified artistic director and staff to administer the programming and day-to-day operations."

Siegfried says it's likely assets will be sold off and the building eventually closed.

She says the facility, though, will remain available until then to groups wanting to use it, but without staff on site.

More Downtime at AbitibiBowater

There will more downtime for workers at the AbitibiBowater mill in Fort Frances.

The company reports operations will be curtailed for two weeks begin May 2nd.

The mill is currently in the middle of a shutdown that began Monday.

A previous two-week shutdown of the paper machines happened in February.

Poor market conditions are being blamed.

North West CCAC Workers in Strike Position

Workers with the North West Community Care Access Centre are poised to hit the picket lines April 18.

Conciliated talks between the Ontario Nurses Association and the Centre broke off yesterday.

Wages are at the heart of the dispute.

The union says the Centre's case managers and care coordinators are the lowest paid in the province.

Six nurses work out of the office in Fort Frances.

Merger Plans Delayed

Most of the groundwork is done, but it will still be at least a couple of months before a merger of child aid agencies in the Kenora and Rainy River district is complete.

Chair of Family and Children's Services Rainy River Bob McGreevy says they're still awaiting word that the province will take care of Rainy River's debt.

"For a couple of years, FACS has accumulated a debt," says McGreevy, "and before the amalgamation could go forward, we wanted to have that debt eliminated. We anticipate an announcement from in the next coupe of days from the Ministry that they have resolved that debt issue."

McGreevy says approval will allow both boards to cast a final vote on the merger.

Forest Fire Season Underway

Today is the official start to the forest fire season in Ontario. Ministry of Natural Resources spokesperson Debbie Maclean says they're anticipating a quiet start in northwestern Ontario. "We have slightly above average snow fall," says Maclean. "It likes that trend is going to continue with cold, wet weather in April. It's looking like a quiet start to the fire season in 2011." Maclean notes the average number of fires in the northwest Region has dropped in the past few years.

FedNor Dollars Awarded

Two Atikokan group have benefited from recent FedNor money.

The money to the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation and the Friends of Quetico was quietly announced last Friday, prior to the federal election.

The EDC received about half-a-million dollars for loan programs accessible by small and medium sized businesses.

The Friends of Quetico received about $25-thousand to hire a youth intern.