Council wants judge left in district and school program to shop locally

By Ken Johnston
Editor

At Monday's regular monthly meeting of Rainy River Town Council, Mayor Deb Ewald expressed concern over the proposal to remove the sitting judge from the district and place it in Kenora District.
Ewald reported to council that she participated in a teleconference with all the impacted communities last Friday.
"It was a two hour teleconference and the feeling of the participants was that there was no pre-consultation."
The move will see Kenora District have four judges and Thunder Bay District have six and Rainy River district have none.
"This is pretty serious to take a sitting judge out of a district. We will be one of only a few with no judges," said Ewald.
She said that the district has been assured that it will still have the same amount of judicial service here. Judges will come from Kenora to hold court in Rainy River, Fort Frances and Atikokan.
"What's the difference if they are located here and when they are finished their work can go and help out in Kenora. It makes no sense to me," said Ewald.
She concluded her report saying, "It is another service gone... like another nail in the coffin."
Support local
When reviewing the town's financials for December, Mayor Ewald wondered why such a huge portion of the local after school program's supplies were being purchased outside the community; namely in Emo.
"I noticed the after school program's supply expenses are about three times higher outside than locally. They should be supporting the community. It is a Rainy River program."
She asked that a letter urging the coordinator to shop locally.
Other business
Councillor Larry Armstrong asked about a $3,852 expenditure on taxes involving Canadian National Railway properties.
Town Clerk Veldron Vogan explained that the amount was for the past couple of years. "We were in the process of getting this building (the town hall) exempt."
They finally received the exemption. For the remainder of town buildings on CN property they had to pay the taxes.
Armstrong asked for what other buildings does the town pay.
Vogan said, "The Farmers' Market, the train (4008) and the Museum."
•Signing authority was updated, removing Lisa Mosher who is on maternity leave and councillor Gord Armstrong, and adding Mosher's replacement, Julie Tiboni and Councillor Larry Armstrong.
•Mayor Deb Ewald received council's approval to attend the Rural Ontario Municipal Association and Ontario Good Roads Association meeting in late Feb. in Toronto with expenses paid. She hopes to speak to government officials about the doctor situation while there.
•Council paid $378.55 for Clerk Vogan to enroll Parliamentary Meeting Protocol Course through the Association of Municipal Clerk Treasurers of Ontario.
•Mayor Deb Ewald, councillors Gord Armstrong, Susan Carpenter and Ashley Stamler will attend the Rainy River District Municipal Association annual general meeting in Devlin later this month.
•Councils committee of adjustment approved the severance application submitted by Ken and Gaylene Jasper for property located at 613-619 River Ave. East.
•Public Works Chair Larry Armstrong noted that some snowmobilers have been driving through Hannam Park and without the snow are tearing up he base for the community trail.
He hopes that from now on snowmobilers will use common sense and stay away from the trail.
•Councillor Susan Carpenter said that she is concerned about people driving their 4-wheelers around town when they should not be.
"I was told by a citizen that you can drive them anywhere now. However, I researched it and where there is a bylaw in place they must follow it."
In Rainy River they can be used in the winter from Dec. to the end of March for plowing. Other than that they are prohibited from the streets.