Main Street eyed for $2 million face-lift

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River Town Council held a special meeting Monday evening.
The first item of business was to approve signing officers for a grant to install upgrades to the local water treatment plant.
The level of trihalomethanes (THMs)in Rainy River's drinking water has been an issue in the past. They are a by-product of the treatment process in making clean drinking water.
Council received notice that they have been approved for 90% of the $210,000 cost for the installation of Trim Chlorinators.
Town Clerk Vel Vogan said this device, "Reduces the contact time of chlorine with organics. The more contact the more THMs."
Long term exposure to THMs can have adverse health effects.
The 90% funding is a good thing. If they did not access it, users of the RR water system would have had to foot the bill.
Clerk gets new contract
At the meeting Monday council agreed to renew Clerk Vogan's contract for another four years.
Other funding for
local projects
Council also passed an Expression of Interest in the Small Rural Northern Municipal Infrastructure Fund for another big project.
If approved council can receive up to 90% funding for a complete overhaul of Rainy River's Main St. (Fourth St.).
That would see water and sewer lines replaced, new street lamps and repaving of the street.
The last time a complete overhaul of the street was done was in the early 1970s.
Estimated cost to refurbish the street is pegged at about $2 million.
Clerk Vogan said that the project was identified as needed by the 2001 Burside report that identified areas where water and sewer lines were in dire need of replacement.
The completion date for the project, if approved, would be Dec. 31, 2015.