Term limits may be nixed

Staff

Town council may get rid of term limits for members of boards and committees appointed by them.
Council will receive a report at tonight’s meeting from the Administration and Finance executive committee, which recommends it do away with terms limits because there’s not enough new people applying to fill the various town boards and committees.
As it stands now, the relevant bylaw states the maximum tenure of office for appointments by council to boards and committees is eight years.
In 2011, this bylaw was amended to exempt members of the Fort Frances Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corp. board of directors.
In the report, Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig reasoned this exemption be extended to all boards and committees with members appointed by council.
“Over the last few years, the town has noticed a decline in applications to boards and committees,” he noted.
“These entities are crucial to town operations.
“In consideration of this decline in applications, the AFEC is recommending that the eight-year term limit for boards and committees be abolished,” added McCaig.
“The rationale is that any persons wishing to volunteer for such a commitment on a continuing basis should have the opportunity to do so.”
If council approves the report, the next step will be for a bylaw to be prepared to rescind the term-limit one.
The committee of the whole meeting is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m., with the regular meeting of council to follow at 6 p.m.
Other business on the agenda includes:
•a public meeting on the 2015 budget (the public is welcome to attend and give council and administration input on the budget);
•a presentation by the Seniors Retirees Against Pension and Elder Abuse (SRAPEA) re: economic stability for Fort Frances and Rainy River District, as well as the Sister Kennedy Centre board;
•a report re: fence compliance (914 Armit Ave.);
•a purchase card expense claim for CAO Mark McCaig;
•a report re: uncollectable accounts receivable customer accounts;
•a report re: signing officers;
•a report re: the Rainy River District Stewardship donation proposal for revitalization of property located at 235 Scott St.;
•a report re: Sister Kennedy Centre policies;
•per diem and travel expense claims for Coun. John Albanese;
•a verbal update on capital projects;
•a request from Calvin Morriseau, executive director, Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services, re: a letter of support to pursue funding for a detox facility and programming;
•a request from the Recycling Council of Ontario to proclaim “Waste Reduction Week” here;
•a request from Times Printing re: the 2015 Vacation Guide Map advertising;
•a request from the Fort Frances Lakers re: support for hosting the 2015 Dudley Hewitt Cup;
•a request from Don Lee re: two rental parking spots in the vicinity of Club 88;
•a request from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario re: double-hatter firefighter issue in the media;
•a bylaw to authorize the entering into of a renewal lease agreement with John Myers at the Fort Frances Airport;
•a bylaw to approve a service agreement with Frank Wepruk (doing business as Wepruk Enterprises) for the provision of information technology services;
•a bylaw to appoint a Joint Compliance Audit Committee;
•a bylaw to rescind a bylaw to amend capping parameters for the 2013 taxation year; and
•a notice that the property municipally known as 446 Third St. E. is surplus property for sale.