The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Question: Is the city happy with our present hospital and are you lobbying to get us a new one? Why or why not? Mayor Therien: This is a question that could take on new meaning, depending on what direction you want to go with this. If we are talking about, strictly, a brand new hospital, council is aware of the inadequacies of the current building and the need for a newer, more modern centre. We have seen the capital plan from the RHA and a new hospital remains part of this plan. The problem, as is usually the case, is the cost required. The RHA gets their funding from the province and, like all RHAs, are not getting enough to meet their needs, and certainly not their wishes. The good thing over the past few years is the amount of capital the RHA has put into the Flin Flon Hospital. The single greatest fear I have is that the RHA will downsize the hospital to a nursing station with all other services going totally to The Pas. The types of expenditures suggest my fears may not be warranted. Let's not pretend that everything that goes on in Flin Flon in regards to the RHA and services provided here in Flin Flon meet with total approval, but we do keep an eye and an ear open to what is happening at the RHA level as well as the Ministry of Health. * * * Question: We heard at the hearing on the proposed Main St. parking tax that parking tickets would be torn up by the city if they were given to someone who went over their time limit while patronizing a business (i.e. a lady getting her hair done). Firstly, is this true? Secondly, is it fair or even legal to selectively enforce a bylaw? Does this set a bad precedent for other bylaws, with some being penalized and others not being penalized? Mayor Therien: The easy answer to your question is, yes, there were tickets "ripped up" when we had this system in place during the Main St. repairs (of 2007). This made some sense back then as the parking situation was greatly compromised during the repairs, with tickets being issued for Hapnot and Church Streets as well. We were not talking about a lot of tickets during this period. Would the same situation exist if we reinstated a parking enforcement officer? It was suggested by members of the downtown business group that this practice would just happen as it did in the past. The process was cumbersome then as it required the person ticketed to come to City Hall and for someone at City Hall to verify the situation. Was this a good use of time? Your question of whether this practice sets a bad precedent for other bylaws requires a bit of thought as I could see the justification of this during the repairs but would have to give it more thought for the future should we get that far into this. In order for bylaws to be enforced in a fair manner, you have to ensure that everyone is having to play by the same rules. * * * Forward The Reminder your questions for Mayor Therien by phone at 687-3454, fax at 687-4473, e-mail at [email protected] or standard delivery at "Ask the Mayor", C/O The Reminder, 14 North Avenue, Flin Flon, MB, R8A 0T2. No names are required. Ask the Mayor runs Mondays.
