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.
In what could be their final warning, city council is again raising the prospect of fines for residents whose home security systems needlessly summon firefighters. 'We can't keep paying for something that's senseless like this,' Mayor George Fontaine said at last week's council meeting. The comment came after council reviewed a recap of fire calls for the month of May, two of which were security system- related false alarms. 'We might have to implement a fine system something, because it's costing us money every time there's a false alarm,' said Coun. Ken Pawlachuk, chair of the city's Protective Services Committee. 'Sometimes we send eight or 10 guys out and we don't know how else to solve it...' Even though this is not the first, or even second, public warning of this nature, council again stopped short of declaring that future false alarms will mean fines. 'That's just a warning for the folks, and this won't go on forever,' Mayor Fontaine said. Other highlights from last week's council meeting: Chief Administrative Officer Mark Kolt said he anticipates a public hearing on a proposed new city fee will take place in late June or early July. T h e M a n i t o b a Municipal Board is expected to hold a hearing on the city's plan to charge a uniform fee for police and fire protection. In simple terms, this would raise taxes on lowend homes and lower them, at least in the immediate term, on highend homes. Since council hopes to implement the fee this year, their 2013 budget is Jonathon Naylor Editor o n h o l d u n t i l t h e Municipal Board hands down its binding ruling. An emotional Coun. Ka r e n Ma cKi n n o n offered council's condolences on the recent passing of forme r c i t y e m p l o y e e D a r r e l Nomeland, better known as Dewey. S h e d e s c r i b e d Nomeland, retired at the time of his passing, as 'dedicated,' a strong volunteer and 'one of the nicest people I've ever met.' Council reviewed the animal control officer's report for June, which noted that the lone d o g c a p t u r e d wa s redeemed.
