Mayor Cal Huntley countered civic cynicism, proposed modest tax hikes and took jabs at the provincial government Tuesday during a candid address to business and political leaders.
In speaking to the local chamber of commerce, Flin Flon’s chief magistrate took exception to the suggestion that the community is on the decline.
“We’re not dying,” Huntley told the chamber’s general meeting. “We are a community that’s equal to meeting the needs of the businesses that are existing right now. And if anything, we hope to be a growing community and a growing region.”
Huntley said he objects to a “doom and gloom” mentality around Flin Flon and stressed that “we have a very positive community.”
He acknowledged the eventual closure of 777 mine, one of three Hudbay mines in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake region. Hudbay is working to prolong 777 but at present the mine is due to run out in 2021.
“We’ve been living under those kinds of auspices for 88 years,” Huntley said. “So will they find another mine? I don’t know. They have before. They will again. Can you put all your eggs in that basket? No, but let’s realize we are a mining community and until something dramatically changes…then we are a mining community. And let’s make the best of that and let’s support it and let’s hope they find another mine.”
Shift
Tying into that hope for another mine, Huntley advocated a shift in provincial policy to encourage more junior miners to conduct mineral exploration in Manitoba.
He said Manitoba has dropped down the list in terms of attractiveness to mining companies, which “speaks to the provincial philosophy” in place.
The Fraser Institute disagrees. While the think-tank’s survey of mining companies ranked Manitoba 26th in the world for mining favourability in 2013, the province jumped to fourth in 2014.
Huntley was also critical of the province’s recycling strategy, which requires municipalities pay $10 for every tonne of garbage entering their landfills. A percentage of those dollars go back to the communities based on how much they recycle.
“I certainly believe in recycling and doing it properly,” Huntley said. “I do have a problem with the provincial government mandating us to pay for our own garbage and then saying we’re going to get it back ‘if we do this.’ If they want to govern, then they should govern and they should pay for the landfills and do all that kind of work.”
Finances
On municipal finances, Huntley said the city is devising its 2015 budget with the aim of keeping tax increases to a minimum.
In fact, other than a $50 increase as part of the proposed renewal of the special levy for RCMP and fire services, he said the city plans no property tax hikes.
Huntley had hoped to maintain the special levy at last year’s rate, but given that a number of residents amalgamated their double lots to avoid paying the fee twice, he said there are now fewer properties with which to split costs.
Huntley said he could only speak for the city’s plans around taxes, as the Flin Flon school board sets its own tax rate.
The board will boost its rate five per cent because the city is getting a share of Hudbay’s grant in lieu of taxes that used to go into education.
Beyond 2015, Huntley said that barring any “major catastrophes,” the city will look at small, annual tax increases based on the Consumer Price Index, or CPI.
The goal is to avoid “huge increases” in a single year, he told a Friendship Centre Restaurant audience of 17 people that included Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler and Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz.
But why must the city budget increase at all in an era of population decline?
“The cost to maintain the infrastructure for the City of Flin Flon and the facilities of the City of Flin Flon, regardless of how many people are in the community, is always going to be there and will probably increase,” Huntley said. “I mean, that’s what the CPI is all about. There’s additional costs for power, for fuel, that kind of a thing. So unless we start shutting down neighbourhoods, which we’re not doing, you have a sort of a fixed-size community with services, and whether there’s 10,000 [people] or 5,600, the costs are there.”
Decline
Flin Flon’s population decline worries resident and former MLA candidate Thomas Heine, who told Huntley that the community lacks economic diversification.
Heine asserted that “our community is dying” and that the city must engage in “actively promoting our community, because we know how terrific it is.”
That’s when Huntley disagreed that the community is dying. He emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and of approaching economic diversification from a realistic standpoint.
“City hall has a limited amount of ability to go out and attract industry but does so through various means,” Huntley said.
“But let’s be very, very clear and very, very honest about our community. It is a mining town and the ability to attract unique and significant economic development opportunities [is] very, very challenging. Our neighbours in Creighton just went through it [with the cancellation of talks on nuclear waste storage]. I mean, that was a really unique opportunity. It caused some controversy with regards to, you know, was it safe? Wasn’t it safe?
“But it was an opportunity for significant major economic development in this region. And we need to…mimic what [Creighton Mayor] Bruce [Fidler] and his [council] have been doing with regards to looking for those unique opportunities. And we’ll do that.”
Cottagers
Asked about area cottagers, Huntley said the city has a good relationship with them, though he expects it will be spring before “significant conversations” resume.
“There’s been no change in the situation at this point in time,” Huntley said. “From our perspective, there’s been a little investigation going on with regards to determining our numbers and clarifying what costs are and different things like that.”
Talks on a funding deal between cottagers and the city began in 2012 under then-mayor George Fontaine. The two sides found no common ground throughout sometimes-acrimonious negotiations.
Huntley reiterated his optimism that this will change.
“As I said before the election, I’m comfortable that we’ll be able to resolve that situation as a win-win for both parties,” said Huntley, a former city councillor who was elected mayor last fall.
As far as public feedback, Huntley told the chamber delegates that he and his council are approachable and want to hear what residents have to say.
“Will we be successful at every initiative that’s put towards us? Absolutely not,” he said. “But we need to start taking those baby steps to move forward. I really want the environment of our community and our region to be positive, because it is a positive place.”
