Flin Flon residents may soon be paying a small amount more for water and sewer this year and for the next two years.
An amendment to the existing city fee structure was given second reading and passed at the Dec. 17 City council meeting. Under the new agreement, all unmetered fees will jump three per cent in 2020, 2021 and 2022, forming three separate increases.
The increases will cause fees to jump from $103.83 for unmetered monthly in 2019 to $107.95 by 2022 for the same service and unmetered quarterly service to go from $311.49 last year to $323.85 in 2022.
The rate structure will need to be approved by the provincial Public Utilities Board (PUB) before going into effect.
Once the increases finish in 2022, the current projection for City water and sewer fees are expected to stand pat instead of increase – something council members and administrators were quick to point out.
“In 2022, our current rate rise is now longer a part of the equation and so is the actual bottom line increase, in terms of what we’re charging,” said treasurer Lyn Brown.
“I want to mention that in the fourth year, the cost will actually go down,” added councillor Colleen Arnold, who gave the proposal a reading at the meeting.
Main Street
Main Street revitalization just got a financial shot in the arm from the City.
City council approved providing $50,000 in the upcoming 2020 financial plan for the existing Community Improvement Plan under development by the Flin Flon Economic Development Committee. The money will be specifically dedicated to the portion of the plan devoted to developing Main Street.
Which projects the money may go toward are currently unknown, along with when they will be announced.
The City has been involved with some aspects of Main Street revitalization, including the Main ARTery project last summer, but has not outwardly dedicated as much money to the cause recently.
“I think the idea, holistically, is to improve the entire community. It’s not just Main Street – I think that the intent is to start with Main Street. Main Street is tourists’ first impression of people that are coming to visit your community. We want it to look like a place that people want to visit. It's our gathering place. When things are happening, they're happening on that street,” said councillor Colleen McKee.
“It’s going to show that Main Street is a good place to do business. It’s important to show that Main Street is important and to draw business and attract businesses to it.”
McKee said the funding would be a top
“There’s residential areas in the community that we want to improve as well, but I think this is a starting point. This is step one.”
Kolt contract
Former city solicitor and chief administrative officer Mark Kolt didn’t stay retired for very long.
Kolt was rehired as the City solicitor, effective Jan. 1 for the entirety of 2020.
Kolt will do the job on a part-time basis. The City will pay the former full-time legal counsellor’s Contractor’s Law Society fees for the year and will pay for Kolt on retainer for up to 10 hours of work a month, with additional charges for each hour incurred afterward.
The contract also allows Kolt to seek outside legal work, providing it does not cause a conflict of interest with the City or interfere with his existing duties.
Kolt will also retain full ownership of the computer in his former City Hall office. The longtime City employee retired from full-time work at City Hall in December.
