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.
By Jonathon Naylor Whether you think he is on the right track or the wrong track, there is no denying that George Fontaine is a mayor of mettle. Winning the 2010 election with an astounding 70 per cent of the vote, Mayor Fontaine came into office with tremendous political capital. Now, less than two years later, he is showing he is unafraid to spend some of that capital _ and ruffle feathers _ for the betterment of Flin Flon. Mayor Fontaine has assigned himself a bold and controversial mission: to glean municipal income from year-round cottagers. Earlier this summer, he personally met with representatives from the growing cottage subdivisions outside city limits, where many former Flin Flonners now reside. He asked them to formulate a plan to have cottagers funnel dollars into city coffers. The specifics, including financial amounts, would be up to the cottagers themselves. Failing a proposal that passes muster with City Hall, Mayor Fontaine has made it clear that he and his council are prepared to pursue outright annexation of cottage subdivisions. That would place some or all cottage areas between Cranberry Portage and Flin Flon under the taxation boundaries of the latter community. Cottage country would officially be part of Flin Flon, with those residents paying assessment-based property taxes to City Hall. It's the sort of lofty concept few civic politicians have openly discussed, and one virtually guaranteed to enrage large numbers of people. Many Flin Flon residents support Mayor Fontaine's position. To them, Flin Flon is a true regional centre. Its roads and public facilities are used not only by cottagers, but by people up to 200 kilometres away who also pay no property taxes to the city. It is difficult to dismiss, entirely and with ease, the argument that regional residents outside Flin Flon should pay at least something to City Hall. On the other hand, cottagers opposed to a 'Flin Flon fee' and annexation raise very good points that, likewise, cannot merely be tossed aside as meritless. Why charge some sort of residential fee to cottagers who regularly utilize Flin Flon and not, say, folks from Pelican Narrows or Cranberry Portage? Do they not also enjoy the benefits of Flin Flon and its services? And what about cottagers who utilize Cranberry Portage, not Flin Flon, as their primary service hub? What sense does it make for them to give money to Flin Flon? It's not as though cottagers are necessarily opposed to helping to support Flin Flon. It's more a question of how this should be accomplished. Quite a few cottagers have long supported user fees for non-residents should they happen to visit the Aqua Centre, Whitney Forum or other municipal facility. The library already charges user fees for non-Flin Flon, Creighton or Denare Beach residents. Expanding this system to other facilities makes perfect sense regardless of how the current cottage controversy plays out. And as it does play out, it will be vital for both sides _ city council and the cottagers _ to maintain open minds. Even though a resolution that pleases everyone is undoubtedly beyond reach, both sides have valid arguments. Local Angle runs Fridays.
