Schreiber Extends Arena Season At Town Council Meeting

The last meeting of the Schreiber Council for March had to be delayed and as a result was moved to the first week of April. The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as is.
Committee of the Whole recommendations from the previous month accepted the revised report from OCWA on the towns drinking water and status of the waste water plant.
Council then approved the attendance of two councillors at the AMO conference to be held in London,ON in August.
Bank debits and payments to accounts were ratified and approved.
A donation to the Thunder Bay Municipal League conference and AGM in Thunder Bay was made.
An NOHFC funding application for the arena renovations was revised and resubmitted with the first phase receiving approval.
An agreement with the township and Clo Darling for heating and maintenance was approved after some adjustments to the original draft.
The VON and Schreiber has formalized their agreements for service.
The Gas Tax fund arrangement with the province has been continued and approved.
The Arena season was discussed and it is felt that extending the term will be of benefit to the community. The arena will close for the season around the 18th of April. The discussion that followed highlighted the benefits of a longer season in terms of economic development.

Committee of the Whole was presented with the various department reports.
The Treasurer report recommended transfer fees to various departments and committees to allow for budget approved expenses.
Director of Operations report then focussed on Various issues that are still ongoing. The first one up was the finalization of the sale of the old loader and the arrival of the new one.
The Boil Water advisory procedure was clarified in order to define the different purposes of the advisory depending on the emergency.
Winter burials is a touchy topic and has several factors affecting the proper carrying out of this service. As snow storms batter the area and access to the graveyard becomes more difficult in winter, a plan will need to be enacted. In the past this issue had never been resolved and the emotional and cultural effects will need to be discussed. This is the second time a discussion was raised in regards to the cemetery and its operation.
The Handi Transit issue may be resolved with the purchase of a new vehicle as the existing one that had been involved in an accident earlier in the year. Costs may be covered through the Gas Tax credit and will take nearly a year. 
OCWA expenditures were explained and the costs will be covered from various reserves. The costs also apply to sewage treatment expenses and upgrades. A question arose as to why do costs keep escalating when there are continuous expenses that should have been discussed upfront.
The Ontario street water main upgrade project will cost nearly half a million dollars, of which the town will be responsible for nearly 1/4 of the cost.
The Schreiber Senior Centre report highlighted the programmes that have happened so far this year. An excursion to Thunder Bay is planned for this month. 
The library report included minutes from the last board meeting. The board wants confirmation from the municipality that funds intended for the library will not be diverted to other areas. 
OCWA report once again was submitted and a revised version of the status of the drinking water systems was included.
Under Communications there was a response for the high school bursaries to be approved.
There was a request for support for clarification on possible tax implications regarding AirBnB accommodations in municipalities and the difference between tax rates when compared to commercial hotels.