Skyrockets in flight - 7 short stories about City Council

There were fireworks both inside and outside Monday night's meeting of Sault Ste. Marie City Council.

As a long debate over an application to establish a downtown strip bar dragged on inside, councillors were startled by loud crashes from over the river, only to realize it was the July 4th U.S. fireworks, delayed because of bad weather the previous night.

City Council voted 8-5 to reject a controversial application by Martin Fiser to use 119 Gore Street, just off Queen Street West, as an adult entertainment parlour.

Fiser is expected to appeal the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Last week, he told SooToday.com that he was willing to work with the community to allow suitable controls on his Pure Platinum club.

But if forced to the OMB, he told us, such co-operation would end.

Here's how your councillors voted:

For the strip club: James Caicco, Jody Curran, David Celetti, Steve Butland, Debbie Amaroso

Against it: Pat Mick, Lou Turco, Jason Collins, Terry Sheehan, Bryan Hayes, Frank Manzo, Neil DelBianco, John Rowswell

Quote from Ward 6 Councillor Frank Manzo before last night's vote: "If a young man wants to see a barenaked lady, get married."

No traffic lights at Fifth Line

City Council accepted as information a staff report about whether a new traffic light should be established at the intersection of Great Northern Road and Fifth Line.

That means nothing will be done there.

SooToday.com background article

Arena road trip approved

City councillors have given the go-ahead to a road tour of arenas in Ontario and Michigan.

At least 11 people, some members of the Arena Study Review Committee and other travelling as resource people, will visit facilities in Barrie, Mississagua, Sarnia and Plymouth, Michigan.

SooToday.com background article 18 truck route deals approved

Councillors voted to accept 18 offers to sell properties on the new truck route.

The offers ranged from $45,000 to $95,000.

The City previously approved eight other deals at its June 14 meeting.

It still has to acquire 54 additional homes and several commercial properties to proceed with the project.

SooToday.com background article

Finn Hill proposal allowed to slide

Ward 1 Councillor James Caicco's proposal to establish a snow park at Finn Hill was tabled until a future meeting.

Caicco wants the City to do a feasibility study on whether to establish a tubing and toboggan park and food concession, either at Finn Hill or some other location.

SooToday.com background article

City Council to organize meeting on bear problem

Councillors voted tonight to organize a community meeting on the local bear problem.

Responding to a request from Ward 6 Councillor Jason Collins and Ward 3 Councillor Bryan Hayes, the City will call together officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service with Sault MPP David Orazietti to hear concerns and learn what can be done.

Bear sightings are up significantly this year: 145 more than the 81 reported at this time last year, Council was told.

Jacques Landry from the Ministry of Natural Resources attended tonight's Council meeting and advised that there are several bear-prevention programs for which the City can apply for funding.

But the deadline is within the next two weeks, and Chief Administrative Officer Joe Fratesi cautioned Landry that bear control is a ministry responsibility.

Fratesi warned that he expeccts ministry staff to apply for the funding instead of trying to download things on the municipality.

The City won't be applying for the money, the CAO said.

Ken Pierman gets a break

Councillors voted to give Ken Pierman a little more time to get an environmental review on a property at 1032 Great Northern Road on which he's seeking permission for an industrial subdivision and a contractor's yard.

Bill Wierzbicki, the City's co-ordinator of current planning, had asked Councol to pull the plug on Pierman's application, advising that Pierman owes $165,880 in outstanding taxes on the property and his environmental consultant, Conestoga-Rovers and Associates, is refusing to do further work because Pierman owes them $38,638.

The cost of the environmental review, orginally estimated at $30,000, has now reached $70,000 with no estimate of what the final total will be, Pierman's lawyer Frank Provenzano said.

Pierman is now looking at selling all or part of the property, but it can't be sold until the environmental issues are resolvcd, Provenzano told Council.

Pierman is making monthly payments to the consultant and hopes to resume the work on Great Northern Road, he said.