World Healrh Organization official visits (Council preview)

Here's a SooToday.com peek at some of the stuff coming up at Monday's meeting of City Council.

Earlier versions of this article were packaged as a cheeky "swimsuit edition" featuring a digitally manipulated photograph of Ward 6 Councillor Peter Vaudry.

This image was removed this evening after we were advised that Councillor Vaudry may still be in hospital after an angina attack late last week.

SooToday News wishes Mr. Vaudry a speedy recovery.

World Health Organization official visits

Is Sault Ste. Marie one of the world's safest communities?

Moa Sundstrom from the World Health Organization’s Karolinska Institute in Stockholm is in town to find out.

Sundstrom will drop in on City Council Monday night as part of a whirlwind tour of local businesses and organizations.

She's talking to local officials and residents to determine our level of commitment to injury prevention, and will summarize her findings in a report on whether the Sault should be named one of just five internationally designated safe communities in Canada.

On Sunday, Sundstrom dropped in at the Community Police Operated Storefront (COPS) on Queen Street.

Her local agenda will also take her to Sault Area Hospitals, Algoma Steel Inc. and GP Flakeboard.

If we pass muster, the Sault will be designated as the fifth Safe Community in Canada during the Sault Ste. Marie Health & Safety Celebration, which runs May 5 to 9.

Bad news for bad neighbours

The City is moving to tighten its procedures for dealing with derelict properties and uncut grass.

Recommendations being brought before City Council by Maurice Kukoraitis, the City's director of engineering design and buildings, will considerably tighten the timelines for dealing with property standards complaints.

Under Kukoraitis's proposals, it will take between 104 to 189 days to go through all of the needed inspections, notifications and awarding of tenders to have the City clean up derelict buildings and yards for unco-operative owners.

At present, the process takes anywhere from 195 to 391 days.

A similar crackdown is planned for properties with uncut grass.

"During the growing season for 2003, it is our intent to inspect any tall grass complaints within a day or two or receiving them," Kukoraitis says.

"And if at the time of our inspection we determine that it is a repeat offence or obvious neglect, we will immediately issue a summons to appear in court and upon conviction if the grass has not been cut, send someone in to cut it."

Orazietti, Caicco seek bigger slice of casino pie

Ward One Councillor David Orazietti wants the Ontario Government to pay municipalities a larger percentage of the slots revenue from its charity casinos.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie currently receives five percent of the charity casino's gross slot machine revenue, money that can be used at the discretion of the municipality.

Orazietti, who's also the local Liberal candidate in the next provincial election, says the City's share should be increased to eight percent, to help charities and non-profit organizations that have suffered revenue losses since the casinos arrived.

Orazietti's asking City Council to approve a resolution declaring the City's position on the issue.

His motion is seconded by fellow Ward 1 Councillor Jamie Caicco, who ran for the Progressive Conservative party in the last provincial election.

Trails activists offer to help

Jim Miller and Sherri Smith of the Sault Trail Action Committee will make a presentation regarding the Sault Trails Master Plan recently endorsed by Council.

The action committee includes representation from the Voyageur Trail Association, Sault Cycling Club, Circle H Ranch, Algoma and Area Regional Trails Council, Sault College Natural Resources Department, Sault Trails and Recreation, Soo Finnish Nordic Ski Club, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, other businesses and local runners.

The groups are asking that their professionals and technical experts be allowed to help in implementing the master plan.

Donna Hilsinger of Algoma's Water Tower Inn will also attend, to talk about proposed trail links north from the Water Tower Inn.

All-way stop suggested on Third Line East

Jim Elliot, the City's deputy commissioner for public works and transportation, is recommending an all-way stop be installed at the intersection of Old Garden River Road and Third Line East.

The problem, Elliot says, is one of visibility.

"The east approach of Third Line with Old Garden River Road is at an angle that a vehicle with a centre post, or any other obstruction, prevents the driver from seeing the traffic to the north.

"There are pavement markings that have been installed to guide the driver to the proper angle, but these markings are difficult to see during the winter months when they are obscured by ice and snow."

An all-way stop, Elliot says, would force drivers from all directions to stop, ensuring clear visibility before they enter the intersection.

In view of increased traffic expected when the new Davey Home opens, City staff are also suggesting that property be acquired to straighten approaches to the intersection.

Why the lights are out at Fort Creek toboggan hill

It could cost as much as $5,500 to fix the light fixture on the Fort Creek toboggan hill, says Linda Whalen, secretary manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Conservation Authority.

The light is served by a 400-foot or 500-foot stretch of underground wiring, and somewhere in that stretch the line has been damaged, Whalen says.

Because the exact location of the break is not known, the entire underground connection may have to be replaced, but Whalen says there's virtually nothing in the conservation authority's recreation budget and she's asking the City for help.

Ward 4 Councillor Neil DelBianco is hoping that only part of the underground wire will need replacement, but no one will know until warmer weather makes a site inspection possible.

Whalen's request for financial assistance is expected to be referred to City Council's budget deliberations.

How Lou Turco travels free

On Monday night Mayor John Rowswell will ask Council for authorization to travel to Bonfield Township (east of North Bay) to make a presentation to the annual conference of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM).

The Mayor's trip is expected to cost up to $1,000.

Ward Four Councillor Lou Turco will ask for permission to attend the same gathering, at no cost to the City.

The difference, Turco says, is that he's on the FONOM board of directors and therefore gets to travel at their expense instead of the City's.

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