Feature Article February 26, 2004
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Frontenac Centre resurfaces at County CouncilKathy Wood of Financial Capital Resources made the first public presentation on the Frontenac Centre project in the past year or so at a Frontenac County Council meeting on February 18.
The municipalities of Central and North Frontenac undertook the project, cost shared by a provincial government grant that is dedicated to allow the Frontenac Centre Concept to be brought to potential private sector partners/investors.
As was illustrated by Kathy Woods power point presentation, the arts-related, eco-friendly, four-star resort is a unique concept, and that is in its favour. However the financial implications of the concept in its current form do not look good. An administrative report by County Economic Development Officer Karen Fisher said, as originally conceived, the private sector component of the Frontenac Centre is not financially viable. Although Fishers report does talk about changing certain variables to make the project more attractive, it concedes that the revenue generating component, , will be challenging.
At the conclusion of Kathy Woods presentation, she pointed out there is money left in the provincial grant to rework the proposal and move it forward. This would involve several efforts, including setting up a not-for- profit organization to develop and market the areas cultural, heritage, and arts resources, which then could participate in the arts component of the Frontenac Centre.
The response by Mayor MacDonald of Central Frontenac was not particularly encouraging. MacDonald asked Wood, Do you have any numbers that may be attributed to costs to the municipality to support something like this. Im thinking in the area of roads, firefighting equipment and the like? Wood replied We did some work and well get that to you.
Mayor Ron Maguire of North Frontenac was downright discouraging. After asking Kathy Wood about the numbers she was using to estimate the cost of construction, Maguire said These seem to me to be ballpark figures, , I dont have any confidence in these figures. Based on my experience, I think you will find these costs will go up by 40%.
County Council received the reports by Wood and Fisher and will look at the matter once again after hearing back from Central and North Frontenac, who will be meeting with Kathy Wood in a closed session in early March. The decision to have the meeting in camera was taken because possible locations of the Centre will be discussed.
No final location for the project will be determined until such time as an investor is in place to buy the land.
County budget Preliminary budget figures were presented to Council by treasurer Marian Vanbruineson. While all relevant figures are not in, some of the draft figures give an indication of where the budget may be headed. The total budget is projected to increase by a significant amount, some 29.04% over 2003. Revenue generation to pay for this will mostly come from increased transfers from the federal and provincial governments, but a 9.36% increase in transfers from lower tier municipalities is envisioned. This will probably mean no increase or perhaps a decrease in county tax rates to municipal ratepayers, with the increase coming from new and increased property assessment that has come about in 2003.
Again, Marian Vanbruineson stressed the numbers are preliminary and will be fixed in time for the County Council to work on the budget. Council set March 9 as the date for a special budgeting meeting, and plans to approve the 2004 budget at its March 25th meeting
