CitySSMCity Council accepted a request for 28 thousand dollars to help Crime Stoppers. The money will come out of an Unforseen Expenses Account. It was announced that Crime Stoppers would have to apply when it comes to financial support in the future.  November 30th was a date that was mentioned to apply.  Council heard a presentation from Crime Stoppers of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma District Board Vice-Chair Tom Burmaster.  He talked about the benefits of the program and the importance of everyone’s role in promoting and helping Crime Stoppers. Burmaster mentioned shrinking police budgets, increasing policing costs and the reorganizing of manpower.  This has resulted in staffing at Crimestoppers reduced to part-time status.  Councillor Rick Niro asked a question about any estimate on savings to the police budget.  Sault Police Chief Bob Keetch responded that Crimestoppers limits overtime and prioritizes tips, adding that without Crime Stoppers potential payment would be awarded to informants affecting the Police Service’s bottom line.  Burmaster talked about the success of the program — more than four thousand arrests and over 363 thousand dollars in rewards paid over 30 years — through monies raised.  He also mentioned the perception that it is operated by the Police Service, but Crime Stopppers pays for office space at police headquarters.  Ward 5 Councillor Marchy Bruni asked Burmaster what happens if other communities in Algoma receive a Crime Stoppers tip.  Burmaster answered that tips are relayed to various police agencies and that it’s up to them to pursue cases further. Other questions were asked by councillors about why the money could not come from the police budget and if any police service supported its local chapter of Crime Stoppers.  Sault Police Chief answered Bob Keetch answered that it was important to keep CrimeStoppers separate and he was not aware of any police service doing this.

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Council also approved the removal of a holding provision on property at the intersection of Second Line East and Pine Street.  This will allow for the construction of a Mac’s store and gas bar to be constructed on the subject property at 849 Second Line East.  The acceptance did not come without a brief presentation from concerned citizen Mark Brown.  He declared his opposition to the removal of that provision.  Brown suggested that Council should wait until the results of a 30 thousand dollar traffic study are known — a study that Council approved.  Councillor Frank Fata also expressed concern about the presence of a business at a corner near a new high school — that something ‘might happen there’ as it relates to traffic.

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A resolution was also passed regarding recommendations related to the Spending Review Committee.  Councillor Steve Butland mentioned that participation will happen if everyone knows what to do on this issue, adding that city staff should be consulted regarding how to improve efficiency here.  Ward 5 councillor Frank Fata was vocal about the issue.  He talked about how certain boards may not be dealt with by council, like the DSSAB when it comes to an ambulance service in Goulais and the library board possibly building a new library to replace the branch at Churchill Plaza.  The latter is only a rumour at this time. Fata summed up his argument by feeling that it will only be more of the same — discussion, but what action?   Sault Mayor Christian Provenzano responded that he ‘wants to get things done’, with a goal of allocating resources effectively and effciently as possible.  He added that regarding the District Social Services board, the councillors on that board will adequately represent the interests of Sault Ste. Marie.  As a result of council’s approval, a subcommittee of three members would be formed that includes the city’s Finance Commissioner.  The establishment of such a group would be timely as council prepares the 2016 City Budget and assess it with a more thorough perspective.