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Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Town suspends business licensing By Ron Giofu
RTT PHOTO BY RON GIOFU Amherstburg Firefighters Association (AFA) president Cameron Arksey reacts after hitting the water at the Amherstburg Polar Plunge.
Polar Plunge raises funds for LWSO By Ron Giofu
Local firefighters and others took a cold swim last weekend for a good cause. The Amherstburg Firefighters Association presented the first-ever “Amherstburg Polar Plunge” Saturday afternoon to raise money for LaSalle-Windsor Special Olympics (LWSO). They did so to help Max Vigneux, a friend of the fire department who worked at fire station #1, and is an athlete with LWSO. Cameron Arksey, president of the Amherstburg Firefighters Association (AFA), said there were about 30 people who signed up for the Amherstburg Polar Plunge, which was held at the Amherstburg Yacht Club. Prior to the event, he said they had reached $6,000 of their $10,000 goal and was confident they would make their goal when funds from the afterparty at Shooters Roadhouse were factored in.
Arksey added Sunday the AFA had brought in $7,755 in registration and website donations to that point before factoring in money raised at the afterparty. Vigneux could not be at the plunge itself, as he was in Tillsonburg competing. The proceeds from the Amherstburg Polar Plunge will help offset the cost the LWSO incurs by sending their athletes to the provincial competition. The estimated cost to send the 28 Special Olympians was in the neighbourhood of $25,000. “We’re so proud of those young people,” said Arksey. “They live their whole lives with people telling them they can’t do something.” The LWSO members are an inspiration, he added, and that they are doing things many other people can’t.
The business licensing program and associated fees that have been upsetting businesses are on hold. Town council has suspended licensing until public consultation can be held and will refund the money thus far collected, which was estimated by administration to be in the neighbourhood of $12,000-$13,000. A report will also come back to council. That decision came after an impassioned delegation from an Amherstburg business owner, who was supported by other owners and operators in attendance at Monday night’s meeting. Sarah Brush, owner of Speck’s Restaurant, said she received a letter from the town in mid-February and that she had 15 days to pay a $350 fee. The fee would be $300 in subsequent years, she said. “I am at a loss to understand the necessity of the bylaw,” said Brush. Brush said she was of the opinion there was no communication from the town as to what was happening and that social media posts were not enough. Notices should have been sent to the business owners. “Not everyone has social media,” said Brush. In her case, Brush said in addition to a tax increase of over six per cent on two properties, she pays other annual fees such as $170 to the town for a backflow inspection, $60 to the province, $222.70 to have her fire extinguishers and fire suppression devices checked, and $565 to have her hood/air handling system inspected. That’s in addition to inspections from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU). The COVID-19 pandemic hit restaurants hard, she pointed out, including closures and limited capacities as well as converting to patios and take-out service.
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