Council returns following municipal election

Thunder Bay City Council will get back to business tonight, following a week off for the municipal election.

Mayor Lynn Peterson and her council will deal with a number of items on the agenda that were pushed back during their last meeting, which ran beyond 2 a.m. due to debate over the Big Thunder Wind Park.

Items coming back for discussion include the three-question rule. For the past few months council has been limiting itself to three questions per round as a way of focusing the discussion. Administration thinks the rule is effective and they're recommending that it continue.

Council will also receive the third quarter budget variance report. As of the end of September, city staff is projecting a $200,000 favourable variance after reserve fund transfers.

A mild winter in early 2010 has winter control projecting a $1-million favourable variance, but that's offset by a $125,000 shortfall by the city solicitor due to unanticipated legal costs. The City's golf division is projecting a $63,000 loss resulting from lower revenues and other issues.

The Marina is also projecting a $100,000 loss due in part to the waterfront construction.

The city police force is projecting an unfavourable variance of $433,000 as a result of high overtime costs.