IROQUOIS – At the same time South Dundas’ marina committee was talking about giving a break on launch fees for a bass fishing tournament, there was also a proposal to get rid of launch fees altogether.
Minutes from the December marina committee meeting, for council’s approval tonight (April 5, 2016), show committee member Dick Kropp had proposed to scrap the fees at the Morrisburg and Iroquois waterfronts.
Kropp believed “that launch fees are not being collected and enforced in Morrisburrg (sic),” states the report.
The two boat launches make about $7,625 a year for the municipality.
The report said enforcement in Iroquois “has never been treated as mandatory by the manager” and no one was refused the ability to launch because they didn’t pay the fee.
Add to the lax enforcement, the fact the township didn’t have a bylaw officer for some time in 2015 after Brent Mattice retired.
However, the proposal never made it to a vote after CAO Shannon Geraghty assured the committee that enforcement “at the Morrisburg launch will be increased in 2016.”
The issue of scrapping launch fees has been discussed informally in the past at the Morrisburg waterfront committee but the idea didn’t go anywhere.
Last month, council approved the waiving of launch fees for the Renegade Bass tournament for two days – the equivalent of $1,920.