A nicely-worded letter will be sent to Joe Van Hoof explaining that everyone who participates in fishing tournaments using a boat launch in Whitewater Region will be charged a $10 fee. This money will then be used for the upkeep of the boat launches.
Mr. Van Hoof, who is past-president of the Petawawa Bassmasters, wrote a letter on behalf of the bassmasters and tournament participants to the township against having each participant pay the $10 fee.
It was felt that anyone who uses a boat launch in Whitewater should be charged the $10, not just those participating in tournaments.
In closing his letter, Mr. Van Hoof wrote, “…Bassmaster is having a tournament that will be my last on Muskrat Lake or anywhere in the Whitewater Region. I will talk to other clubs and as many fishing colleagues as possible to do the same until this situation is corrected.”
Mayor Hal Johnson said the letter was hand-delivered to him.
“These people feel they are being zeroed in on,” he said at the Oct. 14 recreation committee meeting.
This is upsetting they are going to pull out as participants in tournaments because they are “major sponsors of the Blind Anglers fishing tournament,” he added.
Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons said the fees bylaw was amended on Sept. 14, 2014, adding in the section of how to collect fees at boat launches because they aren’t staffed.
The honour system was tried in Horton and the money was stolen, she noted.
There are many tournaments in Whitewater and they use the boat launches, she said.
In La Passe the situation is a bit different, in that the Catholic parish gets half of the fees because that is where the tournament participants park, she added.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin recalled that the fees would go towards the upgrading of boat launches.
“So, yes, we are going to collect money from the tournaments, but we’re also going to put it back into the boat launches to keep them up,” he said.
Mayor Johnson said if that’s the case, then a “nicely worded letter” be sent back to Mr. Van Hoof explaining the intent of the collected fee is to upgrade the launching facilities and they are not the only tournament being charged the $10 fee per boat.
“It sounds like the fee is being collected for the right reasons,” he said.”I don’t see a reason to change it, but we really need to get on explaining it.”
Councillor Chris Olsmtead suggested checking in with neighbouring municipalities to see what they do.
Prior to the bylaw being amended, staff checked to see what other municipalities are doing, said CAO FitzSimons. Some are doing nothing, others are on the honour system, which isn’t working well, and some are doing what Whitewater is doing, and that is charging the fee per boat during tournaments.
Mayor Johnson feels if the letter explains the bassmasters aren’t being zeroed in on and that we appreciate their participation and help, the situation can be cleared up.
“They’re all about helping different things,” he said. “They just don’t like being picked on and that needs to be made clear that’s not happening. The letter will resolve the situation.”
Coun. Olmstead said if the letter also explained what’s happening with Muskrat Lake and the money is being re-invested, that will resolve the issue.
Council agreed to file the correspondence from Mr. Van Hoof and CAO FitzSimons will write a ‘nicely worded letter” to him explaining why there is a fee and what it is being used for.
