A local business owner has told the 亚洲天堂 Lake council that he has withheld his business licence fee payments to 鈥済et council鈥檚 attention.鈥�

鈥淎fter all these years, I finally have someone鈥檚 attention,鈥� said Wayne Brown, owner of Process 4 circle arts Gallery, to council on June 28, 2017.

Brown last paid his business licence fee in 2012, and currently owes the village $520. Meanwhile Purely H20鈥檚 owner has also decided to stop paying the annual fee in 2013, and is currently owing the village $420.

Last month council discussed whether the municipality should start a collection process, but decided to give the local business owners a chance to express their points of view. However, only the owner of Process 4 circle arts Gallery agreed to speak to council.

Brown said this all started when council decided to construct a building that now houses the Lakes Artisan Centre, which consists of local artists and artisans who share in the operation and costs of the store. The village has been renting the building to the Lakes Artisan Cooperative since 2010, charging $500 per month - which includes utilities and snow removal.

Brown says that renting the building below market rate harms local competitors.

鈥樷�溾�楲et鈥檚 offer to rent it out for a nominal fee鈥� seemed to be the wisdom of the day,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淎t this point council begins competing with other landlords who are also trying to rent out their building.鈥�

鈥淏ut rather than setting the rent at a fair market value, council sets the rent far below actual market value - thus unfairly taking the other landlords鈥� opportunities away from renting to their potential clients,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎nd as a sole proprietor, like myself, we have to pay the market value for this.鈥�

鈥淭he cooperative has several business persons contributing to the cost of their lease; a sole proprietor doesn鈥檛 have that advantage,鈥� he added. 鈥淐ouncil should not be competing with existing businesses in 亚洲天堂 Lake; council must find a way to pay for their mistake.鈥�

During the council meeting, Brown questioned why the building was consctructed in the first place and what was the intention of building it. Village staff is currently researching these questions.

鈥淭his is about fairness and equality; it鈥檚 not about my business licence,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 the taxpayer who is subsidizing the costs of keeping this building on the village books.鈥�

Since Brown has had to travel to Ontario for the month of July to deal with pressing family matters, he鈥檚 asked council not to take any further action until he returns. Council has agreed to continue discussions in August.