New Executive Director of the Belleville Downtown Improvement Area, Marilyn Lawrie, was introduced at city council, March 20, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
The Belleville Downtown Improvement area introduced its new executive director to city council Monday night.
Marilyn Lawrie, who has been with the Quinte Ballet School of Canada for the past four years, will work half-time.
Lawrie says she is not concerned that the BDIA budget was cut by $30,000.
Lawrie says her work in the arts will be an asset since the arts are based in business.
With a smile, she said that’s the reason they are called “show business.”
Controlling fortifications in the city
Monday night, Belleville city council approved creating a bylaw controlling the fortification of property.
City staff, in conjunction with the Belleville Police Service, had prepared a draft bylaw outlawing fortifications such as steel plates or bullet-proof shutters on windows, steel secondary walls built to withstand explosions, observation towers, armour plated doors, and electric fencing.
Such a bylaw is meant to stop criminal organizations from setting up camp in the city.
Contravention of the bylaw could lead to fines as high as $100,000, or daily fines as high as $10,000
