Jet Boat boss wants lease adjustment

John Kinney of Whirlpool Jet Boats was at council Monday to ask for some consideration of his lease of the Town-owned Melville Dock, which he didn’t use once last year.

High water levels drove his operation completely to Queenston, he told councillors, and he was denied any reconsideration of the rental charge for the year, which he ended up paying in full.

“We jumped through hoops to move our operation upriver,” he said, “and when we asked for rent abatement, we were told no.”

With even higher levels expected this year, he was hoping for a discussion about some relief to his current contract, which still has two years left to go, but since all past lease discussions have been held in camera, council decided any changes to the contract for 2020 will also be discussed in closed session.