>Gainsborough students having a “ruff” time with guide dog Pg 5 > Kinsmen tee up mini-putt registration Pg. 6 > Sweet tooth for Valentine’s? Pg. 9 > Readers have their say Pg. 11, 13, 15 Thursday, February 9, 2017 Vol. 5 Issue 40
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Wiebe launches one-man West Lincoln protest By Mike Williscraft NewsNow If you’ve driven past West Lincoln’s township hall during daytime hours over the last week, chances are you will have noticed Paul Wiebe. Last week, Wiebe embarked on a oneman campaign to get Mayor Doug Joyner’s, and council’s as a whole, attention regarding what he believes is the spending beyond the township’s means with the proposed multi-use recreation site. The township rejected a $14 million proposal early last year, then approved at $23.6 million expenditure in October.
Paul Wiebe has been setting up shop with his one-man Lincoln Hall. He thinks the municipality should halt its protest daily since last Friday at the Towship of West current MURS plan. It was noted at coun- by council, not a spe- age in NewsNow re- ber as components to quorum of council for cil’s Jan. 23 meeting it cific design. garding changes to be included in the de- which no minutes were was the dollar amount For Wiebe – after what was accepted sign, concerns about taken or circulated, which was approved reading recent cover- by council last Octo- meetings which had a See PROTEST, Page 3
Incentives for business growth/expansion
Grimsby council considers expanded CIP study area The Town of Grimsby may have to rejig its planned catchment area for a proposed Community Improvement Plan focusing on employment areas. Ald. Nick DiFlavio, chair of the Planning Committee, told council on Monday night Niagara Region has asked for an expansion of the proposed study area. The Town’s plan is set to focus on a smaller, more concentrated area. “The Region was the Town to include the areas along the service roads,” said DiFlavio. Noting the purpose of the CIP is to create possible incentives for commercial interest to develop or improve empty land or current facili-
ties, respectively, DiFlavio said the goal of the exercise is to rein in the skewed ratio of Grimsby’s tax base. Currently, he said, Grimsby has 92 per cent of its tax base generated by residential development, with only eight per cent coming from commercial/industrial properties. A major component resulting from the completed CIP can be a program of tax rate incentives - either deferral or a phased-in model. “The idea is to enhance our employment lands,” DiFlavio said. As an example, he cited a property that has an assessed value of $1 million. If the property was enhanced to have a $2 million value, the taxes on the second million of value could be
phased in or deferred, “to help with the added value”. “The Town is not out any money, because it is not money we would have had anyways. There is no negative,” said DiFlavio. The move, while ultimately beneficial to the Town, will necessitate a time setback which caused some concern for council. Mayor Bob Bentley asked DiFlavio about the impact on timing, adding that there are some projects underway which could qualify for the tax relief program. DiFlavio said that is a key point because a business would only be eligible if their submission to the Town came after the CIP is in place. Any
project currently in the works is ineligible. Also, because of the expanded nature of the project, council agreed to hire a consultant at a cost of about $50,000-$60,000 – with 50 per cent being covered by Niagara Region – as the time involved would be too much for planning staff to handle. “When it was smaller we hoped to do it in-house,” said DiFlavio. “The Region wants it expanded, so we think a consultant is needed. While there was some discussion as to whether or not the Town would adhere to the region’s request for an expanded study area, but town manager Derik Brandt told council See CIP, Page 2