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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 45 Issue 05
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.50% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.76% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, February 3, 2012
Fire chief to negotiate ambulance bay rental by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - A Guelph-Wellington Emergency Medical Services ambulance station might become a part of an expanded fire hall in Drayton. Council has told Fire Chief Rick Richardson to talk with the emergency service after hearing his report to council on Jan. 24. Richardson’s report noted the service has used a bay at the Drayton fire station to house an ambulance for the past several years, but with no written agreement in place. That ambulance is scheduled to operate from there daily from 8am to 4pm. Paramedics also use the fire hall meeting room with television, kitchen, dispatch computer and washrooms. The problem is, the report stated, “the space used to house the ambulance has become restrictive and apparatus needs to be moved to accommodate them. There is a requirement for the ambulance to be parked inside to prevent equipment and supplies from freezing.” Richardson said Arthur and Rockwood rent space to the service, and there are agree-
ments for the service between those municipalities and the EMS. He said in the report he has met with the head of Guelph EMS and discussed the need for dedicated ambulance services. “In order to provide continued EMS presence in the township, I believe it is prudent to enter into further discussions with Guelph EMS as soon as possible,” Richardson said. His recommendation was to hold talks about ambulance requirements, the options for housing one at the Drayton fire station and the necessity of a written agreement. He also suggested he provide a written report on the discussions. Richardson told council he talked with service officials last fall and he noted it now has larger vehicles and more equipment, which is getting difficult to fit it into the space the service uses. “If it’s not available, they could leave,” said Richardson. Mayor Bruce Whale said he was hearing the service is willing to lease space if the township is interested in providing it. He said when council Continued on page 3
Final report needed for turbine appeal decision by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Council here is moving slowly when it comes to spending money on a legal appeal of the approval of a wind farm. Council met in closed session on Jan. 24 to discuss the issue, but Mayor Bruce Whale said in a later interview council is still waiting for a final report from its lawyer before making a decision.
Residents are opposing NextEra Energy’s Conestogo Wind Energy Centre - consisting of and ten turbines on land southwest of Arthur at the Environmental Review Tribunal. Council is considering a judicial appeal through the courts. Whale has stated the decision to appeal will come only if the township solicitor believes there is a chance of winning.
Locals capture Silverstick - Moorefield’s Josh Kueneman and Riley Cribbin (alternate player) helped the major bantam ‘A’ Woolwich Wildcats capture the championship at the International Silverstick tournament in Port Huron, Michigan last weekend. The team came out on top with a record of 6-0, including four shutouts, and outscored their opponents 24-3. submitted photo
Economic development committee underway by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - The township’s newest committee held its first meeting on Jan. 17 and council approved its first recommendation on Jan. 24. That recommendation was to erect an industrial park sign and to offer space on it to businesses in the park. Among the first orders of business was to elect a chairman. Liz Samis was chosen unanimously. The group then heard a presentation from township chief administrative officer Patty Sinnamon about projects for economic development that are completed or already underway. Those include a first impressions exchange exercise with Deseronto, an update on
downtown revitalization and agriculture tourism. The committee also heard about a buy local campaign, a farmers’ market and Harvest Festival, the county’s festival and events guide, the county economic development group, the township’s 25 acres of industrial land (purchased in 2011) and how to market and service it, lagoon upgrades that could determine the extent of servicing available and a new website at the township that was to be operational last week. Committee members then considered such things as: - business retention; - a business survey; - exploration of sectors of manufacturing, construction and retail businesses;
- a municipal cultural plan that includes a coalition of provincial government agencies, municipalities, cultural services organizations and postsecondary institutions; - issues such as public art and urban design, youth engagement, immigration and diversity, and building healthy neighbourhoods; - a branding exercise; - mentoring businesses about zoning rules to make applications a positive experience; - beautification in other urban areas; - promotion of agricultural tourism; - partnering with other municipalities for such things as radio advertising; and
- “Minto bucks,” where Mapleton could partner with other municipalities or on its own. The committee also agreed to invite a representative from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture to a meeting to discuss programs. It will also invite a presentation from Jana Reichert of the Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation to discuss its role in economic development and how that group supports business locally. The committee will also review the township’s strategic plan for economic development with a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) meeting.
Taxpayers’ group calls for end to extravagant MP pension plans
by Chris Daponte WELLINGTON CTY. Under the current scheme in Ottawa, the two MPs representing the county will collect a combined lifetime pension of over $3.2-million if both retired in 2015. If the Conservative MPs put off retirement plans until 2019, that figure would climb to more than $3.45 million. Those are two of the findings released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) in a Jan. 18 report that argues taxpayers are being ripped off by the extravagant parliamentary pension fund. “It’s a national disgrace,”
said CTF director Gregory Thomas. He also added the estimates are “conservative.” Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong, qualifies for a $51,241 pension in 2015 and $70,181 by 2019. Perth-Wellington MP Gary Schellenberger qualifies for $60,536 in 2015 and $79,477 in 2019. The pensions are, of course above and beyond the $157,000 base salary for MPs, who are eligible to collect a pension at age 55 if they have served at least six years in Ottawa. Both Chong, 40, and Schellenberger, 68, meet the criteria. The CTF report also esti-
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mates the total lifetime cost of MP pensions based on the amount that would be collected until the age of 80. Using those calculations, if Chong retires in 2015, his total lifetime pension collection would be more than $2.68 million. If Chong delayed retirement until 2019, the figure rises to over $3.12 million. Schellenberger’s lifetime pension would be $520,317 if he retires in 2015, and $327,769 if he waited until 2019. In addition to one-time severance payoffs of $15 million, the report estimates that retiring in 2015 all members of the federal government’s 41st
Parliament would cost taxpayers $11.2 million a year in pension payments, totalling $262 million by the time each MP reaches the age of 80. The CTF also contends that while taxpayers “officially” pay $5.80 for every $1 contributed by MPs to their pension accounts, the true amount is actually $23.30 for every $1 contributed by MPs. The disparity lies in the government’s practice of adding “interest” into the MP pension accounts at a rate of 10.4 per cent per year - even though MP pension funds are not invested into the market like other pension funds.
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According to the report, that interest results in taxpayers contributing $248,668 each year to each MP’s pension fund, while backbench MPs can contribute as little as $10,990 per year. The government’s chief actuary said in a 2010 report the interest rate MPs are paying themselves “is not appropriate” and should be cut by half (the plan’s surplus, had climbed to $175 million in 2010). “We’re putting more into MP’s pension plans than we are paying them each year, and they only contribute $10,990 of that to this gold-plated pension scheme,” said Thomas.
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He noted that during the “market meltdown” of 2008, when the Canada Pension Plan lost 18.6 per cent of its value and other plans lost upwards of 25%, the MP pension plan returned 10.4 per cent. “I’d bet there’s a few million Canadians who would love to see a government-guaranteed 10.4 per cent annual return on their RRSPs,” said Thomas. Treasury Board President Tony Clement has stated his review of government spending to find an annual savings of $4 billion will include reviewing MP pensions. The CTF report can be viewed at www.taxpayer.com.
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