THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 49 Issue 02
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.82% 3 Year GIC - 2.00% 5 Year GIC - 2.40% Daily Interest 1.00%
638-3328
Friday, January 15, 2016
www.jackfinancial.ca
Mapleton council trims proposed levy increase from 20.3 to 17.85%
Jerseys donated - The Drayton Defenders are now sporting new jerseys thanks to a donation from the Todd Hesselink Memorial Fund. Bonnie and Ab Hesselink thought it would be a fitting gesture to commemorate their son’s life by making this sizeable donation to a sport that Todd loved. Playing team sports in his home town with his friends was always a passion for Todd, they noted. Todd Hesselink died as the result of an automobile accident in 1999, but his life will be remembered and honoured every time the Defenders lace up and take to the ice, Drayton Minor Hockey officials state. submitted photo
Township, former CAO reach settlement but no details of agreement released by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – The municipality has reached a settlement with its former CAO, but details of the agreement will remain confidential, township officials state. Mapleton Mayor Neil Driscoll confirmed on Jan. 8, when contacted by the Community News, that a settlement had been reached with former CAO/clerk Patty
Sinnamon, who was let go by the township on July 2. “I can say that that’s all finished,” Driscoll said in a telephone interview. At the time she was dismissed, Driscoll would only confirm Sinnamon was “no longer with the township.” However, Sinnamon told the Community News in a telephone interview on July 7 that she was “terminated.” Neither
Sinnamon nor Driscoll would discuss the reasons for her departure from the township. On Friday, Driscoll declined to provide any further details on the settlement without checking with the township’s lawyer. “We have to respect both sides I guess, that’s our biggest thing,” he said. “I want to give you an answer that’s truthful, Continued on page 3
2015: The Year in Review
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON The Community News would like to wish everyone a safe and happy 2016, as we take a look back on an eventful year in 2015. The following is just a small sample of the news that made headlines in Mapleton Township in the past 12 months. January Police were looking for a male suspect after a homeowner here intervened while someone tried to steal the vehicle she left in the driveway to warm up. On Jan. 8 at about 9am, a woman decided to warm up her car in her driveway on Sixth Line in Mapleton Township. “The doors were left unlocked and she went back in to the home,” police said in a press release. “Shortly after, a vehicle was spotted pulling in to the driveway and a male entered the
running vehicle. “The owner confronted the male while he was attempting to leave with it. The male suspect got out of the vehicle and left in a white pickup truck (possibly a Chevrolet) that pulled up to the scene.” Wellington County OPP officers patrolled the area but could not locate the suspects. Council has selected a 30,667 square foot, one-storey structure as the preferred design for the township’s new municipal maintenance facility. The building, to be located at the township’s administration centre on Sideroad 16, will have a direct connection between the new offices and maintenance facility and the existing municipal office. The township has chosen a consulting firm to complete a planned Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for long-term wastewater management.
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At the Jan. 13 meeting, council approved the recommendation of public works director Brad McRoberts to accept the proposal of Exp Services Inc. to complete the project for $139,696. Popular local eatery Marj’s Village Kitchen closed its doors for good, after a hepatitis A infection in an employee led to an urgent vaccination campaign by the local health unit. On Jan. 22 WellingtonDufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) issued a warning that anyone who ate at the restaurant between Jan. 2 and 22 should get a hepatitis A vaccination as soon as possible because a restaurant employee was confirmed to have hepatitis A. The restaurant never reopened after closing on Jan. 22, despite the fact it passed a public health inspection that day and a statement from public health officials indicating Continued on page 3
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - With a draft budget slated for presentation at a public open house on Jan. 14, township council trimmed a proposed levy increase from 20.3 per cent, to 17.85%. That reduction lowers the proposed levy increase over the amount raised by taxation in 2015 to about $895,000, from the $1.03 million under consideration prior to a special budget meeting on Jan. 6. The move also lowers the increase in the total tax bill (including county and school taxes) on a residence assessed at $300,000 from around $215 to $184. The changes mean a combined tax rate increase of 4.87%, rather than the 5.75% hike proposed earlier. CAO Brad McRoberts said the reductions were achieved by: - deferral of a $50,000 reserve contribution for the PMD arena to 2017 and 2018; - correction of totals for projected Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grants from the province; - obtaining firmer numbers for anticipated conservation authority levies; and - removal of principal and interest payment for a $1.7-million loan for 2015 road projects. McRoberts explained council directed staff to proceed with road improvements without borrowing until financing and funding for major water and wastewater projects can be finalized. That means the township will be relying on capital contributions from taxation,
gas tax and Ontario Community Infrastructure funding to fund road projects. OCIF funding will increase from $800,000 in 2016 to $1.5 million in 2020. “To support our current road infrastructure capital needs we need approximately $2 million on an annual basis. This is separate from bridge and fleet capital requirements,” McRoberts explained in an email to the Community News. At the Jan. 6 meeting, councillor Michael Martin argued the 20% levy increase proposed at that point was too high for taxpayers to bear. “A 20 per cent levy increase is a monstrosity to swallow,” said Martin, who pointed out, “Our levy that we’re looking for is up a million from last year, which is up $600,000 from the year before.” Mayor Neil Driscoll explained council hasn’t been putting enough money into reserves for infrastructure projects, noting that with contributions of $200,000 a year, “it took five years to replace the average bridge.” “How much should you have in reserves?” wondered councillor Dennis Craven, adding council has to ask themselves “is there a point to having so much money sitting there doing nothing for you? It’s important to have reserves but how much do we need in reserves?” “I don’t want you to get a sense you’re putting money away into reserves and not really using it,” responded McRoberts. “Right now you need to be
putting away $350,00 a year into your fleet reserve so you don’t have to borrow money,” to replace vehicles. He added councillors must also ask themselves, “do you just let those bridges deteriorate until they are no longer rehabilitatable?” McRoberts explained that since reserves are constantly being used and replenished, money earmarked in this fashion “is not really going to reserves because you’re so far behind in terms of your (infrastructure) deficit.” He cautioned council, “If you carry on the way we have been you really will have roads that are deteriorating in terms of service level. Some of your roads may have to go back to gravel. “I realize we can’t go from $200,000 to $1.5 million in one year, but we’ve got to get that built up.” Councillor Lori Woodham suggested council should “shave one per cent or two per cent off what we want to put into each reserve, just this year,” in order to get the 2016 levy increase down. However, McRoberts said he didn’t feel the proposed increase represented “just one big step. “These are little steps. The idea is to get to the point where you guys have $2 million in annual contribution (to reserves) to maintain your infrastructure,” he said. Any deferral of contributions just delays the point at which the township catches up with its infrastructure deficit, he added. Continued on page 3
Aid for refugees - Community Christian School student council collected clothing and toys for Syrian refugees over the month of December. From left: Lauryn Roubos, Bella Smith, Mia McCracken, Nicole Hiddema, Mariah Rumph and Karissa Geerlinks display some of the items collected. submitted photo
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