Drayton Community News February 17, 2017

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SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY

THE

COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 07

DRAYTON, ONTARIO

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017

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Mapleton scraps agricultural development charge plan By Patrick Raftis

Legion competition - Drayton Legion Branch 416 recently announced the winners of its annual Remembrance Day Poster and Essay Competition. LEFT: Maryborough Public School Grade 3 student Erin Misch placed third in the colour poster category. RIGHT: Drayton Heights student Emily Milanovich placed first in the Intermediate essay category. Milanovich’s essay also received first place at the zone level and then moved onto the district level, where it received a first place standing. The essay is currently being judged at the provincial Level. More photos on page 8. Photos by Caroline Sealey

Census 2016: Mapleton mid-pack for growth in Wellington County By Olivia Rutt WELLINGTON COUNTY – Mapleton exhibited the third largest population increase in Wellington County since 2011, according to new census data. Statistics Canada released the first portion of 2016 census data, which includes population and dwelling counts. Mapleton’s population is listed as 10,527, which marks an increase of 538 or 5.4% over 2011. Both figures represent the third largest population increase in the county (after Erin and Centre Wellington) and Mapleton’s growth is greater than the provincial average of 4.6%. Centre Wellington tops the list of population increases, adding about 1,500 people

over the last five years, while Erin had the highest percentage growth at 6.2%. All municipalities in Wellington County saw population gains. Provincially, census data reveals almost 13.5 million people live in Ontario, with the largest increase in Shelburne (39% increase over 2011) and Milton (30% increase over 2011). Canada’s population jumped to 35.2 million people, with Nunavut and Alberta seeing the highest gains and New Brunswick experiencing a population loss. Population numbers - Wellington County: population 90,932 (an increase of 4,260 or 4.9% over 2011); - Centre Wellington: population 28,191 (an increase of

1,498 or 5.6% over 2011); - Erin: population 11,439 (an increase of 669 or 6.2% over 2011); - Guelph-Eramosa: population 12,854 (an increase of 474 or 3.8% over 2011); - Mapleton: population 10,527 (an increase of 538 or 5.4% over 2011); - Minto: population 8,671 (an increase of 337 or 4%over 2011); - Puslinch: population 7,336 (an increase of 307 or 4.4% over 2011); and - Wellington North: population 11,914 (an increase of 437 or 3.8% over 2011). Six further releases of census data are expected over the next year. Note: Data for Wellington County was calculated by subtracting Guelph census data.

MAPLETON – There will be no development charges on farm building construction in Mapleton. At its Feb. 7 meeting, council passed a resolution amending a proposed development charges bylaw update to maintain the status quo on agricultural buildings. The proposal would have ended a 100 per cent exemption on development charges for buildings constructed for “a bona fide farm use.” A revised bylaw would have reduced the exemption to 75%, meaning someone building a new barn would have to pay 25% of the nonresidential rate of $2.65 per square foot of gross floor area, or 66 cents/ft2. Local farmers and leaders of area farm organizations voiced opposition to the proposal at council meetings on Oct. 11 and Nov. 8, and the idea was met with nothing but opposition at a public meeting in Moorefield on Jan. 26. Councillor Lori Woodham noted local farm organizations offered support for council’s efforts to have the provincial government raise the amount it shares with municipalities from the farm property taxes it takes in. She suggested focusing on that route to find the money needed for infrastructure improvements. “We most recently went to the minister (of municipal affairs) and had a delegation (at the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association convention),” said Woodham. “We talked about doing one-offs with our MPs and

delegations, and I’m just thinking, seeing this effort being put forth by everybody, why can’t we all now start to work together?” Woodham suggested the proposed bylaw be revised to continue the 100 per cent development charge exemption for farm buildings. Councillor Michael Martin said council doesn’t have enough information on which to base the charges.

‘I know we need the money. I don’t know where it’s going to come from, but I guess not here.’ Mapleton councillor Marlene Ottens “We don’t have any data to support these ideas at least at the moment … I don’t have vetted, objective data that says our roads and bridges are deteriorating at a greater rate than normal,” Martin stated. A resolution to proceed with the bylaw implementing the reduced agricultural exemption and amending the 2016 Development Charges Update Study to factor in increased estimates of the cost of upgrading water capacity was defeated. A new motion, to proceed with other bylaw changes without altering the agricultural exemption was then put forward. While initially in favour of ending the agricultural exemption, councillor Marlene Ottens said public input changed her mind. “I’ve never thought about

an issue as much as I’ve thought about this,” said Ottens. “I’ve waffled back and forth as a farmer, as someone who would be affected by this personally ... but in the end, I felt the public spoke. People came out ... again and again, and if I had heard enough from the public in favour of it, I might have changed my mind. “But all I heard were people opposed with very good reasons; very well thought out, very articulate reasons and I was impressed by that, and I was swayed by that.” Ottens added, “I guess the squeaky wheel got the grease in this case. I know we need money, I don’t know where it’s going to come from, but I guess not here.” Martin said the debate on the issue has been very civil, given the controversial nature of the proposal. “This has certainly been … probably the biggest local issue we’ve had as a council, and I know there’s been some very strong opinions voiced,” Martin said. He added, “You could tell people deep down were really upset, yet they could stand there with me and have polite, respectful conversations about it … it’s one thing that I really appreciate.” While acknowledging the need for funds to maintain roads, Martin said he felt development charges, designed to fund growthrelated improvements, wouldn’t solve the main problem. “I’m not certain that there was going to be a lot of development charge money that could have been allocated … SEE FARM » 3

Council agrees to waive facility fees for hospital Starlight Gala By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Council has agreed to waive all fees for the use of the PMD Arena Complex for the Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation’s 17th annual Starlight Gala on May 27. Council passed a resolution approving the fee waiver as a donation after hearing from PDH Foundation development officer Dale Franklin on Feb. 7. Franklin addressed coun-

cil in response to direction given to township staff at the Jan. 10 meeting to report on ways to minimize costs to the foundation through operational adjustments and limitations on staff time and setup time dedicated to the gala. Council passed a resolution on Dec. 13 implementing a policy eliminating fee reductions and waivers commonly provided to help subsidize facility users, particularly those raising funds for

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community projects. At the Jan. 10 meeting, where a request for a fee waiver for the gala was presented to council, Mapleton CAO Brad McRoberts estimated facility charges for the event, including about a week for set-up time, would be around $5,000. Council has traditionally waived fees for the event when it is held in Mapleton every third year. The Town of Minto, which hosts the event at arenas in

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Palmerston and Harriston when it is not in Mapleton, also regularly waives fees for the gala. On Feb. 7 McRoberts presented a report indicating the fees could be reduced to $1,565 by limiting after-hours access for set up to nine hours spread over four days, at a rate of $30 per hour, with full rental of $995 charged for the day of the event. “We have a lot of sympathy for our municipalities, I’m a taxpayer in this munic-

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ipality as well,” Franklin told council. “But when we are considered in the same breath as service organizations and other charities, I just wanted to have a little bit of time to clarify how we feel that we are different.” She continued, “The Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation has only one mandate and our mandate is to make sure that our local hospital is well equipped and viable for

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many years to come. “We actually don’t have any ability to make a decision as to where our funds are spent and that’s one of the main differences we have between the foundation and our service organizations that do wonderful work in our community.” Franklin said the foundation’s mandate is to make sure the local hospital has all the equipment needed by health care professionals SEE GALA » 5

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