THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 49 Issue 11
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.82% 3 Year GIC - 2.00% 5 Year GIC - 2.40% Daily Interest 1.00%
638-3328
Friday, March 18, 2016
www.jackfinancial.ca
Township to conduct municipal service review in response to report card by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Council here has directed township staff to conduct a service review in response to public concerns expressed through the recent Township of Mapleton Council Report Card. In October council members passed a resolution to conduct a survey aimed at obtaining feedback on their first year in office. A total of 55 responses were received and results presented at the Jan. 26 council meeting. Asked to rate council’s overall performance, about 13% of respondents indicated they were very satisfied, 26% were satisfied, 34% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 19% were dissatisfied and 8% were very dissatisfied. With a minority of respondents indicating satisfaction and a number of pointed questions asked by citizens about government operations, Mayor Neil Driscoll suggested coun-
cil hold a meeting to go over survey results and provide a response to questions and concerns raised through the survey. Comments and questions from respondents included: - “why was our CAO fired?�; - “Re: replacement of senior positions (director of public works). What accountable/ transparent committee consists of the mayor and CAO only?; and - “quit wasting (money) on consultants - paying for second consultant to find works director after consultant for CAO?� Following a special afternoon meeting on March 8 prior to a regular evening council meeting, Driscoll said the service review would serve as council’s response, along with increased communication efforts through the township website and other methods. “We’ll use it for growth,� said Driscoll, noting various Continued on page 3
Toy show - Good weather brought people out to the Alma Optimists Toy Show and Sale on March 13 said organizers John and Helen Broadfoot. LEFT: Jenica Tan, from Spinning a Tail, shows off her amigurumi crochet animals at the show. Each animal takes a couple of days to a couple of weeks to make. TOP RIGHT: Bonny McDougall shows off the 2016 International Plowing Match swag at the show. The newest item is a quilt that is being auctioned off. BOTTOM RIGHT: Brayden Blenkiron of Alma took one and a half years to collect his farm toys, modeled after his dream farm. He even made some of the fencing and storage areas. photos by Olivia Rutt
Moorefield kennel owner awarded dog control service contract by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - A local kennel owner has been awarded the contract to handle dog control services for the township. Council approved a staff recommendation to award the contract to Moorefield kennel owner/manager Jennifer Walter, who will take over services from previous contractor Jo-Alan Animal Care Services, which has indicated it is are getting out of the business. At the Jan. 29 meeting, council deferred a decision on a recommendation to
enter a joint agreement for animal control services from the Guelph Humane Society (GHS) with the municipalities of Wellington North, Guelph-Eramosa and Centre Wellington. At the time, several councillors expressed concerns over costs and service levels. Under the proposed agreement, Mapleton’s fixed cost would be allocated for the first year on a representative population basis, at approximately $30,300. The current provider,
Jo-Alan, was paid approximately $6,000 in 2015 for a standby fee, and $6,123 for other services. Revenues in 2015 were $16,350 in dog tag fees and kennel licenses and $1,095 in fines. At the March 8 meeting, CAO Brad McRoberts presented a report indicating two responses had been received to a request for proposals: one from Walter and one from Jim Renwick, who currently provides animal control services in Minto, South Bruce, North Huron and Howick.
“Although likely both vendors are capable of providing the service, the proposal from Jennifer Walter is comprehensive, well presented and includes the required insurance coverages,� McRoberts noted in the report. “The proposal from Jim Renwick would not provide kennel inspections and the kennel facilities would be located in Clifford.� Using fee schedules provided by the applicants and 2015 call statistics, the proposal from Walter, who has education in small animal train-
ing and nutrition, would cost $16,425 in year one (excluding mileage and kennel fees), McRoberts explained. The Renwick proposal would cost approximately $3,350 in year one (excluding mileage and kennel fees and allowing $2,000 per year for insurance, assuming it could be purchased). The 2016 budget allows $40,000 for this services, “which would be more than adequate for either proposal.� McRoberts told council the service would continue to be “reactive,� whereas the Guelph
Humane Society proposal would have resulted in a “proactive� service. “This doesn’t mean Ms. Walter is going to be circulating around looking for stray dogs and enforcing poop and scoop regulations,� he pointed out. “I’m happy with the way this turned out,� said councillor Marlene Ottens. “A local person ends up getting a little extra money and if your dog ends up getting picked up it’s locally in Moorefield. And the cost is much lower,� she added.
Water, wastewater rates under review
Candy cane skaters - The junior skaters were dressed for the Candyland theme during a rehearsal session for the Drayton Skating Club’s annual ice carnival, which was held on March 12. Additional photo on page 8. photo by Caroline Sealey
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by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Water and wastewater rates here are under review due to lower-thananticipated revenues since the municipality moved to metered billing last summer. At its March 1 meeting, the Town of Minto council adjusted water and wastewater charges to make up for a massive shortfall in revenue as local residents reacted to a move to metered billing by cutting usage. Minto treasurer Gordon Duff told his council the water system was “going under by $40,000 a month.� “Certainly we’re seeing that our revenues are lower than our
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projected based upon since we put meters in, so were going through a water rates study as well to look at our water rates to see what adjustments we can make to both address expenses and revenues,� Mapleton CAO Brad McRoberts told the Community News in a telephone interview on March 10. While McRoberts said he didn’t have figures to determine if Mapleton’s shortfall was comparable to Minto’s, he stated, “I suspect it’s the same trend that they’re seeing.� McRoberts said lowerthan-expected revenues are not uncommon when metered billing is first introduced. “Typically what happens
when meters come in is people have an immediate reaction to being billed and they reduce their consumption ‌ Then it gradually increases over time as people get used to it ‌ it might flatline eventually but typically, when it first comes in, people become very conscious of that.� Provincial legislation requires municipal water and wastewater systems to operate on a cost-recovery basis, with no subsidization from taxes. The township operates separate water systems and wastewater systems in Drayton and Moorefield. The Drayton system has about 800 users and Continued on page 5
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