SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 13
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
1 Year GIC - 2.09% 3 Year GIC - 2.11% 5 Year GIC - 2.25% Daily Interest 0.90%
638-3328
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2017
www.jackfinancial.ca
Mapleton council opposed to proposal requiring regular pump-out of septic tanks By Patrick Raftis
Flood preparation - The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) hosted a public open house on “Preparing for Flooding in Drayton and Mapleton Township” on March 23 at the PMD arena. On hand to answers questions from local residents were representatives from the GRCA, WellingtonDufferin-Guelph Public Health, Insurance Bureau of Canada, Office of the Fire Marshall, Wellington County Emergency Management Services and Mapleton Township emergency responders and planners. From left: GRCA water quality engineer Mark Anderson, Drayton resident Brian Whale, GRCA director of engineering Dwight Boyd, and GRCA senior water resources engineer Scott Robertson check maps of the flood plains in the Drayton area. Information was also available on the flood warning system, how to reduce risks to property and what to do after a flood. More information on flooding is available to residents at www.grandriver.ca. About 10 members of the public attended the event. Photo by Caroline Sealey
MAPLETON – Council here is backing a resolution calling on the province to abandon plans to require property owners to pump out septic tanks every five years. Council supported a resolution from the United Townships of Head, Clara and Maria calling on Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro, to rescind proposed Building code change B-0809-03. “Most of rural Ontario and much of small town, urban Ontario use septic systems. The variables affecting the need to pump out a septic tank are quite numerous,”
By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Building in the township is “booming,” declared Mayor Neil Driscoll after council was presented with figures showing construction values are up for the second month in a row. Chief building official Patty Wright presented council with a report on March 14 indicating 16 permits were issued in February for construction valued at $1,768,000, generating fees of $16,752.
In February 2016, 25 permits were issued for construction valued at $1,715,100, generating fees of $19,572. To date in 2017, 30 permits have been issued for construction worth $3,701,000, netting fees of $39,995. After the first two months of 2016, 34 permits had been issued for construction valued at $3,007,100, bringing in $29,254 in permit fees. Wright noted permit fees for the current month are above the five-year average.
“The five-year average of fees collected by the building department for the month of February is $13,828, therefore the current month is above the five-year average,” she stated in a written report. “Year-to-date numbers range from $9,117 to $44,700 over the past five years and the average of fees collected to date from 2011-2015 is $25,529. The current year-todate is within the five-year range and above the five-year average.”
cumstance to address local potential problems and not by any universally-applied directive from the province.” Gibson added, “In many cases, the drivers of these regulations are cottager associations, conservation authorities and municipalities who are acting to preserve lake and river water quality and they have done so of their own accord and not by any regulation from the province.” Councillor Lori Woodham requested the correspondence be put on the agenda. “In looking at this, if things are broken why do we need to fix them?” she wondered.
Local resident enjoys adventure of lifetime in Canada’s north By Caroline Sealey
Mayor: Building is ‘booming’
states a letter from Head, Clara and Maria Mayor Jim Gibson. “Those who operate their systems carefully can go for many more years than five without pumping the septic tank because the variables are in their favour. This proposed change in these cases is fixing something that is not broken. Creating regulation to force people to pay for a redundant, unnecessary service is incomprehensible. “Many municipalities have septic tank pump out bylaws that address potential problem areas with malfunctioning septic systems and the need for these bylaws have been driven by local cir-
DRAYTON - A Google search and a chance meeting with a traveller were the two key factors involved in a former Stirton resident embarking on an unforgettable adventure. Kay Ayres, guest speaker at the March congregate dinner hosted by the Seniors’ Centre for Excellence in Drayton, shared details about her trip of a lifetime. “I wanted to see polar bears and it was the right time for me,” said Ayres. “I Googled polar bears and found that Churchill,
Manitoba would be the place to go. Before booking the trip, I met a lady from Le Pas, Manitoba at the airport KAY AYRES in Cuba, who told me to take my trip in the summer to avoid the winter weather. All I would have to deal with was bugs.” Ayres flew into Winnipeg and spent the night there. The following morning she took a six-seater float plane to Churchill, Manitoba. Access
to Churchill is by train or plane. Residents of the town own vehicles as a safety precaution due to polar bears. “It is easier to drive in the town than to walk and face a polar bear. No one locks their vehicle as they are a refuge in case a polar bear appears. Guards carrying guns patrol the town and shoot their guns off to scare the bears away,” Ayres said. “Halloween is a difficult time for the community as children want to be out trick or treating. (But) polar bears are attracted to any sign of food including an empty SEE NORTHERN » 3
Driscoll feels township making progress on funding matters Provincial officials seem ready to listen on rural municipal issues By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Mayor Neil Driscoll says provincial politicians are starting to respond positively to the township’s concerns about funding for rural municipalities. The mayor noted separate grants covering 90 per cent of a bridge project on Sideroad 17 and up to $250,000 in funding for renovations at the Maryborough Community Centre are two examples indicating recent lobbying efforts may be paying off. A delegation from
Mapleton met with municipal affairs minister Bill Mauro at the Ontario Good Roads Association convention in Toronto from Feb. 26 to March 1. It was the latest in a series of delegations from the township at municipal conventions, where local officials get a chance to meet face to face with provincial ministers. At the March 14 Mapleton council meeting, councillor Lori Woodham said the mayor did a good job of presenting Mapleton’s case that the tax system unfairly penalizes rural municipali-
NOW SHOWING
THE SHACK
Friday and Saturday 8pm & Sunday 7pm RATED PG & 132 MINUTES
MAIN ST. W. PALMERSTON 519.343.3640 www.norgantheatre.com
ties. “He gave an excellent presentation outlining our concerns with the farm tax rebate. We left a very solid, factual presentation for our minister to think over,” said Woodham. Prior to 1998, properties assessed as farmland paid 100% of their assessed tax to the local municipality, then filed an application with the province to receive a 75% rebate, paid directly by the province. Since then, farmland, other than the farm residence and one acre, has been allocated a tax ratio of
‘‘
25%, meaning farmers pay property tax on only 25% of the assessed value of their property. That means the cost of providing the rebate, once shared province-wide, now falls on the non-farm municipal tax base, a policy that hits heavily-agricultural municipalities like Mapleton hard. In an interview, Driscoll said while the government might not be ready to revise the tax system to benefit rural municipalities, provincial officials seem more willing these days to work with them on funding issues.
WEEKLY WAG
“Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later, it always comes around to where you started.” - Stephen King
‘‘
“I think they’re realizing the position the farm tax rebate puts municipalities in,” Driscoll said. Upon returning from previous delegations, Driscoll has stated he was told “your people are taxable,” in response to his concerns about funding. This time, he said Mauro has facilitated an upcoming meeting with infrastructure minister Jeff Leal, to talk about Mapleton’s issues regarding wastewater treatment. Development in the township has been stalled for years due to wastewater
BILL’S
capacity issues. Rather than meeting in a convention setting as one in a series of delegations, Driscoll said he has been invited to Leal’s office in Queen’s Park. “I do believe our delegations are being heard and we’re finally getting call backs on our presentations,” Driscoll told council. He also commended provincial officials for taking the time to hear delegations. “I just give them credit for sitting there all day and every 15 minutes there’s a new group with a new ask,” said Driscoll.
PAINT and COLLISION Specializing in... Collision and Complete Re-Finishing, One Mile East of Moorefield.
519 638-2048