THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 48 Issue 14
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.15% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.55% Daily Interest 1.25%
638-3328
Friday, April 3, 2015
www.jackfinancial.ca
Budget contains 6.18% tax increase MAPLETON - Taxpayers here will face a local tax rate increase of more than six per cent in 2015. Mapleton council unveiled its draft budget with a proposed 6.18% increase at the budget open house at the Drayton Festival Theatre on March 26. Council then approved that budget at a special meeting on March 31. The budget is the result of several special meetings between council and staff. A press release from the municipality noted building and development continues to be strong locally, contributing to an increased taxation base “ensuring growth and stabilization into the future.” The budget includes capital projects of more than $13 million, an increase of $9.9 million from 2014, with the majority of projects in public works. A major factor in this year’s budget is the construction of a new municipal maintenance facility that combines the for-
mer Peel shop lost in a fire in 2013 with the Maryborough shop at one location. Fleet purchases include a new tanker truck for the Drayton Fire Station and two tandem trucks, a grader and pickup truck in public works. A new global positioning system (GPS) is expected to improve operations and reduce liability to the municipality. Major construction projects include improvements to Sideroad 15 (Concession 5 to Concession 6), and Concession 3 to Kumpville Drive and Concession 6 (Wellington Road 10 to Sideroad 12), as well as engineering for larger projects in 2016. Bridge repairs and replacements totaling $1,777,000 include the rehabilitation of five bridges and culverts and the replacement of three bridges. Environmental projects include the completion of an environmental assessment for Moorefield and Drayton waste-
water capacity and for Drayton water that is expected to meet township growth needs to 203l. Mayor Neil Driscoll stated, “This is an ambitious budget that really does build for a better tomorrow, starting today. This budget is the beginning of council’s long-term strategy to address our aging infrastructure needs. We are also completing a five-year operating and capital budget to achieve this.” Director of Finance Yufang Du said, “Township staff have been challenged with presenting a budget that has been impacted by several factors beyond council’s control, including reduced Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding by over $200,000, which represents almost 4% of the tax rate increase.” The Mapleton budget is available on the municipality’s website at www.mapleton. ca. or a paper copy can be requested from the administration office at no charge.
Mock disaster - Mapleton firefighters, council and other municipal staff were part of a simulated emergency exercise conducted by Wellington County emergency management officials on March 24. The scenario involved a partial structure collapse at the PMD arena complex. submitted photo
Council agrees to rate reductions for Kinsmen farm show, Gospel group by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township will develop a community grant program in an effort to find a consistent method of dealing with requests from groups seeking a reduction in fees to rent municipal facilities. Council received three such requests at its March 10 meeting and council deferred any decisions to gather more information. Requests were from: - the Norwell District Secondary School prom committee, for an unspecified discount amount;
- Gospel Echoes of Canada, to allow an hourly rental rate, rather than a full-day rental being charged for a weekend event using the PMD hall and ice surface (hourly rates are normally only available on weekdays); and - the Drayton Kinsmen asking for their total fee for use of the PMD arena complex for their annual farm show to be capped at $2,600. A staff report presented at the March 24 meeting suggested council consider a community grant program through which organizations could
submit an application requesting a reduction in fees. The program would also be used for donations to organizations such as the local farm safety association. A line item and dollar amount would then be included in the annual budget. “This would be used to offset any reductions or waivers of fees approved by council and would not result in further ‘loss’ at year end,” the report states. “The reduction in fees would be covered through tax revenues in the annual budget, similar to other donations
granted by council.” “I agree with adopting a community grant program and I would like to see more information,” said councillor Lori Woodham. In regard to the requests from the Drayton Kinsmen and Gospel Echoes, she added, “As much as I hate to see us going over every single one, I recommend we do grant both of these this time.” “I concur with staff’s recommendation that there be a report,” said councillor Michael Martin. Regarding the Gospel Echoes request, Martin
Inaugural Mapleton mayor’s breakfast held in Alma by Caroline Sealey ALMA - Small business owners, service club representatives, councillors and township staff joined Mayor Neil Driscoll for the inaugural Mapleton Mayor’s Breakfast at the Alma Community Centre on March 25. Driscoll spoke briefly on the open communications promise that was made during the 2014 election. “The ‘Who cares, they don’t really listen,’ is the mentality that needs to be changed and the current Mapleton council is in the process of changing this,” Driscoll stated. Business development and marketing coordinator Crystal Ellis provided an overview of the new township “brand,” its user-friendly, informative website and the recently-released township guide.
MAYOR NEIL DRISCOLL
HAROLD DEVRIES
Guest speaker Harold DeVries, a small business advisor with the Guelph-Wellington Business Enterprise Centre, explained the centre’s function. The ultimate goal of the centre is to help new and current small businesses find the optimum path for their individual businesses. Each advisor helps small businesses launch and grow through training and teaching over a 42-week program. In the past year, the
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business centre has provided 3,400 free consultations. DeVries said, “Strategic planning begins with a starting point and ends with a destination. Research is an important factor in the survival of a business.” DeVries stressed business owners should always talk to their customers, ask questions and listen to the responses. Choose an optimum route but don’t be afraid to change, he suggested. Change is inevitable and necessary for business growth, he pointed out. “Of all the businesses in Canada today, 98.2 per cent are small businesses with less than 100 employees. Seventy-eight per cent of small businesses in Wellington County have fewer than 10 employees. Every dollar in a small business is turned over seven times in the com-
munity. Small business is an important part of the economy of Mapleton Township,” DeVries stated. He suggested anyone in small business or contemplating starting a new business venture would find the centre in Guelph helpful. The staff is more than happy to answer any questions and provide information, he said. Driscoll took the podium and provided a future outlook that he foresees for Mapleton Township. “Building for a Better Tomorrow Today” is council’s focus, he said. Driscoll noted grants from upper levels of government are diminishing, causing the township to aggressively change its outlook in the current budget. A five-year plan on infrastructure, 20-year Continued on page 3
Weekly Wag
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said, “It doesn’t really seem like a rate reduction we are giving there, so much as a policy adjustment.” Martin also noted the town waived the entire rental fee for use of the PMD arena complex for the 2014 Drayton Farm Show, and he recommended council grant the 2015 request for a reduction. Councillor Dennis Craven reminded that council funds raised by community groups go back into the community “and we certainly don’t want to do anything to discourage that from happening.”
Councillors Woodham, Martin, Craven and Marlene Ottens all voted in favour of approving the requested rate reductions for the Kinsmen and Gospel Echoes and developing a community grant program. Mayor Neil Driscoll declared a conflict of interest on the issue based on his participation as an exhibitor at the farm show. CAO Patty Sinnamon said the Norwell request became a non-issue as the event was switched to a Friday night, thus becoming eligible for normal weekday rates.
Bridge tender accepted for project in Mapleton by Patrick Raftis GUELPH - Wellington County council accepted tenders for three bridge construction projects totaling more than $2 million at its March 26 meeting. A tender for the replacement of the retaining wall at Moorefield Bridge, structure B010023, on Wellington Road 10 was awarded to Xterra Construction Inc., of Kitchener, which bid $293,066. The Xterra bid was the lowest of five tenders received, with the highest coming from Owen King Ltd. of Walkerton at $459,923. The total project cost, including engineering fees, county labour and material, and a $36,000 contingency fund, is $425,000.
BILL’S
A tender for the rehabilitation of the Maitland River overflow bridge and Maitland River Bridge, structures B087137 and B087138 on Wellington Road 87 was awarded to McLean Taylor Construction Ltd., of St. Mary’s, for its bid price of $1,811,280. The McLean Taylor bid was the lowest of four received, with the highest, at $2,111,830, coming from Finnbilt General Construction of Stratford. The total project cost, including engineering fees, county labour and material, and a $200,000 contingency fund is just under $2.3 million. Roads chair Gary Williamson noted lower gasoline prices don’t seem to be bringing down Continued on page 3
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