SERVING MAPLETON AND MINTO
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 52 ISSUE 15
1 Year GIC - 2.75% 3 Year GIC - 3.00% 5 Year GIC - 3.35% Daily Interest 1.50%
638-3328
THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2019
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Local students join protest against education changes By Patrick Raftis
Skills demonstration - On April 4 over 1,300 Upper Grand District School Board students from 57 elementary schools competed at the regional Skills Canada competition at the University of Guelph. Students from Centre Peel Public School in Mapleton participated in the green energy challenge, creating a wind-powered car. The Grade 8 students are, from left: Adreanna Dyck, Sarah Martin and Tina Schmitt. Other challenges at the competition included Lego robotics, Lego mechanics, character animation, TV/video production, health and safety, design and build, construction and robotics. Additional photos on page 3. Photo by Jaime Myslik
Mapleton announces new approach to financing water, wastewater infrastructure renewal By Aryn Strickland MAPLETON - The township is inviting companies with applicable experience to apply to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and invest in the township’s water and wastewater systems. Council passed a motion to begin the RFQ process on
April 2. Mayor Gregg Davidson and CAO Manny Baron say it’s an innovative financing approach that could help the township avoid municipal tax increases and save ratepayers money. “For communities such as ours, this kind of concession agreement might be the only way we can pay a [$15 million
to $30 million] program over a 20-year span because we know that the [funding] coming from the federal and the provincial government are drying up,” said Davidson. “We have to look (for) alternative ways of funding besides going to the taxpayer and asking them to help us raise that money.” SEE TOWNSHIP » 2
PALMERSTON – Chanting “Education is a right; We will not give up the fight,” students from Norwell District Secondary School walked out of class on April 4 to protest the Ontario government’s planned education changes. The action was part of a protest by students at 600 Ontario schools in opposition to the province’s plans, including larger class sizes and mandatory online courses. The province-wide protest involved elementary and high school students and was organized by students on social media under the hashtag #StudentsSayNo. At Norwell the protest was organized by student council members. “We’re walking out because we’re not okay with the changes that Doug Ford is making to our education,” said student council president Lindsay Lacroix. “We disagree with the mandatory e-learning courses. They don’t work for everyone and the e-learning courses that we have now, I find, are not very user friendly and you want us to take four, so that would not be very effective and it’s not everyone’s learning style.” Lacroix said students are also concerned about the impact of cutbacks and increased class sizes “that we believe will directly affect the arts program specifically.
Student protest - Norwell District Secondary School students walked out of class on April 4 to protest the Ontario government’s planned changes to education. The action was part of a province-wide protest by both secondary and elementary students at more than 600 schools. Photo by Patrick Raftis “Bringing up the cap size of classes means any lowattendance classes will be cut and I believe, in my opinion … one of the best classes that we have are the arts programs.” During a telephone interview Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece said he has not heard increased class sizes are a particular concern at small rural schools. “That’s something that hasn’t been brought up to me before,” he told the Community News. However, he noted, “Class sizes aren’t being increased in the primary classes except (Grades) 4 to 8 will have a one-student increase, but the
secondary students are going to … go up to 28 students and that’s just, if you look across Canada, we have one of the lowest rates of class sizes in the country. So we’re just trying to line it with other jurisdictions. Another benefit too, it will reduce the reliance on portables, split classes - so there’s some benefits to this.” Asked if lack of access to high-speed internet service could disadvantage some students in rural areas taking required online courses, Pettapiece said the issue was being addressed. “Both federal and provincial governments are committing a lot of money to SEE STUDENTS » 3
Total taxes to rise by $84 on average Minto residence MINTO – The average residential taxpayer here will pay an additional $84 in 2019. Minto council passed the town’s 2019 budget with an overall tax increase of 2.8% for an average residential property assessed at $233,000. The estimated $84 increase in local taxes includes Wellington County and provincial education taxes and assumes there will be no changes to tax policies set by the county, and that education tax rates follow past trends, the town states in a press release issued following council’s approval of the budget on April 2.
Minto treasurer Gordon Duff said about $48 of the $84 increase can be attributed to Town of Minto spending. With total spending of $6,275,893, the budget calls for a total levy requirement (the amount to be raised through taxes) of $5,286,976, an increase of $339,569 or just under 7% from the budgeted 2018 levy of $4,947,407. Minto Mayor George Bridge stated, “The 2019 budget still moves Minto forward with numerous capital projects, but keeps tax increases manageable for our residents.” Finance chair David Turton said, “This budget was very difficult to put
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together this year. There were many unknown grant and funding opportunities, making it hard to put together a capital funding plan. Our staff has worked hard on this budget and we appreciate them very much for their effort.” Minto’s 2019 tax-supported operating budget (excluding water and sewer operations) includes a net transfer of $443,000 to reserves. The budget includes a net transfer to capital reserves of $1,725,000 to fund the $5.5-million capital plan. Capital expenditure highlights include the final payments on a new fire pumper, installation of four electric
vehicle charging stations, replacement of public works service and plow trucks. Other capital projects include: - flood damage restoration work on the Maitland River shoreline; - continuation of upgrades on the 12th Line, final paving of a section of Ann Street in Clifford; - servicing for residential development in Clifford; an expansion of the cremation garden in the Harriston Cemetery; - modernization work on the SCADA system for water and wastewater; - continued inflow and infiltration reduction in
WEEKLY WAG
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By Patrick Raftis
“To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, and call whatever you hit the target.” - Ashleigh Brilliant
Harriston; - watermains on George Street North to improve water quality in that neighbourhood; - ball park upgrades; - replacement work on the deck surrounding the railway museum and painting part of the pedestrian railway bridge; - renovations at the Palmerston Lions Den building (former CNRA clubhouse); and - a replacement pick-up truck in the building department and road extensions and service installations in the Palmerston Industrial Park. One proposed capital proj-
BILL’S
ect that won’t go ahead is the largest item in the draft budget: the reconstruction of the Minto-Normanby Townline. The planned $2.3-million project was to be split with West Grey and funded primarily with provincial grant money. Treasurer Gordon Duff reported the project was not approved for funding under the Ontario Infrastructure Fund and the program has been discontinued by the province. “In discussions with the Municipality of West Grey, our prospective partner in this project, we have decided not to re-apply for this project as the insufficient health SEE MINTO BUDGET » 3
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