SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 16
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
MAPLETON – Mayor Neil Driscoll was encouraged by the outcome of a meeting between township officials and provincial infrastructure minister Bob Chiarelli on April 6. The focus of the meeting, held at Chiarelli’s Queen’s Park office, was Mapleton’s struggles to afford an upgrade of wastewater treatment facilities that would allow a long-standing development freeze to be lifted. The mayor, along with township CAO Brad McRoberts attended. “I think the meeting went very well,â€? Driscoll told council on April 11. “We had sent our request to them ahead of time; they had done some research on our municipality, as far as our lending abilities. He made some good suggestions. I think we made some good inroads ‌ and the minister
of infrastructure is aware of our situation and he committed to getting back to us within a month or two with some more information. It was a very good meeting and I look forward to the next one.� In an email response to questions from the Community News, McRoberts explained the meeting consisted of the minister asking questions about Mapleton “and about the magnitude of the development outlined in our letter.� The CAO said the township provided “conservative estimates of the significant economic stimulus� that would result from current approved and planned development. “We highlighted that conservatively there would be an economic stimulus of over $120 million as a result of this development over the next 15 years in materials and labour from the construction
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Township officials encouraged by meeting on water, wastewater By Patrick Raftis
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Finance department staffing situation discussed in-camera By Patrick Raftis
Helping hands - Adam Deen guided his daughter Carly around the maze of Easter eggs waiting to be gathered in the 0 to 3-year-old group at the Mapleton Preschool Community Easter Egg Hunt on April 15 at Kinsmen Park in Drayton. Despite the rainy conditions over 100 children from the community filled baskets with Easter goodies during the hunt. Donations collected at the event will be used for Preschool operations. More photos on pages 5 & 8. Photo by Caroline Sealey
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MAPLETON – Discussion of matters pertaining to the township’s understaffed finance department were among numerous topics covered during an in-camera session at the conclusion of the April 11 council meeting. Mapleton has been without a permanent deputy treasurer since former deputy-treasurer Theresa Armstrong resigned on Oct. 28. On Feb. 6 the township appointed John Cummings as deputy treasurer on an interim basis. At a township budget open house on Feb. 15, Mayor Neil Driscoll explained a job offer had been made but the applicant “backed out� and the township was re-interviewing for the position. At the same meeting, Driscoll told the Community News the director of finance Yufang Du was “off sick.� The agenda for the April 11
in-camera session lists seven reasons for going in camera, including three under the heading of “Personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees.â€? One of the personal matters listed was “deputy treasurer job description reviewâ€? and another was “director of finance.â€? The third reason was not specifically identified. In an April 14 email response to a request for an update on the finance department staffing situation, Mapleton CAO Brad McRoberts stated there was “nothing to report outâ€? from the closed session. “With respect to the discussions regarding the finance department, the township has no comment at this time,â€? McRoberts stated. Three property-related matters were also dealt with in-camera at the meeting: - sale of, disposition of, SEE STAFFING Âť 3
Councillor wants to revisit decision to pay for future tile repair By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Council here will revisit a decision to pay for potential future repairs to a private drain crossing a township road. On March 28 Mapleton council agreed to rectify any future damage to a tile drain crossing Sideroad 17 until 2032 after being presented with documents supporting
a resident’s contention the road was used to transport turbine components during construction of the Conestogo Wind Energy Centre (CWEC) in 2012. At the April 11 meeting, councillor Michael Martin provided notice of his intention to introduce a motion to reconsider the decision. Resident Dunc Lamond initially came to council
about the issue on March 8, 2016, asking who is responsible for future repairs to a tile drain that crosses Sideroad 17 near his farm. He told council the transportation route outlined in the agreement between the township and NextEra Energy Canada indicates trucks would use a series of back roads off Highway 6. Yet he said he and other
area residents saw blades and turbine components transported straight to the site along Sideroad 17 from Wellington Road 109. He said he believes the heavy loads caused the road to settle and disrupted the tile outlet. The township invesconLamond’s tigated cerns, including contacting NextEra officials, who stat-
ed the company never used Sideroad 17, and declined to take further action. On March 28 Lamond presented council with a copy of a Transportation Management Plan for the CWEC project that he received from a NextEra official on March 2. The plan shows Sideroad 17 as delivery route for turbine components and a NextEra official also men-
tioned the road as part of the delivery route in a telephone conversation with Lamond. Although CAO Brad McRoberts noted a drain crossing a township road would not be allowed under current policies without a legal agreement, council approved a resolution agreeing to pay for any repairs to the drain until 2032, the estimated life of the tile.
Extension of Moorefield streetscape lighting approved subject to input from meeting By Patrick Raftis MO O RE FIE LD – Township council has approved an extension of the lighting portion of the streetscape design for the McGivern Street reconstruction project slated for the village this summer, at an estimated additional cost of $235,475. However, approval for the extension was made subject to input from a public meeting set for April 19. Wellington County is preparing to reconstruct the downtown portion of McGivern Street (Wellington Road 10) in the village of
Moorefield. The reconstruction is being planned between Hilwood Drive and Booth Street. The work will consist of road and storm sewer reconstruction as well as revitalization of the streetscape between Moore Street and Parkview Drive. The engineer’s estimate for the entire project is $3.3 million. The streetscape work, funded by the township, consists of various sidewalk repairs, impressed coloured concrete boulevards and retaining wall, street trees, decorative poles and pedestrian light fixtures, to be constructed between the limits of
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Moore Street and Parkview Drive, is currently estimated at $230,000. A staff report presented to Mapleton council on March 11 states, “This reconstruction project presents an opportunity to extend the proposed streetscape improvements to the area bound by Booth Street and Ball Street,� in accordance with goals outlined in the municipality’s 2013 strategic plan. The original plan calls for 16 decorative pedestrian light poles and fixtures at $88,000, plus associated trenching, ducts, wires and power supply for $54,475. The proposed extension
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would see an additional 19 decorative poles added for $104,500 and additional trenching, ducts, wires and power supply costing $130,975. The staff report, prepared by manager of assets and infrastructure Paul Hinsperger and public works director Sam Mattina, states the lighting extension would: - enhance the streetscape appeal; - provide greater visual impact and awareness of the presence of the community; - provide greater opportunity for outdoor presence and activity by the community; and
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“More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying - Harold J. Smith them.�
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- provide opportunity for future development and investment. Councillor Lori Woodham asked if the project would include the boulevard between the sidewalk and the roadway in the area of Maryborough Public School. CAO Brad McRoberts said the drawings indicated a boulevard area. “I believe there will be sidewalk along the majority of the project when all is said and done,� added Mattina. Mayor Neil Driscoll said he struggles with “spending more dollars� on the lighting extension given the results of a similar recent project in
downtown Drayton. “Honestly, when Drayton was done I don’t think fifty per cent of people were happy with what was done there,� he stated. Woodham said she would be willing to support a resolution to approve the extension plan, subject to public comments and input on the design at the April 19 public meeting, “provided it’s presented as an option. “I personally don’t feel comfortable saying ‘this is what I want,’� she added. Council accepted the plan, including the extension, subject to input from the public meeting.
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