SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 46
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
1 Year GIC - 2.30% 3 Year GIC - 2.51% 5 Year GIC - 3.00% Daily Interest 2.25%*
638-3328
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017
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Water tower, wastewater capacity projects included in draft budget By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – The end of a long-standing development freeze in the villages of Drayton and Moorefield may be at hand. Township’s Mapleton proposed 2018 budget contains a $4.2-million allocation for wastewater capacity enhancement and $3 million for a water tower. While the allocations are provisional at this point, Mayor Neil Driscoll said council seems prepared to spend the money needed to put an end to local wastewater capacity problems that originated about two decades ago. “Our intent, as far as I can read from council ‌ whatever system that the consul-
tants recommend ... that’s what we’re willing to put the money in for,� Driscoll said. He added council is still awaiting final project designs from a consultant, and then government approval will be required for the plans. However, he indicated council is determined to follow through with upgrading capacity. “Our council’s just realized this project has to go to help Mapleton grow. We really can’t survive the size we are,� Driscoll told the Community News in a Nov. 10 telephone interview. Finance director Karmen Krueger explained the projects will not impact the tax levy, as they will be financed entirely from water and wastewater rates and have
already been factored into that rate structure. While township officials are hopeful the upgrades will get under way in 2018, Krueger said “it will probably be a two- or three-year project.� Driscoll said the projects will be financed through a debenture although some upper tier government funding is possible. The term of any debenture has yet to be determined. “If we approve it, then we’ll figure out what the debenture would be, or we hope for government funding,� Driscoll explained. “But until we have it in our budget, we can’t really ask for government funding. It has to be a planned project, shovel ready.�
Typical tax bill would rise about $168 under proposed 2018 budget
Lest we forget Mapleton remembers - The annual Remembrance Day service was held in Memorial Park in Drayton on Nov. 11. ABOVE: The colour party led the Remembrance Day parade from the Drayton Legion on Elm Street , through the downtown, to the cenotaph. A service led by members of the Drayton Legion followed the parade. RIGHT: Drayton Legion member Kathy Mallet, war veteran Louis Latham and his grandson Trevor Belec salute after laying a wreath during the Service. Photos by Caroline Sealey
By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Total taxes, including the township, school board and county portions, would rise by about $168 on a residential property valued at the median assessment of $330,000 under a proposed 2018 budget presented to Mapleton council on Nov. 7. The draft budget calls for expenditures of about $11.6 million next year, compared to $9,626,413 budgeted in 2017.
The projected 2018 tax levy of $7.36 million is up by about $729,000, or about 11 per cent from the budgeted 2017 levy of roughly $6,630,000. Based on estimated education and county taxes the township is projecting the blended tax rate increase to residential property owners of approximately 3.9%. The blended rate increase in 2017 was about 2.6%. The township is projecting an overall revenue increase
of $181,034 for 2018, including an additional $27,000 from parks and recreation, $107,000 from increased gas tax and Ontario Community Infrastructure contributions, $92,000 from increased fees for water and wastewater (no tax levy impact) and an additional $14,000 from other areas such as the fire, building and animal control departments. Expenses are expected to rise by $830,970 in 2018. SEE BUDGET Âť 2
Wellington residents’ wartime role focus of presentation By Caroline Sealey DRAYTON - The role Wellington County residents played in war, including the time period before Wellington County was formed, was the focus of a presentation at the November Congregate Dining program here. Wellington County Museum and Archives program assistant Kyle Smith was the guest speaker at the event hosted by the Seniors Centre for Excellence. Smith explained that after 1812, the world was relatively peaceful, but by 1861 the Civil War began in the United States. Between 50 and 60 men from Wellington County fought for the Union Army. A few men may also
KYLE SMITH have joined the Confederate ranks, Smith suggested. In Guelph, a foundry illegally produced cannonballs
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for the war effort, he noted. The Union army wanted control of Canada. To deter this issue, colonies were united, work was done to make amends with the United States and rifle units were established. A number of units, including the Wellington Rifles, existed in Wellington County to prepare in case of an attack from the south, although after fighting in the Civil War, the American troops were exhausted and did not pursue the control of Canada. The only threat to Canada was from Irish Fenians based in the United States, Smith stated. Drilling continued after the completion of the war with units still dressing in
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military uniforms and hats and performing military exercises. By 1901, the brutal Boer War began, with 7,000 Canadian soldiers enlisted. Many survived the battle but died from disease. The Wellington County Museum has a large number of photos of soldiers from the county who served in the First World War. Men tended to sign up with their buddies and their unit fought together. In some cases the losses to one town were large. The unit from Fergus was sent overseas but divided up so a mass casualty was not possible. Those enlisting on May 31, 1916 knew the war was not going to be short but they were unprepared
WEEKLY WAG
“Our soldiers fought an impossible fight with perseverance, valour and commitment to a greater cause.� - Justin Trudeau
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for what they were about to experience. The town came to see them off at the train station. They travelled by train to Montreal and then overseas. Letters sent home by those serving overseas were sugar coated with good news. Wellington County resident Gordon Jones sent home cheery, chipper letters to his mother in 1916-17. When wounded in battle, a chaplain mailed a letter home stating that Jones was injured but was fine. Photos of Jones in a hospital bed, posing with two nurses, neglected to reveal a leg amputation and the removal of pieces of shrapnel. Jones never recovered. Fred Campbell of Mount Forest was a true military
man who continued to fight into his early 40s. On the battlefield in World War I, Campbell and a fellow soldier saved their unit when surrounded by 150 German soldiers. The other soldier got down on his hands and knees and Campbell used his back as a stand for their broken gun. Campbell managed to hold the advancing Germans back while the remainder of his unit escaped. Campbell was riddled with bullets and perished. The Victoria Cross was presented to him posthumously. While nursing in Africa and Egypt, Mount Forest resident Harriet Brydon was so profoundly affected by the screams of soldiers wounded SEE WELLINGTON Âť 5
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