SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 47
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2017
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Ministry pre-consultation set to discuss interim capacity for wastewater system By Patrick Raftis
Community fundraiser - LEFT: Drayton Craft Show committee members Anne Beuhler and Diane Vogel are surrounded by food bank donations received at the committee’s annual craft show on Nov. 18. Proceeds from the event go to youth activities in the community. RIGHT: One of the vendors at the sale was Drayton resident Rick Jurchuk of Rick’s Wood Crafts, who sells handmade wood products. Photos by Caroline Sealey
MAPLETON – Mapleton officials will soon meet with provincial representatives to discuss requirements for interim capacity approvals for a local wastewater system. CAO Brad McRoberts advised council on Nov. 14 the pre-consultation will take place with representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) on Nov. 27. The goal is to examine provincial requirements to issue interim capacity, allowing some development to proceed in Drayton and
Moorefield, which have been under a long-standing development freeze due to lack of wastewater capacity. “A pre-consultation is basically, ‘what do you guys need from us in order to give us an approval?’” McRoberts explained. In September of 2016, the MOECC indicated it would support an interim capacity increase if the township can demonstrate that with optimization of the current wastewater treatment system, an improved water quality discharge and a partial increase to the rated wastewater volume (750m3/day) can be achieved.
The ministry indicated the interim capacity increase would be conditional upon the township continuing to advance toward the full upgrade of the wastewater treatment facility within a reasonable time period. Council has included funding for a water tower and wastewater capacity upgrades in its draft 2018 budget and the projects have also been worked into current water and wastewater rates. McRoberts, who was participating in his last meeting as CAO before leaving the municipality to take a SEE INTERIM » 8
Mapleton council opts to accept Ombudsman as meeting investigator By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Township council has opted not to reappoint the municipality’s current closed meeting investigator, meaning the job will fall to the provincial Office of the Ombudsman. John Maddox, operating as JGM Consulting Inc., has been the investigator for the township since 2014 through an agreement between the County of Wellington, JGM and six of the county’s seven member municipalities. As of December 2017, Maddox will no longer operate his consulting firm, but will continue to provide ser-
vices as an independent contractor. In October, Wellington County council supported a county administraMICHAEL MARTIN tion, finance and personnel committee recommendation to re-appoint Maddox as the county’s investigator. Under the agreement, the county would continue to cover an annual retainer to Maddox of $1,000 for the county and $300 for each member municipality. An hourly fee of $100, plus expenses, would
be paid by the municipality in which an investigation is conducted. A staff report from deputy clerk Barb Schellenberger recommended retaining Maddox “given his extensive municipal experience, which would provide a consistent method of investigation throughout most of the county.” Maddox is a former municipal CAO and regional director with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Councillor Michael Martin, who first objected to Maddox’s appointment in December of 2016, pointed
out council could avail themselves of the Ombudsman’s services at no cost to the taxpayers. “I guess I’ll get back up on my soapbox on this issue again like I did last year,” said Martin. “I think this is a perfect opportunity for our municipality … we’ve had a strong philosophy of transparency right since the very start of this council and I think to use the provincial Office of the Ombudsman is the perfect way to demonstrate this to the public.” Under the Municipal Act municipalities have the option of appointing
their own investigator. The Ombudsman’s office is the default investigator for any municipality that doesn’t make an appointment and does not charge for the service. “There’s lots of theories that are out about the Ombudsman’s office, right, and the fear of the province and all that sort of stuff, but I really think this is a great opportunity,” stated Martin. “I don’t know Mr. Maddox. I have nothing against him or his services, but to retain our own closed meeting investigator when there is an opportunity to use a provincial entity that is free … I would
love this municipality to sign up to use the Ombudsman.” While Martin noted the current council has not required the services of a closed meeting investigator, the municipality twice used the services of previous investigator Norm Gamble once in 2011 and again in 2013. In both cases, Gamble concluded the meetings in question were handled appropriately. A motion to re-appoint Maddox as Mapleton’s closed meeting investigator was defeated with Martin and councillors Lori Woodham and Marlene Ottens opposed SEE COUNCIL » 7
Local entertainers take over stage for annual Mapleton’s Got Talent show
Talented township - The fourth annual Mapleton’s Got Talent show, hosted by the Drayton Rotary Club, was held on Nov. 18 at the Drayton Festival Theatre, with Lucas Rogerson acting as master of ceremonies. The show featured 18 acts, ranging from piano, vocal, jazz, lyrical and tap to keyboard, electric guitar and musical theatre performances and skits. LEFT: Soloist Lila Ottens sang Sunny Side. ABOVE LEFT: From left: Willy Smart, Xavier Gueverra and Silas Tamblyn perform Labrinth’s Jealous. ABOVE: Minto Dance Academy student Julia Gray performed a solo number to Rise Up. RIGHT: Clare and Joanna Cashin performed a musical theatre duet to Jail Birds. Proceeds from the show go to the Mapleton Splash Pad project. Photos by Caroline Sealey
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