SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 50 ISSUE 48
DRAYTON, ONTARIO
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017
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Acting CAO appointed by Mapleton council By Patrick Raftis
Festive house tour - The Drayton United Church Christmas House Tour on Nov. 25 featured seven local homes showcasing homeowners’ unique style of Christmas dÊcor. ABOVE: At this stop on the self-guided tour family members, from left, Max McClain, Kim Meulenbelt, Shiela Morden and Laura McClain have the table ready for Christmas dinner. BELOW LEFT: A snowman and Santa Claus relax in one of the rooms. BELOW RIGHT: The theme at the Drayton United Church was stars and trees. Proceeds from the event will be used for stained glass window repairs at the church. More photos on page 6 Photos by Caroline Sealey
MAPLETON – The township has a new acting chief administrative officer (CAO). Murray Clarke, who commenced his duties with the township on Nov. 7, was officially appointed CAO through a bylaw passed by Mapleton council on Nov. 14. Clarke, who previously held CAO positions in several communities, retired from his position as CAO of Kincardine in June, after more than five years with that municipality. The Nov. 14 meeting was also the last for outgoing CAO Brad McRoberts. The township announced on Oct. 13 that McRoberts was resigning to take a position as CAO of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, where he formerly worked as manager of public works. McRoberts was originally hired by Mapleton as public works director in July of 2014. He became CAO in November of 2015. Clarke was engaged as acting CAO with the assistance of consultants Ward and Uptigrove, who have been
hired to assist with the process of replacing McRoberts. “Thank you Murray for stepping in and assisting council through this process,â€? said McRoberts. “I think you’ll enjoy your time here. I certainly did.â€? Citing colder temperatures to be expected in his new municipality, Mayor Neil Driscoll presented McRoberts with a Mapleton toque as a parting gift. “Thank you again for all that you have done for Mapleton. We had this tendency to kind of put you in a position and you handled them all very well,â€? said Driscoll. Councillor Michael Martin said, “Council gets to sit here and meet and then walk away and you have to do the hard part of implementation. “I really appreciated the time and the effort you put in here.â€? McRoberts stated he is “really proudâ€? of the staff he worked with in Mapleton. “I can sit back and say, ‘You know what, you guys are in great hands.’ SEE INTERIM CAO Âť 7
Building activity remains strong through October in township By Patrick Raftis
Facility review report suggests discontinuing early ice program By Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Recommendations in a follow-up report by township staff on a recreation facility service review have been referred to the municipality’s parks and recreation committee. Mapleton council made the referral at the suggestion of councillor and committee chair Michael Martin on Nov. 14. Among the recommendations in the report are: - discontinue use of heaters in the spectator area of the PMD arena; - undertake a cost/benefit analysis of energy savings
opportunities for any future capital improvements related to the facilities; - increase the notice required for ice rental cancellation from seven to 14 days and implement a stricter policy under which the ice renter would not be eligible for a refund unless the road adjacent to the facility is closed by the OPP; - increase prime-time nonminor sports rate to $114 per hour for the 2018-19 season and to $125 in 2019-20 and index the rates to inflation after that; - increase the minor sports ice-time rate to $100 per hour in 2018-19, $107 in 2019-20 and index rates to
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inflation after that. The report recommends discontinuing early installation of ice at the PMD arena, noting that a four-year review of energy consumption at the facility indicates, “One very noticeable trend is the spike in August energy consumption beginning with the summer ice and camp program in 2015.� The report points out that while August revenue for ice usage ranged from $2,100 to $2,300 between 2015 and 2017, the cost of energy usage at the facility ranged from $6,834 in 2015 to $9,175 in 2017. “As can be noted, energy costs alone well exceed the revenues. Council should
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consider discontinuation of the early ice program,â€? the report states. The report also suggests changes to the township’s hall rental rate structure and liquor pricing policies. “We have a good parks and rec committee here and ‌ I think this would be a great report to provide our advisory committee,â€? said Martin. “We’ve got some really good people on this committee and I think they could sink their teeth into this.â€? Martin suggested council’s review of the report be deferred and the report referred to the committee for comment.
WEEKLY WAG
“Education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.� - Albert Einstein
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MAPLETON – Building activity in the township continued strong through October, reports Mapleton chief building official Patty Wright. A report to Mapleton council on Nov. 14 indicates the township issued 31 building permits in October for construction valued at $9,024,500, generating permit fees of $63,933. The township issued fewer permits, 19, during October of 2016, when construction value was lower at $1,806,500 and permit fees collected were lower at $22,834. So far in 2017, the township has issued 327 permits for over $54 million worth of construction, generating almost $490,000 in fees. To the end of October last year, 275 permits had been issued for construction valued just under $30 million, raising $266,524 in fees.
Industrial construction drove the figures in October, with one permit issued for a $4.2-million project. There were 14 permits for agricultural construction valued at a total of $3.15 million in October. Year to date, agricultural construction remains the highest generator of building activity, with 144 permits issued for slightly more than $33 million worth of construction. “The five-year average of fees collected by the building department for the month of October is $25,389.26, therefore the current month is above the five-year average,� Wright noted in her report. “Year-to-date numbers range from $219,951.41 to $358,410.14 over the past five years and the average of fees collected to date from 2012 to 2016 is $284,893.33 The current year-to-date is over the five-year range and above the five-year average.�
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