CommunityNews N O R T H
W E L L I N G T O N
Volume 53 Issue 03
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Enhanced northern Wellington economic partnership proposed PATRICK RAFTIS REPORTER
Rising water - Water overflowed the banks of the Conestogo River and flooded the agricultural hall and parking lot in Drayton on Jan. 11. At one point there was at least two feet of water in the building and two people reported seeing a beaver swimming in the parking lot. Photo by Jennifer Goertzen
Flooding contained to low-lying areas as record rainfall recorded in region COMMUNITY NEWS STAFF WELLINGTON COUNTY – More rain fell last weekend than predicted and some local residents remained without power well into Sunday, but it appears flooding was limited to low-lying areas, particularly in Drayton and Harriston. The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) reported up to 100mm of rain fell on Jan. 11, far exceeding the 60 to 80mm the authority had predicted leading up to the weekend. “This event produced the highest January rainfall on record for this part of the province and resulted in substantial flooding in a number of communities in the northern and central portions of the water-
shed,” states a GRCA update issued on Jan. 12. Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson said the GRCA issued a flood alert for Level 1 and Level 2 locations in Drayton around noon on Jan. 11. Firefighters delivered notices door to door to residents in the affected areas and later delivered notifications in Level 3 areas as well. While the notices advised residents the PMD arena was designated as the main evacuation centre should the need arise, Richardson said things never progressed to that point. “We went to Level 3 people and gave some notifications but never got to evacuation,” he said. “We never had any basements with water coming
up to hydro panels or anything – not like 2017 when we had to get people out.” Richardson said the fire department did not receive any calls regarding flooded basements, but a local plumber advised the chief he installed about 10 sump pumps on Jan. 11 after the first night of rain. “We have pumps available to help them out, but we never used any,” Richardson noted. Mapleton CAO Manny Baron said the local emergency planning efforts were effectively put into place. “We were in constant communications, even though we weren’t in the same cities or towns - myself, the manager of public works and director of public works and the chief SEE MAJOR » 3
MINTO – Details of a proposed enhanced economic development partnership for northern Wellington County were presented to council here on Jan. 7. If approved by councils in Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North, the initiative would see the municipalities partner on business retention and expansion, marketing and housing programs and a youth engagement coordinator, and expand LaunchIt Minto business incubator services to Wellington North and Mapleton. Since January of 2012, the three municipalities have been holding regular joint economic development meetings at which they’ve tackled topics ranging from tourism and affordable housing to employment and immigration from a local vantage point. They have also partnered on business expansion efforts, youth programs and other initiatives over the past decade. Minto economic development manager Belinda Wick-Graham explained the enhanced partnership proposal flowed from a recent service review conducted jointly by Wellington County municipalities that recommended, among other initiatives, greater cooperation between municipalities. The county service review, noted Mayor George Bridge, resulted from a provincial government initiative that came
Economic development - Minto council members heard details of a an enhanced economic development partnership between northern Wellington municipalities from staff, including, from left: marketing marketing and community development coordinator Taylor Keunen, businesss development coordinator Somer Antonopolous and economic development co-ordiantor Belinda Wick-Graham, at the Jan. 7 council meeting. Submitted photo out of a task force report on municipal government last fall. “Last October, Minister (of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve) Clarke came to an AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) meeting in London and basically said, ‘No … we’re not going to force amalgamations, we’re going to give you some cash to look at doing some services together.’ So shared services became the big catch phrase,” Bridge explained. Wick-Graham told council Mapleton also reached out to Minto with the aim of establishing a memorandum of understanding to have Minto assist with delivering economic development services to the township. “At that time Wellington North inserted themselves into the discussion with the suggestion to consider more of a
regional approach,” she continued. Wick-Graham outlined the five main elements of the proposed enhanced partnership, beginning with a cross sector business retention and expansion program that would involve interviews with 10 businesses per municipality in each of the identified sectors: manufacturing, agriculture, health care and construction. She stated the initiative was designed to strengthen relationships with local chambers of commerce and businesses. Under the proposal, Minto will provide staff support and overall coordination of program. Wick-Graham noted Mapleton’s strong agricultural sector would help the partners with “tapping into those relationships.” The northern group could SEE PARTNERSHIP » 5
Wellington North tax levy increases by 3.3%; tax impact is 1.8% MIKE ROBINSON REPORTER KENILWORTH - Wellington North taxes are going up, but the increase will be partially offset by organic growth in the township. Township finance director Adam McNabb began his Jan. 13 presentation stating the proposed tax levy for Wellington North’s operating budget only was down by $497,792 (9%)
from 2019. Council has approved a 2020 budget of $18,403,978 and McNabb explained $7,672,957 of that will be raised through taxation. That is 3.33% higher than last year’s levy of $7,425,439. However, because of overall assessment growth within the township, McNabb said taxes will increase by 1.8% for local residents. The capital budget is
$18,917,988, down from $20,089,907 in 2019. McNabb noted about $9 million of the capital budget is funded through year-overyear carryover, which explains why the capital budget appears higher than the overall budget. For each tax dollar collected by the municipality, 49.9% goes to Wellington County, 37.6% to Wellington North and 12.4% to local school boards. Assessment growth with-
in the municipality means the average home assessed at $257,935 in 2019 is now assessed at $269,673. The result is the homeowner will pay $5 more in local taxes ($1,244 in 2019 and $1,249 in 2020). Using estimates of county and education taxes, McNabb said overall taxes will increase from $3,279 to $3,320 for the average homeowner. Farm tax rate Resident Jens Dam asked if
consideration would be given to lowering taxation on farm properties. Mayor Andy Lennox stated the tax rate imposed on farm properties is determined by the county. “It is not something Wellington North has a choice on,” said Lennox. Dam noted that as mayor, Lennox is a member of county council. Lennox agreed but stated he is just one voice on
a 16-member county council. He added the farm tax rate is something the county will likely be discussing. Councillor Dan Yake thanked McNabb and his team for their work on the 2020 budget. Lennox agreed, adding, “I think this is a budget we can all buy into.” 2020 capital projects Capital projects slated for SEE WELLINGTON » 11
Palmerston’s Henry Heidinga retires after 40 years in policing JAIME MYSLIK REPORTER PALMERSTON – A 40-year police veteran has recently retired from the Wellington County OPP. Henry Heidinga, 62, of Palmerston, started in policing when he was just 21 years old. He said he first knew he would be a police officer when he read To Kill a Mockingbird in Grade 10. “It’s one of the most important works of the century and
if you want to talk about how to treat people and people being equal under the law you read To Kill a Mockingbird,” Heidinga said. The book inspired the Orangeville native to start focusing in school and he got the grades to attend college in Toronto. Heidinga began his policing career with the London Police Service in 1979, right after graduation. He sent out 133 applications in one day to all the police services in Ontario, excluding
Toronto, Peel and the OPP. “I got interview opportunities with three,” he said. “Two in the north and one with London. I was from south western Ontario, so I took London and they hired me.” He added, “The policing in the city is very dynamic and always go, go, go, go, go.” While with London, he once guarded a hotel where Prime Minister Joe Clark was staying. “It’s funny because I was guarding the outside of the hotel and I met an OPP officer
who was guarding the inside and I later married his daughter,” Heidinga said. “So I met her dad before I met her.” In 1986, Heidinga moved to the Palmerston Police service so he could be in a small town. “Policing in a small town, you kind of manage the community,” he said. “Manage the trouble makers.” Once the Palmerston Police Department was taken over by the OPP in 1999, Heidinga switched to the provincial
service and remained in the county. “Wellington County has been very good, both as (a) municipal and OPP (officer) for family life and for ... investment in community,” he said. “You begin to care about what’s going on in your area. And the last 20 years that area has been this county.” Heidinga held various roles with the OPP. He spent some time in the Teviotdale detachment, he was part of the traffic unit, he was a truck inspector,
SERVING MAPLETON, MINTO & WELLINGTON NORTH
he worked with the marine unit and he inspected for dangerous goods, to name a few. Specialized areas of policing are one of the draws to working for the OPP he said. “Policing in the OPP is a much better lifestyle that allows you to be much better involved with your people that you deal with and with more specialization and more opportunities,” Heidinga explained. “My heart has been with traffic-related issues and traffic SEE LOCAL OFFICER » 3