Woolwich sticks with 8.5% tax hike

Kannon Observer Staff

Four Special Budget Meetings

CONCLUDED, Woolwich council still has its heart set on hitting residents with an 8.5 per cent tax hike this year.

That figure, which will add an average of $84 to the township portion of property tax bills, is where deliberations began earlier this month, and where things ended when discussions wrapped up January 19.

While there was no substantive changes to the draft operating budget, there was some tweaking of the capital budget, with an eye on delaying repairs to the Peel Street bridge in Winterbourne. Councillors are looking at putting off that project, scheduled for this year, until 2024. There was also consensus to put off the acquisition of two electric vehicles and related charging stations, lowering capital expenses.

The tax increase for 2023 includes a seven per cent hike to the general tax levy plus 1.5 per cent for a special infrastructure levy. That would add $84.32 to the bill of an average home in the township, based on an assessed value of $418,000.

The draft discussed Monday night by Woolwich councillors includes an operating budget of $23 million, a nine per cent increase from the 2022 budget.

Changes to the capital budget were driven largely by concerns about the amount of borrowing by the township. The Peel Street bridge project’s $2.75-million price tag, for instance, was to be funded fully through a debenture.

Woolwich is planning to borrow another $3.7 million this year, which also covers the planned paving of Greenhouse Road near Breslau. The Winterbourne project, which would rehabilitate the old steel-truss bridge for pedestrian use, was a stumbling block for some councillors looking at a long list of unfunded infrastructure projects.

“I have a concern with the Peel Street bridge –not saying that I could never get behind the project in and of itself, but this year I think that we should defer,” said Coun. Nathan Cadeau, arguing to push the work back a year.

Coun. Eric Schwindt said the delay could provide time for the township to find funding support from the provincial or federal government, decreasing the local tax burden.

“If we can get even 50 per cent funding, that’s a huge difference of capital items we can do for the next 15 years going forward. So instead of approving a budget this year that includes a bridge out of our bank account, why wouldn’t we use the next year to direct staff to say, ‘hey, apply everywhere you can, figure out whatever needs may work, and come back to us with

SNOFEST:

parts of the day that appeal to all ages, from little tiny children for things like our face painting to things that I’ll call the younger teens and maybe people in their 20s and so on, like the snopitch. And then the things like the horse races and solo tournaments ... a lot of the middle aged or older people like to partake in those. So there’s something for everyone in the community.”

Cressman says the rec. committee works with groups in the community to make the day’s events happen.

Jerry Sherrer is the secretary for the Linwood and District Lions Club, which is running the solo card tournament and horse races.

“Snofest is a chance to bring everyone in town to socialize,” he said.

“We run wooden horse racing in the afternoon which seems to be a lot of fun for all.”

Cressman says the first Snofest was held in 1979 by an independent Snofest committee.

Proceeds went to the “social betterment of the community” and also toward playground and park improvements.

She says the first Snofest included an outdoor bathing suit race, bed race, log sawing, nail hammering, plank walk, ski rally and a snow sculpture contest.

“Today it is run by our Linwood recreation board, on a smaller scale and more towards indoor entertainment rather than outdoor events, partially because of the less winter-like weather that we have been periodically having in February.”

The opening breakfast at the last Snofest before the pandemic in 2020 attracted about 200 people.

There may also still be room to sign up for Snopitch (slopitch in the snow-or mud as it may turn out to be this year). Call Jill at 519-504-1600.