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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 22
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 3.00% 5 Year GIC - 3.25% Daily Savings 1.50%
Friday, June 3, 2011
Township supportive of golf course, subdivision proposal
Auditor: township faces major expenditures to maintain infrastructure by Chris Daponte MAPLETON TWP. - If the municipality’s estimates are correct, Mapleton Township will have to spend $4.8-million per year just to maintain its current infrastructure assets. That was the message Matthew Venne, of RLB Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, brought to council last week. Venne, whose firm annually serves as the township’s independent financial auditor, stressed that figure does not include any additions, such as paving gravel roads or replacing bridges or other infrastructure. Those would be over and above the $4.8-million figure (the township spent $3.4-million on infrastructure in this year’s budget). That was but once interesting revelation made during last week’s review by Venne of the township’s financial statements for the year 2010. Another was that Mapleton was the second of ten municipalities Venne deals with to complete its financial statements, which he said speaks to “the quality of your team [in Mapleton].” One of the more startling figures included in the financial statements appears to be a 2010 deficit of almost
$1.73-million. But Venne said that figure is very misleading and is more the result of changes to accounting practices in recent years than of any actual cost overruns. “You were as close to breaking even as you could possibly be,” Venne told council, calling the deficit figure “hogwash.” The financial statements show the municipality’s net financial assets are valued at over $1.9-million (up 4% over the year-end 2009 figure) and it has an accumulated surplus of almost $45.5-million. Plus, Venne explained, a large portion of the over $6.3-million included in “transportation services” expenses is attributed to depreciation of those assets. He stressed the financial statements have been prepared on a “cash basis” and are not based on principles of accrual accounting, which measures the performance and position of a municipality by recognizing economic events regardless of when cash transactions occur. In general, Venne said the township is in good financial shape. Council unanimously approved the financial statements.
Gala crew - Members of the Starlight Gala executive committee were on hand at the PMD Arena in Drayton on May 28 for the 11th annual gala benefitting the Palmerston and District Hospital. Back row, from left, are: Josie McLaughlin, Shirley Ann Litt, Jackie Ziegler, Dave Huntley, Barb Huntley, Kathy Watt and Mary MacDonald. Front: Nancy McIsaac, Luanne Ward, co-chairs Ron Ellis and Heather Bults, Lisa Leslie and Dale Franklin. Absent are Paul and Mary Lou Brown. submitted photo
Council looking into turbine permit fees by Chris Daponte MAPLETON TWP. Council has asked staff to look into what other municipalities charge companies to erect wind turbines - to see if current Mapleton charges need to be altered. Deputy Chief Building Official David Kopp last week presented a report to council outlining the various charges in other municipalities - both in and around Wellington County
and beyond. “My recommendation for a change in fee schedule would be to increase the permit fee from [$10 per $1,000 worth of turbine construction] to 20/1000 for wind turbines,” Kopp said in his report. Other municipalities in the county charge anywhere from 9/1,000 to 12/1,000, but places like West Gray (15/1,000) and Georgian Bluffs (20/1,000) charge more.
And Chatsworth charges a fee of 40/1,000 for turbines taller than 100 feet. In an interview Kopp said his recommendation was not approved, as most of the other municipalities he listed in his report do not have any large wind turbine projects - and council wanted more information from those areas. Kopp said he will be coming forward with another report on the issue.
by Chris Daponte MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here are in favour of an official plan amendment that will allow a new subdivision and nine-hole golf course in Drayton, provided the developer meets the requirements of several commenting agencies. Last week Mapleton council reviewed a report from county planner Mark Van Patter, which indicated the county was seeking Mapleton’s input on the proposal before county council considers the amendContinued on page 6
Correction
The closing date for the Ministry of the Environment’s commenting period on the proposed NextEra Energy wind farm was incorrectly identified as July 31 in the headline of a story in the May 20 edition of the Community News. July 11 is the actual Environmental Registry deadline for the NextEra application (although MOE officials often state they will consider comments submitted after the closing date). The Community News regrets the error.
Province: municipalities incapable of dealing with energy proposals
by David Meyer GUELPH - The provincial government took over energy proposals from municipalities because municipalities were incapable of handling them on their own, according to the director of the approvals program. Doris Dumais sent a letter to the county in response to Wellington’s refusal to take part in the Green Energy Act’s consultation process with wind energy developers. The county’s planning committee received for information the letter from the Ministry of the Environment, through county solicitor Peter Pickfield. The county had cited many reasons for refusing to take part. One was the province removing the municipal right of governing land use planning. As director of the approvals program for the Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch of the Ministry of Environment, Dumais wrote, “The county’s issues with the larger policy on green energy promotion and wind facilities cannot be appropri-
ately addressed through the [Renewable Energy Approvals] process. With regard to the county’s concerns on the removal of municipal planning roles, I can say that prior to the passage of the [Green Energy and Green Economy Act], many municipalities struggled with the difficulties of balancing the proposals of wind farm proponents and the desires of their residents.” In Wellington County, that was not the case. The county prepared, as directed by the province, a comprehensive set of rules to apply to all municipalities. Six months after that extensive work was done, the province took over the approvals role. Dumais wrote, “The legislative intent was to move away from differing municipal standards and to create a strong, uniform province-wide standard on setbacks for wind facilities from adjacent residents and other sensitive areas, as well as from natural features and water bodies.” In fact, the province killed offshore wind farms several
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months ago when people complained about their views being obstructed. Dumais also stated, “Provincial standards and responsibility would also relieve municipalities of the burden of the extensive time, money and effort that these kinds of approvals require and
Environment recognizes the importance of local and regional interests with respect to specific matters related to municipal land, infrastructure and servicing. For this reason, a proponent of a renewable energy project must consult with local municipalities prior to applying for a REA.
“The legislative intent was to move away from differing municipal standards and to create a strong, uniform province-wide standard ...” - The MOE’s Doris Dumais, on why the province removed authority from municipal governments through the Green Energy Act. that is required to build the capacity and scientific understanding of each technology for each individual municipality.” She then addressed the county’s refusal to take part in the municipal consultation process with NextEra Energy, which has an application in Mapleton Township. “The Ministry of
“Wind project proponents must inform the municipality about the proposed project, hold at least two public meetings during the planning stages to hear any local concerns, and must document all municipal feedback received as part of the REA application process. Proponents must also give municipalities a chance to
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review any studies or reports related to the project to make sure municipalities have access to all available information on the project.” Dumais said, “In terms of the county’s concerns with and decision not to complete the municipal consultation form provided by the proponent, the municipal consultation form is to be used as a guide for the proponents to engage municipalities during the REA process. A completed municipal consultation form can reference appendices which describe any municipal concerns in more detail; discussions should not be limited to what is on the form. The municipality can identify any additional issues and recommendations not addressed by the specific questions on the form.” She added local consultation also allows municipalities to hold extra meetings with proponents to determine how to address concerns, and the ministry can also review municipal comments. As well, the ministry will follow up with municipalities about their
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concerns. Dumais encouraged the county to continue discussions with the proponent. “Furthermore, it would appear to be contrary to the spirit of protecting the interest of the county’s residents and constituted local municipalities for the county not to raise with the proponent any concerns it may have with the proposed project that could be properly addressed through the REA process.” Councillor Lou Maieron asked if that statement is true, and if the county is shirking its duty. He said instead of accepting the letter for information, the committee should reconsider it. “The province says, ‘Here is the rules.’ It implies if you’re not taking part in the consultation process you’re not meeting your role to the county and its citizens.” Maieron asked that the writer be invited to address county council. “Receiving this for information does not give us direction,” he said. Continued on page 3
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