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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 42
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.90% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.75% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, October 21, 2011
Sewage rates climb 12 to 14% - even if council agrees they are unfair by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - The township has again hiked its sewer rates for Drayton and Moorefield, even as councillors agreed there are some inequities in the system. Council passed its new sewer bylaws on Oct. 11, increasing the Moorefield sewage fee 12% (from $36.70 to $41.20 per month) and the Drayton fee 14% (from $30.98 to $35.44). “The new rate for Moorefield wastewater would take effect Dec. 1 2011, while the new rate for Drayton wastewater would take effect Jan. 1,” treasurer Mike Givens told council in his report. He said the changes will coincide with the township’s bi-monthly billings. The reason for the rate hikes is a problem the township ran into when preparing to expand its sewage lagoon. The cost came in at nearly $1 million over budget and there were also problems with incorrect data collection that nearly led to a spill. While the spill has been averted and the lagoons are now being emptied, the costs must be covered, and provincial law states the people using
the system have to pay for it. At the public meeting on the rate increase resident Mary Thompson said she is not so much concerned about the rate hike as she is about how that rate is calculated in the first place. She said each individual user pays the same as a single family dwelling, and a company with any amount of employees pays the same rate as one senior citizen might pay. As well, she noted there is a business in the township selling township water for over $3 a bottle. Thompson said council should consider people on fixed incomes and do something about the inequities of the fee system. She said four apartments might be charged as much as a single family home, even if they have only one person living in each, while there could be any number of people living in that single family dwelling. She noted the PMD Arena is paying the same as a single family dwelling, even though it is obvious to her and everyone else the arena would tax the sewer and water systems much Continued on page 2
Committee agrees to keep arena name by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - The name of the PMD Arena will remain unchanged. The township’s parks and recreation committee passed a motion at its Sept. 19 meeting agreeing to keep the arena name as is. The committee had earlier recommended that it be named strictly for Drayton. The initials for the arena
come from the three former municipalities - Peel and Maryborough Townships and Drayton - and it was built with financing provided by all three. Council at its meeting last month rejected the idea of changing the name, and asked that the old sign for the building be reinstalled. It had been removed for a major renovation project.
Two sides interpret CanWEA’s wind turbine stance differently by Chris Daponte WELLINGTON CTY. - Wind Concerns Ontario is calling it an about-face, but Canadian Wind Energy Association officials say their position has never changed on the possible health impacts of industrial wind turbines. Late last week Wind Concerns Ontario (WCO) issued a press release stating comments made by Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) president Robert Hornung during an Oct. 12
interview on Global Television represent “a seismic shift” in CanWEA policy. The release from WCO, a coalition of citizen’s groups generally opposed to industrial wind farms, quotes Hornung as stating “wind turbine sound … can have potentially indirect health impacts.” WCO chairman Ian Hanna told the Community News that marks a “significant change” from CanWEA’s previous position that “there are no Continued on page 3
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Great cause - Volunteers at the CKNX Health Care Heroes Radiothon take a brief break on Oct. 15. The Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation was one of 16 foundations involved in the event, which raised $666,443. submitted photo
Radiothon raises over $665,000 for hospitals Event has raised close to $7 million over 10 years WINGHAM - This year’s CKNX Health Care Heroes Radiothon has raised $666,443 for 16 hospitals in midwestern Ontario, including two serving residents in northern Wellington County. The impressive total from the Oct. 15 event means close to $7 million has been raised over the last decade through the radiothons.
The idea of putting a radiothon together was first introduced in 2002. Led by a small number of volunteers, the “Millon Dollar” Health Care Heroes Radiothon was created to support several local hospital foundations, spearheaded by the foundations in Mount Forest and Palmerston. Over the years the dollar figure grew and the event evolved into the CKNX Health Care Heroes Radiothon. This year 16 hospital foundations and CKNX again helped organize and run the eight-hour fundraising event.
Radiothon chair Heather Glenister, of the Alexandra Marine and General Hosptial in Goderich, was pleased with the results. “It’s a big congratulations to our communities. We wouldn’t be here without them (donors),” Glenister said. “This year we have a chance to raise $7 million for health care in our local community. Just looking around the room today seeing everybody and seeing the familiar faces that have been here for 10 years volunteering is very, very special.”
Glenister added the Radiothon has become a popular event with local residents. “People are looking for the Radiothon now,” she said. “It’s on their list of yearly donations. They’re looking forward to hearing the stories. They’re looking forward to hearing the reflections.” Donations are being accepted until the end of November. For the Louise Marshall foundation in Mount Forest call 519-323-3333 ext. 2750 and for the Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation call 519343-2030 ext. 4402.
Township considering extension of local trail by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Council here will consider an expansion of the walking trail that runs through Drayton and will try to make sure property owners are well aware of the proposal. The township’s parks and recreation committee was told by councillor Jim Curry that he had been approached by some people who would like to see the walking trail expanded. It currently ends in Drayton and those citizens would like to see it run through private property to the 8th Line. The committee recognized that will require agreements with private property owners and the township to ensure liability coverage. It recommended the individuals seeking the extension talk with the property owners and then report the
results of those talks. Council agreed with that recommendation. July 1 budget Council supported a proposal from the parks and recreation committee to strike a special committee to oversee the annual July 1 celebrations in Mapleton. The recreation committee also sought a budget from the township of $2,000. Council on Oct. 11 had no problem with striking a committee but it did have some concerns about giving an immediate okay to a grant. It approved the committee’s request, but stated it would consider the grant request during its 2012 budget process. New equipment The committee is also concerned about adding new and better equipment to various parks in the township.
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In particular, it heard a delegation from Ed Meulenbelt about the Rothsay Park, which was closed by the township last month after a child was injured when a swing broke. For a number of years, Meulenbelt maintained that park. During that discussion at the committee, councillor Neil Driscoll asked if there are any grants the township could seek in order to improve equipment in all township parks. The committee later recommended council direct staff to work with volunteer groups to investigate grant opportunities. Councillors subsequently agreed that should be done. Other ideas The committee also considered a report from clerk Patty Sinnamon, who is involved in an operational review of staff’s ideas for all recreational facili-
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ties in the township. Sinnamon will also be meeting with the major ice users at the arena for their ideas. Meanwhile, the committee members offered a number of ideas for the township to consider, including: - bring the township website up to date; - a beach volleyball court; - a splash pad; - a sound system and replacing the floor in the PMD Arena hall; - better communication between staff, the public, the committee and council; and - better lighting in the parking lot and entrance at the PMD Arena. Council received the committee’s report unanimously. Councillors Driscoll and Andy Knetsch were unable to attend the council meeting.
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