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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 46
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.90% 3 Year GIC - 2.35% 5 Year GIC - 2.75% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, November 18, 2011
Council rejects doctor recruitment payment
Solemn salute - Louis Latham and his grandson, Centre Wellington firefighter Trevor Belec, presented a wreath on behalf of the Royal Marines at the Remembrance Day service in Drayton last week. More photos on page 8. photo by Chris Daponte
Councillors curious about county road costs by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here are seeking a bit more information before they accept an agreement with Wellington County to maintain one of its roads for the coming winter. And councillors were very aware of the weather when they made that decision on Nov. 8. Wellington County operations manager Paul Johnson wrote to Mayor Bruce Whale on Oct. 31 asking if Mapleton Township is willing again this year to maintain County Road 45 from Nov. 15 to April 8. That would include plowing, sanding and routine patrolling “such as is necessary to protect the motoring public. It would not include sign repair, pothole patching or washouts,
but we would expect to be notified when these deficiencies are encountered,” Johnson wrote. He offered Mapleton $4,800 per kilometre for the season. Mapleton public works director Larry Lynch told council the request is “pretty much in line with what we approved last year.” He added the payment last year was $4,300 per kilometre. Councillor Jim Curry asked if the fuel cost increases are in line. Lynch replied, “I would think so. It depends on the amount of snow.” Lynch said the offer increases a few hundred dollars each year. But councillor Neil Driscoll said the cost for fuel has
increased more than a few hundred dollars. Plus, he wondered, “Do we have time to do it?” Lynch said township plows have to drive that road in any case. County Road 45 runs through Glen Allan and connects to Maryborough Concession 3 at one end and the Third Line of old Peel township at the other. Whale said Mapleton has “been doing it as long as I’ve been on council.” Driscoll said, “But do we have to do it at a loss?” Whale said, “I’m not sure it’s a loss.” Driscoll responded, “Let’s find out.” Councillor Mike Downey wondered if the increases have
kept pace with the costs to Mapleton. Lynch said it is an increase has been a few hundred dollars each year. Whale noted the cost is also going to depend on the amount of snow to be moved. When council considered a motion to approve the deal, only Downey was in favour, with councillors Curry, Driscoll and Andy Knetsch opposed. Lynch promised he would bring a report back to council for the next meeting, which is Nov. 22. Councillors wondered what will happen if the road needs maintenance in the meantime. Whale said the township should continue to maintain it as it always has until a deal is struck.
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Councillors here have rejected paying the annual fee of $10,000 for doctor recruitment, but the vote was close and the issue will likely come back for reconsideration. Finance director Mike Givens told council in a report that Mapleton has been paying for a group to recruit health care professionals since 2005, and in the first two years, the township gave $5,000 a year. Since 2007, that amount has doubled to $10,000. In a letter to council in March, the MintoMapleton Health Professional Recruitment Committee cochairman Shirley Borges stated that with the financing from the communities, “the committee was able to market and promote our community as an excellent place to learn and practice health care.” She added that over the next three to five years, three of the current eight physicians in the northern communities in Wellington County will be of retirement age. “Given this, the recruitment committee needs to aggressively step up its efforts to market
Mapleton as an ideal place to live and work in health care,” said Borges. The budget for recruitment this year included: - $4,000 for promotional materials and attending events; - $7,500 for medical school recruitment tours; - $24,500 for recruitment site visits and relocation expenses; and - $40,700 for recruitment staff support. Of the four municipalities involved in the recruitment effort, Mapleton, Minto, and Wellington North are each asked for $10,000, and Southgate Township is asked to contribute $5,000. As well, Wellington North Health Care provides $41,700, bringing the total budget to $76,700. Mayor Bruce Whale said while the presentation from Borges was in March, council had yet to make a decision. Councillor Andy Knetsch was enthusiastic about the program, and said, “I think we’re going to get our bang for the buck.” He said four or five million Canadians do not have a family doctor. Continued on page 5
MAX committee to unveil donor recognition wall by Chris Daponte DRAYTON - The Mapleton Arena eXpansion (MAX) committee will pay tribute this weekend to those who helped raise funds for the PMD Arena addition. At 10am on Nov. 19 the committee will unveil a donor recognition wall at the arena. “We want to show appreciation for everyone that donated ... and make it official,” said MAX committee secretary Dan
McIntyre. Officials are also hoping to raise awareness about the fundraising campaign, which is ongoing. There are still spots left on the donor recognition wall, including for the naming rights to one new dressing room and the arena hall. “We’re not quite there yet,” McIntyre said of the committee’s $250,000 pledge to the arena expansion. Continued on page 5
Township favours zoning application but struggles with definitions by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - A citizen seeking a home for his aging parents found himself caught between a battle of definitions from Mapleton’s zoning bylaw on Nov. 8. Steven S.B. Martin wants to put a mobile home on his property on 7534 3rd Line at RR2 Wallenstein in former Peel Township. Township planner Linda Redmond told council at the public meeting the application is for “a typical garden suite” but Martin wants one a little larger than normal, and to
attach it to the main dwelling with a walkway. Redmond said there have been changes to the laws for such zone changes and such suites can now be left in place up to 20 years, whereas it used to be ten years. “Council can support a shorter period if it so chooses,” she said. But Mayor Bruce Whale said the bylaw talks about a mobile home, and wondered if there is a difference between that and a garden suite. Redmond said there is no difference, and they are defined
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together. The problem is the zoning bylaw opposes mobile homes. Councillor Jim Curry asked what would happen if the parents move out and someone else wants to use the home. Redmond said Martin would have to reapply to the township because Mapleton would enter into an agreement with him about who can live there. She added the zoning bylaw would not have any names mentioned in it, but those would be included in the agreement with council.
When Mapleton passed its old zoning bylaw, there was a discrepancy between the “term garden suite” and mobile homes. The terms are often used interchangeably, but mobile homes are specifically excluded. Redmond said that can be corrected when the township completes its new zoning bylaw. Whale said the discrepancy means council needs to clarify the issue of what is allowed and what it not. Council then went into a
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lengthy discussion that had little to do with the application, but everything to do with those definitions. It appeared nobody is opposed to the applicant’s plan, but councillors wanted to make sure they have the correct terms in place. Downey noted the intent of the old bylaw was to distinguish between urban and rural. He said he doubts there would be problems with a mobile home in rural areas, but people in urban centres would not want them on a neighbour’s property.
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He said council should allow a mobile home in the rural area in this case, but, “I wouldn’t make that concession in an urban setting.” Martin told council he has already put a down payment on a mobile home and is waiting for approval to move it onto his property. Council eventually deferred a decision on the bylaw that was there for debate that night. Councillor Andy Knetsch voted against that deferral, asking council to make a decision so Martin can get on with his plans.
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