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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 47
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.90% 3 Year GIC - 2.25% 5 Year GIC - 2.70%
Friday, November 25, 2011
Council affirms policy for bills, letters to upset landlord by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Council here has agreed to explain its water and sewer billing policy to an unhappy landlord - through township staff. Cathy Culp, of Kitchener, wrote to council on Oct. 25 after reading in the Wellington Advertiser that water meters would be installed in Drayton, and also that there would be a sewage rate increase. “I am a landlord that rents out two houses in Drayton,” Culp said in her letter. “Right now I am the one who pays the water and sewer bill that is included in the rent. If you meter the water in the houses are you prepared to bill the tenants for the water usage and me separately for the sewers and collect the money from the tenants for the water?” She explained, “For us to include this in the rent would be too hard to calculate, since we do not know how much they are going to use. If we increase the rent to accommodate for this, we would have to raise the rent too high and would have trouble renting them out.” She added, “We also need at least a year’s notice because we have [a] yearly tenancy agreement before they are hooked up.” Culp said, “I know I am not the only landlord in Drayton that is probably wondering the same thing. Why should we as a landlord be responsible for this extra expense?” Culp said the newspaper article also pointed out there was going to be an increase in sewer rates. “I feel that as [a] taxpayer in the township, I should not have to subscribe to the paper to hear about this. I have never received any notice of increases in taxes or water and sewer in writing. These should be
sent out with your bills for people who do not live in the community but own property. In fact, I was never on the voting list until the last two elections, and have owned property there for the last 15 years.” Culp concluded by stating she did not want to be foisted off on the township bureaucracy, but wanted an explanation directly from councillors. “I would like this letter to be answered in writing and read at the next council meeting. I want a letter from the council, not from your clerk, with all signatures from each council member. I have sent a letter to each council member to their house, in hopes it gets looked after.” When council reached her letter on the agenda (it was not read aloud but everyone had a copy), Mayor Bruce Whale stated immediately staff would be writing the response. Clerk Patty Sinnamon said the township does inform property owners of sewer and water increases in their bills when they send them out. She added council has indicated no interest in changing its billing system to bill directly to tenants rather than the property owners. Sinnamon explained, “That was changed a few yeas ago because [the township] can’t collect from a tenant.” If somebody paying rent moves away suddenly and leaves unpaid bills behind, the township cannot chase them and collect without losing time and money. Billing the landlord means the township gets its full payment. If a landlord balks, the bill is added to the township property tax bill. That prevents other Drayton water and sewer users from being stuck with the unpaid costs. Sinnamon said the clerk’s Continued on page 8
Daily Interest 1.75%
Changes may make phoning township office a little easier
Ribbon cutting – Mayor Bruce Whale, middle, is flanked by platinum sponsor Steve Culp, left, a member of the MAX committee who represented Avon Lee Homes, and another platinum sponsor, Alan Simpson, of Peel Maryborough Insurance, to cut the ribbon to celebrate the donor wall at the refurbished PMD Arena. photo by David Meyer
MAX committee unveils donor wall
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. – The Mapleton Arena eXpansion (MAX) committee said thankyou on Saturday to a large number of donors who made major renovations possible at the PMD Arena. The committee unveiled its wall of donors, which includes five categories: - platinum for those who donated and purchased naming rights to rooms, foyers and even the ice-making machine; - diamond for donors of over $1,000; - gold for $500; - silver for $250; and - bronze for $100. Committee member and emcee Dan McIntyre said the committee appreciates all the work and donations that went into the project. Mapleton Mayor Bruce Whale said all of council and
staff appreciate the work of the committee. He added it is easy for a council to decide to support such a project when it knows the community will rally behind the fundraising committee and get the job done.
“May we enjoy these facilities for many years to come.” - Mayor Bruce Whale on the PMD Arena expansion “A lot of us remember when the original arena was built,” Whale said, adding, “This is going a bit farther again.” He thanked the committee and said, “May we enjoy these facilities for many years
to come.” MAX committee chairman Dale Franklin remembered why the group was formed. She said she was appalled at the lack of facilities for girls who wanted to play hockey and were forced to dress in dank, dark small rooms. She talked with councillor Jim Curry and they agreed there was “a much-needed upgrade to our facility.” The committee’s pledge was to raise $250,000 over five years to pay its share of the work. To date, after only 3.5 years, the committee has raised $200,000 and has only $50,000 to go. Franklin noted there is a fundraising effort that will start in December and, with the local Kinsmen Club, there will be another major fundraiser starting in the spring.
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - Like many municipalities, when people call the township office here, they connect with an automated machine that helps direct calls. Most people hate it - even though many have become used to it over the past 10 years. Councillors heard a report from staff on Nov. 8 that changes have been made to the automated system to make it a little easier for people to reach a specific department. Staff have also been monitoring calls and a report is coming about the possibility of a real human being answering municipal phone calls. Automated systems are cheaper than hiring a receptionist. Councillor Mike Downey emphasized how automated answering machines can annoy people. He said it recently took him almost four minutes to obtain the hours of operation at the Rothsay landfill site when calling Wellington County. He was not pleased with that wait. Mayor Bruce Whale told him he would contact solid waste services committee chairman Don McKay and ask him to look into the problem. Councillor Neil Driscoll asked how many calls the township is receiving. Clerk Patty Sinnamon said staff have been tracking that, and they have now changed the message system at the Mapleton office so people can reach the various departments more quickly. “Staff has not had complaints,” she said. But, Sinnamon added, she is looking into the cost to obtain upgrades to the current system, which is now 25 years old. She added there are no more Bell Continued on page 8
Couple gets council support to sever farmland and keep large parcel
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. Council here has supported an application to sever a large farm parcel and retain a largerthan-usual parcel for a residence. Lorrie and Charles Spaling live on County Road 11 in old Maryborough township and have applied to divide their land located at Part Lots 18 and 19 on Concession 9 in old Maryborough township. They propose to sell an irregular shaped parcel of 51.6
acres with 1,437 feet of frontage that has three steel clad buildings on it. They would like to retain an irregular shaped 9.3 acre parcel with 514 feet of frontage that contains an existing home and playhouse. Mayor Bruce Whale noted county planner Sarah Wilhelm had commented the retained parcel is much larger than the county usually likes to see for such sales and she had suggested it could be reduced to one to two acres.
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However, Whale said the terrain at the rear of the retained parcel is quite steep and would be “hard to farm.” Lorrie Spaling was at council and agreed the terrain is too steep to farm, and added that dividing the lands where they are proposed provides “cleaner lines” for the two properties. She explained the kennel use on the parcel to be sold would cease, and said she is already in the process of selling the dogs. Whale wondered if the
retained parcel is treed. Spaling said there are “a lot of trees in our back yard.” The two properties would share a well, but she added her family would eventually drill its own well - “within a year or so.” Clerk Patty Sinnamon told council the province permits up to five separate users on a well under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Whale added, dryly, “As long as the users get along.” Councillor Neil Driscoll
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asked if there is a house on the parcel to be sold. Whale said there is not, and there is a clause in the agreement that there cannot be a house built on that land without a zone change. The county planning policies discourage building of homes on severed agricultural plots. Councillor Andy Knetsh wondered if the new owner could apply for a house. Whale said that could happen, but it would likely take a change in the planning rules for
the owner to get permission. “The planner would be likely to oppose it unless that section is removed,” he said, adding, “Council makes the final restrictions.” Council then voted unanimously to support the proposal at the county land division committee under the usual township conditions of paid taxes, zoning compliance and a water connection or well use agreement to be confirmed in writing by the purchaser of the severed parcel.