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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 06
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.09% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, February 7, 2014
www.jackfinancial.ca
Mapleton not happy with barn party ban
Plunger toss - ABOVE: Participants take aim during the Annual Alma Plunger Toss on Saturday. LEFT: The Cottonella Princesses, comprised of Marilyn England, Cate Cutten, Jennifer Dixon and Janice Foot, were appropriately attired for the event. photos by Mike Robinson
Tossers take the plunge at annual Alma event by Mike Robinson ALMA - Some celebrate Groundhog Day, but Alma’s February fun is the annual Plunger Toss. Feb. 1 was the date for the annual event this year, and the stands and rink of the Alma Cow Palace were at capacity. Jim de Bock of the Alma Optimist Club said registration
for the 52 teams sold out in 10 minutes. He said changes to this year’s event were relatively minor. “We’re just tweaking it a little bit. We’re hoping it will become an Olympic sport soon.� Asked if he planned any demonstration teams for Sochi, de Bock quipped, “We’re working on it.�
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Council here intends to garner support for a fight against a call for stricter enforcement of fire code regulations, which could prevent “barn parties� and open house-style gatherings in buildings not designed for public assembly. During his annual report to Mapleton council, Fire Chief Rick Richardson noted the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office (OFM) has advised fire departments they are required to enforce any non-compliance of assembly occupations in any buildings that do not meet Ontario Fire Code requirements. This would preclude the practice of hosting weddings or other parties in barns, Richardson explained. It could also prevent a farmer or business from hosting an open house at a new barn, shop or other facility that is not designed for public gatherings. Richardson noted the OFM issued the edict following a
recent Ontario Fire Safety Commission ruling that supports Wilmot Township’s requirement that township resident John Jordan complete about $500,000 worth of work in his barn before hosting further parties there. Richardson said fire officials around the province have been watching the case carefully. “Enforcing this will require time from the fire and building department,� Richardson stated in his report. “If we’re going to get asked to shut down some of these pig roasts and anniversaries we’re not interested in that – we’ll probably be attending,� said Richardson. Councillor Neil Driscoll, who operates a grain elevator business in rural Mapleton, said if he was opening a new building he would want to have an open house and if his daughter one day wanted to get married at his farm he would want that to be possible. Continued on page 3
Council debates hall charge policy for service groups, waives fee for farm show by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council here has agreed to waive rental fees for the use of the PMD Community Centre for the 2014 Drayton Kinsmen Farm Show. However, a decision on a similar fee waiver for the Kinsmen and the Moorefield Optimists for the Mapleton Rodeo was deferred, pending further discussions between the town and the clubs. Council was presented with requests for facility fee waivers for both events at its Jan. 28 meeting. “As many of you know, there are two proud organizations that are putting money back into the community ‌ helping out as much as possible,â€? noted Corey Dobben, who presented the requests on
behalf of both groups at the meeting. Councillor Neil Driscoll, who is also a Moorefield Optimist member, said the groups did not ask for a relief from hall rental fees for last year’s inaugural rodeo, recognizing that township staff provided considerable organizational assistance in advance of the event. “At the time our committee said, ‘Let’s pay the fee.’ Now as a committee we’re looking at – how can we make more money?� said Driscoll. Mayor Bruce Whale pointed out council is often faced with requests for fee waivers from groups holding fundraising events at municipal facilities. “They are there for public use, but we have to try to cover
Fee free - Mapleton council has agreed to provide the use of the PMD Community Centre free of charge for the 2014 Drayton Kinsmen Farm Show. Community News file photo as much of our operating costs as we can, which is almost impossible. Still, they are there for the good of the community,� said Whale. “If we start making exceptions sometimes it opens a door for every group
in the municipality to be asking for the same and it sometimes becomes a difficulty.� Whale suggested the fee waiver requests could be deferred until staff and service club representatives had
a chance to meet and discuss how the events would be handled under the new municipal alcohol policy. “I think that might be a good meeting to have first,� agreed Driscoll. The policy, which went into effect last October, provides a larger share of alcohol revenue for service clubs, than for other groups. For most fundraising events, including stag and does, a price of $4 per drink is charged, with 80 cents per drink going to the fundraising organization. However, when the event involves a service club or other organization designated under the policy, Mapleton provides a cash donation of $1.80 per drink sold to the fundraising organization. Corey Dobben stressed that
all proceeds from the rodeo, farm show and other service club events go back into the community, so club members question the point of paying the municipality for hall rental fees. “I look at the fact we donated $5,000 to the washroom renovations at the park and wonder, so why are we robbing Peter to pay Paul?� commented Moorefield Optimist president Ben Dobbin. Whale explained the township is striving for consistency in its fee policy. “The last time we reviewed it, staff felt the cleanest way was: we have a fee, we don’t deviate from that. And really, that money’s going back into the community itself,� said Whale. Continued on page 3
Council approves funds for basement offices at municipal administration centre by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council here has approved spending up to $40,000 to renovate the basement of the Mapleton administration centre to create office space for the building department. In a report to council at the Jan. 28 meeting, CAO Patty Sinnamon said the need for additional office space has been under discussion for several years. “Several options have been explored including adding on to the ad-
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ministration building or putting offices in the basement,� states the report, which also indicates consideration was given as to whether secondary access was required in order to locate offices in the basement, as well as considerations for accessibility. “We have determined through our acting chief building official, that it would not be necessary to put in a secondary access,� stated Sinnamon, adding there is ample space in the former emergency management room to con-
struct two offices and a reception area. The estimated cost to finish one side of the basement is $34,500. “Staff have budgeted $40,000 for this project, but are confident it would cost well below that. The township facilities maintenance manager is recommending that a foam insulation be used. It would then be necessary to drywall all outside walls, which would add $3,800 to the overall cost,� the report explains. The renovation will allow for space
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upstairs for economic development activities. The former building offices would be reverted back to a meeting room. The renovation is also expected to provide better access to files for building department staff. With funds for the project slated to come out of administration reserves, Sinnamon said the project would not affect the tax rate in the 2014 budget. She noted the basement option is “much less expensive� than putting an addition on the building and con-
a daring Life is either nothing at all adventure or r- Helen Kelle
siderable work has recently been done in the basement in order to remedy mould and water problems. “I’m fairly confident that our water problems are looked after. We just spent $183,000 on mould and water problems.� Later in the meeting, council approved the transfer of $184,666 from administration reserve funds to cover the cost of recently-completed basement mould removal and building drainage repairs.
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