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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 11
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.09% 3 Year GIC - 2.26% 5 Year GIC - 2.80% Daily Interest 1.55%
638-3328
Friday, March 14, 2014
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Levy increase lower in latest budget draft by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The 2014 budget outlook continues to improve for Mapleton taxpayers. The latest draft of the township’s budget, the third so far, presented in a treasurer’s report at the March 4 council meeting, requires a tax levy of $4,333,814, an increase of $333,725 over the 2013 levy. Finance director Yufang Du
said those numbers would result in a budget levy increase of 8.83 per cent and tax rate increase of 1.79%. The budget’s second draft, presented at the Feb. 11 meeting, had projected a levy increase of $393,254 or 9.83%. Council originally targeted a late March passage of the budget, but now it seems the budget will be approved at the April 8 meeting.
Skate park group working on process for public input
Joining forces – Members of the Mapleton fire department faced off against a squad from the Wellington County OPP on March 8 at the PMD Arena in Drayton, raising $1,500 for Camp Bucko, a camp that assists burn victims. Kaelan Mick of Moorefield, a burn victim and Camp Bucko volunteer, dropped the puck along with Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson between Mapleton firefighter John Hahn, left, and OPP officer Guy Paul Morin. On the same evening, the Black Sheep Café and Pub in Drayton donated 10 per cent of its sales to the cause. It is the second year the fire department has hosted a hockey fundraiser for the camp, with last year’s event raising about $1,800. photo by Kris Svela
by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Plans for a skate park here continue to move forward. Mapleton CAO Patty Sinnamon reported at the March 4 council meeting that Drayton Skatepark Committee members and municipal staff will be meeting within the next couple of weeks to put together a plan for a public input process. Sinnamon also said the group is hoping to submit an application for funding to the
Ontario Trillium Foundation in time for the foundation’s July deadline. Last fall, Mapleton council directed staff to gather public input on a short-list of three possible locations for a skate park here. Short-listed locations include: - adjacent to the batting cage in Drayton Kinsmen Park; - the PMD Arena parking lot; and - the lower level of the Drayton municipal parking lot.
Mapleton ‘thinking outside the box’ to increase sewage capacity
by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Councillor Jim Curry reported to council on efforts to increase the rating of the Mapleton sewage treatment plant in order to lift a provincially-mandated development freeze in the village at the March 4 meeting. For several years, the township has been attempting to obtain Ministry of Environment
approval to have flow rates for discharges into the Conestogo River on the plant’s certificate of approval increased from 750 cubic metres per day to 950 cubic metres per day. However Curry, who chairs an ad hoc committee working on wastewater issues, said the other options are also being looked at. “We’ve embarked on an
aspect of looking at irrigation as part of our certificate of approval,” said Curry “We’re finding it’s quite common especially in the U.S. where wastewater, properly-treated, is used on crops.” Curry said “because irrigation is relatively new in Ontario” Mapleton officials have been advised by the ministry to meet with MOE techni-
cal advisors as a next step. Curry pointed out the proprietors of the Glenaviland Development, which is seeking approval to create a ninehole golf course along with a residential subdivision on 122 acres, are interested in using treated wastewater from the plant to irrigate the fairways and rough areas on the proposed golf course.
“There’s a tremendous amount of work that’s gong on,” said Curry. “It’s kind of thinking outside of the box ... We’re moving in that direction and feel quite confident that we’re going to win.” Council attempted to arrange a meeting on the topic with provincial environment minister Jim Bradley at the
recent Ontario Good Roads Association conference, but was unsuccessful in getting a formal hearing. However, said Mayor Bruce Whale, “We did manage to speak to Mr. Bradley and he was quite positive.” Whale said Bradley urged local officials to proceed with meeting with MOE technical advisors.
Township gathers information for possible switch to LED streetlights
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - A switch to LED street lighting is under consideration by township officials. Mapleton council heard a proposal on March 4 for streetlight replacement in the municipality from Jeff Barton of Local Authority Services (LAS) and Michelle Hjort, associate director of business development for RealTerm Energy. CAO Patty Sinnamon explained council will also consider a proposal from a competing supplier at a future meeting. LAS is an auxiliary group to AMO that works with municipalities on energy supply partnerships such as bulk purchasing power, natural gas or diesel
fuel and selling it back at costs to help moderate commodity increases and save money. Barton explained LAS began offering a street lighting program in March of 2013 after investigating the technology for more than five years. “A lot of municipalities were asking about LED technology and LAS investigated the marketplace beginning in 2008,” said Barton, adding LED technology has only recently become viable for street lighting. “Even two or three years ago, the technology wasn’t there. That all changed about a year and a half ago,” he stated. Barton said LAS has identified a supplier, U.S.-based Cree LED, and formed a partnership with RealTerm Energy
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to deliver the program. Hjort said LED lighting systems use about 50 per cent less energy than current technology, resulting in significant savings. “It certainly does make for a good business case,” given anticipated increases in energy costs, she noted. In terms of savings, Hjort said Mapleton could expect to see around a 67% reduction in the energy costs for street lighting, which represents about 20% of the municipality’s total power costs. Barton said a study done by RealTerm projects Mapleton’s current annual spending of $71,000 on street light electricity and maintenance will go down to about $21,000. Also, he notes, “in every
instance this study has proven to be a worst-case scenario.” Hjort said RealTerm will work with the township to ensure their power bill is properly adjusted by the supplier. “And this is important because it’s been a hassle for a lot of municipalities,” she said. Hjort explained the municipality could finance the cost of the switch itself or RealTerm would do it for them. She said the company offers an escrow-financing program, which allows municipalities to use their energy costs savings to pay for the replacement project. She said the escrow option is, “very attractive to municipalities that either don’t have the money or are approaching their debt ceiling or have other
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big projects on the way.” The option requires no money up front and “we take on risk and maintenance for the first 10 years,” she explained, adding the new lights would also be under warranty for the first 10 years. “What happens after 10 years?” asked councillor Andy
Knetsch. “Your payback on LEDs is 4.6 years and because they’re going to last for 20, you get a lot of gravy after,” said Hjort. Barton said the lights are rated for 22.6 six years and “they don’t just die, they slowly fade over time.” Continued on page 3
60th anniversary reunion planned at Maryborough PS MOOREFIELD - Planning is underway for a 60th anniversary celebration for Maryborough Public School. Organizers are inviting alumni to a reunion - a celebration of learning and fellowship - on June 13.
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