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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 46 Issue 14
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.05% 3 Year GIC - 2.20% 5 Year GIC - 2.50% Daily Interest 2.00%
Friday, April 5, 2013
Decisions loom on budget
Eco-Fair - Alma Public School held its 6th annual Eco Fair at the school on March 27. The fair provides an opportunity for local residents and businesses to celebrate the earth and learn how the community is coming together to be environmentally responsible. LEFT: Alma resident Lori Skerritt and daughter, Kezia, 7, selling Beads For Life. The beads are handmade from recycled paper by impoverished women in Uganda, with funds going to support efforts to pull women in the country and their families out of poverty. ABOVE: Oliva McCready, 3, Courtney Trudell, 15 and Lucas Trudell, of Alma, manned the healthy snacks booth, offering samples of homemade breakfast bars, soup, fruit snacks and chickencheese quesadillas in an effort to promote healthy eating by bypassing pre-packaged foods. photos by Patrick Raftis
Warrior Challenge coming to Mapleton by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON The Canadian Cancer Society’s Wellington County Unit has announced Mapleton will be the site of the first spring Wellington Warrior Challenge. The event, a fundraiser for the cancer society will be held at Mapleton Organic, RR 3, Moorefield, on June 1, beginning at 10am. Billed as “Wellington’s extreme survival race,” the warrior challenge is a fivekilometre run that “demands endurance to trek through the unknown, courage to overcome uncompromising obstacles, and a complete lack of shame to sludge through dirt and mud all in the name of a good cause,” the society states. Last year’s inaugural event, held at the Cox Creek Cellars property south of Fergus on Oct. 20, raised over $50,000. The event will return to the Cox Creek location for another run this fall, on Sept. 21. “Being as the first one was so successful in the fall, we decided to add a second event in the spring,” said cancer society volunteer Sara Orrell. Participants can compete individually, but team participation is encouraged. For more information on Wellington Warrior Challenge go to www.cancer.ca/wellingtonwarriorchallenge.
There will be mud - Participants in the 2012 Wellington Warrior Challenge at Cox Creek Cellars near Fergus navigate a water hazard.
Community News file photo
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by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Council here was considering a number of options as it headed into final discussions and a public meeting on the municipality’s 2013 budget. A report by CAO Patty Sinnamon provided to council for its March 26 budget meeting presented options for a budget showing levy increases ranging from 10 to 12 per cent. The former option would mean a tax rate increase of 5.732 per cent to fund a levy requirement of $3.95 million. Under the 12 per cent scenario, the municipality would raise $4.05 million through taxation. In 2012, the municipality raised $3.56 million in taxation. Under the lower increase, reconstruction and paving of the 16th line is budgeted over two years, with the unfinanced Continued on page 6
Duplication concerns raised over safe communities plan by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – Some members of Mapleton council expressed concern about potential duplication of efforts after hearing a presentation from Safe Communities Wellington County (SCWC) at the March 26 meeting. County councillor Gary Williamson, co-chairman of SCWC, updated council on local activities, as well as the committee’s bid to attain a national designation under Parachute – the umbrella organization for Safe Communities Canada. The local committee is hoping to become the first county to be recognized nationally under the Safe Communities banner. Williamson pointed out SCWC’s focus is on injury-prevention, not crime prevention. He noted Wellington County’s recent designation as the safest community in Canada by MacLean’s Magazine was based on crime statistics. “We’re about injury prevention and trying to reduce injuries in Wellington County,” he stated, noting that involves coordinating the efforts of a number of local and county organizations. “Part of the goal of Safe Communities Wellington County is to try and bring those
Weekly Wag
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groups together and try to be more effective about working together for the same cause,” said Williamson. “It’s not that we want to change what these organizations are doing; it’s simply to make them aware of what the other groups are doing.” Mapleton Fire Chief Rick Richardson advised council the local Community Oriented Policing (COPS) committee has already adopted the “Safe Communities” identity. “We changed our name to Safe Communities two years ago,” explained Richardson, pointing out the local group has since hosted information days on bullying, internet safety and drug awareness. “We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel or go out there and be Big Brother … we’re just looking to work together and see what we can do,” said Williamson. Councillor Neil Driscoll asked Williamson how SCWC ties in with the Wellington County Home and Farm Safety Association. Willaimson explained SCWC will probably have a booth at future Farm Safety Day events to promote awareness. Councillor Mike Downey said the farm safety association
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hasn’t had any contact with the safe communities group, and questioned the need for a coordinating body. “I think it’s a lot of duplication of what we already have. Farm safety have been working on these things for 35 years and we’ve had no discussion on this (the SCWC movement),” he stated. “It’s just stacking of resources and expenses. That’s my take on it.” Mayor Bruce Whale suggested it would be a good idea for SCWC to make a presentation to the county farm safety group. “There may be some things you can work together on.” Driscoll noted that Wellington North, which Williamson represents at county council, “doesn’t take part in the farm and home safety association so they are a little out of touch, and now we hear this county committee is doing the same thing.” However Richardson said he felt there is considerable opportunity for “sharing resources” through the county organization. Downey wondered if SCWC would be taking an active role in promoting safety, or a passive approach. “Are they going to be drivContinued on page 6
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