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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 46 Issue 16
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.05% 3 Year GIC - 2.20% 5 Year GIC - 2.50% Daily Interest 1.55%
Friday, April 19, 2013
Mapleton tax levy up 12.5% by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Mapleton Council passed a 2013 budget requiring a total tax levy of just over $4 million at its regular meeting on April 9. In 2012, the municipality raised $3.56 million in taxation. That translates into an additional $437,000 or 12.5 per cent in the total levy. All told, the township will spend just over $7 million in 2013, offset by revenues of about $3 million. For an average singlefamily dwelling assessed at $285,000 in 2012 township taxes will increase by $95 or 9.4% this year, from $1,002 to $1,097. When Wellington County and school board taxes are factored in, that same property owner would see their total tax bill rise by $122, from $3,521 to $3,644. Part of the increase is attributed to reassessment carried out in 2013 by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, which now values that $285,000 property at $290,000. Mayor Bruce Whale said the budget, which includes
$275,000 for work on bridges and culverts, is a step toward addressing a number of infrastructure issues in the township. The capital budget also includes $70,000 for upgrades to the Drayton Fire Hall to accommodate the addition of EMS services and $10,000 for new signs at several entry points to the township. “We’re not going to accomplish everything that we want by any means, but I believe we’ve given our public works department something to work with,” said Whale. Opposed to increase The increase was too high for councillor Mike Downey, the lone council member to oppose the budget bylaw in a recorded vote. Downey told the Community News he voted against the budget because he felt a 9.5 per cent increase to an individual taxpayer was simply too high. While he declined to offer specifics about what he would cut, Downey said, “I think there are efficiencies that can be found without just jacking up what you charge the people all the time.”
In her report to council, CAO Patty Sinnamon noted the tax rate was adjusted downward from figures presented at the public budget open house on April 2, after an error was found in the PMD arena budget. Sinnamon said the budget includes a $100,000 transfer from reserves, which could be put toward remediation of mould and water problems at the municipal administration centre. Estimates for the cost of that project are not yet available. She said the township may also be able to use about $50,000 budgeted for dredging of the Conestogo River through Drayton, if it turns out the money is not needed for that project. Sinammon noted the budget was passed a month earlier than in 2012, despite the fact the township has been operating without a director of finance since last August. “I want to commend staff and department heads for getting their information in and getting the budget through a month ahead of last year,” she stated.
Driscoll questions pay raise for council Storm damage - Downed power lines and hydro poles kept many Mapleton-area residents in the dark for days last weekend and into this week. About 30 hydro poles along Wellington Road 12 between Parker and Arthur were snapped when the storm hit early on April 12. For additional coverage see pages 3, 4 and 5.
photo by Patrick Raftis
Mapleton residents lose power for several days after ice storm by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Power was restored to most of Mapleton by Sunday afternoon following a severe ice storm that lashed the region last week. By Monday, only a few pockets affecting about a couple hundred homes in Drayton and rural parts of the township were still without hydro. Across Wellington County, thousands lost power on April 12 after an ice storm swept through the area early in the day. The storm also damaged countless trees, which forced the temporary closure of some local roads. Hydro One reported well over 115,000 people in the province were affected by the power outage, with every single Wellington municipality hit to varying degrees, with the northern part of the county seemingly the hardest hit. At about 9am Friday, Wellington County OPP reported Wellington Road 12, between Wellington Road 109 and the
12th Line of Mapleton Township, was closed due to approximately 30 snapped hydro poles. Utility crews worked throughout the weekend restoring power to areas in stages, with Mapleton among the last in the county to come back on line. Power wasn’t restored in much of Drayton until late Sunday afternoon. By contrast, residences in nearby Harriston and Palmerston had power by late Friday evening. Warming stations opened The PMD Arena in Drayton, operating on generator power, was open to the public for warming over the weekend. Fresh drinking water and the use of warm showers was also provided. The arena was open again Monday for those still without power. The Mapleton municipal office was also opened to the public for warming and cell phone charging on Friday. CAO Patty Sinnamon noted that a small number of people
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accessed warming centres over the weekend, but generally people found their own means of coping. “Fortunately we weren’t dealing with very, very cold temperatures,” she pointed out. Unlike the neighboring municipality of North Perth, Mapleton did not declare a state of emergency. However, Sinnamon said the township did bring its emergency control group together Sunday afternoon to discuss measures like getting food safety information out to the public. Sinnamon said there was no damage to municipal property as a result of the storm or power outage. However, she said many residents were dealing with such issues and working on cleaning up storm damage. Local public works crews were also working on storm cleanup and Sinnamon said on Monday morning municipal officials were discussing plans to offer a roadside collection service for downed tree limbs.
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Council here approved a two per cent pay raise for council members along with the passage of the 2013 budget on April 9. Councillor Neil Driscoll questioned the need for an increase to council salaries. “I don’t see where I’m doing anything more that I need to have a raise,” he told council. Mayor Bruce Whale pointed out that a previous council had agreed that council would get the same percentage increase in
salary as staff receives. Earlier in the budget process, council agreed to increase staff wages by two per cent for 2013. “That way we don’t have to keep having this discussion,” Whale noted. Per diems unchanged Councillor Mike Downey pointed out that per diem rates paid to council for council business beyond regular meetings haven’t changed in 12 years. The bylaw implementing the increase passed with councilors Downey, Andy Knetsch
and Jim Curry in favor and Driscoll opposed. The increase means the mayor’s annual base salary moves from $15,940 $16,271. Salaries for other members of council rise from $12,398 to $12,655. Remuneration rates for other council business over and above regular council meetings remain unchanged at $120 for a full day, $70 for a half day and $50 for a night meeting, with the same rates applying for attendance at conferences and seminars.
Permit revoked over removal of tree line by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township has revoked a building permit after the owners of a Moorefield-area property cut down a line of trees they had been requested to maintain under a condition of a minor variance. The minor variance allowing Dennis and Tiffany Gleeson to construct a residence at Concession 10, Part Lot 10 (Maryborough) was granted by the Mapleton Committee of Adjustment on Jan. 9. The variance was granted to reduce from 393 to 180 metres the Minimum Distance Separation requirements from a barn on the nearby property of Alwyn and Lori Woodham. The committee’s written
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decision stated “the following conditions be requested: the existing southeast tree line be maintained.” However, all the trees along the southeast tree line, on the Gleeson property were cut down on April 2. At the April 9 council meeting, the Woodhams appeared as a delegation to council and provided photographs of the Gleesons’ lot. “You can clearly see there is not one tree left standing on that land,” said Lori Woodham, who estimates over 500 trees were cut down. She noted she had been advised in an email from Mapleton CAO Patty Sinnamon that the Gleesons’ building permit had been revoked on April
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3 and the township has requested “a formal tree planting plan be submitted by a certified forester or arborist indicating the height, width and type of trees to be replaced.” In the email, Sinnamon stated the plan would need to be approved by the municipality. She also noted the township is requiring a written agreement, which will be maintained on title, “indicating the tree line will be maintained.” The township is also requesting the distance between the existing barn on the Woodhams’ property and the residential dwelling on the Gleeson property be “pinned” through an Ontario Land Surveyor. Continued on page 2
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