the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 46 Issue 44
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.10% 3 Year GIC - 2.41% 5 Year GIC - 2.95% Daily Interest 1.55%
Friday, November 1, 2013
Township to seek public input on possible skate park locations
Pumpkin art - Kate McLeod, 4, of Drayton, was busy pasting together a pumpkin at a children’s Halloween party at the Drayton branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on Oct. 26. This is the third year the Legion has hosted a party, attracting a full house of children decked out in Halloween costumes. Additional photo on page 3.
photo by Kris Svela
Mapleton insurance cost to rise 3% by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Municipal insurance premiums for traditional coverage for the township will rise by about three per cent, Steve Smith of Frank Cowan Company Ltd. told Mapleton councillors on Oct. 22. “Your municipality has very good loss experience ... but that’s through very good management,” Smith stated. However, he noted continually increasing awards against municipalities continue to drive up premiums. “Awards are getting higher and higher – it’s a very litigious society out there,” said Smith. He urged the municipality to support efforts by insurers and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to push for changes to “joint and several liability” provisions, which often cause the party with deepest pockets to pay the entire cost of a claim, even when found through the courts
to be only partially responsible. The township will pay an annual premium of $176,945 for all forms of coverage in the 2014 term. That’s up about three per cent from the $170,989 the municipality paid in premium for the 2013 term. Smith said deductible amounts for liability have been increased from $10,000 to $15,000 in the new policy. “That’s based on population. Unfortunately you have to move up to the next ladder,” he explained. In addition to existing coverage, Smith said his company is offering the municipality three new program options to consider. The options would provide coverage for: - accident and critical illness coverage for council/ board members; - accident coverage for volunteers working on the township’s behalf; - a legal expense option to cover the cost of contract disputes, debt recovery, statutory Main St. W. Palmerston
Captain Phillips Rated 14A. 134 minutes long. Canadian Country Christmas Concert! Thu., Nov. 28th Checkout our website or Facebook page for more details!
SHOWTIMES: Friday and Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm
For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com
license protection, property protection and tax protection; - a cyber risk policy. Smith said the critical illness coverage could be purchased by individual councillors, noting, “You don’t all have to buy it.” The cyber risk policy, Smith explained, is a new option that would cover claims for issues such as failure of technology or breach of municipal data base systems. “It will also cover restoration of your reputation,” should the municipality incur damages of this nature as a result of a hacking incident, he added. CAO Patty Sinnamon suggested a decision could be made on purchasing additional coverage options after further investigation by staff into the municipality’s requirements. Council accepted the insurance program as provided by the Frank Cowan Company and agreed additional coverage could be added at a later date if deemed advisable.
by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Mapleton council has directed staff to gather public input on a shortlist of three possible locations for a skate park here. On Sept. 24, the Drayton Skatepark Committee presented council with a proposal for a $100,000 facility and a list of several possible locations, including a preferred location in Riverside Park. At that meeting, council directed public works director Larry Lynch to investigate the best location for a permanent skate park to replace a make-shift facility located on a cul-de-sac in a west-end subdivision. A committee consisting of two community members, two township staff members and two members of council was established and a site review process initiated. At the Oct. 22 meeting, Lynch reported the group “brainstormed on all potential sites that were located on municipal property” and ranked potential sites based on an agreed-upon set of criteria. “The key areas of consideration focused on issues of importance to be considered for rating of all sites and included economics, ease of construction (or limitations), desirable neighborhood location, safety, maintenance, impact on surrounding community and future-use potential,” Lynch explained. “We identified seven potential locations based on community input and township property. We also decided that our process would be based on ranking sites by arithmetic analysis only, leaving an ultimate site selection to include community discussion.”
Under the ranking system the committee determined the three most suitable sites to be: - adjacent to the batting cage in Drayton Kinsmen Park; - PMD Arena parking lot; - the lower level of the Drayton municipal parking lot. “There is a lot of community interest on this issue and we want this to be a positive community initiative,” Lynch stated in his report. “We are looking for council’s direction to proceed with public engagement to further discuss the three short-listed locations.” Lynch said while the committee feels the short-listed locations are the most suitable, “every one of these has issues with them, and they all have neighbourhood issues.” Noting “there is some concern of noise,” councillor Jim Curry pointed out the Kinsmen Park location is the furthest of the three from residential areas. Councillor Neil Driscoll wondered if the solution might be to simply put a permanent park where the homemade one is currently located. “It is on municipal street. Is there any way that it could stay there?” he asked. Lynch said that idea has been considered and, “at one point we thought that would be the easiest thing to do.” However, he said a number of nearby residents are not happy with the proximity of the existing facility to their homes. “The neighbours said absolutely no, we don’t want this in the neighbourhood,” said Lynch. Councillor Mike Downey pointed out most of those using the facility come from that part of town. “The kids need a place to play, or skate,” said Driscoll.
However, Curry cautioned the municipality has not yet assumed full liability for the street the facility is located on. “The problem is that nobody wants it in their backyard – and I understand that,” said Lynch. However, he added, “We’ve identified every single location in Drayton where you could put it – good, bad or indifferent.” “NIMBY [Not In My Backyard],” quipped Downey. Mayor Bruce Whale said, “It happens everywhere. That’s why sometimes these decisions fall back on us.” Some councillors questioned the need for further public engagement, given the committee had already identified the most suitable options and the skate park committee was attempting to hit a Nov. 1 deadline to put in an application for an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. However, Lynch stressed he felt further public consultation was important. “Obviously this a very contentious issue, but a very passionate issue,” he said, noting he has an “entire binder full of letters” from local Grade 7 and 8 students supporting the proposal. “We wish to engage the community,” he said. CAO Patty Sinnamon said staff “will do everything they can” to move the Trillium application forward. Council approved a resolution to receive Lynch’s report and directed staff to “proceed with public engagement on the three short-listed locations.” Councillor Andy Knetsch, who lives near one of the sites on the short list, declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in deliberations.
New acting CBO is appointed
Vandals strike - The south wall of the Alma Community Centre was the target of vandalism sometime prior to Oct. 22. Graffiti was painted on a 10-foot-wide stretch of the textured brick wall. “That’s going to be very difficult to clean off,” said Mapleton public works director Larry Lynch.
Weekly Wag
me t happens to a h w % 0 1 is Life I react to it. w o h f o % 0 9 and ell - John Maxw
photo by Patrick Raftis
BILL’S
MAPLETON - The township has appointed a new acting chief building official, as the search continues for a permanent replacement for former CBO Dave Kopp, who retired on Aug. 31. Don Johnson, who recently retired after 18 years with the Town of Ingersoll, was appointed acting CBO by council at the Oct. 22 meeting. CAO Patty Sinnamon said Johnson will be helping out in the township’s building department until a full-time replacement for Kopp is hired. Johnson will also be assisting with the hiring a of a full-time building inspector.
PAINT and COLLISION Specializing in... Collision and Complete Re-Finishing, One Mile East of Moorefield.
519
638-2048