HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-03-13, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008.While budget deliberationsresumed at Huron East council’sMarch 4 meeting, council has
decided to put discussion on hold
until April 1.
Council is waiting to hear back on
a grant application it applied for to
help finance the Brussels
stormwater project. Whether council
receives this funding or not will be a
fairly large factor and they will get
an answer by March 31.
Given this variable, treasurer Brad
Knight suggested that council
refrain from heavy budget
deliberations at their next meeting
on March 18.
So far, there have only been minorchanges to the budget andpreliminary talk of setting thegeneral tax levy.At the last meeting, deputy-mayorBernie MacLellan suggested a 10
per cent tax increase throughout the
municipality, something that has not
yet been decided upon. However,
Knight warned the councillors that
they may hit certain wards too hard
with a high overall increase.
The main situation Knight cited is
in Vanastra with the new retention
tank. The tank has pushed Vanastra’s
user pay sewage system into a
deficit in excess of $700,000. That
being said, just a five per cent
increase in taxes would hit the
people of Vanastra exceptionally
hard, said Knight.There is also the issue of wastemanagement in Brussels. At the endof the year, Brussels wastemanagement will end with a$17,000 deficit that has a lot to do
with the $20,000 in capital costs at
the Morris landfill.
Knight’s proposal is to bring in
$20,000 from the landfill reserve to
cover the capital costs, but with the
new rates, he is still projecting a
deficit of $14,000.
Knight says, in his report, that the
tax levy in Brussels will likely have
to be raised by $5,000 to $10,000.
In the third draft of the budget,
Knight figured in a five per cent tax
increase. He also left in the Brussels
Library project and added in a block
of construction on Jamestown Roadin Grey, a project that should comein at $130,000. Both of theseprojects look to be staying thebudget for future deliberations inApril, Knight says.
With these two projects factored
in, along with the year-end surplus
of $200,000 that Huron East is
carrying into 2008, the budget,
where it sits now, is projecting an
accumulated deficit of $65,000.
In the third draft of the budget, the
five per cent increase in the tax levy
meant an increase from $1,762,500
to $1,850,000. Knight is also
anticipating a five per cent tax
increase at the county level in this
year’s budget.
Several other minor points were
changed in this recent draft of thebudget. The Clinton fire area levy of$13,600 was dropped, the economicdevelopment budget was raised from$97,400 to $106,400 and theMaitland Valley Conservation
Authority budget came in at
$81,014, which is nearly $6,000
more than it was originally budgeted
for.
With several issues still
undecided, council will be waiting
until April to discuss the budget
further. With the latest Brussels
Library meeting in the books,
council will come closer to an
answer regarding that project and by
March 31 an answer will come back
regarding the grant application for
the Brussels stormwater project.
Councillors want info before purchasing
Huron East puts budget talks on hold
Continued from page 1
for the warden to have a county
vehicle than to pay mileage he was
in favour. “But it should have been
presented for discussion.”
MacLellan also questioned if there
were cost-savings why the
department heads were allowed to
say they didn’t want a vehicle.
Adams said that while there is a
financial benefit to the county it was
not mandatory that senior
management accept a vehicle. “The
option was left for them to decide
whether it was better for them
andfor various reasons some decided
it was not.”
“There will be taxable benefits
which is why many opted out,” said
Adams.
Councillor Neil Rintoul of A-C-W
also expressed concerned with how
the matter was brought to council,
but agreed he would be in favour if
there are cost savings to be shown.
In response to a question from
Dorothy Kelly, councillor for
Morris-Turnberry, Adams explained
that mileage is paid when the
vehicles are used on county
business, but not to and from work.
Staff would be driving the vehicles
home.
Councillor Ken Oke of South
Huron noted that the
recommendation said to proceed
with these purchases “as approved”.
“When it comes to the warden
vehicle then, I have some concerns I
don’t remember it being discussed. I
don’t fault the warden’s having a car
if it can be proven that money can be
saved.”
However, he added there will be
depreciation to consider. “Some
poor sucker in five years time will
have a car with high mileage that
won’t be safe to drive.”
“I support this for staff,” said
Johnston, “but I have raised my
concerns already that I have nothing
before me to show this is necessary
for the warden.”
Councillor Deb Shewfelt of
Goderich, the past warden, said that
he bought a new car and put 90,000
kms on it in his term. “That cost me
and I live in Goderich. For me it was
easy but I (put) on the miles.”
However, he agreed there should
be a report presented to council
before a decision is made.
Bill Siemon, councillor for Huron
East, wondered about the choice of
crossover vehicle saying there were
other options for about $10,000
less.
Adams said he had personally
requested the type of vehicle
selected for comfort and had offered
to pay the difference. “I was told by
the committee that it was no
problem. However, if it is I will
propose that again.”
He added that in the overall tender,
however, the price is coming in
lower.
Councillor Joe Seili of Huron East
agreed that special vehicles are often
required because of particular needs.
However, he said, he would have
liked to have seen a report that
included the tenders.
Kelly questioned exactly what
kind of vehicles were being
considered and was told a Chevy
Impala four-door and Buick
Enclave.
This line of discussion then
prompted Johnston to ask if there
had been a bid from Chrysler. Told
by Adams that there had been five
tenders with Exeter Chrysler being
one, Johnston said he now realized
he had a pecuniary interest and
would remove himself from any
further discussion.
The friendly amendment he had
earlier proposed to remove the
warden’s vehicle from the
recommendation until council
received a report was picked up by
MacLellan.
Bezaire apologized for not having
reviewed the information. “A full
report should have been in here and
I apologize to councillor Johnston. I
thought he was aware of who had
tendered.”
The amendment carried as did the
resolution with the appropriate
change.
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PRESS RELEASE
2008 Interim Taxation
Option for Deferral of
Farmland Property Taxation
The Council of the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry, in an effort to
support its agricultural taxpayers, is providing the option to defer the 2008
farmland taxation until the fall of 2008.
The tax deferral does not include taxation on the farm residences, this
part of the taxation will continue to be collected over the regular four
instalments.
The farmland tax deferral applies to all portions of the property tax bill
such as: municipal, county and education taxes.
Morris-Turnberry has 1,823 properties of which approximately 879 are
assessed for farmland.
The deferral of the 2008 farmland taxation will leave approximately
$350,000.00 in the Morris-Turnberry rural agricultural economy until the
last quarter of 2008.
Dated March 4, 2008 Mayor — Dorothy Kelly
Continued from page 2
Huron East. The owner saw the
vehicle being driven out of his
driveway. He followed in another
vehicle.
Police intercepted and once again
a chase ensued.
On London Road, south of
Clinton, the spike belt was deployed
on the stolen vehicle causing
progressive tire deflation.
The suspect stopped the truck and
fled again on foot. Officers,
including the OPP canine unit,
contained and began searching the
area.
A 22-year-old from Oneida was
located hiding in a farm vehicle at a
nearby residence.
He was arrested and taken to
hospital for treatment of
environmental exposure.
The accused faces several charges
including two counts of driving
while disqualified, two counts of
flight from police officer, two counts
of trespass by night, one count of
theft of a motor vehicle valued at
under $5,000 and one count of
possession of stolen property valued
at over $5,000.
Suspect hides in farm vehicle
CORPORATION OF THE
MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
NOTICE OF MEETING TO CONSIDER
2008 BUDGET
Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Corporation of the
Municipality of Morris-Turnberry will be at a Public Meeting to be
held on:
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
giving consideration to the ‘2008 Budget’ with the intention to adopt
and/or amend the budget
in the Council Chambers
located at 41342 Morris Rd., R.R. #4, Brussels, ON
Everyone is welcome to attend
Nancy Michie,
Administrative Clerk-Treasurer
Municipality of Morris-Turnberry
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen