Times Advocate, 1998-03-11, Page 1Commissioner explains new assessment figures'
ope ty wners hot know how reassessment will affect their taxes until the province, county and municipalities .set the 1998 tax rates
Morgan. promised Huron . Coo nty
property owners will not' see big
differences. from the reassessment
process since property assessments
have been updated several times:
•"Southwestern Ontario is rel-
atively up-to-date." he said. adding
Toronto's.assessment figures are up
to 50 years old.
EXETER - The property assess-
ment road show pulled imo town
last Wednesday night.
The'assessment commissioner for
Huron and Perth counties. Gerald
Morgan went through the changes
to the property assessment and tax-
ation systems as well as re-
assessment.'
SEIP'S
valu-mart
4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262
Film
Developing
4.9924 roll
Taxpayers in .Toronto will see
drastic increases depending on
.when their indi\idual properties
were Iasi assessed
Althrxtgh property owners have
received their assessment notices in
the mail. they will not know the
dollar figure they'll need to pay in
199R until May at the eancest. Mu-
nicipalities. will, not receive the as-
sessment figures from the.privince
until April 30. Based on these fig-
ures, heal • gowenmments will de-
termine the tax rate they will need
to set to generate the necessary rev-
.enue.
The education tax rate is set by
the province and is multiplied by
the current value assessment to cal-
culate education property taxes.
The sum of the education and mu-
nicipal property taxes is your total
property tax. -
The property asscssitmeni reform
is 'one of the reconumeirdations,
made shy the 'Who .Does What'
panel with the goal of consistent
.property assessment across the
pro ince and 'frequently updated
'Values. .
Morgan explained five key com-
ponenfs to the new I.egislatit►n.
1. June 10. 1996 has been iden-
tified.as the commmon assessment
valuation date for all municipal -
'•-( \ir�i, l vowl
it Continued on page 2 .
SEIP'S
virtu -mart
4 & 83. Exeter 235-0262
1
Mside
Lake Huron
bacteria
See page 2
' Lucan budget
talks
See page 3
Exeter fair plans
/See page 11
The winter
that almost
wasn't
See Crossroads
Second front
Council gives draft
approval to Taylor
subdiviSibn
EX1TER _ Council has yen' ap-
proval for another- subdiif kion to
proceed in Exeter.
Last Monda\ night. Exeter/Coon-
, cil
xctcr./Coun-
cil recommended stage two 01 the
Traylor Subdivision to Huron
Count \ Council. The subdivision is
loyatcd hctwccn Edward Street and
.•Prvdc Boulevard in Exeter: Stare
• two includes 2K townhouse units in
seven hlcicks.
Exeter administrator Rick Hun-
dey told council the development
• cirnforhis with txetcr's official '
plan. has hccn zoned appropriate! .
is provided with road.acccss and
scrvicing,capacrty Is available.
The subdivision was approved b�
the previous courted three wears
ago but needed/to tic approved by
the new council •
A big farming
thank you
Honored to be honored. Ex-
eter Agricultural Society
member Dolores Shapton,
left. presents •Mary Kenney
an Agricultural Service Di-
ploma for, her many years
of volunteer service in Exet-
er area farming circles.
Kenney has: served on the
Exeter Fair Board since
.1980, has been a 4H
.leader for over 15 years
and is a life member of the
Creditor) Women's institute
just to name a few of her
involvements.
Wednesday. March 11, 1998
Bowl for millions
Tallying up. South Huron
Big. Brothers/Big Sisters
Executive Director
Dianne Beach and Fund-
raising Chairman Jim
Chapman count up the
$3.500 raised at the
Bowl for Millions at the
Zurich Town and Country
.Bowling Lanes. The fig-
ure will increase as more
pledges are collected..
Left, .gig Sister Nancy
Moore gave her Little
Sister Lisa some bowling
tips Sunday afternoon at
the bowlathon.
Agent for
Sketchley
Dry
Cleaners
(93C 4 7C G.S r.) ONE DOLLAR
Grand Bend supports casino
A location will be chosen for the proposed
charity gaming club pending final approval
By Brenda Burke
kcpv, tc,
(IRANI) BENi) . Atter six years
of dealing with the issue. Grand -
Bend may finally have a charity ca-
51110 ---- lila\he es en as soon as
sunu»cr -
Unanimously- echoing support of
residents who voted last month in
an opinion poll. Council supported
the casino hands down. at its Mon-
day night meeting.
At least 58...per cent of residents
who sated favored a casino - - a
.curt-ising turnaround considering
-57 pct cent rejected the idea in No-
wenobcr • that \ ole w as recorded
w hen casino plans Were .till up in
the air.
The most 1'c,.011 \ otc 104 place
following a well -attended in,-
tonnation session presented in Feb-
ruary by Michael Mandel. pres-
ident and CH) of Fundtnnc., a
Toronto tint) eager to operate the
.Another kcy difference between
votes is the 1act'nmorc residents vol.-
ed.
ot-ed. (5R per cent} in February in
comparison. to- 33- per .cent in the
-fall.
"We let the -people- decide and
the\ have done so emphaiicalh_
said ('our: tllor Boh Mann
"I strongly support the results of
the poll," • said Mayor. Cant key:
speaking to council at its meeting
wit telephone from Barbados. "11
'sas,thcrc. 1 ould alsvte for it
\\'bile c•0tn\ctorted s o htheoFact 1iruow
residents voted' on the casino. he is
disappointed the issue has divided
people "between '\C.' and.'no',.
While all councillors cleaih sup-.
port the casino. riling a positive I'i-
nanc ial spin -n11 tn the community. a
ntentteer of the gallery was not Con-
\ freed. Steph:lnrc 17onalds0n. of
nearby Oakwood Park. olfered..t re
port to rot'mcil she said represents -
"the concerns of many who. are not
here."
1)unaktson claims most work ,gen-.
.crated by, the casino would consist
01 .part -tune. mininuml ssage _fobs.
She is worried alrout'parking space,.
the, growth potential of the t.icilit‘
and possible social proble ms..She
\\ ishc's 1=undtipie's report was niurc
specific and wonders w here the rev-
enue w lot really end up.
"Who will decide where and how
that money is sent''" she enquired.
Apparently Iocal,charities and the"'
government will split the pot. Ae-.
cording to; Mandel. charities could
cxpc:t between 1000.000 to
$360,(100 per year. • •
Fundtinle may seek an existing'
building for the ,facility. which.
would' cinploy nearly .2(H) people
from April to October and generate
52250Hra year fro; ► video loltery
terminals. ,
lit the nieantime: a tctmpdrary ca
sono- facility will he constructed
and ichlaccd,hv a,permanrnt char
icy casino h_V newt year.
Fundunte claims the permanent
,casino ni.is be, a 12.1)1)0 to 15.01H)
sytrare hsit facility holding up to
, 150 video lottery terminals. 20
gaming rabies and supplying 1(x1
parking places.. ,
..We plan on blending in with the
Coninuulity. We are not a big Com-
mercial Casino.iaiideI told thc 1-
i last month'
Ile added the 'imposed gaining
club yvouht he'll) per cent the site
01 a regular si/cd casino and would
nntially ' operate. • sis , to seven
months of the year. although it
would have the potential to operate
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Councils in Stratford and London
have turned down casinos. As well.
Sarnia is expected to 1 rte later this
month on whether or not to allow a
-permanent casino.
Exeter wants options left open for Morrison
The Town of Exeter and the PUC are re-examining their decision to pull
' out of the agreement to use water from the Morrison reservoir
By Kate Monk
T-A.Reporter
USBORNE TOWNSHIP - The partners returned to the
tahlc last• Wednesday to. dis. uss the future of Morrison
Dam Although the pcoplc were the same. the messages
were different Exeter is no longer certain it dr,csn't want
water from Morrison Dam
fhe issue goes hack to early f 9Q7 w hen the Town Of Ex-
eicr and the Public Utilities Comn`ussion told the Ausahlc-
Hayfield Conservation Authority,. owners of the dam and
conservation area..they no longer .needed .
the Morrison water supply and would not
continue their financial suppon Thc- LaI e
Huron water supply was to he used on -
stead
The -ABCA invited Exeter Council and
the PUC to attend meetings to discuss -fu-
ture options for the dam and conser\atu,n
area hut they refused to attend stating their
commitment was finished.
The dam was completed in 1958 and a
40 -year • agreement was established on
March 4. 1957 between the Town of Exet-
er. Exeter PUC and the Ausahlc River CA to supply water
for the canning factory in Exeter. An agreement between
Ushorne Township and the ARCA dealt with the road over
the dam which Ushorne continues to support
Annual maintenance costs for the darn were estimated at
about $2.000. Under the hnstoncal agreement. the PUC
picked up 45 per cent of the costs. The province paid 50 per
cent and the ABCA picked up the retraining five per cent.
` .This amount is separate from thc costs of maintaining the
recreation pan. of .Morrison Dam 'Conservation •Area. Us -
borne Township pays for the road maintenance.
With the town of Exeter withdrawing Its financial con-
tributions to the maintenance of Morrison Dam. the ABCA-
and all w atcrshed residents have been left with the tab. ,
Now ;the Town and PUC want their options left open for
a possible agreement until they pre sure the river water sup-
ply is no longer. needed: The Town has told the ABCA the
PUC will pay the 19.97, maintenance hill hut the Town has
not committed to the 1998 costs.
At last Wednesday •s meeting. the ABCA put pressure on
Exeter to make a decision. ABCA administrator Tom Prout
told representatives from Exeter the.-ABCA's position
hasn't changed and it. would like Exeter to be a •partner.
However. Prout also said other parties arc
interested in the water. He •said Suntastic is
one 9f the parties hut
, wouldn't reveal who else was
interested in buying the water.
"We're sitting here with
other people who would like
the water and are willing to
pay .-.Prout said.
Huntley said the Town has
asked B.M. Ross and As-
sociates to look at the town's
water supply. the possibility
of•returning the "river water to the inventory and other op-
tiohs.
Hundey said the legal opinions on the status. of the water
permit and the agreement arc still pending. The payment of
the 1997 invoice was a "stop gap while issues are being
worked out."
Prout said if the Town agreed to be a partner it1 thc '98
expenses. the ABCA would not investigate other Options. •
Exeter Mayor Ben 1 -lo genboom said Suntastic told coun-•
cil they had concerns with the'yuality of the reservoir wa-
ter. Prout replied those concerns need to be investigated be -
"W'e're sitting
here with other
people who would
like the water and
are willing t0
pay.
•
"Wer
data b
to
int
de
fore closing the door:
"Without knowing if you're (Exeter) a partner for '98 it
leaves the door open. Prout said
Reeve Roy Triehner said he was not speaking for council
but he didn't' see a ibrohlcrn for '98'until "wc get our house
in order."
Hoogenboom said he didn't realize the ABCA needed as-
surance of Exeter's commitment hut that a decision would
be made this month.
Gore'. Strang. the A$CA's chairman said Exeterhad giv-
en the ABCA a firm answer they didn't want,the water
from Morrison but the conservation authority was willing
to allow the town to reconsider its position. Strang also said
the ABCA wants to have more than a one-year
agreement for the water.
Hoogenhoorn said they needed thc en-
gineer's report before they make any decisions.
"WC need the data before us 10 make an'in-
telligent decision." he said:
Prout said there may be options for more
partners to get involved to "benefit financially
and otherwise." -
Ushornc Councillor 13rian Hardcman re-
ported Ushornc's position has not changed.
"We're very happy with the way the agreement is going
and would like it to continue. We don't see how we can go
with any more." he said with respect to the township's fi-
nancial contribution.
Harucman said Osborne would like recreation and dant
costs separated.
Thc formation of a 'Friends of the Exeter Morrison Cor-
ridor' group was also discussed. Peter Raymond, repre-
senting the Exeter Lions Club. will head up thc group. The
Ausahle Bayfield Conservation Foundation has also ex-
pressed suppon for the project.
teed the
efore us
take an
elligent
cision. "
People have been "oohing and ahhing" over our floor
Nowyou canget 20% -50%m el r lx of
models to s months. Now they're on sale �...,
Fine Furniture & Window Fashions
467 Main St. Exeter 235-0173
the floor models that people have been "oohing" and "ahhing" over for
months. Because we've marked down almost everything to make room
for all or our new sofas and chairs (leather and fabric), tables, dining
rooms, bedding and accessories. You get the picture (hey, wig sell
those, too). But hurry. The sale only lasts until the good stuff is gone.
•