The Citizen, 2015-02-19, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015.
Continued from page 1
in Howick Township is budgeted
to receive $2,800. The Blyth
Community Centre and recreation
board receives a payment based
on the number of users from
Morris-Turnberry which Michie
estimated to be $15,000, slightly
higher than the 2014 actual
payment.
The Belgrave Recreation Board is
budgeted to receive $20,000 and the
Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre (BMGCC) is
budgeted to receive $35,000,
however Michie stated that might
change as Councillor Dorothy Kelly,
Morris-Turnberry’s representative
on the centre’s board, has spoke
about renovations necessary at the
building.
Smuck asked how the BMGCC
cost was determined and Michie
explained that, unlike some other
donations, Morris-Turnberry is
responsible for a percentage of the
centre’s costs.
“Our agreement with Blyth, for
example, doesn’t exist,” she said. “It
was revoked at the time of
amalgamation. We have just paid it.”
BELGRAVE WATER SYSTEM
Users of the Belgrave water
system may see an increase in their
costs this year, as the operational
costs of the system have increased
$13,000.
Originally, Morris-Turnberry staff
had put $8,000 from a designated
fund into the budget to off-set the
increase, however council didn’t feel
that was appropriate.
Councillor Jim Nelemans pointed
out the $8,000 would be subsidizing
North Huron ratepayers as well as
their own, and didn’t see that as
worthwhile.
Smuck agreed and, with direction
from council, Michie removed the
$8,000 from the budget.
While the final value will have to
be worked out, Michie said that,
without the $8,000, users of the
system will be looking at
approximately a nine per cent
increase over last year’s costs.
The cost per user in 2014 was
$813.48, a 5.67 per cent increase
from 2013. With an approximate
nine per cent increase, users of the
system will be looking at an
estimated cost of $886.69.
EMERGENCY COSTS
Morris-Turnberry’s emergency
budget has dropped substantially in
2015 compared to 2014 thanks to the
purchase of a generator for Bluevale
Hall last year.
The generator, which cost
$9,561.37, slightly less than the
$10,000 budgeted, was the only cost
that saw significant change in the
2015 budget. Without that cost,
emergency programming, which
covers emergency meetings, public
awareness and special purchases to
prepare for emergency situations,
costs $13,500.
GOVERNMENT/ADMIN COSTS
Morris-Turnberry’s general govern-
ment and administration budget will
remain nearly static to 2014’s actual
cost due to two major changes.
Planning costs have spiked
sharply, increasing to 234.93 per
cent of the costs of the previous year,
due to the Industrial Land Strategy,
however, administration expenses
have dropped more than 30 per cent
due to last year being an election
year.
Council’s wages are estimated to
decrease nearly 11 per cent this year,
and cost ratepayers $75,000.
“That is based on three meetings a
month with five people attending as
well as replacement laptops,”
Michie explained. “Once everything
is accounted for, the budget is
100.33 per cent [or just under $4,000
higher than] last year’s actual
numbers.”
ROADS BUDGET
The roads section of Morris-
Turnberry’s budget inspired lively
debate during the meeting, and was
the only section of the budget where
councillors requested reductions in
the budget at-large instead of
looking for specific expenses.
The budget, which is set for
$3,346,000, approximately
$500,000 higher than the previous
year’s actual and $300,000 higher
than 2014’s budget, includes costs
like replacing a snow plow, a tractor
and a shed door as well as repair
expenses, basic roadwork and wages
for the department.
Smuck stated he didn’t like the
amount of money left over from the
previous year.
“We had $200,000 unspent last
year,” he said. “It seems to me
you’re padding stuff pretty heavily
Gary [Pipe, Director of Public
Works]. I would like to see some of
this shaved. I like putting money in
reserves, but if you have a $200,000
reserve at the end of the year, I
wonder why we’re budgeting.”
Kelly agreed, stating the money
was “the people’s money” and it
shouldn’t be held by council unless
necessary.
Pipe explained he hadn’t padded
his budget but that, over the year, he
was able to find efficiencies to save
money.
“I don’t pad,” he said. “We’re tight
to the dollar. The only thing we
didn’t spend was related to
municipal drains which was
$60,000. We saved money on tar and
chip pavement by joining other
municipalities in buying it.”
Pipe said that, if the municipal
drain work was done, his budget
would not have worked and the
municipality “would have been in
trouble” financially.
Mayor Paul Gowing defended
Pipe saying some costs are things
that are beyond staff’s control.
“Sometimes things don’t happen
or don’t happen how they’re
planned,” he said. “If things proceed
the way they should have or could
have, the money would have spent.”
Smuck was still unhappy with the
situation and stated tar and chip
paving was going to continue to get
less expensive as provincial and
federal funding dried up.
“There will be less government
money and grants and more people
looking for work,” he said. “They
will do it cheaper because
municipalities will be paying for
their own money.”
Kelly was also unhappy with the
report, saying that in a previous
meeting, Morris-Turnberry had
berated the Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority for increases
and now council were doing the
same thing.
While Kelly requested some
changes to the roads budget, none
were made.
OTHER BUDGETS
Morris-Turnberry’s fire budget is
projected to see a 13.37 per cent
decrease in costs for 2015 thanks to
the municipality pairing with North
Huron to provide Fire Prevention
Officer services.
Fire Prevention Officer James
Marshall’s expertise has been shared
by the two municipalities meaning
his wages and training are being split
by the two municipalities, marking a
271 per cent increase in the revenue
for the budget.
The expenses are also budgeted to
be approximately $5,000 less than
they were in 2014.
Thanks to the changes, the total
expenditures for fire protection
services in Morris-Turnberry will
cost $257,661.11, down from
$297,453.94 in 2014.
Despite a $12,933.41 (or 12 per
cent) loss in revenue projected for
the building budget at Morris-
Turnberry over 2014 numbers,
efficiencies realized in the budget,
including an estimated $1,264.83
savings on labour, mean it is
expected to raise only 1.99 per cent
over last year’s budget.
Due to large capital expenses,
including the Brussels sewer line
extension into Morris-Turnberry, the
drainage budget seems to be
significantly higher than past years.
However Michie explained that the
$1,503,571.61 in capital projects is
almost an in-and-out for the
municipality since ratepayers and
grants will be contributing that
amount as well.
With the changes council
requested, and basing Huron County
and Educational portions of the total
taxation on early estimates, Michie
stated the municipality would be
looking at an overall increase of 15
per cent to the levy resulting in a 2.1
per cent overall tax rate increase.
Gowing wondered if the
municipality should section off the
Ontario Provincial Police funding,
which increased approximately 12
per cent from 2014 to 2015 and is
slated to continue increasing.
Currently, policing constitutes just
over four per cent of the total
Morris-Turnberry budget and
Gowing wondered if ratepayers
would be more understanding of the
increases if they knew a large
portion of it was due to the policing.
“It wouldn’t change the amount,”
he said. “I mean it would be the
same dollars, but it would
show exactly what it’s costing us
now and what it’s going to cost
us in the future.”
Nelemans said it wasn’t a bad
idea, but it also likely wasn’t
necessary this year.
“Since we’re not looking at a
significant increase, I don’t think it’s
worth bringing it in,” he said.
Gowing agreed with Nelemans,
stating it might not be necessary this
year.
Council then set the review dates
for the document, stating the next
budget meeting, where the final draft
of the document would be discussed,
would be on Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
The budget will be presented to
the public on March 17 at council’s
second regular meeting in March.
BOB McLACHAN
Robert Elgie McLachan, passed
away peacefully at Seaforth Manor
Nursing Home on Friday, Feb. 13,
2015. Born in Tuckersmith
Township, April 24, 1920, Bob was
in his 95th year.
Bob farmed all his life in
Tuckersmith Twp. with his late wife
Muriel (Dolmage) McLachlan
(2005) from the time of their
marriage in 1941 until his recent
retirement to Seaforth Manor.
He was the beloved father of June
Blaine and Don Barwick, Stratford;
Jack and Mary Helen McLachlan,
Tuckersmith Twp.; Lois and Ray
Scoins, Seaforth; Glen and Linda
McLachlan, Vanastra; Carol
McLachlan and Gerry Feeney,
Egmondville and Don McLachlan
and Kim Wilson, Ridgetown. Bob
was the cherished grandpa to a
wealth of grandchildren and great-
grandchildren. He will also be
missed by many nieces, nephews
and friends.
Bob was predeceased by his
daughter Joan, daughter-in-law
Sandra, granddaughter Cheryl,
great-granddaughter Alisha and
siblings and siblings-in-law Jean and
Peter Simpson, Hazel and Wilson
McCartney, Stewart and Doreen
Dolmage, Russell and Adeline
Dolmage and Leslie and Delphine
Dolmage.
Visitation was held at McGlynn
Family Funeral Home, Seaforth on
Sunday, Feb. 15 and continued at
Egmondville United Church on
Monday, Feb. 16 until the time of
Bob’s funeral service to celebrate his
life. Pastor Elly Dow officiated. A
reception immediately followed in
the church hall. Spring interment
will take place in Maitland Bank
Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Jack, Don, John
and Rob McLachlan, Doug Blaine
and Nick Klaver. The flower bearers
were Glen and Carol McLachlan,
June Blaine and Lois Scoins.
Memorial donations to Maitland
Bank Cemetery, Egmondville
United Church or the charity of
one’s choice are appreciated and can
still be made through the funeral
home or by visiting Bob’s online
memorial at www.mcglynn
familyfuneralhome.com
WILLIAM JAMES “JIM”
WEBSTER
William James “Jim” Webster of
Auburn passed away at Stratford
General Hospital on Sunday, Feb. 8,
2015. He was in his 66th year.
Jim was the beloved husband of
Katherine Lee-Webster, dear brother
of Tom and Iris Webster, David
Webster and George and Elizabeth
Webster. He was the stepfather of
William (Victoria) Lee, Richard
(Chelsey) Lee, Geoffrey Lee,
Jasmine (Elliott) Bowman and
Alicia Lee. Jim will be missed by
two step-grandchildren and
remembered by his nieces, nephews
and cousins.
He was predeceased by his parents
Keith and Evalena Webster and his
sister-in-law Ruth Webster.
At Jim’s request cremation has
taken place. Visitation was held at
the Falconer Funeral Homes,
Blyth Chapel on Wednesday, Feb.
18. A celebration of life service
will be held on Thursday, Feb.
19 at 3 p.m. Inurnment will be
at Blyth Union Cemetery in the
spring.
Memorial donations to the Blyth
Festival would be appreciated
as expressions of sympathy.
Condolences may be left at
www.falconerfuneralhomes.com
Costs expected to rise for water system users
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