The Council heard a recommendation that Council of the Township of Whitewater Region move into Committee of the Whole with the liaison for Finance and Administration in the chair to receive the revised draft 2022 budgets.
Treasurer Crozier presented the changed from the previous draft submitted on November 3rd.
“OCIF [Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund] total pot, if you will, across the province, is going to be doubled.” he said. “That doesn’t mean that our portion will be doubled; we haven’t received what our portion is yet, but we stand to receive more than last year.”
He said that fees and charges were clarified, and the water fees were changed based on feedback.
He said that the Airport
Councillor McLaughlin said that the tender for the Airport fees were “way over what they’d intended.”
He said he added the minimum tender big for a sale to occur in the next calendar year.
He said that there was also a transfer of the Beachburg Ball diamond lights to be ‘figured out in’ in 2022.
“I’m going to speak for the agriculture society,” Councillor Mackay said. “We use the lights maybe eight hours this year. I don’t know anything about the light standards, and we don’t use it.”
Treasurer Crozier said that township
“We don’t want anything to do with that ball diamond. We use that ball diamond twice a year. We don’t do anything with the lights.”
“The township neither owns the land nor program the land. If it’s the rec association is responsible for this they should apply for a grant, and it would be weighed with all the others.”
“It’s a little out of line to threaten something and to say that we’re speaking on behalf of the association.” Councillor Charlene Jackson said.
“We’ve already talked about this.” Mackay said.
“I think it needs to go to the Association and not one person. But as you are sitting here you are sitting as a Councillor.” Jackson said.
Mackay said he agreed, and the matter was dropped.
He said that he $10,000 for the Boyer-Laderote Park rest area had been amended to show an additional $10,000 they hope to get from donations in 2022.”
“Is there not a rest area in Westmeath that was built a couple years ago.”
“It was talked about but it did not come to fruition.” CAO Trembley said. “With the Cenotaph not moving, we’re hoping to use the park for that. We’re hoping to work with Tour de Whitewater. The Township will not move forward without 50% support.”
“So the project won’t go ahead unless there’s a matching ten to go with our ten.” Councillor Jackson said.
He said they proposed a 2% increase in water rates, with residential going to $164.90 every two months.“It was original proposed to be a 0% increase.”
“It generates an extra $20,000 in revenue.” he said, saying they planned to use it to evaluate Cobden’s water supply water discoloration.
Councillor Jackson asked if they needed to okay that, saying that they had originally voted on 0%.
“You actually directed us to come back at 2%.” CAO Trembley said, saying that they had originally planned to fund it through reserves, but it was unfeasable.
Lane Cleroux said that the money would provide for a study and hopefully provide a “guidance document for OCWA”.
Treasurer Crozier said they added in funds for two summer students for the Beach Program, amounting to a $23,000 increase, with funds allocated for partnerships with neighboring municipalities if they could not be secured.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we come back looking to partner.” CAO Trembley said. “With the pandemic there’s not a lot of lifeguards and not a lot of new ones certified.”
Treasurer Crozier said that the Township should budget for two debt repayments regarding the Tandem truck and LED Light debentures, and ties into the Cameron Street project, after pursuing the process with Infrastructure Ontario.
“It is recommended that we show we’re doing two repayments.” he said. “It’s our commitment that we’re showing we know what this will do to our budget.”
He also said that the Leaf and Yard Waste Pilot Program implemented in 2021. 258 pickups costing nearly $11,000 in the first week of May 10-13, at $42 dollars per pickup. In the second week of November 8-12, there were 237 pickups, anticipated to be $6,000 – about $25-26 per pickup.”
“Staff are proposing to discontinue the program, as there are 3700 units pay the collection fee and only 250 have used the service.”
He proposed a 2.5% increase in the pickup fee, for an estimated $593,000 increase in revenue, raising the fee from $156 to $160 for pickup fee
He also said Sturgeon-Mountain Road was revised to include paving, suggesting using the doubled OCIF funds to pay for the new $195,000, with any excess going to the Forester’s Falls boulevard.
Councillor Jackson said she wanted to wait to see if the increase in OCIF funding was ‘formula based’ rather than capital-based.
Treasurer Crozier said it was in order to have it “on the books.”
Councillor McLaughlin asked what the traffic count was on that road, which Crozier said 140 in 2020, and 92 in 2019.
Councillor McLaughlin expressed dismay at the choice to pave it for so few cars, saying he wanted a more consistent plan for deciding how active a road is to warrant paving.
“Just because there’s funding to do it, does that mean we have to do it? There’s other roads that need it too. It’s brought to my attention that Kohlsmith road would certainly be nice if it were hard asphalt.” he said. “I know what you’re going to say, it’s the big trucks on it.”
“I see your point, Daryl, but there’s a gravel pit on there, the MacGregors use it.” Councillor Mackay said about the Sturgeon-Mountain road. “There’s four houses on it, and all the rest are trucks.”
“I’d just like to have some hard facts on when and why.” Councillor McLaughlin said. “More than the road, I think that somewhere we need to come up with policies and get some numbers, and proper counts, small vehicles and large vehicles, I’m sure there’s a way to count. I travel a lot of roads, and there’s a lot of roads in need of a lot of repair.”
Councillor Jackson said that it was direction of Council, and was already voted on.
Roads department head Cleroux said that they’d purchased a road counter and they were planning to put it on the road to determine traffic.
She asked if they wanted to vote on everything individually to avoid future conflicts.
“I think this is the best decision for that road.” Jackson said.
Councillor called a vote on the asphalt treatment, or on the hotmix treatment. The Council voted for asphalt.
Treasurer Crozier clarified that Sturgeon Mountain was pending the OCIF increased funding, and would be lower priority than the Forester’s Falls, which was ‘already funded’ in the budget.
Councillor Jackson cut off Councillor McLaughlin with “next item, please”
Crozier then outlined two options for Cameron street in Beachburg: the original plan that was ‘shelf-ready’ costing $1,087,000 and going from Beachburg Road to Earl Street, and an extension of Earl Street to Vera Crescent that would require additional engineering and costing $2,150,000 .
There are streets that are worse, but it’s busier than the other roads in the village for some reason.” Mayor Mike Moore said. “The area is still growing. Traffic’s going to increase.”
“I really think that at least to Earl street to be done this year.”
CAO Trembley said that
“There’s transport trailers trying to turn on a dime to get in there.”
Councillor Jackson asked if there was any other way into the street.
No, one way in, one way out.” Mayor Moore said. “Cameron street, as we learned when the fire was there, there’s only one way in or one way out.”
Councillor McLaughlin said that they had to address the drainage “good and proper.”
“Vera Crescent: That whole area in there is big issues. I think Lane is aware of all the drainage issues. There’s no point fixing the road if you’re not fixing the drainage issues. It’s just wasting money in my mind.”
“If you have to do it, to it all.” Mayor Moore said.
“I guess the question is: can we debenture a road for 20 years.” Councillor Jackson asked.
Crozier said it was possible. “I believe we have with True Love John and Crawford.” he said.
“Then, option two, that’ll hit us in 2023 a tax hit in the debentures.”
Crozier’s last item was the 3.5% levy increase.
He said staff had determined that they could get ten bike racks at the $8,000, and said they would be placed in the following locations:
• 14 Caroline Street in Beachburg (playground)
• 2 Main Street in Cobden (Cobden Beach & playground)
• 44 Main Street in Cobden (municipal office & community hall x 2)
• 36 Pembroke Street in Cobden (Veterans Memorial Park)
• 43 Astrolabe Road (Cobden Farmers Market & playground)
• 2147 Foresters Falls Road (ball park & playground)
• 1358 Lookout Road in Westmeath (scenic lookout)
• 119 Synton Street in Westmeath (community hall & ball diamond)
• 85 Lacroix Bay Road in La Passe (community hall & playground).
Councillor McLaughlin said he was “not in favour of these bike racks.” saying he didn’t think they would see use due to low usage of the grounds.
“I would rather see more money spent on benches than bike-racks.” he said.
Mayor Moore asked if there was any funding for line-painting in parking lots, citing irregular parking in Cobden’s fairgrounds.
Crozier said no, but Cleroux said that he had been trying to get a line painter ‘for two weeks’ and was meeting shortly.
Councillor Jackson asked the Council if they wanted to okay the budget, and they agreed, saying it would be presented in December 15th‘s meeting and passed into by-law on January 5th.
