Feature Article July 17, 2003
LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb HomeNorth Frontenac Council Brings in 2.9% Tax Rate DecreaseNorth Frontenac is one of the last councils in Eastern Ontario to bring down its budget for 2003, and it is also may be the only one to bring in a rate decrease. There is no need for ratepayers to start dancing a jig, however, because a lot of people will see an overall increase in their tax bill.
As the result of reassessment by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), the township has seen an increase in the total assessed value of properties within the township in excess of $44 million. That increase came about almost entirely from increased assessments in residential properties. A 2.9% rate decrease will be dwarfed by large assessment increases in many cases.
The township has also been able to take advantage of a decrease in the tax rate it must pay for education and to the County of Frontenac. That is why, in the words of the budget summary prepared by treasurer Cheryl Robson and presented at Council on Monday night, we were able to raise additional funds while actually decreasing the overall tax rates.
Several projects that have been delayed will be started up this year, and the township will spend $104,300 extra on paving, $32,000 extra on brushing and gravel, and approximately $20,000 on repairs to the Morrow bridge.
As well, some of the capital projects proposed for this year include: upgrading computer software and hardware; purchasing an air conditioning unit for the municipal office; purchasing new fire department items, including a defibrillation unit and a new equipment van; putting in a stop light at Harlowe Road; purchasing a crawler for the waste disposal site; and upgrading community halls.
All of the halls will benefit from this. In Ward 1 (Cloyne) the kitchen and gazebo will be improved, and some stumps will be removed. In Ward 2 (Plevna) the Hall will be repaired, and in Ward 3 there will be Hall repairs in Ompah and roof repairs in Snow Road.
Finally, reserve funds will be created for three purposes. A computer reserve fund will be created, as will a fire-vehicles/buildings and wildfires fund, and a reserve fund for covering provincially mandated costs related to closures of waste disposal sites over the next 25 years.
Of the $4.4 million in taxes raised by North Frontenac, the township only keeps 53%, or $2,338,000. Just under a million dollars (22%) is transferred to the county, and just over a million dollars (25%) is sent to pay for education.
Of the money the township gets to spend, almost half is spent on road construction and maintenance, and just under 15% is spent on general government, which includes administration.
911- Still looking to put phone numbers and civic numbers together
Councillor Dick Hook reported to council there are still a large number of people who have not informed the 911 committee what their phone number is. In order to implement the 911 service, Bell insists that 98% of all phone numbers within North and Central Frontenac (the two townships are working together on the 911 project) are connected to civic address numbers. Councillor Hook said he would be trying to be getting in touch with the cottage associations for some help. He also said I phoned 60 numbers one day, and only got in touch with 15 people. With the large number of seasonal residents in North Frontenac, reaching a 98% phone number/civic address match has proved a difficult task. Anyone who has yet to inform the township of this information is urged to call the township office at 479-2231.
