Central Frontenac Council - Jan 27/13

Jeff Green | Jan 23, 2013

Central Frontenac in tough again over budget

by Jeff Green

They are already paying the highest taxes in Frontenac County, and Central Frontenac ratepayers are facing another tax increase in 2013.

Central Frontenac Council received a draft budget report from Treasurer Michael McGovern at their meeting on Tuesday afternoon (January 22).

After making some cuts to the budget in anticipation of Council’s wishes, including cuts to a proposed road project on White Lake Road and the curtailing of a project on Wagarville Road, as well as the elimination of a $60,000 expenditure at the new Olden ball field, the levy to ratepayers for township activities is still set to rise by over 12%, from just over $5.6 million in 2012 to just under $6.3 million in 2013.

Some of those added costs are to be covered by increased assessment, but as it stands the township residential rate is set to go up by almost 8%.

Township taxation accounts for about 2/3 of the total property tax bill, and with the education rate (1/6) and Frontenac County rate (1/6) factored in, the total tax rate increase now sits at about 5%.

To put all that into perspective, a homeowner with a property valued at $150,000 in 2012 will see an increase in the range of $145.

The budget is by no means set, however, as Central Frontenac is set to begin a line by line consideration of the budget later this week, a process that will stretch into mid-February.

MPAC explains devaluation of Provincial Park

by Julie Druker

Following a request from Councilor Norm Guntensperger for an explanation by representatives of MPAC about the significant devaluation of Sharbot Lake Provincial Park in 2012, three representatives from MPAC, Bev Disney, Kathy Blake and Dawn Leahy made a presentation to Central Frontenac Council on Tuesday night (January 22).

As the result of re-evaluation, the 2012 assessment of Sharbot Lake Provincial park decreased in value from $1,255,000 to $449,000, a drop of $806,000.

The representatives explained that “MPAC conducted a thorough review of Provincial Park valuations across Ontario in response to Requests for Reconsideration and Assessment Review Board Appeals on 19 Provincial Parks.” The resulting analysis showed inconsistencies in the historical valuations. The Ministry of Natural Resources provided up to date information regarding regulated park acreages and boundaries, development and non-development zones and current capital costs for buildings in the parks.

That data, taken with MPAC's sales analysis regarding bulk residential land, vacant waterfront land and vacant commercial land, was used to come up with the current 2012 valuations. The numbers show that the values of non-development and waterfront land in the park amounted to $324,500 with approximately 200 acres of waterfront valued at $1,635 per acre.

At this point in the presentation Councilor Guntensperger asked how it could be possible that waterfront be valued so low where in his estimation the market value for residential waterfront is often 50 times that price per acre and in many cases more. Leahy explained that the value given takes into account the fact that much of the waterfront will never be sold due to it being part of a park so that actual market value does not apply in these circumstances. Councilor Guntensperger also wondered if MPAC calculates the revenue coming in from the parks and if those revenues are taken into consideration when making the valuations. Leahy said no. This led Councilor Wayne Millar to ask why the township then is not given that revenue.

The news did not get better for council when the MPAC representatives brought to council's attention the fact that about 40% of the land taken up by the park is un-patented crown land, and is deemed non-taxable according to the Municipal Tax Assistance Act. This means that beyond the 2013 tax year the taxes acquired from the park may fall even lower. "Well that totally takes the wind out of my sails,” said Mayor Janet Gutowski

Plans for Multi-Use Centre

Brian Basterfield of Basterfield and Associates, made a presentation of the final plans for the proposed Multi-Use Centre in Sharbot Lake. The impetus for the study came from a committee formed by members of the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society, and was funded through grant money.

The proposed building, which Basterfield said could be built in two phases if necessary, includes a trail head section and a second storey multi-purpose room, and would be built where the K& P and Trans-Canada trails meet near Cannon Road and Elizabeth Streets in Sharbot Lake.

The proposed cost of the building comes in at a hefty price tag of $2 million. Members of council said that though this is not a project that might happen anytime soon, many felt that it was a good idea to have a plan in place for the future should grant money become available and should council decide to go ahead with the project.