Taxes going up in Central Frontenac

Jeff Green | Jan 22, 2014

Central Frontenac draft budget

The draft 2014 Central Frontenac budget, presented by Treasurer Michael McGovern to a special meeting of Council on Monday afternoon (January 20), carries an increase of just over $500,000 in the cost to taxpayers for local services, from $6.15 million in 2013 to $6.66 million in 2014, an 8.1% hike.

Inflation accounts for just under 1% of the increase, according to McGovern, and there are a number of investments that account for the rest. On Monday afternoon, the public works and fire departments presented their departmental budgets, and later in the week the other departments, including the corporate, IT, building, and planning departments will present their own figures.

Among the more expensive additions to the 2014 budget is a $200,000 contribution to the fire department capital reserve fund, which is earmarked for a new fire hall in Parham, slated to be built next year. There is also a $75,000 cost for a new emergency first response foam crew cab truck for the Henderson Fire Hall.

“The plan is to move the existing pumper truck from Henderson to Arden, and have something more applicable for our Henderson crew,” said Fire Chief Bill Young.

Aside from completing the $1.77 million Wagarville Road project, which is mostly covered by a grant from the province, Public Works Manager Mike Richardson proposed that $640,000 be put towards a reconstruction project on the four-kilometre stretch that runs north from Henderson.

“The Henderson Road is causing us a great deal of grief in maintenance,” said Mike Richardson. “The base is falling apart very quickly in sections; $640,000 does four kilometres - the worst four kilometres - of that road. We will have to entirely rebuild that road.”

The other major public works project in 2014 is the Johnston Road bridge, which will cost $330,000.

In terms of equipment replacement, the 2014 budget includes $210,000 for a new tandem truck and $165,000 for a new loader. The budget also includes the $10,000 purchase of an electronic speed street sign, similar to that which South Frontenac's road department has placed at the north end of Verona to encourage drivers to slow down before they reach Prince Charles Public School.

“We plan to put the sign at Crow Lake for several months and then maybe move it to some other location,” said Richardson.

All of the road and bridge projects in the township, as well as equipment replacement, is being done in line with five-year priority plans that are updated annually.

Mayor Janet Gutowski proposed that councilors refrain from making any decisions about changes to specific budget items until all of the presentations have been made, which will have taken place by the end of this week.

“Once we have heard all the presentations, and asked for clarification of all the numbers, we can get down to cutting or adding items,” she said.

Council will meet on Monday (January 28) and two days later if necessary to finalize the budget.

“All things being equal we will bring the budget to our regular council meeting on February 11 for approval,” said Chief Administrative Officer Larry Donaldson.

As the budget currently stands, Michael McGovern said the impact on the average ratepayer will be significant but not too substantial.

"Taking the median family income in the township, which is about $61,000, property taxes would represent about 4.7% of household income. The average house value in 2013 was $220,000 and the increase would be about $130 in 2014, as it stands now,” he said.

There were seven members of Council in attendance at the first budget meeting. Councilor Frances Smith was away due to a death in the family and Councilor Bill Snyder was ill.

School property the preferred site for new Hinchinbrooke fire hall

If Central Frontenac Fire Chief Bill Young has his druthers, by the end of next year there will be a new fire hall located at the corner of Wagarville and Long Lake Roads, in the parking lot and front grounds of the now vacant Hinchinbrooke Public School. The new hall will look almost identical to the hall that was built a few years ago near Mountain Grove, with easy access off two of Central Frontenac's arterial roads, within a few metres of Road 38.

“That would be the ideal location,” Bill Young said earlier this week at Central Frontenac Council, “but the alternative would be to use the site of the existing hall, although it is smaller and is not as convenient.  When there is a call there can be a dozen firefighters arriving at one time and the fire trucks have to have a clear path to the road as well, so there is a congestion problem.”

The availability of the Hinchinbrooke site is not in the township's hands, however.The school board has a protocol around disposal of surplus property and might be looking for a substantial amount of money for the school building as well as the grounds.

The possibility of using the school property was tagged as a sufficient reason to delay the project for a year.

“Bill and I have talked quite a little bit about the need for a new fire hall in the area. Even though we could possibly make use of the well and septic on the existing property the possibility of the school board property becoming available is enough incentive for us to put money aside and wait a year or so before building. When you consider that we are building something that will be in place for 50 years it makes sense to wait a bit and see,” said Larry Donaldson, the Chief Administrator of Central Frontenac Township.

Donaldson added that there has been discussion about a potential use of the school building for a community centre, and said the fire hall would not get in the way.

“At the end of the day maybe everything can be accommodated,” he said.