“Go ahead and start the projects,” Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith told staff at the end of the Township’s final budget meeting for 2020.

The bottom line now is a 3.5 per cent increase in the tax rate (or 8.23 per cent on the levy) which is a far cry from the 14.8 (24) per cent numbers presented at the Jan. 24 meeting.

This means the Township will be asking its ratepayers for $8,896,524 in 2020, up from $8,219,860 in 2019. That represents $48 more per $100,000 of assessment for taxpayers, or a $96 increase for the average household.

“We’ve brought it down $1,151,000 overall,” said Smith.

While there were cuts and savings to all departments, the biggest cut came from the Public Works Department, where the fog-sealing treatment for surface-treated roads was put off for at least a year, netting a $200,000 savings.

“As long as we get to it before the road deteriorates,” said Public Works Manager Tyson Myers.

Most of the other savings were realized by transferring funds from reserves or not making as large a contribution to reserves.

Treasurer Michael McGovern said pulling from reserves was preferable to taking out loans but expressed concern at the level reserves are getting to.

“We are the lowest per person per household in terms of reserves,” he said.

Deputy Mayor for 2020

Councillor Ross Sutherland took the declaration of office as Deputy Mayor for the coming year, and was welcomed by Mayor Vandewal. 

Johnston Point Delegation

Meela Melnik-Proud spoke on behalf of a delegation of residents concerned about the Johnston Point condominium project. Specifically, she addressed the construction of a walking bridge on lot 6, built to connect the main property to an island in order to provide access to the lake. Apparently the structure in question was partially constructed before the CRCA issued a permit for it, and to date, the only available copy of the accompanying benefit permit has been blacked out (redacted) so thoroughly that what remains are mostly a few pronouns and the words “Grey rat snake” and “Blandings turtle”. A benefit permit is the document that details particular actions the applicant must undertake within a specified time, in order to provide an overall benefit to the species that is threatened by their proposed activities.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) states that: “No person shall damage or destroy the habitat of a species that is listed on the Species at Risk in Ontario list as an endangered or threatened species…(However) the Minister may issue a permit to a person under subsection 17(1) of the Act that authorizes the person to engage in an activity that would otherwise be prohibited by the Act.”)

Many questions remain: what are the requirements of this particular benefit permit, and who has the authority (the Ministry? The Conservation Authority? The County? The Township?) to ensure that they are met in a timely manner? Where does the OMB decision fit into this puzzle? How does this affect further development on Johnston Point?

Deputy Mayor Sutherland brought a notice of motion that council direct staff to contact the township solicitor for clarification on the township’s obligation to approve and enforce the site plan control and condominium agreements.

However, CAO Carbone and Director of Development Claire Dodds both advised patience, saying “there are processes underway addressing some of these issues”, and “every day we are getting more information and action on this file.” They are looking at updating the condo agreement, and both recommended it would be premature to seek further legal advice. Carbone said a reasonable timeline would be for Council to revisit the issue “in the first Q” ie, in late February or early March, by which time the issue might be sorted out. Council agreed to defer Sutherland’s motion until they receive their staff’s report.

Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (FABR)

Julie Savant director of the FABR presented a summary of the reserve’s activities, reporting that its UNESCO designation had been renewed for the next 10 years. As of 2017, South Frontenac Township and Frontenac Provincial Park are included within its boundaries. The designation does not come with any federal or provincial funding, although the reserve, through grants and donations, contributes substantially to education, tourism, trails and networking in the area. In order to ensure their financial stability, they are seeking to secure support from the municipalities within their boundaries. Mayor Vandewal advised Savant that although the township was positive to the reserve’s work, and had provided a degree of support in the past, the 2020 budget process was in its final stages.

Council would consider her request, but he could make no promises, and said it would be much better if next year’s request came in October.

2020 Revised Budget

Later in the meeting, when Treasurer Fragnito presented a summary of revisions to the November 7 draft budget, which by taking into account the finalized MPAC assessment and a reduction to the Quinte Conservation levy estimate, has maintained Council’s direction of a 2.0% impact on the average phased-in property.

Through Council discussions, the following have been added: $30,000 for a Lake Study Grant program, $7,040 to reinstate maintenance of non-township facilities as a council grant and the addition of a Winter Festival in the amount of $5,000. Davidson Beach access road was changed from $200,000 to $50,000 and the following projects have been put on hold, pending council approval: branding strategy and implementation, electronic sign, charging station for electric vehicles, ice stock dedicated lanes - pending consideration of  multi-use pad and confirmation of fund-raising contribution. Fragnito confirmed there is a modest discretionary amount council could draw on, if they choose to contribute to the biosphere reserve.

Garbage and Recycle Collection RFP

This RFP will be issued in early 2020, for closure in the fall of 2020. Public works Director Segsworth recommended the following points be included:  the RFP will allow contractors to bid on the entire township and/or separate collection areas; collection areas will be revised to 4 day/week pickup; garbage and recycling on the same day for all residents; the basis of payment shall be an amount of dollars per household; the length of contract shall be 5 years plus 2 optional years, to allow for the rollout of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) within the blue box program on or around 2025; appropriate termination clauses shall be included; the RFP will specify the age of trucks be no more than 10 years; grandfathered lanes will continue service. Mayor Vandewal suggested trucks be assessed by a combination of age and quality/condition. Segsworth said he will be working together with the Public Service Committee to pull together the final RFP document.

In another report, Segsworth recommended and received approval of Waste Management’s bid to continue to receive domestic waste and bulky goods from the township (Storrington has no waste site). Currently, the township exports about one third of its waste annually.

Private Lane Assistance

Council approved $129,264.27 for the private lane upgrading Assistance Program, which has proven increasingly popular every year since its introduction. The 2019 budget for the program was $100,000: the remainder was made up by accessing unused PLA funds from 2018 and leftover money from the 2019 budget for Council grants.

Meeting Cancellation

The Dec 10 Committee of the Whole meeting has been cancelled.

Problems at Devil Lake Culvert
Several local residents spoke of the continuing problem with nighttime commercial fishing at the culvert on Perth Road a couple of kilometres north of the Devil Lake boat launch site. They listed trespassing, dangerous and illegal roadside parking, large quantities of fish being taken, sometimes out of season, lights and noise all night, garbage, excrement and often defiance and rudeness. “I can’t rent one of my cottages because of the noise and lights all night, so it’s available to any member of Council who’d like a free weekend next summer on Devil Lake, just to see what we’re talking about” offered Roger Brice. Roger Jones said he has watched a steady decline in fish in recent years. They cited similar problems in Port Hope, Peterborough, and Westport. Mark Segsworth, Director of Public Works, said there was a plan to add more ‘No Parking’ signs to the area, and after some discussion, Mayor Vandewal indicated that Council would reach out to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the OPP to see how enforcement of trespassing and overfishing could be increased, particularly at night.

CRCA Draft Budget
Katrina Furlanetto, incoming General Manager, Cataraqui Conservation Authority, began with a brief outline of the agency and its roles.

The CRCA is responsible for management of 11 watersheds over 11 municipalities, an area stretching along the St Lawrence from Napanee to Brockville, and north through much of South Frontenac. The agency protects drinking water sources, manages flooding and erosion hazards, provides education and outdoor recreation areas for all ages, and has planted over 1.5 million trees over the past ten years. It’s a reliable source of information and technical advice.

In the face of two Provincial government directives in late August, which forbade any increases to fees or levies “while legislation and regulations are put in place, unless they are supported by your partner municipalities for 2020 and beyond,” the CRCA has been forced to make some major adjustments. They have cut back on programs (eg, they will no longer rent canoes and kayaks at the Outer Division Street property), reduced staff by five, and hope to soon move their headquarter offices to leased space at Fairmount, Frontenac County. It is anticipated that sharing some office resources would provide savings for both agencies.

The current draft budget would result in 0.9% increase in the levy for South Frontenac, or $1.215.35 over last year, for a total of $144,823.

RFP for Garbage and Recycling
Mark Segsworth said the initial RFP for collection of household garbage and recycling was issued in 2010, and has been renewed since then, pending anticipated provincial changes in how the Blue Box would be funded. However “based on recent provincial announcements about the timelines of that rollout, staff feels the Township can move ahead with a new tender now.”

The last renewal of the current contract will end on August 31, so Segsworth is bringing proposed changes and additions to specifications for discussion by the Committee of the Whole. These include: pickup for the whole township, except for what is collected by township staff; four day a week pickup, with same day garbage and recycling for all; payment to be based on number of households, rather than weight; a five-year contract plus a two-year renewal option; no more private lane collection; collection on both sides of road; recyclables in recycle bins only.

Councillor Sutherland addressed the concern that putting the whole township out as a unit might be more likely to attract an outside provider from a big company. Segsworth replied that the sprawling, rural nature of South Frontenac was unlikely to attract outsiders, who are looking for the best return on their time. Mayor Vandewal added that a local contractor would have the advantage of knowing the area and its requirements better than anyone else. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor Sutherland, all expressed concern about ending private lane pickup.

When asked for his opinion, the current contractor Snider said he recommended the township be divided into three pickup areas, rather than four, in order to provide enough work hours for the contractor’s employees.

Segsworth thanked Council for its comments, and said he would return in the New Year with an outline of various RFP options.

Addington Highlands’s accumulated surplus was up about a half a million dollars in 2018 over 2017, auditor Adam Young of Secker, Ross & Perry LLP told Council at its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon in Flinton.

The actual accumulated surplus at the end of the year was $13,311,584 (budget was $13,601,636) as opposed to $12,786,095 in 2017.

He said part of the reason for that was that revenues were up 9 per cent while expenses were up only 6 per cent and a substantial increase in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grant from the Province.

He also noted that reserves have grown to $3,965,858 at the end of the year from $3,486,166 at the beginning of the year.

Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch asked how the reserves numbers compared to what they should be.

“It’s hard to benchmark these,” said Young. “I’ve never been able to find a quality benchmark tool.”

Similarly, Young said the Township’s landfill closure/post closure responsibility of $4.187 million was “as close as we can get it because of measurement uncertainty. There are a lot of variables.”

Young said staff was very cooperative in providing information and there were no irregularities.

“We certainly didn’t become aware of any unusual acts,” he said. “If there were, you’ have heard from me long before this.”

Roads remain dust free so far

Roads and Waste Management Supervisor Brett Reavie said that grading continues in the Township and so far, he hasn’t had to use any calcium to keep dust down because due to the rain.

“I haven’t heard one complaint,” he said.

Council agreed that none of them had heard any dust complaints either.

“It’s all a matter of timing,” said Reeve Henry Hogg. “As long as on Saturday afternoon, it rains.”

Longer LCBO hours?

Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch received Council’s permission to write to the LCBO requesting longer hours for the Denbigh store.

“That store has ended up with reduced hours at peak times,” Fritsch said. “Like long weekends, holidays and Friday evenings. One local business observed 40 people driving in after the store had closed and that’s dollars going out of the community.”

Flooding relief

During the Spring of 2019, the Township experienced significant flooding, primarily in the north end of the municipality, which caused a number of township roads to wash out. The cost incurred to repair this damage was not included in the 2019 Budget. Since these costs are expected to exceed 3% of the township portion of its levy to ratepayers, AH is eligible to submit a claim to the Ontario Municipal Disaster Recovery Program, which CAO Christine Reed is planning to do. The township could receive 75% of the cost they incurred up to the 3% threshold, and 95% of the costs beyond that. Council passed a bylaw requesting relief authorizing Reed be delegated the authority to attest to the costs and verify the accuracy of the claim.

Council on the fence over level 2 Energy Analysis of AH Community Centre – Denbigh.

The township’s revised Conservation and Demand Management Plan, which was approved in June, identified high energy costs at the former Denbigh School, which has been converted into a community centre.

J.L. Richards has provided a quote to complete such a study, but council had a bit of sticker shock at the price, up to $16,000. Council members will take some time to review the proposal and will then decide whether to proceed.

The next Council meeting takes place on August 6 in Denbigh at 7pm.

With the closing of St. Paul’s United Church a couple of years ago, the Free Methodist Church became the only remaining church in Harrowsmith.

That would likely be a surprise to the founder of the Harrowsmith Free Methodist, C.V. Fairbairn. In a book called “the Battle was the Lord’s: a history of the Free Methodist Church in Canada”, written by John Wilson Sigsworth and published in 2016. Sigsworth describes how the church came to be established in Verona in the late 19th century and spread to Petworth, Holleford, Deyo’s Corners, Desert Lake, Cole Lake, and Wagarville, and other nearby locations in Lennox and Addington.

But Fairbairn, who had been instrumental in establishing the church in some of the other communities, but when he organised what Sigsworth calls a ‘siege’ of Harrowsmith in November of 2018, he was met with “the greatest organised resistance we have ever encountered”.

Fairbairn needed to bring a petition, signed by 250 people, just to be able to rent a town hall in order to hold a meeting in November of 1918.

Fairbairn’s second ‘siege of Harrowsmith’ in the spring of 1919, resulted in ‘a class of 18 people’ being established. The former Presbyterian Church on Harrowsmith Road was purchased and the congregation gained strength steadily over the years, remaining in that location until the late 1980’s.

In preparation for the church celebrating its 100th anniversary at a special event this Sunday (June 9) and at concerts throughout the summer and fall, one of the parishioners, Maureen Adams, undertook the task of combing through the minutes of church meetings, going back to 1919. She has pulled the highlights of the minutes for display boards that will be set up on Sunday, with roughly one for each decade.

The boards illustrate the change in the value of money over 100 years. For example, in 1923, a motion was passed “give the Budget System a trial and endeavour to raise $16.00/week for the pastor”. Prices have risen steadily over the years. In 1954, an oil furnace was purchased for the parsonage at a cost of $350, including installation. In 1971, the parson’s salary was raised to $95 a week.

The boards, from the very beginning and through to the present day, also show that the founding families of the church are still very much active in its progress. Of the 6 transferees from Verona and the 12 “probationary members who formed the church on April 6, 1919, names such as Snider, Sigsworth, Orser, Babcock, Knox and Keech are prominent. Those names are still common, both locally and regionally.

In the 1950’s there was a heated debate about whether to purchase a musical instrument for the church. In June, 1954 a vote was taken and 17 voted for and 13 against a purchase. In August, 1957, another vote was taken: “32 votes were counted, 26 against and 6 in favour of the motion. One couple resigned their positions in the church,” is how the display board describes that vote. In 1959, there was a reversal, 17 voted for and 13 were against, but this time it was decided that an organ should be purchased. However, the church needed a new furnace and the organ would have to wait. One year later an organ was purchased for the church, at a cost of $1095, and a $25 piano was also purchased for the Sunday School room.

By the 1980’s the old church was too small. At a meeting to decided how to proceed, a number of options for renovations or other changes were considered, and this time everyone in attendance, 21 people, all agreed that a new build was the best option. Over time the current site, not far to the east of the old church, came to house the modern church and gymnasium that serves the church community and the community at large to this day.

As Sunday approaches, preparations are being made for the commemoration events, and Maureen Adams is busily preparing the final boards.

“What I hope you will see in our history, is the rock solid faith in God, perseverance and commitment of the people to values they hold dear, has sustained the ministry of Harrowsmith Free Methodist Church through its 100 years in the community,” she said of her efforts.

The events this Sunday will provide an opportunity to reminisce and look forward.

C.V. Fairbairn would be happy to see that, after the initial resistance to the siege of Harrowsmith, the local Free Methodist Church continues to thrive and grow.

VIA Rail officials have not given up on plans to build out a new service between Toronto and Ottawa, passing through and potentially stopping in Sharbot Lake, but the federal budget did not go as they had hoped.

In a short letter to Central Frontenac Council, written the day after the budget, Tiffany Anne Ouimet, Senior Advisor (government and community relations, Ontario and West) said she “wanted to reach out to let you know that we have taken stock of the Federal Budget measures announced yesterday”.

The letter does not go on to reveal what was in the budget, but it is clear by what is not said that the budget did not contain any funding for the project.

“We remain confident in the importance and relevance of High Frequency Rail for our passengers and for bringing communities closer together with a travel solution that will make life easier and unlock local opportunities, while reducing pollution and supporting Canadian growth and prosperity.

“Driven by our commitment to provide the best experience for our customers, VIA will continue to work with Government of Canada officials as they study High Frequency Rail,” the letter says before going on to talk about VIA’s other priorities.”

Then it thanks Central Frontenac for “sharing your perspective on the needs and opportunities in Central Frontenac”.

Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith said that it is her understanding that the letter is a way of letting the township know that “VIA is interested in the project but they realise the government is not supporting this project now, and they don’t know when that will change.”

Following up on a very good construction year in 2016 ($8.7 million in construction value and $125,000 in permit fees collected), values jumped 18% to $10.34 million in 2017. Permit fees also jumped to $147,000. Looking further back to 2015, construction values are up by almost 50% over a two year period.

Permits were taken out for 30 new homes in 2017, a high water mark for the township, and although there were only 7 permits taken out for Commercial/Industrial construction in 2017, that still represents a large increase as only 1 commercial/industrial permit was purchased in each of 2015 and 2016.

The totals for 2017 were somewhat augmented by the permit for a single project, an Ultramar Station on Highway 7, the numbers as a whole represent a “positive trend” said Chief Building Official Shawn Merriman.

In addition to his December report, which rounded out the year, Merriman reported on January of 2018, and the new year has not exactly gotten off to a hot start in terms of permits.

“Only one permit was purchased in January and it was for a wood stove,” Merriman said.

The total construction value for 2018 is therefore pretty low, only $5,000, but the year is still young.

Canada 150 revisited
Central Frontenac is on the receiving end of some Federal Canada 150 infrastructure grant money that the original recipient municipality was not able to spend. The township applied for $150,000 from the program, intending to spend it on the long awaited Olden Ball Park in Mountain Grove, but were passed over in the initial grant intake. The township is now eligible for $50,000 provided the spending is matched by $100,000 in local spending and it is all complete by the end of March. Treasurer Michael McGovern said that there should be no problem, because spending on the project that the township already undertook last year is eligible for matching funding and the township can also purchase lighting for the park, the next major expense in the project, before the end of March.

Don’t look a gift park in the mouth
Gord Brown, from Arden, made a presentation to Council on behalf of the Kennebec Lake Association, the Friends of Arden and the Kennebec Recreation Committee, about the 6 km. of trails the three groups have been developing with Mark Snider, the owner of the Kennebec Shores development. As part of the Kennebec Shores plan of subdivision process, a 150 acre park was created and transferred to the township. The property, which used to be owned by Ross Baker, was at one time as ski hill with cross country ski trails.

Brown described them as “a nice mix of forest and vegetation, hills, ridges, cliffs and valley. The hilly terrain offers an experience that is significantly different than local flat rail-bed trails.”

He said that Mark Snider “knows the property extremely well and has expressed an interest in further trails development,” and added “the parkland also hosts an open hill for tobogganing and a pond for skating.”

He then described some of the work of the three groups are doing on the property, including developing signage for the trails that are already well marked, developing public parking lots, bridges and walkways over creeks, and more.

He asked the township to invest $8625 into materials that volunteers plan to use to build some fences, put up signs, install gates to prevent ATV’s from using the trails, etc.

Mayor Frances Smith said that the park could be an “asset to the township for recreation and economic development. She proposed a motion to receive Brown’s report and enlist township staff to look at the trails and the park in terms of safety and accessibility.”

Members of council spoke out as well, all expressing support for the project but expressing concerns over liability since the township owns the property.

The matter will likely come back to Council in the late spring.

Purdon named to Council
In response to the resignation of Olden Councillor Jamie Riddell, who has taken on the role of Deputy Fire Chief, Council appointed John Purdon, a former Olden Councillor who finished fourth in the 2014 election contest in Olden District. Riddell, and Victor Heese, were both first time candidates who were elected that year in Olden.

“John has been approached and has agreed to join council,” said Mayor Smith. “He is experienced and is not intending to run for council this year.”

Council voted unanimously in favour of inviting Purdon to join them at the council table. He will be sworn in at the next meeting, on February 27th.

Public Works briefs
Council accepted a bid from Morris Chemicals for the dust suppressant, Calcium Chloride after a joint tender process with Frontenac Islands. Central Frontenac will also join with the other Frontenac Townships to commission of a study of signage in the township with a view to assess the retro-reflexivity of township signage.

Budget approved
Without comment, Council approved the 2018 budget and spending estimates. The budget will increase the levy to Central Frontenac residents by 5.9% over 2017, with much of that increase going to replenish.

It took three special meetings but Central Frontenac Council and staff have their 2018 budget in order following a meeting Friday morning in Sharbot Lake.

The bottom line is that the Township will be asking its ratepayers for $434,525 more than it did in 2017, an increase of 5.94 per cent. That translates into $34 per each $100,000 of assessment or about $75 more on the average home in Central Frontenac (about $212,000).

Council had instructed staff to be under 2 per cent increase based on figures that include estimated growth, which they did (1.9 per cent increase based on those figures).

Some projects, such as new boards for the Tichborne Rink were put off for a year but other projects, such as Coun. Tom Dewey’s desire for portable microphones ($20,000), funding for the voluntary septic inspection program ($5,000) or the wind-up for the Canada 150 committee ($4,000) were simply moved over to bolster depleted reserve funds.

Other budget lines, such as a donation for the swim program, could be added to by public donations, suggested Mayor Frances Smith, but that may require some communications/advertising.

“If people don’t know there’s a need, they won’t contribute,” she said. “But you can come to the office and tell the clerk ‘this donation is for the swim program (or whatever) and they’ll see that it goes to the right place.”

Council didn’t seem to think Public Works Manager Brad Thake’s (tongue-in-cheek) suggestion of $10 per pothole had much of a chance however.

There was some good news in the budget.

For example, policing costs went down by $10,000 ($1,256,474 vs. $1,267,908) and recent revelations that the solar projects “have never paid for itself” because of some equipment problems could lead to future revenue once those issues are addressed.

Treasurer Michael McGovern reported that having the County look after IT was more expensive than originally proposed (“we were told it would be cheaper, it hasn’t been”) Coun. Phillip Smith suggested “maybe we should look at an outside provider.”

However, McGovern said that despite not being as cheap as promised, the service has been good and he wasn’t recommending a change.

Budget deliberations for Central Frontenac Township began in earnest Monday night at the Oso Fire Hall and although it was only the capital budget discussed (the operating budget, which tends to affect the tax levy more than the capital, is still to come), it could be an expensive year.

Granted, the pencils haven’t been sharpened yet to make cuts but out of the gate, capital budget is at $2,779,000 as opposed to last year’s $2,491,111, an increase of $287,889.

“You need to increase capital to provide services or change your service delivery level,” said Clerk Administrator Cathy MacMunn.

Some items aren’t likely to fly such as a $20,000 ask for a wireless microphone system for Council meetings.

Dep. Mayor Tom Dewey argued for the system citing it being easier to set up and take down as well as no cables to trip over or get in the way.

But Coun. Brent Cameron responded “is there $20,000 worth of frustration there?”

There was also a $20,000 request for a new hard-wired generator for the emergency operations centre (aka the Oso firehall).

But Mayor Frances Smith had to ask three times how many generators they already have and it turns out that each firehall already has a large generator and the Arden hall has a smaller one. They just don’t turn on automatically when the lights go out. There’s also a large portable generator which was used when power went out at a Council meeting not too long ago.

Fire and emergency services also has put in for $216,680 for more bunker gear. That spending has already been approved but the reserve fund has to be replenished.

Speaking of reserves, replenishing them is also a priority.

“Does $884,000 sound like a lot?” said Smith.

“It is but it is within ministry guidelines and it eventually gets us to a point where we can loan to ourselves and thus save interest fees,” said Treasurer Michael McGovern. “I’m not in favour of capital loans because of the interest factor.”

And then there was Fire Chief Greg Robinson’s plan to use the former Parham firehall for a storage facility.

But Smith wasn’t on board with that.

“There’s places in that building where you can look through the cracks and see outside,” she said. “I think we have to make a decision that when we shut down a building, we don’t heat it.”

It looked like Public Works Manager Brad Thake’s plan to buy a new grader for about $300,000 might have wings and he made a case for three new ½ ton pickups.

“Right now we’re using big trucks to do jobs ½ tons could do and this would save wear and tear on our larger, more expensive equipment,” he said.

He also said he’s looked at equipment for sidewalks in Sharbot Lake but because they tend to be narrower, it will take specialized snow removal equipment.

“I’d like to address the sidewalks next winter,” he said.

Coun. Jamie Riddell made a plea to finish up the Mountain Grove ballfield.

Smith responded: “That should be your job and Victor’s (Coun. Heese).”

“I’m just here to ask questions and point fingers,” said Riddell.

McGovern wound up the meeting by saying there is a 2.7 per cent increase in assessment this year, which will have a $220,000 impact and that a spending increase of $72,500 would increase taxes by 1 per cent. He also said he’s looking at the end of January to bring in an operating budget.

Lovers of ferocious budget debates are likely to be disappointed by South Frontenac’s 2018 budget process.

Although MPAC numbers came in lower than expected — to the tune of needing to cut $44,500 in order to maintain the tax increase Council had mandated, CAO Wayne Orr and Treasurer

Louise Fragnito came into the Saturday morning meeting with a solution already in hand.

A proposed mechanic position for public works and shared with the fire department was budgeted at $41,995.

“I think if we have one full-time competent mechanic, we’re well served,” said Mayor Ron Vandewal. “Plus a lot of the work a second mechanic would do goes to our local garages.

“Why would we take that work away from them?”

Council seemed to agree and Orr suggested they could easily find the other $2,500 to cut.

“So, we’re done,” joked Vandewal.

Not really.

There was a suggestion that the cuts could come from roads projects until they get a roads master plan completed but that didn’t sit well with Coun. John McDougall.

“We should take the Public Works Department’s suggestions on roads,” McDougall said. “I really have problems with people who know nothing about roads sitting around discussing what we should do about roads.

“That really annoys me.”

“There was discussion about a proposal for a skateboard park/splash pad but the splash pad part was nixed outright.

“There are thousands of lakes in our area, what do we need with a splash pad?” said Vandewal.

In all, South Frontenac plans to spend about $550,000 more than it did last year. Overall, the Township expects to raise $19.17 million through taxation, an increase of 3.16% over last year when they raised $18.59 million.

The budget target that Treasurer Fragnito has established over the last few years, with council support, is not actually based on raw budgetary numbers. It takes into account other factors, such as growth (0.74%), which mitigate the impact of the budget on ratepayer.

Fragnito bases her calculations on the average residence in the township, which was valued at $252,000 in 2017, and whose value has risen to $256,000 in 2018. The owner of that home would see a 2% increase in South Frontenac taxes as the result of the 2018 budget, to about $1531.

It is in the context of the impact of the budget that the township sets a 2% target, even though the budget increase, in terms of real numbers, remains at 3.16% year over year.

Local taxation makes up the largest share of tax bills in Frontenac. Frontenac County taxes then added, as are Education taxes, to make the overall levy to ratepayers, which is then divided out to ratepayers on the basis of the assessed value of their property.

This is the final budget for the current South Frontenac Council. The municipal election next October will result in a delayed budget process for 2019.