Accounting Error Leads To Slight Break For AH Ratepayers

Craig Bakay | Apr 13, 2022

The April 5 Addington Highlands (online) Council meeting was unique for a couple of reasons.

First, Dep. Mayor Tony Fritsch and Coun. David Miles were both absent, leaving Council with the absolute minimum needed for a quorum with Reeve Henry Hogg and Coun. Helen Yanch in chambers and Coun. Kirby Thompson attending virtually.

They got through it with Yanch and Thompson trading off moving and seconding all but one motion.

Yanch declared a conflict of interest on a request for support from the municipality of Halton Hills regarding new gravel mining licences pending a broad consultation process including First Nations, affected communities, independent experts and scientists.

Thompson moved deferral with Hogg seconding and the matter will come up again at the next Council meeting.

The second reason was the admission of CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed that a little boo-boo had been made in the presentation of the 2022 budget whereby after closer review it was determined that the $100,000 coming from Reserves to offset the expenses related to the meeting room renovations at the Addington Highlands Community Centre — Denbigh was included twice. As a result, the actual net amount to levy was $100,000 higher than was reported.

The actual net amount to levy was in fact $3,384,596.39 which represents a 7.46 per cent increase.

“It was a rather significant error I made,” Reed said. “(But) staff has some suggestions.”

Reed brought those suggestions to a special budget meeting April 11 and as luck would have it, the results actually represent a small break for Addington Highlands ratepayers.

Instead of the previous 4.28 per cent tax increase, this revised budget, after some revised accounting procedures, estimates and contributions to reserves, the increase is only 4.25 per cent, resulting in an increase of $22.12 per $100,000 of assessment instead of $22.31, a decrease of $0.19.

“Is there anything in these changes that will make it more challenging for Council and staff in 2023?” asked Fritsch.

“I don’t think so because most of the changes reflect contributions to reserves,” Reed said. “Brett (Manager of Roads and Waste Reavie) and Casey (Fire Chief and CEMC Cuddy) both have 10-year plans on their equipment replacement, so we wanted to make sure we had enough at least to get us through to that next year considering we’ll hopefully be making the same contribution that next year.”

“It’s certainly going to make a difference over time,” said Cuddy. “But it’s something we’ll just have to build into the next four years to recover.”

Road Report

“The roads have been a real challenge this year with the freeze-thaw cycles,” Manager of Roads and Waste Brett Reavie told Council. “But we’re doing what we can.”

Reavie also reported that traffic at waste sites, in terms of garbage bags, recyclables and vehicles was also up slightly in 2021 over 2020.

“I believe more people were moving back to the cottage,” he said. “(And) there are more people moving into the area.

“Also, the attendants are doing better at keeping track.

Building Report

There’s been a slow start to the building season but “things are picking up,” CBO/MLEO/Facilities Manager David Twiddy told Council.

“Lumber prices are extremely high right now but I was talking to a lumber yard operator and he said it doesn’t seem to be making a dent at all.”

He said work has begun on the Denbigh meeting room and some landscaping being done at the Northbrook Medical Centre.

As well, he’s hoping to get going on new ramps for the Library and the Denbigh Hall. “Both are worn out,” he said.

And he had a warning for dog owners that bylaw enforcement will be busy.

“I don’t have any sympathy for somebody’s dog,” he said. “Keep them on a lease or in a kennelled area.”

Council passed a new bylaw appointing Kevin Baker as Animal Control Officer.

Mask Policy

Reeve Henry Hogg reported that at the 61st meeting of the Community Control Group held to discuss mask policy, it was decided that employees may wear masks if they desire. It was also decided to hold another meeting to discuss vaccination policy and covid-related absences.

Council meeting will continue with no members of the public present.