Addington Highlands Council - May 6

Jeff Green | May 15, 2025

With a few minor revisions made by Clerk Treasurer Christine Reed, Addington Highlands Council formally approved their 2025 budget at their early May meeting (May 5).
The budget includes an 8% increase in the tax levy for local services. But since the tax bills that are sent to residents combine local township taxation with County and Education taxes, which did not go up as much this year, the overall tax rate increase will be 5.83% for Addington Highlands residents.

Audit Report
Katie Mahon, from KPMG, presented the consolidated financial statements and delivered a clean audit report of the township’s finances as of the end of December. She said that the audit was quite smooth because of the co-operation of the financial team at the township. With that, Mahon said KPMG is now “closing the lid on 2024” and is ready to move into 2025.

NAEC Donation
Council agreed to donate money to North Addington Education Centre School Advisory Committee on the occasion of the annual fun Fair. The committee is raising money to provide i-pads for students. Council agreed to donate $1,000, as they did last year, and will waive fees for the use of municipal facilities for the fun fair. Fees for the use of the Denbigh Hall were also waived for a Memorial Service Luncheon being put on by the St. Luke'sUnited Church on June 8th.
Public Works
Half Load restrictions were removed on county and township roads at the beginning of this week (May 12) as per normal, and the road crews have been out sweeping the roads now that they are drying up.
Chief Building Official Report

David Twiddy reported that construction activity is proceeding, but at a slower pace than in other years. He said this is consistent with what he has been hearing from other chief Building Officials in the area, such as Deseronto and Belleville.

“However, we have seen a lot of interest in new home construction, and one new home makes up for a cut in the number of decks and garages being built,” he said. “Glad to see new home interest in the area, probably 6 or 7 new homes in April alone, and continued interest in new home construction since then.

Playground inspection has been done, and the report will be in by the end of the month.

Bylaw enforcement
David Twiddy reported that the new chicken bylaw is now being enforced, “which has been interesting”, and he said that anyone who has complaints based on the new bylaw, need to submit them in writing.
Playground Equipment
By the end of the month, new playground equipment is expected to be installed, and a community event celebrating the grant and the new equipment, will take place after that. The equipment has been funded by a Trillium Grant.

Strong Mayor
Addington Highlands is not one of the 169 rural Ontario municipalities that were granted strong mayor powers at the beginning of May, because of the size of its council. Nonetheless, Deputy Reeve Tony Fritsch prepared a motion for Council to consider.
The motion noted that Addington Highlands Council “Strongly opposes the expansion of strong mayors powers to additional municipalities and calls on the Government of Ontario to reverse this decision.”
Council approved the motion and will submit it to the local MPP, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack, and Premier Doug Ford.