North Frontenac Levy Increase At 4.55%

Craig Bakay | Dec 04, 2024

North Frontenac Council approved its draft 2025 budget at a regular meeting Nov. 29 in Plevna with a 4.55 per cent increase ($327,376) in municipal dollars to be raised over 2024

“It was a rough day,” said Mayor Gerry Lichty.

The education levy was factored into the figures (as it did not change from 2024) but as the Frontenac County levy is yet to be finalized, the final figures are expected to rise slightly.

One factor that kept the figure lower than had been expected was the news that the Township would receive $147,480 towards OPP funding, reducing that impact on the levy to 0.73 per cent from 1.02 per cent.

One likely project that wasn’t included in the budget figures is the Pine Lake culvert project with an estimated cost of $250,000.

“This can be done at another Council meeting when (Public Works Manager) Darwyn (Sproule) brings back his report,” said Lichty.

Council approved many of the discretionary expenditures but one that they didn’t (in a 4-3 recorded vote) was the hiring of a summer student for Economic and Community Development at a cost of $20,000.

“I’m worried about (Manager of Community Development) Brooke’s (Ross) workload but Central Frontenac is bigger than us and they don’t have one,” said Lichty.

Consultations, notifications, ECA application, design and operations planning and ECA application fee is expected to cost $17,700.

Dep. Mayor John Inglis floated an idea that didn’t seem to get much support.

Inglis suggested there was an opportunity to reduce taxes in the contingency reserve fund by moving $71,000 to some target expense such as the Community Development summer student.

“Moving the $71,000 to offset the levy increase would automatically mean an increase next year,” said Treasurer Kelly Watkins.

Lichty said if they were going to move $71,000, he like to see it go to roads.

Council approved $15,000 to increase volunteer firefighter in-house training wages for 2025.

Council did approve $30,000 for the Community Development Community Improvement Plan and increasing the Recreation Maintenance Assistant’s hours by two hours per week for a total of 32.

“The Township’s CIP remains a valuable and popular tool for North Frontenac’s businesses and a key component in the municipality’s economic development strategy,” said Ross. “Significant interest has been expressed by the Township’s business community should funding continue to be available.”

In 2024, three of four applications were approved (with only $15,000) available to be allocated.

Two were for façade improvement (cottage windows and building siding at campgrounds) and one for construction of a boat storage facility.

Since 2016, the Township has received 4 applications for funding, 33 of which were approved and $107,045 has been paid to applicants for completed projects and $8,333 allocated to projects currently in progress.

On the revenue side, Ontario Municipal Partnership Funding increased by $150,000, Blue Box transition funding increased by $38,000 and user fees increased by $23,000.

Contributions to TCA Reserve Funds increased $80,039 and payroll cost of living (2.1 per cent) increased by $105,000.

There were several assumptions used for the operating budget such as using a three-year average for hydro fuel and heat, therefore little change; there was a 15 per cent increase applied to the budget for insurance.

Departments of Property Building Maintenance and Livestock Loss were removed and their previous funding reallocated.

Council also approved $10,000 for the Summer Fest budget.