South Frontenac Council - Dec. 11

Jeff Green | Dec 13, 2012

South Frontenac budget increase heads north

At their final Committee of the Whole meeting of 2012 on Tuesday night, December 11, members of South Frontenac Council had their final session on the 2013 budget.

As requested by council, staff presented a budget in November that would result in a tax increase of less than 3% for the average valued South Frontenac home, which is now worth a whopping $214,000.

Subsequently it was revealed that a provincial transfer program was cutting its grant to South Frontenac by $206,000.

At the council meeting on December 4, a number of options were presented to council, and this week council had an opportunity to discuss them.

The first item that was settled concerned garbage pickup. In 2012, the township levied a special charge to all residential ratepayers of $100 to cover the cost of garbage pickup. For that fee, ratepayers receive 50 $2 bag tags. The fee is intended to cover pick up only. Other waste costs such as waste site maintenance and operation costs, tipping and trucking fees for out of township disposal of Storrington District waste, etc. is covered through the general tax levy.

Council rejected a proposal by staff to eliminate the levy and integrate the costs into general taxes.

“I don’t see why people who own vacant lots should pay for garbage pickup,” said Councilor Ron Vandewal and the majority of council concurred.

In order to cover part of the budget shortfall, council decided to raise the $100 fee to $120, with the extra $20 helping to offset the waste management budget. This will bring in approximately $100,000.

As to covering the remaining $106,000 shortfall, Council was leaning towards increasing taxes to cover it. This would bring the tax increase to about 3.5%, and with the extra $20 the increase will be near the 4% mark for residential ratepayers.

“This is a bit higher than I think we want to go,” said newly appointed Deputy Mayor Cam Naish, “but I realise it is not wise of us to take this kind of money from reserves, particularly because that $206,000 is gone forever, not just in 2013."

“I think we should raise taxes a bit more if we have to,” said Councilor John McDougall. “Don’t forget the elephant in the room, the $600,000 shortfall we may be facing if we can’t renew the roads money from the city. If that doesn’t come it will come out of the budget, so we should not keep taxes artificially low and then have to jump them up next year.”

Until this year, South Frontenac has received a grant of $600,000 from the City of Kingston for arterial roads. That agreement ended in 2012 and is in the midst of being renegotiated. If the money is not forthcoming, it would come out of the public works capital budget, which is currently set at $4.5 million for 2013. If the money does not come, a bridge slated for construction in 2013 will likely be put off until 2014, and a 5-year road and bridge reconstruction schedule would have to be adjusted.

Council will make their final decision on the 2013 budget at their final regular council meeting of 2012, on December 18.

Service Delivery Review – CAO Wayne Orr presented a proposal for a service delivery review. Council expressed interest, and the process will likely be undertaken in the new year.

New Deputy Mayor – As is the township's custom, the deputy mayor position was rotated for 2013. Councilor Cam Naish, who received the highest number of votes for Storrington District in the 2010 election, took over from Portland Councilor John McDougall.

Notice of motion – Councilor Robinson will present a motion next week that could impact the 2013 budget. He will propose that the purchase of a tri-axle truck by the Public Works department for $350,000 be deleted from the budget.

By-law Amendments

Planner Lindsay Mills explained a number of ‘housekeeping’ changes in wording needed to clarify parts of the township’s 2005 zoning by-law.

There were two major corrections: 1) to apply zoning to all lakes and water bodies to prohibit floating boathouses and permanent houseboats, and 2) in the recreational resort commercial zones, to no longer permit existing structures located within the 30 metre setback to be reconstructed on a larger scale or closer to the water. Mills noted that these changes would bring the by-law into conformity with the intent of the Official Plan to maintain the rural character of the lakes and keep all development set well back from water bodies.

A further update forbids occupation of a newly-constructed building until the township has issued an occupancy permit. (Formerly, a building could be occupied when it was “substantially completed.”)

Two new fire trucks

Council approved Fire Chief Chesebrough’s recommendation that Arnprior Fire Trucks be awarded the contract to build a pumper ($364,000) and a tanker ($264,000.) An additional $2,000 was approved for radio installations in the vehicles. These were the lowest bids, and the expenditure is part of the long-term vehicle replacement capital budget.

Recreation User Fees Raised

Council approved raises in fees for swim programs and day camp, as recommended by the South Frontenac Recreation Committee.