Oct 17, 2014

Minutes from the All Candidates town hall Q&A

A request was made of me to find someone to take minutes during the All Candidates meeting held in September 2014 for members who were unable to attend in person.  Attached is a copy of those minutes.

Candidate Town Hall Minutes -  Saturday, Sept, 27th, 2014

Summary of the Question and Answer session:

1.  Question: In respect to the downloading of OPP costs to the townships, and the likelihood that the model used to implement the increased fee per household will be a percentage of the mill rate, and that seasonal residents ("cottagers”) in particular  are assessed at a higher rate,  does the townships have any leeway in assessing how the increased cost would be passed on to taxpayers?

Candidate responses:

• Fred Perry / NF: the wording used in the legislation is "dwellings” and thus there is no differentiation between permanent versus seasonal (i.e. cottagers) residents. 
• Lonnie Watkins / NF: new billing model gives people in the cities the financial break.
• Wayne Good / NF: our townships have a lower number of calls to police in comparison to other areas. 
• Claudio Valentini / NF: cross-training of other first responder municipal employees was suggested as an option for lowering future costs.
• Henry Hogg / AH: while we are only three months away from implementation of this legislation, the townships still have no idea of what the dollar impact will be. This is a Provincial charge - the Townships have no leeway in the formula.

Candidate responses:

• Ron Higgins / NF: indicated that he had done an in-depth analysis of his township’s budget, and that any cuts would have a huge impact.   Further that consideration of cuts would need to involve the taxpayers – also indicated that he felt the new municipal services building (NF) was unnecessary in consideration of the projected 1.9 million dollar cost.   
• Henry Hogg / AH: nothing in the budget can be cut -need to improve efficiency of current operations is the only option available.
• Tony Fritsch  AH - was supportive of Henry in this view.
• Fred Perry / NF: can’t compare township services.  Not comparing apples with apples. Cost of services between townships can’t be compared as individual budgets pay for different services (e.g. graveyards, highways paid for differently between townships).
• Wayne Good / NF: It’s a question of how to justify use of services (e.g. Whether to plow one inch of snow or wait for 4 inches) - some sharing of services between townships in Frontenac Country is occurring. 
• Gerry Martin / NF: suggested that the services of selected staff could be shared with other employers (i.e.  "farmed out”) to obtain more revenue.  – Fire Prevention Officer.  Need to think outside the box for solutions. 
• Gerry Bray / AH:    With respect to sharing of costs between townships…in order to accommodate the costs of additional projects (e.g.  Boat slips at Tapping’s Landing in NF) the specific user taxpayers could pay a small (e.g. .5%) additional percentage of taxes.  
• Claudio Valentini / NF: Report received on cost of a new municipal building vs renovation costs ( 1.9 million vs $ 400k).  –It’s ridiculous to spend 1.9 million for a new building.  
• Fred Perry / NF: we need a new municipal building.  A portable being used currently.
• Wayne Good/NF: not in favour of the new building as proposed - Could start out with a smaller building.
   

Jim Oborne was asked for a straw poll vote on those in the audience from NF who were in favour of a new building.   Except for a Councillor from Ward 3, no hands were raised. 
 

3.  Question:    Re:  Malcolm Ardoch Land Owners Association concerns; referenced the proposal for condominium development on Ardoch Lake and asked candidates to speak to the matter.  

Candidate responses:

•  Gerry Martin / NF: I live on the lake in question.   There will be some development on Ardoch Lake. Notes that the herons (heron rookery) are protected and thus project may not go forward.  Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) have concerns. 

 

4.  Question: How would you increase the area tax base? Example-increase Bon Echo Park’s season.   

Candidate responses:

• Henry Hogg / AH:   there is a feasibility study completed for the option of cross-country skiing in the park.  If the province approved, this could lead to an increase in revenue - Taxes vs revenue issue.  We can’t squeeze the budget any further.

 

5.   Question: AH has five paid employees in the office, while NF has many more.  Asked for mayoralty candidates to comment on this.

Candidate responses:

• Claudio Valentini:  we need a consultant to look at this (issue) from an objective perspective.
• Ron Higgins: I am a management consultant. However you first need to compare apples with apples, compare services and impact on taxpayers.    Need for a benchmark.   Cost sharing?    Staff to be outsourced?
• Wayne Good:  We just had an internal audit on the staff and were told we need them. There is job sharing between the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief (s) e.g.  there may be too many Deputy Fire Chiefs.
• Audience member: But Deputy Fire Chiefs are volunteers not staff!?
• Wayne Good:  There are two Chiefs, and two Deputy Chiefs.  Of the Deputy Chiefs, one each also serves the other township.

 

6.  Question:   Re: Water Quality concerns.    NF has had voluntary septic system inspections in place.    Mazinaw has had 70 systems voluntarily inspected, and advice given to owners.  When will AH go with voluntary inspection of shoreline property owners’ systems?   

Candidate responses:

• Henry Hogg:   It’s a matter of how to separate waterfront property owners from the rest. How to separate seasonal versus year round residents?   Council would have to wrestle with the issue of who would be inspected.    In NF it was actually not just shoreline residents who were inspected.  
• Fred Perry:  You can’t discriminate (i.e. shoreline vs non-shoreline residences; seasonal vs year round).   Township can’t send a letter to lakefront property owners only.
• John Inglis (NF councillor):   I believe that next term of council will likely lead to more progress (on this issue).   Mandatory inspections threaten people as they can mean huge costs.   

 

7. Question:   Where does AH Council and the Ward 1 candidates stand on this issue (i.e. voluntary septic inspections)?

•  Henry Hogg:  I’ve brought it to council. Township not in favour of mandatory inspections.   How would the program be administered?    Involves costs people can’t afford. 
• Tony Fritsch:  I can’t say.  Council should say but I am against septic inspections that lead to costs that many residents can’t afford.
• Alice Madigan:  Not against voluntary inspections.
• Kirby Thompson:  Not a problem with it (i.e. voluntary inspections).
• Henry Hogg: In favour of voluntary inspections.
• Gerry Bray: Would like to see mandatory inspections.

 James Oborne

VP MPOA

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