Several committee chairmen told county council last month the committees had approved negligible 2011 service fee increases.
They were not kidding.
Engineering services and landfill fees stayed exactly as they were. As well, there was no HST applicable. It was the same story for solid waste services – with an across the board increase of zero.
The Wellington County Police Services Board was the only department that offered an actual increase in fees for services, and in that case, it was applied to only three services.
Fingerprinting went up 6%, from $25 to $26.50. Technical and traffic and collision reports increased by 8%, from $525 to $565, and a reconstruction report for accidents jumped 8% from $1,050 to $1,130.
In almost all cases, the HST was included and the price remains from last year.
Social services had a zero increase in its fees, for such things as photocopies and interpreter services charged to external organizations.
There were no increases in fees for such things as television in the home for the aged, or for equipment such as wheelchairs or walkers.
Planning department fees also stayed the same as 2010. Official plan amendments and draft plans of subdivisions and condominiums require a $2,000 deposit, but the fees remain the same.
It is only in the archives that people will see an increase – and it is simply because the county is now forced to add the HST. Even there, the majority of fees are under $10.
In the museum department, again there were few fee increases, but there is an HST increase for all memberships, as well as room rentals.
There was a 5% increase in weddings without the use of Victorian Gardens, and a 4% increase with the Victorian Gardens setup. Those fees went from $500 to $525 and $575 to $600 respectively.
