Council here has completed its budget deliberations and increased the township portion of the property tax levy by 7.2%.
Combined with the county levy, the total tax impact is an overall increase of 2.4%.
That means that an average home assessed at $266,000 in Mapleton Township will pay a total of $3,285 in taxes. That means $66 more on the township tax levy and another increase of $12 for Wellington County. There was no school board levy increase.
Councillor Mike Downey said a smaller increase from the county this year gave lower tier municipalities an opportunity to raise more funds. Downey said the mayors of the lower tiers convinced the county to hold off this year so they could find cash for many much-needed projects.
“We tried to go through everything as diligently as possible,” Downey said, adding, “Nobody likes an increase … It just takes that many dollars.”
He explained the township is going to have to start building its reserve funds and did so this year. He noted if a bridge costs $1 million, reserves of $100,000 a year still take ten years to pay for a bridge.
“We’re trying to be diligent,” he said.
Downey added council hopes to get its budget finished much earlier next year. He said it has already set some dates so other work will have to be worked around budget talks, instead of the other way around.
The budget report of May 8 also included the impact on the 725 farmhouse properties in the township. There, the average assessment is $158,000 and the increase is $34 (3.3%) for the township and $28 (1.4%)for the county levy. The average cost to those homeowners is $1,960 in total taxes.
The total budget for 2012 is just under $7.93 million, with almost $4.32 million in capital expenditures and an operating budget of $3.61 million.
The budget included a number of capital and operating expenses under each department. Operating costs include staff salaries, heat, hydro, supplies and materials. Capital costs are such things as new roads, bridges and equipment.
Under administration, the new costs are:
– $97,800 for new debt payments;
– $25,000 for industrial park signs;
– $10,000 for service replacement and software upgrades; and
– $5,000 for a facilities energy plan mandated by the Green Energy Act.
For the fire department, the costs are:
– $9,000 for six sets of bunker gear;
– $10,000 for a self contained breathing apparatus display and air cylinders;
– $50,000 to expand the Drayton fire hall for the ambulance service use; and
– $1,000 for use of a fitness club; and
– $20,000 for other expenses.
The building department will need $3,200 for software enhancement.
The township will also spend $29,500 for a generator under emergency measures for the Alma community hall.
It will cost $15,500 for a provincially mandated bridge review.
The township also spent on its public works fleet:
– $70,000 for a quad cab 4×4 truck;
– $15,000 for a water tank with baffles;
– $35,000 for a 4×4 pick-up truck;
– $5,000 for a tandem axel trailer (an addition to the fleet rather than a replacement); and
– $10,450 for a rubber tire static compaction unit.
Construction work
The township has a number of road projects for this year:
– $150,000 for reconstruction, ditches and culverts for Sideroad 21, from 16th Line to Highway 6;
– $270,000 to pave Concession 4, from County Road 10 to 2.7km west;
– $120,000 to pave Concession 8, from Sideroad 12 to the Moorefield village limits;
– $56,000 to pave Sideroad 12, from Concession 12 to 700 meters west;
– $100,000 to pave the Drayton municipal parking lot, with engineering fees included;
– $110,000 to pave the Nichol Peel Townline Road, shared with Centre Wellington Township; and
– $65,000 for guard rail replacement at Concession 5, for 575 metres, plus treatment in three locations.
The township is also spending money on its sewage and water systems. Those costs are borne by only those who use the system. The work includes;
– $50,000 for mag meter replacement;
– $91,350 for an infiltration study;
– $1.2 million for the sewage lagoon cell 4 expansion;
– $1 million for water standpipe for growth for the Drayton system;
– $500,600 for the Drayton metering project;
– $125,000 for the Moorefield metering project; and
– $12,000 to assess and clean the reservoir.
The fence for the Hollen cemetery has already been erected, at a cost of $12,000.
At the PMD Arena there is $10,000 for a barrier-free access to the auditorium and another $50,000 for the replacement of the auditorium floor.
There are a number of parks projects:
– $12,000 for improvements at the Moorefield parks;
– $60,000 for parks rehabilitation at the Kinsmen playground in Drayton and the Moorefield park; and
– $9,400 for a scoreboard, screen and overhang at the Moorefield ball diamond.
There is another $6,000 for the Alma Serenity Gardens, $3,000 for a PMD Arena trophy case and $1,500 for the Glen Allan park swing.
It is estimated $10,000 is needed for the physically challenged washroom at the Maryborough community centre and a further $35,000 for roof repairs over the section of that building known as the lower hall.
In economic development, the township will spend $33,840 on the completion of the downtown revitalization in Drayton and another $25,325 to pay for an economic development officer for the final six months of this year. The latter is a proposed permanent staff member.
The township also budgeted $88,500 for the Tinholt drain in Maryborough.
Finally, Mapleton has placed $452,400 into its reserves. The vote on the budget was unanimous.
