ABERFOYLE – Puslinch council has approved the township’s 2019 capital and operating budget, with a local tax increase of 3.32 per cent.
For a typical Puslinch residence assessed at $593,250, that means a $31.96 increase in township taxes (about $5.39 per $100,000 of assessed value).
Factoring in Wellington County’s budget and the 2018 education tax rate, the blended tax increase for the same home is 1.73% or $96.37 (about $16.24 per $100,000 of assessment).
“Puslinch council has passed a responsible budget that continues to focus on our key priorities,” Mayor James Seeley stated in a press release.
Budget highlights include:
– a capital levy increase to maintain and replace township assets in accordance with asset management plan recommendations;
– transferring $271,000 into capital discretionary reserves for future projects and equipment;
– over $1,459,000 for roads, bridges and sidewalks;
– improvements to Concessions 1, 2 and 4 and to Victoria Road; and
– enhancements to township parks.
Prior to passage of the budget, Seeley asked council to consider his notice of motion to include a $20,000 addition to the operating portion of the budget for tree maintenance/tree cutting.
For the duration of the discussion, the mayor asked councillor Jessica Goyda to chair the meeting.
The mayor supported the recommendation, which originally came from director of public works Don Creed. Seeley said the added funds would allow crews to cut trees to a more manageable level, with a minimal impact on the budget.
He noted the township was told its OMPF funding will be maintained at the 2018 level, further diminishing the addition’s impact on the overall budget.
“Talking to constituents, the tree (conditions) along the roads are a concern. We need to get on it as soon as possible,” said Seeley.
Councillor Ken Roth said he had difficulty with the addition being brought up just as the budget was about to be passed.
Roth said he would prefer the additional costs be moved to 2020 budget discussions to allow staff to prepare a report on the extent of the tree cutting.
“I’m not saying this is something we don’t need, but we just had a public meeting where we presented our budget … and now two weeks later are adding to it. It is a little unorthodox,” said Roth.
He noted this was the ninth budget he’d worked on “… and never has tree cutting been considered a priority.” He said the only way he could support the inclusion would be if something came out of the operating budget.
Roth concluded “this was not something asked for during the 2019 budget deliberations.”
Councillor Matthew Bulmer shared Roth’s concern about the process, but viewed the matter from a public safety perspective.
Bulmer wanted residents to understand it is not about cutting all trees along roadsides, but rather dealing with overhanging limbs or trees that present a hazard.
Councillor Jessica Goyda asked whether any of the trees could be chipped for use elsewhere in the township.
Creed said there is no issue stockpiling the woodchips to be used on other projects.
Noting the work would involve bringing in a qualified arborist to identify the most urgent trees to be dealt with, Creed said over the years staff had completed certain tree cutting, but “we don’t have qualified staff or equipment for this work.”
While councillor John Sepulis also had concerns about the process, he too felt this was a public safety issue. He suggested the tree cutting be included as a base budget item rather than a one-shot deal. Sepulis also asked about the impact to the local tax rate.
Finance director Mary Hasan said the local increase previously presented to the public was 2.8% and, “With the additional $20,000 this would move to 3.32%.”
Council voted to endorse the additional $20,000 allocation for tree cutting.
