Review-Mirror

By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Patients of Dr. Elaine Riddick have begun seek- ing an alternative primary care provider after they received letters this week that she was closing her practice in Westport. In her letter the doctor cites coming changes to the health system and extended hours for patients, as her reason for closing her office May 31. The closure of Dr. Rid- dick's practice leaves many Westport area resi- dents turning to the near- est alternative, Country Roads Community Health Centre (CRCHC). Dr. Riddick's letter cited pending Ministry of Health (MOH) changes that she can't tackle as a one-doctor practice. They would require extended hours, perhaps 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and some weekends and holidays. Also, if one of her patients went to emer- gency for a problem the MOH feels she could have handled, she would be penalized. "I am all in favour of extended hours, but I can't do it alone," the letter reads. CRCHC executive director Marty Crapper has already seen his orga- nization fielding calls from want-to-be Country Roads patients. Crapper doesn't see a reason for patients to panic. "Dr Riddick isn't leav- ing til the end of May. During that time we are going to figure out a plan to make sure they have the care that they want," he said. Registration forms to become a Country Roads patient are available online at their website www.crchc.on.ca and at their locations in Portland and Westport. The closure of Dr. Rid- dick's practice will be bringing a second wave of new patients in a short time into the Country Roads fold. On Nov. 2 they assumed the manage- ment of Community and Primary Health Care patients (CPHC) who By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Township of Rideau Lakes ratepayers can anticipate a 16 per cent increase in the municipal portion of their property tax bill in 2016. The overall increase to the tax bill could be soft- ened by potential decreas- es in the county and edu- cational portions which are yet to be determined. Overall, it is expected residents will pay $984 per $100,000 of assessed residential value this year, up from $937 in 2016. The 2016 budget increase doesn't necessari- ly bring a change in ser- vice levels, as much as it does one-time costs. For that reason, Mayor Ron Holman was disap- pointed he couldn't get council to commit to a one per cent increase for 2017. "My reasoning for establishing next year's rate was to give the resi- dents confidence that once we had the bulk of the OPP costing it would go down to a normal rate or less," said Holman. He's also confident ris- ing assessments in other regions of the province will benefit the township which will be paying a smaller portion of the province's education tax. Those one-time 2016 costs include $250,000 for the closure of the Delta landfill site and a $300,000 increase in OPP By Howie Crichton The Review-Mirror The Village of Westport got through the 30-day appeal period on their pro- posed sewage treatment upgrades without any delays and they can now embark on getting the final design in place. They went through an Environmental Assess- ment last year on a new filter bed system and the proposal was submitted in December. In the coming weeks, the village hopes to send out a Request for Propos- als to engineering firms, to be followed by another RFP or tender for the actu- al construction. The goal is to have it in place by the end of the year. And it can't come soon enough. Bartel Environmental trucks have been hauling wastewater from the vil- lage's lagoons to Smiths Falls over the past week and were about halfway to their 10,000 m3 goal as of the weekend. Bartel's is charging $120,000 for the 10,000 m3, plus whatever Smiths Falls charges for processing. Between the hauling and Snowfluent waste- water processing, the larg- er lagoon one was down to 155 cm deep as of the first of this week, 10" below the 180 cm maximum, causing two Westport Councillors to seek a sus- pension in hauling for now. Councillors Gerald Schwinghamer and Frank Huth wanted to take a wait and see approach ot the remaining 5,000 m3 but Justin Martin President 613-530-0773 RR 2 Westport, ON K0G 1X0 jtmartin@kingston.net 4 Septic Systems 4 Excavating 4 Landscaping 4 Road Work 4 Rock Excavating 4 Trucking 4 Residential & Commercial Snow Plowing & Sanding 4 Damp Proofing LTD. Mirror The Review Thursday, February 4, 2016 Serving North Leeds and area since 1893 Vol. 125, No. 5 $1incl. tax Canada Post Contract No. 40021501 •Continued on back page •Continued on page 3 NEW MOVIE RELEASES at the Old 'n' New General Store and Sandwich Shack Groceries, Snacks, Gifts, Antiques Hwy. 15 & Cty Rd. 42, Crosby 613-540-1812 Westport Village Pharmacy 3 Church St., Westport, ON 613-273-2922 westportvillagepharmacy@gmail.com Mon.-Fri.: 9-6 • Sat. & Sun.: 10-4 Even MODEST WEIGHT LOSS Can Have an Enormous Impact on Your Health Join us for an OPEN HOUSE AND PRODUCT TASTING Stop in and see us for more information. www.idealprotein.com •Continued on page 3 Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin duncan s TV & APPLIANCES WINTER SAVINGS 30" Gallery Gas Range •One-Touch Quick Self-Clean •Continuous Corner to Corner Grates •Low Simmer Burner Model #FGGF3035RW Reg. 1299.95 $ 1099 95 Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds - Delivery & Set Up Available 30" Gallery Range •One-touch Quick Self Clean •Fits-More™ Cooktop with Spacewise® Expandable Elements •Precision-Set® Controls Model #CGEF3035RW Regular 1199.95 $ 999 95 Westport doctor to close practice this spring Rideau Lakes' tax levy to go up 16% Hauling of effluent from the Westport wastewater treatment plant has been continu- ing this week in an attempt to lower levels in the sewage lagoons which have been rising during a mild winter when warm temperatures have not permitted the use of the snowfluent system. Village passes environmental assessment hurdle Sewage hauling continues as weather hampers snowmaking

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