Review-Mirror

By Howie Crichton The Review-Mirror Westport Village Coun- cil finally got a look at a proposed 2016 water and sewer budget Monday night that shows a $161,000 shortfall. How they plan to make up that shortfall – through rate increases, tax increas- es or a combination of the two – will be the subject of a public meeting in the near future. No matter which route council takes, the cost will be over $500 per house- hold and business between now and the end of the year. Whether that will include all taxpayers or only those connected to the system was part of the discussion at Monday night's council meeting. The village has close to 300 users connected to both water and sewer and another 10 to 12 on water only. As many as 40 resi- dents, mostly on Cty. Rd. 12 and 36 and Sand Lake in the village's west end, are on their own well and septic. Revenues have also fallen slightly because vil- lage residents are conserv- ing. "Per person consump- tion keeps dropping and dropping," said Clerk- Treasurer Scott Bryce. Earlier this year, West- port had consultants Wat- son & Associates study future water and sewer rates earlier and they determined that increases of just over 3 per cent through 2025 would be enough to have the system pay for itself. But that won't address the issue of the 2016 shortfall. Residents on both water and sewer currently pay $140 per month. Any increase to the rate requires a public meeting and the village plans to have a separate night for that discussion. "It is hard to move for- ward on this without hav- ing that discussion," Mayor Robin Jones said, referring to the decision on where to spread the 2016 increase. The water and sewer budget had been coming up short for a few years, topped off by a $708,000 deficit in 2014, mostly attributed to trucking wastewater to Smiths Falls after a dismal Snowfluent treatment season. A por- tion of that was eventually covered with new long- term debt. In 2015, the system showed a $470,646 sur- plus, thanks to a portion of $1.98 million grant toward sewage treatment upgrades. If users make up the shortfall, water and sewer rates would have to rise from $140 per month to as much $230, or about $540 for the rest of the year. If all taxpayers pitched in, it would mean approximate- ly $480 over the final six months of the year. "If I were a taxpayer not on the system, I would have an opinion on this," Mayor Robin Jones said Monday, in suggesting a separate public meeting to deal specifically with this issue. Councillor Frank Huth suggested splitting the 2016 projected debt between users and taxpay- ers. Coun. Mark Parliament believes all residents ben- efit from lower insurance due to hydrant availability, so everyone should share the increase. With everything that has occurred over the past few years, and the planned upgrades over the coming year, it is a complicated file to calculate after 2016. The new filter bed sys- tem should cost consider- ably less to operate but the bottom line is also affected by the results of a number of pending grant applica- tions for the sewage upgrades. Earlier this year, staff put together a number of cost scenarios depending on the grant outcomes, indicating the impact on property taxes with no mention of impact on water and sewer rates. Westport will be look- ing at borrowing any- where between $200,000 and $2 million in the next By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror Township of Rideau Lakes Council voted eight to two on Monday night to hire consultants, Strategy- Corp, to conduct public consultation as part of a ward and boundary review. Support for the motion changed on Monday after the July 7 meeting when the motion passed five to four when Councillor Doug Good was absent Mayor Ron Holman called the special council meeting for Monday to gain final support for the motion so staff could pro- ceed with the hiring. "I was glad council decided to proceed. I look forward to additional input from the public even after the meetings. It's impor- tant the people we repre- sent should have a say in how they wish to be repre- sented," he said. "This is a first step in a long process to get where we have total confidence in what we are suggesting is acceptable to the resi- dents as well," said Hol- man who noted the poten- tial of council being peti- tioned for changes. Electors can also make a request for boundary changes with a petition which includes signatures of at least one per cent of electors. Hiring a consultant has been a priority for South Elmsley councillors Jeff Banks and Arie Hoogen- boom who have noted they represent more resi- dents than those of other wards. September 2014 num- bers put the elector count for South Elmsley at 4010 followed by Bastard and Burgess, 3490; South Crosby, 2773; North Cros- Mirror The Review Thursday, July 21, 2016 Serving North Leeds and area since 1893 Vol. 125, No. 29 $1 incl. tax •Continued on page 3 Canada Post Contract No. 40021501 Councillors vote to hire consultant for ward review Balanced budget would require about $500 per household Water and sewer budget faces $161,000 shortfall "In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." Albert Camus Overlooking Lake, Locks & Falls at Jones Falls, Elgin Exceptional Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner 613-359-5500 Reservations Recommended. HOTEL KENNEY Since 1877 Kay Hargreaves, Cathy German and Norma Gorham, all breast cancer survivers, take a ceremonial tee-off at the Golf Fore The Cure tournament last Wednesday at Rideau Lakes Golf and Country Club. They raised $15,000 this year. See page 3 for more. 24 Family Lane, Smiths Falls Hwy. 15 S. & Bay Rd. 613-205-1212 streetmotorsales@cogeco.net streetmotorsales.com Charlie Franklin Sales Representative 2009 Kia Rondo – 6 cyl., 4 dr., well maintained local trade, 178,126kms $6,995 Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin duncan s TV & APPLIANCES Range •Self Clean •Hidden Bake Element •Express-Select® Controls Regular 1099.00 Model #CGEF3030PW $ 899 00 Refrigerator •Smooth White Doors •2 Spillsafe® Glass Shelves •Freezer Shelf Model #CGTR1825SP $ 899 95 Take Both Pieces for $ 1698 00 Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds - Delivery & Set Up Available •Continued on page 3

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