Review-Mirror

Electors will be going to the polls in July to elect a councilor to fill the seat left vacant last month after the death of Councillor Doug Good. The dates of the Town- ship of Rideau Lakes elec- tion for the Bastard and South Burgess ward were authorized in a bylaw passed at a special council meeting on Monday. The nomination period opened Tuesday, April 25 and closes on May 31 with a 2 p.m. deadline to submit their nomination papers to the Returning Officer, Township Clerk Mary Ellen Truelove. The by-election will be low cost and low tech with voters attending an advance poll at the town- ship office in Chantry on Saturday, July 8 or on Election Day Friday, July 14. The polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Attendance at the poll will be the only way to cast a ballot. Council chose the more economical paper ballot and polling station option instead of a mail-in ballot which would have incurred the cost of two mail-outs to electors. Eligible voters must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old and a resident of the ward or a non-resi- dent of the township if you or your spouse own or rent property in Ward 1. Residents of the town- ship who live outside of Ward 1 but who own prop- erty there are not eligible to vote in this ward elec- tion. •Continued from page 1 costs incurred when sever- al years of financial state- ments had to be re-audited after the former auditor had lost his public audit- ing licence for those years. The ombudsman's con- cluded his report in rec- ommending professional qualifications for certain roles, management perfor- mance reviews, financial reporting and analysis and Council training. At Monday's meeting, council directed staff to develop a timeline to implement the recommen- dations in full. Mayor Ron Holman expressed some satisfac- tion that the report clari- fied what happened. "It clearly indicates no funds were ever misspent. Rather, funds were spent in excess of those budget- ed on projects that benefit taxpayers," he said. Township of Rideau Lakes councilors voted to raise the municipal por- tion of the tax rate to 3.989 per cent replacing an anticipated 1.85 per cent increase. The additional two per cent will raise an addi- tional $432,000 in rev- enue over 2016 or an additional $16 per $100,000 of property value when combined with the county and edu- cation rates. Earlier this year coun- cil planned for a 1.85 per cent overall increase in their tax rate when it was anticipated there might be an increase in county and education rates. The two per cent increase by the county was cancelled out by a decrease in the education rate leaving those two elements combined, nearly the same as last year. The Counties' limited increase was intended to provide some tax 'room' for lower tier municipali- ties in Leeds Grenville, many of which have had to increase their levies because of rising costs for policing under a new funding formula for OPP policing. The provincial educa- tion rate's drop gives a break to those whose property assessments rose less than the provin- cial average. "We have an infra- structure deficit we haven't been able to fully fund. Here's an opportu- nity to gain a small bit towards addressing that deficit," said CAO Mike Dwyer encouraging councilors to consider the long term consequences of their decision. According to the township's asset manage- ment plan the township needs to invest $4.5 mil- lion in infrastructure. "The province keeps saying we are creating room for you to bring in extra revenue. We are overlooking the opportu- nities they are giving us," said Mayor Ron Holman. This year the province dropped the education rate by 4.7 per cent from $188 to $179 per $100,000 of residential property assessment. Support for the increase was not unani- mous with South Elmsley Councillors Jeff Banks and Arie Hoogenboom and Newboro's Cathy Monck voting against the motion, citing concerns of a bigger tax increase after last year's 17 per cent. Councillors Monck and Banks cited water- front owner frustration. "I hear from a lot of waterfront people - enough is enough we're taxed enough around here," said Banks. "A year ago we said we had to live with 17 per cent, the school board (reduction) saved us again and we didn't look so bad. I kind of like the fact that Rideau lakes tax rates are quite afford- able," said Councillor Arie Hoogenboom. "I certainly haven't heard complaints (about taxes). Folks expect a better quality of infra- structure," said Council- lor Claire Gunnewiek. Mayor Holman sug- gested the additional tax- ation could be included as an extra line item on the tax bill. The tax rates will be set by bylaw at next month's council meeting. The Seeley's Bay Retirement Home got new management last Friday when administration was transferred from Ron Rudd to Universal Care. He turned the business over to his mortgage com- pany Westboro Mortgage Investments LP (West- boro) which has engaged the Maple, Ontario based company to operate the home. The Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) revoked Rudd's license earlier this month after its tribunal cited financial mismanagement. He owes $720,00 to West- boro and another $145,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency for payroll taxes. On Friday Universal Care, made the home's employees into new hires of a newly created num- bered company for which the management company is providing services. "Our role is to support the staff in day to day affairs. Our job is to meet all legal requirements," said Universal Care Presi- dent and CEO Joseph Gulizia. "I personally met with all the residents and explained the wonderful care they are receiving will continue," he said. Gulizia said Westboro's intention will be to sell the home. "Our job is to make sure we are in compli- ance," he said. On Friday, Rudd was preparing to leave the comfortable residence he'd created over 10 years before which began with eight residents and increased to 24 after reno- vations were completed. "It was a dump. Every- thing was stripped right down and put back togeth- er," he said. Rudd had hoped to do further renovations includ- ing adding a second floor to the wing to accommo- date another eight resi- dents and would have had to add a $150,000 sprin- kler system which will become mandatory for retirement homes. He's been happy to be part of the Seeley's Bay community and has appre- ciated people stopping by for visits with the resi- dents. "It makes a big differ- ence for the residents. They get to tell their sto- ries and laugh," he said. "I always get the credit for a great place but really it's the staff. They always go above and beyond tak- ing care of whatever resi- dents need," Rudd said. Staff stays on at Seeley's' Bay home The Review-Mirror April 27, 2017 – 3 Rideau Vista students, including Patrick and Kyle Kudrinko, seen here with customer Betty-Jo MacDougall, decorated brown paper grocery bags for use on Earth Day. Nominations close May 31 Rideau Lakes' by-election July 14 Rideau Lakes increases planned tax increase by 2%, bringing in another $432,000 John H. Kennedy Ltd. Ontario Land Surveyors Kemptville 136 prescott St., p.o. Box 1340 Kemptville, ont. K0G 1J0 ph: 613-258-1717 Fax: 613-258-4475 Consulting Office portland 295 Sheldon rd. portland, ontario K0G 1V0 ph. 613-272-3603 Toll Free Line 1-800-355-9892 Fresh Live Local Bullheads NORRIS' HUNTING & FISHING CENTRE 8877 Cty. Rd. 42, between Westport & Newboro info@norrisfishnhunt.com (613) 273-6462 Westport Area Outdoor Association Open House Saturday, May 6, 2017 , 11am-3pm See our Walleye Jar Hatchery in Operation Westport Fish Hatchery 52 Mountain Road (Cty. Rd. 36) across from Sand Lake Beach FREE BBQ Council to implement all recommendations

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