Water and sewer rates set for coming year

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Judy Backus

EMC News -Marmora - Although the agenda package was thick, the February 7 council meeting moved ahead quickly, concluding in less than an hour.

One of the many reports to be received, was that relating to Central Hastings Public Transit which indicated, as Councillor Linda Bracken pointed out, that Marmora and Lake's ridership had grown by 44.7 per cent over the past year. She went on to say, "It's a wonderful service we have ... our residents are definitely using it and the service is definitely needed."

- Discussion relating to the Sno Fest constitution continued with a motion made to receive it for information. Dave Alester, Sno Fest's Vice Chair, attended the meeting to answer questions and rectify the omission of a word that changed the meaning of a portion of the document.

As a Committee of Council, the organization falls under the municipality's insurance plan, which led to talk of liability. Reeve Terry Clemens noted that his understanding was that all Sno Fest activities came under that umbrella. He suggested a time might come, if the those activities involved something new, or differentthe implication being high riskthe association might have to purchase separate insurance.

As the municipal representative on the board, Councillor Elaine Jones will be keep-ing council apprised of the association's plans and activities.

CAO Ron Chittick said it was his understanding that over the years, the core function of Sno Fest had been to promote and develop the dog races and sponsor passive activities such as the talent show, chili contest and winter ball tournament. He suggested that when it came to events involving an element of risk, that council might like the opportunity to say, "We are not sure about this one. Perhaps this is one where you should be arranging your own insurance."

Deputy-reeve Rita Cimprich suggested that perhaps a clause could be inserted in the constitution saying that council was to be consulted with regard to new activities related to the association.

Alester went on to express appreciation on behalf of the Sno Fest Association for support received from the municipality over the course of the previous weekend. He spoke of help received with preparations for the annual event, saying that municipal staff had been involved with such things as last-minute transporting snow and grooming trails. "The mushers were really quite pleased with the conditions, as it turns out, despite the weather," he said, "and that, to a large extent, goes to the help we got from the municipal staff."

- Council members moved to support a staff recommendation relating to water and sewer rates for the current year, adopting the last of four options included in information presented during a January 31 public meeting. The residential rates will include a fixed monthly charge of $20.13 along with a consumption charge of $1.39 per cubic metre and a sewer surcharge amounting to 94 per cent of the total water charge.

Deputy-reeve Cimprich commented that she had been pleased to see the number of people in attendance at the public meeting, going on to say that the option chosen was a good one for a number of reasons, including the fact that it provided "the lowest rates for the average user."

The option chosen represents a total of 50 per cent based on a fixed rate with the remaining 50 per cent relating to consumption, a scenario which Cimprich said would allow the municipality "to cover our base costs no matter how much water people use."

She also pointed out that there were tips listed on the municipal web site as to how one could conserve water, saying that residents had already done well in that regard since much less water was used in 2011 than had been anticipated.

- Councillor Elaine Jones drew attention to 2011 statistics provided by the library board which showed a total circulation of 21106 representing an increase over the previous year of 48 per cent. Jones referred to it as an "amazing number," going on to thank the library staff "for their hard work and devotion."

- Council moved to support the Quinte Conservation budget which posted an overall increase to the municipality of two per cent or $8,818, plus a levy of $944 relating to Marmora's share of capital projects. The deputy-reeve commended the authority on keeping the increases as low as possible, saying it had not been easy.

- With Canada Day mere months away, the local fireworks fund-raising committee is looking for ways to finance the blast, which last year was valued at $8,000. Members have planned a March 14 Skate A Thon, successfully asking that council waive the usual ice rental fee.

- A request from the Nottawasaga Police Services Board for support of a resolution relating to reinstituting photo radar received the support of council.

During the public input section of the Marmora meeting, John Clancy, a resident of Deloro, spoke to speed issues in that hamlet, noting that while the posted limit was 50, fuel trucks, logging trucks and delivery trucks as well as cars and pickups, could often be seen speeding along O'Brien Street. He asked that there be additional police presence in the area to deal with the problem, the council decision being that Councillor Jones would bring the matter up at the next Community Policing Advisory Committee meeting.