Page 8 - October 19, 2017

Page 8 The Independent
Petrolia staff suggest one per cent tax increase
Thursday, October 19, 2017
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policing. The town will pay an estimated $1.003 million to the OPP for policing services in 2018. The budget also includes about $68,000 to deal with the increases to the minimum wage. It’s expect to rise to $14 per hour in 2018.
The town’s quarterly nancial statements show the rst phase was about $54,000 over budget. Charlebois is not sure if there will be federal and provincial grants for the second phase.
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Petrolia’s staff is budgeting for a one per cent tax increase in 2018.
Treasurer Rick Charlebois took four and a half hours Thursday to outline the draft document to councillors.
According to the town’s year end nancial statement in 2016, Petrolia employs 36 full time and 68 part-time employees. It’s not clear if that is the current staff compliment.
The budget shows the Oil Heritage District Community Centre will run a $450,000 de cit in 2018. It will cost $315,770 to provide upkeep
to the town’s parks and recreational venues. Included in that budget according to Director of Facilities Dave Menzies is $10,000 to improve the trail on the north side of Bridgeview Park.
The town expects to bring
in $7.01 million in revenue
this year through taxation and grants. It will spend about $5.137 million on the day-to- day operations of the town, if council approves the budget at its Nov. 27 meeting. The public will get a chance to see the details of the document on Nov. 14 according to Charlebois.
An analysis of the budget shows a total of $2.365 million is budgeted for wages and bene ts in 2018 - 41.7 per cent of the entire budget. That’s
up $141,078 from 2017’s estimates.
Victoria Playhouse Petrolia plans to renovate the box of ce. Of cials say the $40,000 cost will be paid through donations.
The proposed increase would see the municipal taxes on a home assessed at $100,000
go up about $10 in 2018. The Sarnia Lambton Real Estate Board says the average home price is now $263,000 - making the increase about $26.
Councillors wages will also go up slightly - at the same rate as the staff increase which is 1.75 per cent in 2018 according to the treasurer.
The town is also planning
to spend $50,000 to install an electronic sign surrounded by a sidewalk in Victoria Park. There is also plans to spend $10,000 on the hall’s bar and lobby,
and $15,000 on new recycling/ garbage bins at Victoria Hall.
The draft budget shows $1.41 million of that will
go to the administration of town including staff salaries, insurance, legal costs and the cost associated with Victoria Hall.
Charlebois says the town plans to spend $1.612 million on capital with about $1.3 million coming from the current years revenue. The rest will be covered by donations, reserves or borrowing.
The town has also budgeted $64,800 to replace the re department’s radio system.
Public works will spend $1.247 million on salaries, roads, winter control, waste collection and street lights.
The treasurer has also set aside $60,000 for composting adding council has to set direction for what service is needed.
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Public works will spend the lion’s share with $500,000 set aside on road repairs, $25,000 for sidewalk replacement, $30,000 for consulting and $706,000 in the budget for the second phase of the Florence, Kerby and Egan reconstruction.
There are plans to purchase a wood chipper to shred tree branches at the road side.
Space provided through a partnership between industry and Ontario municipalities to support waste diversion programs.
Town of PlympMtounn-Wicyipoamlitnyg logo www.plympton-wyoming.com 519-845-3939
The other big ticket item is
Napper wants a deputy mayor in PW
The Independent Staff
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Everything old may be new again in Plympton- Wyoming.
when council voted to elim- inate the position.
ming wasn’t represented for months at the county level. The mayor represents coun- cil there normally.
Mayor Lonny Napper says he wants a deputy mayor to be elected in the 2018 muni- cipal election.
Napper says it would be helpful to have one person to designate some of the work to instead of asking councillors to pitch in.
Staff will look into the issue and report back quick- ly. CAO Carolyn Tripp says it is possible to work out the details in time for the next election which will be Octo-
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The municipality had a deputy mayor until 2014,
He added if the mayor “ex-
pires” while in of ce, there
has been instances in the
past where Plympton-Wyo- ber 2018.
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provided an update on the foundation’s progress and issued an invitation to attend the agency’s grand opening and community barbecue
adds, that the London Road facility is open to all ages.
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“We’ve had people and family members from ages eight to 64 reach out to us through Facebook and other means,” Ingles says. Ingles sees the Lambton County centre as a beginning. She hopes to open another 10 resource centres in Ontario, and take the Deker Bauer Foundation across Canada. Plans for a mobile-style suicide prevention outreach are also in the works. Fundraising for the effort has been extensive, however Ingles would not say what had been raised so far.
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The of cial opening of the Deker Bauer Foundation for Suicide Prevention
is bittersweet for Teresa Ingles.
to be held Sunday, Oct. 22 from 1-5 p.m.
Ingles, an Oil Springs native, is the mother of Deker Bauer, who took his own life in August 2014 at age 17.
The new resource centre is located in the Central Baptist Church manse at 385 London Road in Sarnia.
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Since then, she has channeled her grief into working towards bolstering local suicide prevention services and resources.
Ingles stresses the centre can help bridge the void created when government agencies and mental health services are closed for the day.
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“All his (Deker’s) friends say that he would be very proud of me,” Ingles says of her efforts, adding
“We know there’s a gap when services aren’t open at nights or on weekends,” Ingles explains.
The foundation received a $20,000 startup grant from Lambton County.
that while founding the charitable foundation has been positive, it doesn’t take away the hurt.
According to Ingles,
the new facility will not duplicate existing services being offered and will serve to provide resources and point of contact.
The centre has two part- time employees who are paid through grants and fundraising. Central Baptist donates the space.
At the Oct. 10 Petrolia council meeting, Ingles
It’s important to note, she
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