Staff
With work wrapped up on the town’s 2012 budget, treasurer Laurie Witherspoon will explain the entire budget at a public meeting tonight at the Civic Centre.
“Basically, the purpose of the meeting is to explain how the tax dollars are applied, give an update on reserve funds, a recap of what our revenue is and our expenditures, a recap of our tax rates, and what that means for assessment values,” Witherspoon noted Friday.
“Basically, explain about our budget and how we use tax dollars.”
During a budget meeting earlier this month, council voted in favour of a taxation scenario which, among other changes, would see residential taxpayers face a tax levy increase of 2.49 percent.
Witherspoon will show the potential impact of tax levy increases on taxpayers for each class, and whether they go up or down compared to last year.
Clerk Glenn Treftlin confirmed Friday that no one contacted him about making an oral or written submission regarding the budget prior to tonight’s meeting.
But as in past years, the public is encouraged to attend.
Council will not vote to pass the budget until its next regular meeting April 9.
Tonight’s council meeting is scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. It will be preceded by the committee of the whole at 5:30.
Other business on the agenda includes:
•a report re: Private Home Day Care contract provider fee increase;
•a report re: municipal burning bylaw;
•a corporate policy entitled “Town Requirements When Airport Management Structure is Modified”;
•the February, 2012 drinking water systems monthly summary report;
•a recommendation re: a financial request for the 13th-annual “Fly-In, Drive-In BBQ”;
•a recommendation re: a request from the Rainy River District Music Festival Association;
•a report re: 2012 capping parameters for capped properties;
•purchase card expenses for CAO Mark McCaig and Mayor Roy Avis;
•a report on the budget implications of firefighter retiree benefits;
•the 2011 Schedule 22 (compliance) summary report for the town’s drinking water system and 2011-12 MoE “announced /focused” inspection report;
•a presentation from Geoff Gillon, regional economic developer for the Rainy River Future Development Corp., re: activity report for Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2011;
•a report on Ontario Good Roads Conference attended by Mayor Avis, Couns. John Albanese and Rick Wiedenhoeft, and McCaig;
•an application from Rainycrest Auxiliary for a break-open ticket lottery licence at 517 Mowat Ave. (Xtra Cash);
•a zoning by-law amendment application re: File No. 08/98-VV—815 McIrvine Rd.;
•a bylaw to amend the Business Licensing By-Law to provide for accessiblity requirements for taxicab owners/operators;
•an invitation from the Ministry of Transportation’s Public Sector Technical Advisory Committee;
•a resolution from the Town of Penetanguishene re: payment in lieu of taxes for heads and beds;
•a resolution from Town of Halton Hills re: exemption from taxation for the Royal Canadian Legion;
•a resolution passed March 5, 2012 from the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen re: Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program; and
•an invitation from the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association re: BRIDGELIFE 2012 Conference and Expo on April 10-12 in Ottawa.
