WATER RATE INCREASE HITS DOUBLE DIGITS
REPLACEMENTS WILL COST MILLIONS ;
WATER RATE INCREASE HITS DOUBLE DIGITS CITY'S BACKLOG OF NEEDED REPAIRS, REPLACEMENTS WILL COST MILLIONS
PORT COLBORNE
Port residents will see an 11 per cent increase on their water bills this year, but that's nothing compared to expected rate hikes in years to come.
The proposed budget includes an added $50,000 on both the water and wastewater side of the rate, but it won't come close to bringing the aging infrastructure up to standards. According to Public Sector Accountability Board figures the city has a backlog in the millions of dollars.
PSAB estimates the city has $45 million worth of pipe in the ground. To replace the pipes over the life cycle would cost the city $650,000 annually. But the city has only budgeted $450,000 per year, leaving a backlog of repair and replacement work.
"We should be spending somewhere in the range of $650,000," said Sal Iannello, the city's director of operations. "We have a shortfall of $200,000."
New legislation, which will be in effect by November 2010, will force the city to catch up to its backlog that will have a "substantial" impact on rates in the future.
"By 2010 our investments will have to be doubled to ensure sustainability thanks to new legislation," said Mayor Vance Badawey in an interview. "It's a good direction but the hard part is playing catch up."
Badawey said the city is unfortunate to have a system that has been "neglected."
"We have a system in place that has been neglected," he told council. "There is a reason why the province has put these recommendations in place, and that is so the next generation doesn't inherit the same problem."
In the fall, a watermain on Charlotte Street was replaced. Iannello said that watermain dated back to 1926, and many other pipes in the city are around that age as well.
"We're ahead of the game, but we still have a lot of work to do," the mayor said.
Unaccounted-for water continues to have an impact on the city. A report released last fall estimated the city loses somewhere in the range of 30 per cent of its water, which works out to about $630,000 in lost water each year. Despite two studies focused on finding the areas of water loss, staff have not been able to locate the problem. A new study is underway to locate problem areas, but won't be completed until December.
Iannello said his hope is the study will identify where the unaccounted for water is coming from, and can see the annual loss being cut in half.
The 11.2 per cent increase equates to an added $106 on the average bill in Port Colborne. An average household uses .75 cubic meters of water each day will see its bill jump from $908 to $1,014.
A single user, using only .25 cubic metres of water a day, will see an increase of $80 this year.
Coun. Bea Kenny was concerned that many seniors, who live on a fixed income, will not be able to afford the $80 jump in the water bill.
"It's scary," she said. "Is there any way we can lower this rate?"
Iannello's response was short but to the point.
"Any year council can put zero in the capital budget," he said. "The problem is you are already millions behind in capital funds."
The proposed budget will come before council at its next meeting March 10.
Also topping up the water rates is an $145,000 deficit from 2007 on the wastewater side.
OFFICIAL PLAN UPDATE COMING;
Wainfleet
Wainfleet's planner gave another update regarding Wainfleet's official plan, as well as its secondary plans for the northeast area and the lakeshore.
The report was delivered by Chuck Miller at the Feb. 26 council meeting. He said all three documents need various updates sometime this year to address changes in regional and provincial planning policies.
Out of all the reports Miller addressed, the biggest surprise to the gallery was perhaps Miller's take on the northeast secondary plan. The document, currently in draft status, was met with heavy scrutiny at a public meeting last fall, despite council's claims that the intent was to control recent sporadic residential development in the area.
Originally prepared by then-interim planner Stephen Rivers, along with a steering committee, Miller described the plan as having "significant shortcomings," because land north of the CN railroad tracks in that area was proposed to become estate residential.
Miller said he cannot recommend that to council because regional planning policy specifically states that same land as "good agricultural."
"Obviously, we need to reconcile that," said Miller.
The lakeshore secondary plan, another model for future development, said Miller, will be a trickier initiative to handle properly because of the regional committee work currently underway determining different water and wastewater servicing possibilities in the area.
Therefore, a staff recommendation on the lakeshore secondary plan won't be before council until sometime later this year.
Miller plans to meet with all three advisory committees regarding the township's plans this month. Staff recommendations on the official and northeast secondary plans will be available in the near future.
After the final policies are decided, the next step will be creating request-for-proposals from various consultants. Miller recommended to council that the same consultant be hired for all three plans as a cost-saving initiative.
GROUP STILL SAYING NO TO WATER AND SEWER;
THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE IS TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME.
WITH REGIONAL COMMITTEE WORK ON THE PROPOSED LAKESHORE SERVICING PROJECT UNDERWAY, THE GROUP OF CONCERNED TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS CONTINUES TO STAY FOCUSED IN ITS FIGHT TO KEEP MUNICIPAL SERVICES OUT OF WAINFLEET.
SINCE THE TOWNSHIP AND REGION CLOSED THE DOORS ON ALTERNATIVES LAST FALL, THE COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN MORE SERIOUS STEPS. ITS PLANS TO BECOME A RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION WERE REALIZED RECENTLY WHEN THE GROUP BECAME A CERTIFIED INCORPORATION RECOGNIZED BY THE PROVINCE.
"IN THE FUTURE, IF WE HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF A COURT OR TRIBUNAL OF ANY SORT, AN INCORPORATION WILL HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY THAN JUST A GROUP OF HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE LOBBYING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT," SAID BETTY KONC, CHAIR OF THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT STEP IS AN UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETING ON MARCH 29 AT THE PORT COLBORNE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD TO RATIFY THE INCORPORATION'S BOARD POSITIONS, INCLUDING CHAIR, CO-CHAIR, SECRETARY-TREASURER AND OTHERS.
SO FAR, KONC, ANDREW WATTS, HELEN HOSKIN, SHERRI MAYNE AND BRUCE MINER HAVE STEPPED UP TO BE PART OF THE BOARD. BUT DESPITE HAVING A SOLID EXECUTIVE, THE INCORPORATION STILL MUST CHIP AWAY TO MEET ITS INITIAL BUDGET TARGET OF $25,000.
"I'M SURE IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER," SAID KONC.
THERE ARE ABOUT 150 PAID MEMBERS SO FAR, SHE SAID. THE COMMITTEE HAD A STRONG INITIAL PUSH TO BECOME AN INCORPORATION FOLLOWING THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING LAST FALL, BUT THE BAD WEATHER MADE THE GROUP TAKE A STEP BACK.
STILL, SAID KONC, PROGRESS IS ONGOING AND SPIRITS ARE STILL HIGH.
"IN THE LONG RUN, THIS HOPEFULLY PROVES THAT WE'RE DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING THIS ISSUE AND WILL BE TAKING IT AS FAR AS IT NEEDS TO GO TO BEAT IT," SAID KONC.
OTHER BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING INCLUDE EASIER PROCESSES TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND BUSINESSES AND THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING, SAID KONC. EVEN THE AMERICAN SUMMER RESIDENTS ARE JUMPING ON BOARD.
"WE CONTINUE TO GET MONEY FROM TEXAS, FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GO TO STAY WARM," SHE SAID.
RIDGEWAY RESIDENTS PLEA FOR SOUND PLAN
GOLF COURSE MAY BE TURNED INTO SUBDIVISION;
Fort Erie
Rick Beckett moved to Ridgeway last August to leave big city life behind.
He was attracted to Ridgeway-by-the-Lake for the many amenities offered in the area, such as walking trails, shopping and in particular, golf.
He hasn't looked back until recently, when he learned of a plan to build 54 single homes and 32 townhouses on Ridgeway Shores golf club, which his Sunrise Court home backs on to.
"(The golf course) had a big bearing on us moving forward with the decision (to move to Ridgeway). This was part of the lifestyle being promoted," he told council at Monday's meeting. About 70 concerned residents packed council chambers for a public meeting about the proposed development, which would require the rezoning of the land to accommodate reduced setback and coverage requirements for the townhomes.
Beckett was one of five residents who spoke against the proposal, all of whom expressed a need for a neighbourhood plan before further development proceeds. Last month, council passed an interim control bylaw to withhold new draft plan approvals in the area until staff have time to develop a neighbourhood plan.
Ridgeway and Thunder Bay have seen the brunt of residential development in town over the past year -- about 30 per cent of new homes were built in the area.
Town planner Rino Mostacci has said his department needs the staff reinstated which were cut during last year's budget deliberations in order to complete the neighbourhood plan which sits at about 40 per cent complete.
Beckett said he isn't against development, but cautioned council will be "opening the floodgates" if it allows the development to proceed. "Which one will be next? Bridgewater? Cherry Hill?"
Ridgeway-by-the-Lake Developer Rob Mills, who purchased the golf course land in March 2007, said the homes weren't sold on the premise that the golf course would always remain in tact. Amid boos from the audience, he said buyers were told he had no control over future use of the land and that it may sometime be developed for residential use.
Mike Dorschner, who also lives on Sunrise Court, said property owners in the area are forming an association and are looking into the possible purchase of the land to preserve the greenspace.
"My concern is taking open spaces like parks and golf courses and turning them into subdivisions," he said.
Responding to a suggestion from Coun. Tim Whitfield, council's representative for Ridgeway, Dorschner acceded a neighbourhood plan would provide a level of comfort for residents concerned about the increasing amount of land being cleared and homes springing up.
"A neighbourhood plan is absolutely essential to the future development of the Ridgeway area," said Dorschner.
Staff will consider the resident's comments as part of its recommendation to council, which won't be delivered for several months, said Mostacci.
THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE
IS TAKING IT ONE STEP AT A TIME;
WAINFLEET
WITH REGIONAL COMMITTEE WORK ON THE PROPOSED LAKESHORE SERVICING PROJECT UNDERWAY, THE GROUP OF CONCERNED TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS CONTINUES TO STAY FOCUSED IN ITS FIGHT TO KEEP MUNICIPAL SERVICES OUT OF WAINFLEET.
SINCE THE TOWNSHIP AND REGION CLOSED THE DOORS ON ALTERNATIVES LAST FALL, THE COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN MORE SERIOUS STEPS. ITS PLANS TO BECOME A RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION WERE REALIZED RECENTLY WHEN THE GROUP BECAME A CERTIFIED INCORPORATION RECOGNIZED BY THE PROVINCE.
"IN THE FUTURE, IF WE HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF A COURT OR TRIBUNAL OF ANY SORT, AN INCORPORATION WILL HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY THAN JUST A GROUP OF HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE LOBBYING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT," SAID BETTY KONC, CHAIR OF THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT STEP IS AN UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETING ON MARCH 29 AT THE PORT COLBORNE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD TO RATIFY THE INCORPORATION'S BOARD POSITIONS, INCLUDING CHAIR, CO-CHAIR, SECRETARY-TREASURER AND OTHERS.
SO FAR, KONC, ANDREW WATTS, HELEN HOSKIN, SHERRI MAYNE AND BRUCE MINER HAVE STEPPED UP TO BE PART OF THE BOARD. BUT DESPITE HAVING A SOLID EXECUTIVE, THE INCORPORATION STILL MUST CHIP AWAY TO MEET ITS INITIAL BUDGET TARGET OF $25,000.
"I'M SURE IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER," SAID KONC.
THERE ARE ABOUT 150 PAID MEMBERS SO FAR, SHE SAID. THE COMMITTEE HAD A STRONG INITIAL PUSH TO BECOME AN INCORPORATION FOLLOWING THE LAST PUBLIC MEETING LAST FALL, BUT THE BAD WEATHER MADE THE GROUP TAKE A STEP BACK.
STILL, SAID KONC, PROGRESS IS ONGOING AND SPIRITS ARE STILL HIGH.
"IN THE LONG RUN, THIS HOPEFULLY PROVES THAT WE'RE DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING THIS ISSUE AND WILL BE TAKING IT AS FAR AS IT NEEDS TO GO TO BEAT IT," SAID KONC.
OTHER BENEFITS OF INCORPORATING INCLUDE EASIER PROCESSES TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND BUSINESSES AND THE ABILITY TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING, SAID KONC. EVEN THE AMERICAN SUMMER RESIDENTS ARE JUMPING ON BOARD.
"WE CONTINUE TO GET MONEY FROM TEXAS, FLORIDA AND OTHER PLACES WHERE PEOPLE GO TO STAY WARM," SHE SAID.
HALFWAY THROUGH WATER METER PROGRAM;
WELLAND HAS 6,840 METERS YET TO INSTALL ACROSS THE CITY ;
After two years, the city is slightly more than halfway through its program to install 14,150 water meters in homes throughout Welland.
But with only one year to go before the program is scheduled for completion, and with 6,840 meters yet to install, the city needs to step up its efforts if it's to meet the program deadline, Welland's engineer David Shantz said during Tuesday's city council meeting.
Currently, he said the city's contractor, Neptune Technology Group, is installing an average of about 250 meters a month.
They need to more than double that number if they're to meet the deadline, a goal Shantz said is achievable.
He said the work is on budget so far. Nearly $1.8 million still remains of the $4.2 million in funding originally debenture for the project when it was initiated in the fall of 2005.
But one problem the city will be facing in the coming months, is that most of the remaining properties to be converted to water meters are in older sections of the city.
And because of the age of the infrastructure they'll be dealing with, he said they could run into other problems, such as the deterioration of shut off valves located in the front yards of most homes.
In many cases, those valves no longer function. The city has been replacing the shut off valves as part of the water meter installation process, so far.
But when non-functioning shut-off valves are found in the months head, Shantz said the contractor will instead temporarily freeze service to the properties, install the new water meter, and then restore service.
The non-functioning valves, some buried under a meter and a half of dirt, will still need to be replaced to comply with the Ministry of Environment regulations for municipal drinking water systems.
However, Shantz said the replacement of those shut-off valves can likely be done over a few years, if a phased-in approach is deemed acceptable by the ministry.
Ward 2 Coun. Frank Campion, who first asked city staff to develop the progress report, raised concerns about whether it was the city or the contractor that was determining if the water shut-off valves needed to be replaced.
Although the contractor was initially asked to determine if the shut-off valves functioned, Shantz said city staff have taken over the responsibility about two months ago.
WATER ISSUES
A study planned for 2008 should give Port Colborne a handle on where $600,000 worth of water is leaking into the ground each year.
A second study, cost-shared with the region, will determine where rain and snow is infiltrating the sanitary sewer system, adding greatly to the pollution treatment bill the city receives each year from Niagara Region.
WAINFLEET LOBBYISTS NOW INCORPORATED
THREE YEARS AFTER LAUNCHING A FIGHT AGAINST THE WATER/SEWER PROPOSAL FOR THE LAKESHORE AREA IN WAINFLEET THE COMMUNITY COMMITTEE THAT FORMED IS NOW INCORPORATED.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN CONTINUING THE FIGHT AS IT WILL HOPEFULLY IMPART THE MESSAGE TO BOTH THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AND THE LOCAL COUNCIL THAT WE ARE DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THIS AS FAR AS WE NEED TO TAKE IT TO DEFEAT IT. THIS TYPE OF FIGHT COSTS MONEY, SO IN ORDER TO CONTINUE, WE HAVE SET UP THIS ENTITY AS A RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION WHERE WAINFLEET RESIDENTS CAN BECOME MEMBERS AT $100 PER YEAR.
THE MONEY WILL BE USED OF COURSE TO KEEP THE LAKESHORE RESIDENTS INFORMED OF NOT ONLY WHAT WE ARE DOING BUT WHAT THE REGION AND OR THE TOWNSHIP MIGHT BE DOING ON THIS ISSUE.
IT WILL HELP PAY FOR CONSULTANTS AND LAWYERS IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN NEED OF THEM AS WELL AS FOR THE MUNDANE THINGS LIKE STAMPS, PAPER, PRINTING, ENVELOPES ETC.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL WAINFLEET RESIDENTS TO BECOME MEMBERS AS WE ENVISION THIS RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION TO CONTINUE WELL BEYOND THE TIME THE WATER/SEWER ISSUE HAS BEEN PUT TO BED. ALONG THIS LINE WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC MEETING MARCH 29 AT PORT COLBORNE BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH ON HIGHWAY 3, JUST OUTSIDE OF PORT COLBORNE.
THIS PROPOSED PIPELINE, IF IT DOES BECOME A REALITY WILL AFFECT ALL THE TAXPAYERS NOT ONLY IN THE TOWNSHIP BUT IN THE REGION AS WELL, NOT TO THE DEGREE THE LAKESHORE RESIDENTS WILL BE AFFECTED BUT YOUR TAXES WILL GO UP. SO COME OUT AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD THOUGH US. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL TO SELECT THE FOUR WAINFLEET RESIDENTS TO SIT ON THE NEW PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE LAKESHORE RESIDENTS.
IF THERE IS ANY ONE WHO WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EITHER THE UPCOMING MEETING OR ABOUT THE RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME AT 905-834-1143.
BETTY KONC,PRESIDENT
WAINFLEET WATER/SEWER COMMITTEE INC.
They are listening and know we aren't going away!
Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .
