Pelham Welcomes Wellspring Niagara

On April 7, Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wellspring Niagara to provide a permanent home for a much-needed regional cancer support Centre for Niagara residents.

Following Council’s formal approval of the MOU, we took time during the meeting itself to literally “sign, seal, and deliver” the agreement along with Wellspring Board members and staff.

Wellspring Niagara is a not-for-profit charitable organization that offers free social, emotional, psychological and informational support to people coping with the realities of cancer every day. In 2013, more than 6,800 people attended the +30 programs Wellspring provides. The organization receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations from the community it serves. Every dollar raised in Niagara, stays in Niagara. (To learn more about Wellspring Niagara visit www.wellspringniagara.ca.)

When Wellspring Niagara moved into a 2,000 square-foot plaza in Thorold in 2001, its stay was to be temporary. With Pelham Council’s decision now, 13 years later, the organization has finally found a permanent home.

The MOU provides the framework in which the Town of Pelham will lease up to two acres of land in the East Fonthill area (Rice Road at Regional Road 20) for one-dollar-a-year as long as Wellspring Niagara operates their Niagara Cancer Support Centre there.

Wellspring plans to build up to a 7,000 square-foot facility with room for cancer support programming – including specialized physical programs and cancer rehab, counseling, expressive programs, education programs, a resource lending library, etc. Wellspring hopes to construct a building that looks and feels like a home (instead of an institution).

We understand that the Wellspring Board likes the East Fonthill development because of its central location in the Region, the proximity to natural space (like around a storm-water management pond or parks), to the medical clinic, and to a potential a community centre. (For Wellspring’s presentation to Council, please click here.)

Renewable at twenty year intervals, the land lease will continue indefinitely or until Wellspring ceases to operate the Centre. The MOU outlines how Wellspring will own and operate their building, and will maintain the Town lands, and establishes provisions for fair evaluation of building and land should the lease end. (Review a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), please click here.)

It’s so important for all of Niagara that Wellspring has a new home to continue to provide welcoming and safe supports and encouragement for individuals and families affected by the many challenges that cancer can bring. Council and I are so pleased to partner with Wellspring Niagara by providing the land for their permanent regional home in Pelham!

Fiscally Responsible with Pelham’s Property Taxes

At our March 20 Regional Council meeting, we approved the 2014 Property Tax Rates and Tax Ratios. These rates and ratios apply to all property tax classes across the Region.

What does it mean for Pelham?

Reassessment Year:

As I wrote about last spring, 2013 was a “reassessment” year. That meant that the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – the Provincial body that sets a value your home and property – re-evaluated and assessed all properties in the Province as of January 1, 2012. While this amount will be used as the value of your home in 2016, MPAC phases in any assessment increases evenly over a four-year period. The Town uses that changing assessment value when we calculate your property taxes each year.

Property Tax Calculation:

The amount of property tax you pay to the Town of Pelham, to the Region, and to the Province (for Education) is not only based on the Market Value Assessment of your property; we multiply your assessment by each of the tax rates and add them up for your total bill.

Despite your tax rate being set by each entity for their services, the Town collects the taxes and distributes it appropriately.

2011 to 2014:

When Town Council approved our 2014 Operating Budget in February, we anticipated that the Pelham portion of your property tax bill would increase by 1.5%. Now that the Region has set rates, we know that the combined property tax increase for an average property in Pelham will be 0.9%. We anticipate being the lowest or second lowest again this year.

But, what about over a longer period of time? Let’s compare this term of Council with the last term of Council, and with inflation.

The average increase of property taxes on your combined residential property tax bill for the last four years was 1.5% (total increase 6.0%); for the previous four years – from 2007 to 2010 – it was 1.8% (total increase 7.3%).

Lower than Inflation:

How do we measure whether that is “good” or not? Another important comparator would be inflation. Inflation for the last four-year period was 7.35% or an average of 1.79% per year.

I hope you too are pleased that our residential tax increases have been 1.35% below inflation for the last four years. Please see the chart for more information.

Pelham Council and I continue to direct staff to ensure that we only minimally impact you and other property tax-payers while we increase the level and quality of services to the Town.

Wellspring Niagara, Arena & Multi-Use Facility, Supper Market, Maple Acre

Town Council's meeting on Monday, 7 April 2014 has a big agenda!

Wellspring Niagara:
First, Council is set to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wellspring Niagara to provide a permanent home for a much-needed regional cancer support centre for Niagara residents. The MOU provides the framework in which the Town of Pelham will lease up to two acres of land in the East Fonthill area to Wellspring Niagara for one dollar a year as long as Wellspring operates their Niagara Cancer Support Centre there. Renewable at twenty year intervals, the land lease will continue indefinitely or until Wellspring ceases to operate the centre.

Wellspring Niagara is a not-for-profit charitable organization that offers free social, emotional, psychological and informational support to people coping with the realities of cancer every day. In 2013, more than 6,800 program attendances were registered through the 30 programs Wellspring Niagara provides. The organization receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations from the community it serves. Every dollar raised in Niagara, stays in Niagara. (To learn more about Wellspring Niagara visit www.wellspringniagara.ca.)

We are so pleased to partner with Wellspring Niagara by providing the land for their permanent regional home in Pelham!

To review a presentation about Wellspring, please click here. To read the Memorandum of Understanding, please click here.

Arena & Multi-Purpose Facility:
Second, Council will receive phase two from LeisurePlan about the potential for a new Arena and a Multi-Purpose Community Centre. For a copy of the presentation, please click here; for a copy of the LeisurePlan report, please click here.

Council will consider a motion to convene a public meeting to receive public feedback regarding the report.

Supper Market & Thursday Nights Parking:
Third, Council will be receiving two reports about Thursday nights in Fonthill -- an update report about the Supper Market, and a report with a draft Thursday Night Parking Plan. Please click here for the Supper Market update report and here for the Thursday Night Parking report.

Maple Acre Library:
Finally, a couple of Councillors will be bringing forward a resolution to continue Library Services at the Maple Acre Branch. This has been a topic of much debate for the last year or so. The motion should help ensure that Library Services improve across the Town while maintaining and improving the Maple Acre facility. For a copy of that resolution, please click here.

These are the highlights -- there's even more to the agenda. Should be a great Council meeting.