Early Capital Budget Invests in Pelham

It’s not only the earliest for Pelham ever, it’s also the first across the Region.

You see, Pelham Council adopted your 2009 Capital Budget on Monday, December 1st – two weeks ahead of last year’s approval. Because we are ahead of the game, I hope the Town will save thousands of dollars on early tendering.

As you may know, a capital budget plans for the acquisition or rehabilitation of major infrastructure and equipment that have a long life. Such capital assets include municipal buildings, arenas, trucks and vehicles, roads and sidewalks, and water/sewerage pipes.

(The operating budget provides for the “day-to-day” expenditures such as salaries, wages, benefits, heat, hydro, and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure.)

So how will your money be invested?

Your $5.4 million Capital Budget will fund many improvements, such as:
• Pelham’s share of the revitalization of Fonthill’s and Fenwick’s Downtowns (if we receive joint “Building Canada” funding from the Federal and Provincial governments);
• Road reconstruction on Station Street (Hwy #20 to Town Square), Effingham Road (Canboro to Pancake and Oille to Pelham Road), Chantler Road (Balfour to railroad crossing), Foss Road (Victoria Ave. to Farr), Metler Road (Balfour to Maple), and Church Street (Canboro to Foss);
• Traffic light installation at Port Robinson and Pelham Street (which is expected to be justified in a traffic study);
• Sidewalk installation and driveway repairs at Fonthill Fire Station #1;
• Fonthill Stormwater Master Servicing Plan to determine drainage needs in an area bounded from Station, to Port Robinson, to Highland, to Shorthills Place.
• Park enhancements such as the construction of two junior soccer fields in Centennial Park, playground equipment in Harold Black Park, and playground equipment and multi-purpose court resurfacing in North Pelham Park;
• Vehicle replacements such as the 20-year-old one-ton utility truck, the 17-year-old five-ton dump truck, and the 21-year-old backhoe;
• Fonthill Library Branch renovations like flooring, lighting, and shelving.

Finally, despite all the talk over the last number of years about replacing Firehall #2, the Maple Acre Library, and the Pelham Arena, would you believe that no money has ever been set aside for them?

Well, another first then!

This capital budget sets aside funds in 2009 for a new firehall, and establishes funding plans for a new library branch in 2010 and a new Arena in 2011.

Your 2009 Capital Budget provides a responsible, well-planned, and future-focused investment in Pelham.

Investing in Infrastructure and the Economy

As a recession looms, I have been concentrating on what the Town and the Region can do to help the local economy.

After Canada’s prolonged period of general economic expansion, we must look to history to navigate our way out of the crisis.

The Great Depression, for example, offers some striking lessons. Various governments made the depression worse in four main ways:
1) Allowing a rapid contraction of the banking system (by not freeing up credit);
2) Allowing deflation (falling prices);
3) Enacting protectionist policies (by raising tariffs and other impediments to trade);
4) Balancing the books at all costs (by increasing taxes and curtailing government spending);

Thankfully, our National and Provincial leaders appear to have learned the lessons. And, municipal leaders must follow suit.

According to their website, the Bank of Canada has “acted swiftly to ensure that adequate liquidity is available to institutions within our borders.” The National Government has also increased the amount of insured mortgages that it will buy from financial institutions, thus increasing the available credit.

Now, after several years of surpluses, both the Premier and the Prime Minister have signaled that their Governments may faces deficits for 2008-09. And, while both have made moves to cut some discretionary spending, both have also reiterated the need to continue with longer-term investments – like on infrastructure.

So, what can municipal governments do to help the local economy? Should the Town and the Region stop investing in infrastructure and let roads and bridges deteriorate? Should we liquidate any reserves and give it back to you and other property tax payers?

No.

Instead we need to moderate taxes while accelerating investments in much-needed infrastructure. As a recent Federation of Canadian Municipalities study uncovered, a “$2-billion tax reduction would produce fewer jobs and a lower economic stimulus than $1 billion dollars spent upgrading roads, bridges and water mains.” Second, in a recessionary market, we can expect lower costs and better value for your money.

That’s why I’ve been pushing so hard at the Region to move projects that were budgeted and taxed in previous years to tender as quickly as possible. (In fact, I am on a small sub-committee to accelerate capital works.) And, that’s why the Town is continuing to focus on the Build Canada grant – to secure Federal and Provincial funds that pays 66¢ of every dollar invested in Pelham to help build a stronger community for today and for the future.

Appreciating Volunteers

Last week, I had the honour of being asked by a highly-respected Pelham resident to consider joining the Board of a long-standing and significant Niagara arts group.

I phrase it that way, because the individual that was inviting me to the Board knows about volunteering. She knows that volunteering is a conscious choice. She knows that to join a Board (in this case) is a choice that one must make given all other commitments and engagements in one’s life.

Wouldn’t you say it’s the same with all types of volunteerism?

All volunteers make a conscious choice to give of their time and of their talents to improve some part of our community or our region for the benefit of others.

Sometimes we don’t think of it that way. Sometimes we feel that we must volunteer or maybe our kids won’t have a coach. We might feel forced to volunteer.

But, in reality, if you are the one stepping up to the plate and volunteering, it is your conscience choice to act – to make that commitment.

I believe that all acts of volunteerism are sacred acts. Volunteers give of themselves, without any personal benefit, to help another person or to make community a better place.

This goes for the many coaches and conveners of the various sports in Pelham and for members of the Town’s outstanding Service Clubs. It’s the same with the specially appointed members of Town Committees like those that volunteer on the Library Board, the Active Transportation Committee, the Downtown Beautification Committee, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and the Pelham Community Policing Committee.

The same commitment is given with more community based endeavours like the Farmer’s Market Committee, the Bandshell Committee, the Pelham Art Festival committee, the Pelham Horticultural Society, the Communities In Bloom committee, and the hundreds of other volunteers in our community.

In this way, I am very pleased that tonight is Pelham’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation. It is extremely important to honour and thank the hundreds of volunteers that work to make our community better.

On your behalf, this evening I will offer special thanks to the hundreds of volunteers in our Town who work tirelessly to build and improve our community. I will thank them for their vision of a better community, their dedication to acting on that vision, and their generosity of sharing their time, talents, and treasures for the benefit of others.

Next time you get a chance, I encourage you to thank a volunteer.

Revitalizing Our Downtowns

Will you help promote the Town’s multi-million application to the Federal and Provincial Governments to revitalize Pelham’s downtowns? Will you also help finalize the Community Improvement Plan for our downtowns?

You see, the Federal and Provincial governments recently agreed to jointly fund an infrastructure improvement program called Build Canada.

In October, Town Council directed staff to prepare a Build Canada application for the revitalization of the Fonthill and Fenwick downtown cores.

Why our downtowns? Well, according to a 2007 Regional telephone survey, when asked “What areas in your city or town do you think need development/ growth?” nearly 50% of Pelham residents said “urban areas / downtowns.” In addition, it’s the municipal project that best fits the application.

Based on a 2002 Beautification Plan, Pelham’s $7.1 million project would include a series of major infrastructure developments: water, waste-water, and storm-water improvements of nearly $1.5 million; burying of hydro cables for $2.25 million; road work of $1.5 million; and proper streetscaping – accommodation for pedestrians and cyclists, better parking, brickwork, decorative lampposts, benches and planters – of nearly $0.5 million. (There’s another nearly $1.5 million for the environmental assessment, engineering, and contingencies.)

If successful, the Town will receive $4.76 million in funding from the Federal and Provincial governments. The balance of the funding would come from the Town’s various reserves and reserve funds, and long-term debt.

I assure you that our senior staff is developing an excellent application. But, because this could make such a major improvement for Pelham, and because Pelham has never received any significant Federal or Provincial funding, we are also organizing a significant lobby effort.

We have already spoken to Ontario Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman, MP Dean Allison, and MPP Tim Hudak. The Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce endorses the proposal and hopefully the Pelham Business Association will do the same. I know of a number of individual businesses that offered to send letters of support.

Therefore, we are inviting you and your neighbours to send a letter of support for this exciting proposal. How? Please check out the Town’s website at www.pelham.ca for more about Pelham’s application and contact information for the Federal and Provincial decision-makers.

Finally, the Town’s consultant is in the final stages of developing recommendations for incentives (like a façade improvement fund) and tax-increment financing to assist downtown land-owners to improve their properties. The consultant will host a public meeting on Monday, November 24 from 7:00 PM at Pelham Station #1, 177 Highway #20 West, Fonthill. I hope you can join us.

Veteran's Park Dedication Address

Today, we remember those brave men and women who have served, and who continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict, and peace.
 
We honour those valiant men and women for their courage, their commitment, and their devotion to Canada.
 
They willingly gave of their lives and their futures –- so that we might live in peace.
 
How fitting, on this the 90th Anniversary of the end of the First World War, that we dedicate this Veteran’s Park to them and to their memory.
 
How fitting that we stand on their bricks -- stand on their names -- just as our society stands upon the freedoms for which they fought.
 
Our veterans did more than “stand on guard” for these principles, they sacrificed for them; they sacrificed for us.
 
And, so, we dedicate this beautiful Pelham Veteran’s Park, in their honour.
 
Their names, their sacrifices, are engraved here for us to see.  May they also be engraved in our minds and on our hearts.
 
As a result, let us be thankful.  Let us rededicate ourselves to peace.  And let us never forget.

Join Us At Pelham’s Remembrance Day

As you know from people donning the familiar poppy, Remembrance Day is almost upon us.

This Remembrance Day will be a very special occasion in Pelham. Not only will it be the 90th Anniversary of the end of the First World War, but the Veteran’s Park will be officially dedicated at the cenotaph.

In fact, nearly 600 veterans, families, individuals, schools, businesses, and service clubs have purchased and engraved bricks from the Pelham Veteran's Park committee and donated $120,000 to beautify the cenotaph.

More than 340 Veterans 12"X12" bricks have been purchased and engraved with the Veteran's name, rank, branch of service, and the words “Lest We Forget” with a red poppy. More than 200 Citizens 6"X12" bricks have been purchased and engraved with a citizen's or family’s name. And, more than 40 corporate 12"X12" bricks have been purchased and engraved with the business’s logo. There are other donors of $1,000 or more, each “purchasing” a bench, a light post, a war marker, the flag pole, a sign, or shrubbery.

A new flag pole, accent lights, a decorative fence, and a specially engraved sign have all been installed. The park includes distinctive markers for World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Peacekeeping Missions, and Afghanistan. All the work was designed and completed by DeKorte Landscaping.

The official dedication of the Veteran’s Park will occur immediately after the Legion’s Remembrance Day service at 11:00 on November 11 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Fonthill.

The dedication will feature greetings by the Veteran’s Park Chair, Gerry Berkhout, and an explanation of the park’s vision by Jack DeKorte. Because of the importance of the park’s dedication, Dean Allison, MP, Tim Hudak, MPP, and Peter Partington, Regional Chair will each participate. Chair Partington will present a special sign to mark the section of Regional Road #20 from Rice Road to Station Street as “Veteran’s Way.” I, too, will speak on behalf of you and other Pelham residents about the importance of Remembrance Day and the park.

In addition, Jeff Brazeau, a Canadian soldier stationed in Afghanistan, will provide a current perspective. Then, the St. Ann School Choir will sing “There Is A Place.” Finally, Don Cotter, President of the Legion, and other dignitaries will officially dedicate Veteran’s Park.

More than ever, this year’s service will be a very important and moving dedication to honour the service and sacrifice of our Veterans. I hope you will be able to join us on Remembrance Day.

Assessment Only Half the Picture

Starting next week, MPAC – the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – will mail you and every other property owner in Niagara a new property assessment notice.

Updated for the first time since 2005, your notice will outline MPAC’s determination of the market value of your property as of January 1, 2008.

MPAC considers many factors when assessing property values, such as the sale prices of comparable properties in your neighbourhood, and the age, location, and size of your property and home. In essence, MPAC bases the value on the amount your property could have sold for on the open market.

Because of changes the Province made last year, your assessment will remain the same for the next four years. However, if the value of your property increases, that increase will be phased in over the four years; if the value goes down, you will immediately see a reduction.

For example, if the value of your home increased by $20,000 over its current assessment, the value for determining your property tax will increase by $5,000 per year over the next four years.

If the value of your home goes up, does that mean that your property taxes will also go up?

No, not necessarily. Market Value Assessment is only one half of the property tax equation. The amount you pay to the Town of Pelham, to the Region, and for Education is based on the Market Value Assessment of your home multiplied by the three tax rates and added together.

Say the Town budgeted for $10 million from property taxes in 2009. If all assessments double, the Town would cut the tax rate in half to collect that $10 million. If everyone’s assessments went down, we would increase the rate to collect the same $10 million.

But, what if your assessed value increases more than the average?

The property tax system is a bit of a blunt instrument. Municipalities set the tax rate based on the average assessment for each of the tax classes – residential, multi-residential, commercial, industrial, farm/managed forest, pipelines.

If your assessed value increases more than the average you will likely pay more than average. By the same token, if your assessed value increases less than the average, you will likely pay less tax.

The Town will be organizing open house sessions with MPAC so you and your neighbours can ask any and all questions after you receive your new Market Value Assessment notice.

You Deserve Better from Police Brass

Did you hear about how Regional Council turned away the contingent of Niagara Regional Police senior staff and Board members who appeared at Regional headquarters intending to speak to Council about their new facilities?

You see, the Chief of Police, the Chair of the NRPS Board’s Facilities Committee, the Chief Administrative Officer, and several others came to the Regional Council Chambers last Thursday. They were there because they wanted to make a presentation about the NRPS Board’s facilities recommendations.

It was to be dealt with behind closed doors for two main reasons: first, because the Police requested it be confidential under the Police Act; and, second, because was to deal with the "proposed acquisition or disposition of land" by the Region. (These are some of the legal reasons for a Council to go "in camera" – or behind closed doors: to uphold confidentially requirements under another act; and to stop land speculation if specific properties are to be discussed.)

But, instead of hearing Police representatives and debating the recommendations in their letter, I made the motion to refer the entire matter to a special committee. My motion passed quickly.

Why, you ask?

You may recall that in my June 4th column I wrote about the joint committee and the "soap opera" that was developing because of its formation.

You see, the Police Board contended that they alone must safeguard and oversee all elements of "policing standards" throughout the Region.

But, that’s not all there is to constructing new and better digs for our Police Service. Regional Council must ensure that any facilities are both financially sustainable and properly planned and located.

Well, as you may know, since the spring the Region and the Police have taken great pains resolve the dispute and to establish a special joint committee. Called the Police Long Term Accommodation Committee, this working group is charged with overseeing all processes related to Police facilities including financing, planning, design and construction.

Then, last week, the Police Board tried to come directly to Regional Council and bypass the joint committee process.

So, Regional Council sent the Police brass and board members to the joint committee where they should have gone in the first place.

Quite frankly, I believe you and all Niagara’s citizens deserve better from the Police Services Top Brass.

As I wrote in my June 4 column, "Sadly, this dispute keeps us from the real task at hand – service and protection."

How should we spend your money?

Do you have a suggestion on how the Town should spend your money?

You and your friends and neighbours are invited to give Council your suggestions at a public meeting on Monday, October 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Pelham Town Hall, Pelham Town Square, Fonthill.

This Council first started a pre-budget consultation for the 2007 Budget. For your 2008 Budget, we got a jump on it early and had a special meeting in late-October of 2007.

Following Council deliberations, I am pleased that we were able to follow-through on most of the suggestions by your friends and neighbours during these sessions.

I am very excited that we are undertaking this consultation process again. It is so important to hear directly from you about your needs, wants, and ideas. Our Town improves when more and more people become involved in its success!

Council recently adopted this budget schedule:
- Draft Capital Budget Available to the Public – November 21;
- Draft Capital Budget Presented to Committee – November 24;
- Council Approve Capital Budget – December 1;
- Draft Operating, Water & Sewer Budgets to Committee – February 9, 2009;
- Council Approve Operating, Water & Sewer Budgets – February 17.

We are beginning the process early again this year. Why? Not only to allow staff to better plan the works and work their plans, but also so that we can get better pricing on projects we tender ahead of other Towns and Cities. Last year’s early tenders saved us hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars and we want to do the same again this year!

So, now it is your chance to offer suggestions in any of our Town’s many service areas: Fire Protection & Prevention, Building & By-law Enforcement, Animal Control, Roads & Sidewalks, Water & Sewers, Winter Control, Planning Services, Library Services, and Parks & Community Services.

For background budget information, please call the Clerk at 905-892-2607 or go to www.pelham.ca. If you would like to make a presentation at the meeting, you are encouraged to provide a copy to the Clerk and to keep your time to a maximum of 10 minutes so that we can hear from as many as possible. You can also provide written comments c/o Town Clerk, 20 Pelham Town Square, P.O. Box 400, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 or by email to ourbudget@pelham.ca.

I hope to hear from you and I look forward to discussing your ideas so that we can build a better future for our Town together.

Bumps in the Highway #20 Reconstruction

So, if you’ve been travelling Highway #20 lately, you know that it’s in rough shape. When will it be fixed, you ask?

Well, this has been a topic of discussion during the last few Pelham Council meetings. Since the Region owns and maintains the former Provincial highway, I too have been trying to get answers during recent Regional committee meetings.

You see, the work on the road will actually be considerable. Not only does the road need to be reconstructed because of wear and tear by the 20,000 vehicles that travel it daily, it also needs realignment and widening in some places. The realignment will help at intersections like Cataract Road (in Thorold) to make them safer; they are also planning to install a traffic light at that intersection.

This work has been budgeted for a few years. During the fall of 2007, the Region had hoped to start Phase One – from Rice Road to Cataract Road – in spring 2008. Obviously that didn’t happen.

This past spring, we heard they were hoping to start in the fall.

Then, on September 18th Pelham staff were notified that construction would not begin until next spring. That would delay Phase Two – from Cataract Road to Highway 406 to the fall of 2009 at the earliest. The final piece – Phase Three from Station Street to Rice Road – wouldn’t be started until 2010.

As soon at I heard the news, I sent a letter to the Regional Chair, demanding action.

In addition to outlining safety concerns and the terrible state of the road, I also informed him that several Regional Road #20 businesses are holding up improvements in landscaping or building renovations until after the reconstruction. I also let him know that the Town is delaying its significant upgrades and improvements to Port Robinson Road and Station Street because it would be foolish to start before (or during) the reconstruction of the Regional Road.

Chair Partington responded immediately.

The hold-up? Difficulties in “acquiring several parcels of land which are required before actual construction can commence.” The Region has been successful in attaining settlements with most owners, however “a couple of property negotiations have been particularly frustrating and time consuming.” I understand that the Region may have to resort to expropriation to acquire the last few properties.

Chair Partington assured me that the Region will do “everything it can to expedite the completion of these critical road improvements.”

Rest assured that I will keep pressuring the Region for timely action along this bumpy road.