Pelham’s 2017 Residential Taxes Increase by 2.3%

Two months ago, I wrote about how Council approved our 2017 Operating Budget. Since the Province issued the property tax rate for Educational purposes last week, I can now provide you with an update on the total 2017 residential property tax bill.

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

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) – the Provincial body that sets a value your home and property – re-evaluated and assessed all properties in the Province as of January 1, 2016. While this amount will be used as the value of your home in 2017, MPAC phases in any assessment increases evenly over a four-year period.

Despite the recent double-digit home value increases and seller’s market, the MPAC assessment is to represent your property as of January 1, 2016. Further, the Town re-adjusts the tax rate down to compensate for the average overall increase in residential property values across the Town.

Now that the Region draft-approved the property tax rates and ratios and that the Province set their rate this month, we know that the combined property tax increase for an average residential property (valued at $316,400) in Pelham will be 2.3%.

Please note that this 2.3% is what folks term the “pocket-book” increase – the amount it cost an average residential property owner by adjusting for the average MPAC increase.

How do we measure whether that amount is “affordable” or not?

One independent way to judge whether Pelham’s taxes are “affordable” or not, is to compare them with inflation. For example, the Bank of Canada calculates that, over the last 11 years, inflation increased the value of goods and services by 19.7%. Over the same period, Pelham’s combined taxes for the average residential property in Pelham increased by 20.1% -- only 0.4% above inflation.

And, this 20.1% includes the equivalent of approximately 1.1% (in 2016) to fund the Pelham Community Centre. And, it also includes our annual increases for improved infrastructure – approximately 1.7% over the last three years of this 20.1% was for increased sustainability – supporting new roads, pipes, and other capital improvements.

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 in the Town.

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26 June 2017 Update:
With the Region and the Province making some last policy changes and adjustments for rates and tax ratios, we now know that the combined property tax increase for an average residential property (which is valued at $316,400) in Pelham is 2.0%. Because of those changes, that’s actually a 0.3% decrease from what I reported to you above. Please see new chart and comparisons by clicking here.

No Changes to Cherry Ridge Park

A large group of residents attended our Council meeting last week in anticipation of the discussion about a potential agreement with the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) for partial renovation and joint use of Cherry Ridge Park.

The DSBN is in the process of consolidating the former Pelham Centre School (grades 4-8) and E.W .Farr Memorial School (grades K – 3) to create one, grades K – 8 school at the former E.W. Farr site. The consolidation required classroom additions and renovations including a new gymnasium, a learning commons, parking and bus drop off. This construction is well underway and the Board hopes to open the renovated school this September.

With this expansion, the school’s soccer field was eliminated. In order to leave the natural
topography and existing toboggan area of the school property, the Board approached the Town to enter into a community partnership. They proposed building a soccer field partially on school board property and partially on the public park lands.

Councillors considered this possibility in a report to the June 6, 2016 Committee of the Whole meeting and, on June 20, Council approved the authorization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Town and the DSBN to negotiate an appropriate agreement.

As part of these negotiations, the DSBN proposed a draft redesign for the Park and their lands late last Fall.

At the request from the Town, the Board sent a letter and a survey to immediate neighbours and other Cherry Ridge residents in February. They also surveyed all families of students. As a result, the survey results included comments from both groups making it difficult to determine the comments from the residents of Cherry Ridge.

In March, however, Council received a petition that contained the names and signatures from most Cherry Ridge residents. The document outlined the concerns of neighbours and residents about the soccer field as part of the Park and petitioned Council not to approve the change.

Staff met with and corresponded with DSBN Staff to determine how they would address maintenance, complaints, and abutting neighbour concerns. After much deliberation, Town Staff recommended last week that the Town not proceed with the proposed partnership and the DSBN landscape and construct the soccer field solely on school property.

Applause broke out when Council agreed with the Town Staff recommendation and voted unanimously not to proceed with development of a shared soccer facility at Cherry Ridge Park.

Councillors and I sincerely appreciated the feedback from residents in Cherry Ridge and from across the Town about this issue.

Anchors Aweigh for Ninth Annual Mayor’s Gala

It’s gratifying when people support local charities that improve our community; it’s fun when people get dressed up for a great time. The Annual Mayor’s Gala combines both opportunities!

On Saturday, May 27, 2017, community volunteers will host the Ninth Annual Pelham Mayor’s Gala. This “Sail the Seven Seas” themed gala will “set-sail” from Lookout Point Golf & Country Club at 6:00 PM.

In addition to activities that you might expect on a “swashbuckling” voyage, we will showcase great music, exquisite food, an amazing live auction, and time to mingle and catch-up with other generous “passengers.” No doubt, the event will be a great voyage!

Yet, these festivities have a purpose.

Since 2009 and thanks to the generosity of sponsors, donors, and attendees, the Mayor’s Gala has raised more than $230,000! Proceeds have supported more than 30 not-for-profit community organizations and service clubs that play a vital role in shaping and improving the Town of Pelham. With these funds, the Gala has helped youth and seniors, helped provide special education, supported children and women’s centres, and funded arts, cultural, and sporting initiatives.

The Gala also founded the Pelham Community Fund through the Niagara Community Foundation. Donations toward the fund’s principle may be given from not only the Mayor’s Gala, but also from anyone in the community. As you update your estate plan, for instance, you may want to donate to the Pelham fund – and your gift will assist the community in perpetuity!

The Mayor's Gala Committee is seeking applications from local organizations serving residents of the Town for the proceeds from this year’s Gala. To be eligible, an organization should: provide service/support benefitting residents of Pelham; be registered as a charity with Canada Revenue Agency, a Pelham Service Club or a Pelham based not-for-profit organization; complete and submit a formal application by noon on April 12; and not have received a donation from the Mayor's Gala fundraising campaign in the previous year.

The community generously supports the Pelham Mayor’s Gala. In fact, we are grateful for the many businesses and individuals that continue to support it year-after-year. If you are interested in sponsorship, please check out the website links below.

Finally, a few “boarding passes” are still available and “cabins” are booking quickly. Please call 905-892-2607 ext. 337 to purchase your tickets or see the website for more information.

The Application for Donation Form, sponsorship opportunities, and tickets may be found at www.pelhammayorsgala.ca or via www.pelham.ca.

Our voyage departs on May 27. Anchors aweigh!

Pelham Submission about Regional "Motion"

 The Town of Pelham is taking the opportunity to respond to Regional Councillor Barrick’s motion entitled “Regional Taxpayer Affordability Guidelines” and on the 30 March 2017 Agenda for Regional Council.

Pelham Council and the Town of Pelham take pride in being open and transparent; as such, we are always prepared to answer questions from colleagues and from the public. Therefore, we are pleased to provide this accurate information and firm response to the Motion.

With this memo and the many accompanying documents, we will correct or clarify each of the points expressed in the Motion’s preamble and body with information from source documents. These documents have been filed with the Regional Clerk for inclusion on the agenda tonight.

I am pleased to provide links to the document here. 

The entire document is very large – more than 330 pages and nearly 17mb. Thus, please use the following link for a PDF with bookmarks. 

PDF with Bookmarks:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2EgPD0Bv1qVT3p0a1pwNkZZb00

(Please note: these was a glitch earlier, which has now been resolved. This link is for the entire document.)

Thanks for your interest! D

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Thanks to Tim Denis and CKTB 610AM for inviting me to speak on March 30 about the motion and Pelham's submission to Regional Council. Please click here to hear the conversation.

Despite asking two-times to speak and address the concerns directly during the Regional Council meeting (and make reference to the Town's +330 page submission), I was not allowed to speak and the matter was referred to the June 12 meeting of the Audit Committee.

Here's a media story about that Regional Council meeting: http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2017/03/30/augustyn-accuses-barrick-of-fear-mongering

We have included the report on the agenda for Pelham Town Council on Monday, April 3. It's the same report as above, but you may find it by clicking here.

Another Small Step Toward Niagara Inter-Municipal Transit

Before I write about the long road toward inter-municipal transit in Niagara, I have a question for you…

How excited would you get when friends who own a house and have been living together for five-and-a-half years announce engagement and complete wedding three-months-hence? Are you delighted for the couple, but wonder “what took you so long?” and “what’s going to change in your relationship?”

Last Thursday when Regional Council took another small step toward inter-municipal transit, many asked “What took so long?” and “What’s going to change?”

Niagara Region's public works commissioner Ken Brothers,
Niagara Region's chair Gary Burroughs,
Port Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey,
Grimsby regional councillor Debbie Zimmerman
and St. Catharines regional councillor Tim Rigby
 cutting the ribbon for the official launch
 of Niagara Region Transit, September 2011.
(Photo: D. Draper.)

You may recall that after working on an inter-municipal transit system for a few years, Staff presented a plan in 2010 for the Region to begin operating transit. As a response, the Cities of St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland made a counter-proposal that the Region fund a system that the three services would operate. Regional Council approved this Niagara Region Transit for three years with the intent that if successful, the group could take further steps.

That’s why the first Niagara Regional Transit buses started rolling-along in September 2011 and began making connections between municipalities. The next steps discussion took some effort, and since it was growing and working, the Region extended the pilot for another year.

Then, in May 2015, Regional Council “endorsed in principal creating an inter-municipal transit system in Niagara,” extended the pilot to December 2016, and requested that the three Cities work together to provide options on how best to provide Inter-Municipal Transit. After Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, and Welland approved similar motions, the group began meeting in earnest in January 2016. They hired Dillon Consulting to develop a high-level plan and receive public input and the Region again extended the pilot. Since January 2017, Dillon presented their report – “Niagara Transit Service Delivery & Governance Strategy” – and each of the three City Councils approved it unanimously.

Last week, Regional Council approved the report’s recommendations: endorse (again) the principal of a consolidated transit system; direct staff to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the three major transit providers by the end of 2017; form a Transit Working Group with representation from all 12 Niagara Cities and Towns. Finally, since the Region funded the pilot for five-and-a-half years beyond its “sphere of jurisdiction” in the Ontario Municipal Act, the report recommended a “triple-majority” process to sanction the funding.

So, what will happen in June if the majority of local Councils approve allowing the Region to operate conventional transit? To use an analogy, the transit marriage will become legitimate.

Although a small step, it’s an important one to keep Niagara’s inter-municipal transit path moving forward.

Committed to Urban Boundaries & Preserving Agricultural Lands

It doesn’t happen too often, but occasionally I am the only one to vote for or against something at Regional Council. A couple of weeks ago, for example, I was the only one who opposed promoting development outside existing urban boundaries.

Pelham Town Council remains committed to development inside the existing urban boundaries so that we can protect the environment and agricultural lands outside those areas. We also do this to ensure that existing urban services (like water, sewer, and storm water infrastructure) get used to capacity – instead of continuously adding additional and costly services outside urban areas.

This commitment led Pelham Council to encourage greater protection for the Fonthill Kame. Similarly, we have refused to endorse additional lot creation in the Greenbelt. Further, we continue to protect rural “lots of record” and impose agricultural-only stipulations on remnant parcels so that houses cannot be built on new severed farm lots.

And, while some might be upset with new development inside Pelham’s urban boundaries, Council remains committed to development only on lands in the boundaries that were approved in 2000 (for Fonthill) and 1990 (for Fenwick). We oppose expansions or extensions of the urban areas. (For more information about the "East Fenwick Secondary Plan" please click here. For more information about the "East Fonthill Secondary Plan" please click here.)

Yet, this belief by Pelham Council is not held universally across Niagara.

A perfect example was the March 2 vote over whether to endorse a Regional Staff submission to seek “special policy opportunities” in the rural and agricultural, non-serviced lands along the QEW between Niagara Falls and Fort Erie. (For a copy of the report, please click here.)

You see, after the Province designated a Gateway Zone from Niagara Falls to Fort Erie and a Gateway Centre in Welland / Port Colborne / Thorold, Regional Council developed special incentives to encourage industrial growth. It was these “Gateway Incentives” that helped convince GE Canada to build their new plant in Welland. Further, the incentives helped encourage the Federal Government to designate Niagara as a Foreign Trade Zone to support export related growth.

But, some large, rural property owners informally lobbied Regional Councillors and Staff so that those incentives and servicing might be broadened outside urban areas.

Ironically, those property owners bought cheaper, rural land but now want the benefits of more expensive lands inside urban boundaries. Eventually, they will demand new water, waste water and transportation infrastructure at a time when the Region has an accumulated infrastructure backlog of $545 million just to replace poor and very poor existing pipes and roads! (For a copy of the February 2017 asset presentation to Regional Council, please click here and see pages 26, 28-29.)

Why lobby the Province to add benefits to new areas when it will cost an extra $1,121 per household per year for the next decade just to fix the Region’s existing infrastructure?

Sadly, I was the only one to vote against trying to expand urban boundary development rights in that QEW / Niagara River rural area.

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If you would like to view the discussion at Regional Council, please go to 3:45:00 at the video by clicking here.

Demand Exceeded for Pelham Community Centre!

Last week, Town Council signed 5-year agreements with six major community groups for their use of the new Pelham Community Centre. These binding agreements exceed the Town’s revenue goals for the Centre and confirm the demand for a second arena.

Back: Doug Thomson, Southern Tier Admirals AAA Hockey; Paws, Pelham Junior Hockey Club Mascot; Ben Chambers & Dan Treblay, Welland Raiders Minor Lacrosse Association; Tim Toffolo, Pelham Junior Hockey Club; Brian Bleich & Darren Williams, Pelham Panthers Basketball; Mario Battista  & Todd Major, Pelham Minor Hockey Association.

Front: Mayor Dave Augustyn; Melissa Drulia, Southern Tier Admirals AAA Hockey; Dawn Good & Mandy Engemann, Niagara Centre Skating Club.

Council was thrilled to enter into these partnerships with the Pelham Minor Hockey Association, the Pelham Panthers Basketball Association, the Pelham Jr. B. Hockey Club and the Southern Tier Admirals AAA Hockey. The Town is also excited to welcome the Welland Raiders Minor Lacrosse and the Niagara Centre Skating Club back to Pelham. Now that we have these agreements with major users in place, the Town will work to rent and program the rest of the available time at the facility.

You will recall that a consultant report suggested sustaining demand existed for two ice surfaces. This LeisurePlan report projected 100% prime-time usage of one arena and approximately 70% usage of a second arena and influenced Council’s June 2015 decision to include two arenas in the design of the new Pelham Community Centre. (As you know, the Centre will also feature two gymnasiums, a walking / running track and multi-purpose spaces).

The recently signed agreements with the Town mean that the 1,000-seat Accipiter Arena will have 100% prime-time usage and the Duliban Insurance Arena will have more than 90% prime-time usage. This exceeds estimates from the LeisurePlan report and confirms the need for two arenas.

Before the signing, Brian Bleich, President of Pelham Panthers Basketball Association, said that the facility “can’t happen soon enough” for their 425 athletes from more than 350 Pelham families. He said that “Our agreement with the Town of Pelham guarantees that we can support youth basketball for many years to come” and suggested that the double gymnasiums will be known as the “Home of Champions” and the “Panther’s Den.”

Todd Major, President of Pelham Minor Hockey, reminded Council that their more than 300 Pelham families (representing more than 420 members) have “faced challenges in past years finding ice space.” In the 50th year of Pelham Minor Hockey, Todd said that the new facility will “ensure our programs meet our members’ needs and our Association’s goals.”

The President of the Welland Raiders Minor Lacrosse, Ben Chambers, informed Council that the group also started in Pelham 50 years ago as a Canada Centennial project. He said they were “excited to bring the Raiders back to Pelham” and promised that the club would reinstate the Pelham Raiders name.

I am delighted that these 5-year, binding agreements demonstrate that the Pelham Community Centre will be the place for residents of all ages to gather and enjoy a wide-variety of recreational, social, health and community activities for many, many years!

(To watch the signing of the agreements via the Town's website, please click here.)

4-Year Freeze Means Pelham Rates 20% Lower!

I am thrilled that Council is set to approve the fourth year for a freeze on our residential and commercial water and waste water rates. Because of ongoing efficiencies and innovations, the Town will absorb the Region’s 8.5% waste water increase.

How are we able to freeze rates for the fourth year in a row? And, how do we compare to others in Niagara?

RF Meters Paying Dividends:
Prior to 2010 the Town measured water usage and calculated waste water charges with old gallon and cubic meter odometer-type wheel meters – many from the 1960s and 1970s. Many of the aged-meters counted slowly or were failing/broken. It took two weeks to collect readings. If a system leaked, it could take months to detect.

In 2010, the Town worked with Neptune Technology to replace and upgrade all 4,200 our meters to electronic, RF (Radio Frequency) meters. In addition to leak, backflow, and tamper detection, it only takes 3-4 hours for staff to collect usage data every two months.

Not only does this cost less and give much more accurate billing, but we also automatically notify residents / businesses by phone if there is a leak or other issue with their water service. And, after replacing all the meters, we reduced our water loss from +20% to less than 10%!

Infrastructure Upgrades:
As you know, we have also upgraded significant Town infrastructure over the last number of years. As we reconstructed or improved roads like Haist Street, Pelham Street, and Canboro Road we also replaced old water and sewer pipes. Over the last nine years, we replaced more than 14 kilometers of cast iron water mains, which helped stop costly leaks and reduces the number of breaks and repairs.

Best in Niagara By Far:

I reviewed the most up-to-date rates and calculated the fixed charges and the rates for both water and waste water for Pelham and for the other local municipalities. At $161 for two months (for the average residential use of 50 cubic metres) Pelham leads the pack with the lowest combined water and waste water charges!

Four of our neighbours – Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Thorold, and West Lincoln – are between 19% and 27% more expensive. The others – Fort Erie, Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Colborne, and Welland – are 33% to 79% more expensive!

Council and I are pleased that our investments in innovation and infrastructure save you hundreds of dollars each year and allow us to freeze water and sewer rates for a fourth consecutive year!

4.7% Increase for Pelham Portion of Residential Property Tax

Council recently approved the Town’s 2017 Operating Budget. The new budget translates into an increase of approximately 4.7% (or $69.60) on the Pelham portion of your property tax bill for the average residential property (assessed at $316,400).

Since Pelham’s portion of your property taxes represents roughly 38% of your overall residential tax, we anticipate that the blended rate will be an approximate 2.6% overall increase. Thus, the Town will receive $1,558 of the $4,132 for the average residential property tax bill; the Niagara Region will receive 48% of the total amount and the Province (to fund education) the remaining 14%.

In preparing the operating budget, Council directed Staff to review all expenditures against customer service needs and the Town’s strategic plan.

First, we included an additional $197,827 for a “Sustainability Increase.” As you have noticed through the years, instead of cutting like other Cities / Towns, we continue to improve and maintain the Town’s infrastructure. We do this by increasing the amount we transfer to capital reserves. Thus, 1.8% of the 4.7% overall increase will help improve and sustain infrastructure. (This compares favourably to the 2.7% we added 2016 to capital and the 1.8% extra in 2015.)

Second, we added funds for the Pelham Public Library to open additional hours in the renewed Maple Acre branch. Council agreed with the Library Board and the broader community that the Library needed to increase hours to meet the demand and to better use the new facility—which was officially opened on Friday. The first month of operations showed a huge demand for the new facility over the former branch; every time I was at the Library, it is busy and well used!

Third, after a very successful pilot program, Council agreed to continue offering Pelham Transit. The ridership consistently increased during the Provincially-supported year-and-a-half pilot and many have come to rely on the service. For example, students use the morning and afternoon service to get to and from classes at Niagara College or Brock. Similarly, seniors from local retirement homes use the mid-day service to travel directly to the Fonthill Library, the Shopper’s Plaza, or to the grocery store. In addition, staff will work with Wainfleet and West Lincoln to potentially expand our transit service.

Finally, other increases include utility costs, staffing and benefit costs, and contracted services (like sidewalk snow clearing) so we can maintain expected service levels.

As a result of these and other initiatives, Council approved a net budget increase of $518,544 on a $11,791,264 net budget.

I will write more about your total property tax impact and compare with previous years after Regional Council approves the 2017 rates and ratios later this spring.

For more information about Pelham’s Operating Budget, please check out the Town's website at www.pelham.ca.
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Extra information:
As stated above, we expect the blended increase to be approximately 2.6%. This compares favouably to other municipalities.
Some folks have asked how this compares to inflation. The Bank of Canada has year-over-year inflation to be 2.1%.

Starting Planning for “East Fenwick”

I was a little surprised during our Committee of the Whole meeting last week because the East Fenwick Secondary Plan area is bigger than originally thought.

Last Fall, Town Council identified the preparation of a Secondary Plan for East Fenwick as a priority for 2017. While we set aside funds over the last couple of years to re-start this detailed planning exercise, Staff hadn't been able to get it started until now.

As you will recall, previous Councils expanded the Town's "urban boundaries" – the areas in which one can build houses, stores, and other developments. Since the Town had installed water and sewer services to the former "hamlet" of Fenwick in the early 1980s, the Town’s 1987 Official Plan made Fenwick an Urban Area and added development rights to those lands in 1990.

So, although not currently built-up, the area in which one can develop includes an additional 235 acres (95 hectares) from Cream to Balfour and between Memorial and Welland Roads.

So, what was my surprise? Staff included properties along Sunset Drive, Alder Crescent, and the east-side of Balfour Street as part of this "secondary" planning process. When I asked about it during our meeting, Staff stated that both the Town’s and Region’s Official Plans policies call for all lands inside Urban Boundaries to be serviced (with water and sewers) and that part of the plan needed to include studies to achieve that.

The goals for the Secondary Plan for East Fenwick include: permitting new development compatible with the existing character of Fenwick but also consistent with Provincial, Regional and Local planning legislation; ensuring appropriate capacity of transportation, water, sewer, and storm services; establishing areas for "public space" and protected natural heritage features; establishing design guidelines; providing well-designed areas that prioritize pedestrians; and providing a phasing plan.

Committee approved the proposal that calls for a collaborative community engagement process, including a community charrette, public meetings, open houses, and the use of an internet tool called PlaceSpeak.

If approved at Council next week, Staff will issue a request for proposals for late-March and work could begin as early as April. Staff suggested that the process could then take nine months.

The East Fenwick Secondary Plan will provide the appropriate policy guidance – including protecting key natural features, walkability, and linkages to the historic Downtown – so that this large area might develop and integrate more fully into the Town.

Councillors and I will look forward to working together with the community as the Town develops the East Fenwick Secondary Plan.
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Documents for More Information:

• For the 6 February 2016 Staff report to Committee about East Fenwick, please click here.
• For the Terms of Reference for the Request for Proposals, please click here.
• For a video of the discussion at 6 February 2016 Committee meeting, please click here; discussion starts around 11 minutes, 55 seconds.