Hawkesbury
Reprieve for BIA
to the municipality. The commission also
richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
has a lease with the Centre de services à
protests
H AWKESBURY
l’emploi de Prescott-Russell. The deal on a
piece of land beside Place des Pionniers is in
effect until August 31, 2015.
The Hawkesbury Downtown Business
The fate of the organization has been
Improvement Area Commission has
"obsolete"
sketchy since the fall when Roger Charest
received a reprieve, at least for a few
andMarielleCharleboispresentedapetition
months.
calling for end of the commission. Town
Fourbusinesspeoplehavecomeforward
council did not act on the petition because it
tositasmembersoftheBIAboard,whichfor
police
was not presented in the proper format.
the past two months has consisted of three
InlateDecember,threeBIAdirectorsquit
town council members.
after the town cancelled its $120,000 annual
The future of the organization, which
contribution to the Société de development
wasformedin1985,seemedbleakfollowing
billing
commercial et touristique de Hawkesbury.
a recent meeting where only 15 people
The board of directors also quit and closed
showed up and not one volunteered to fill a
its office at La Maison de l’île. The money
board position. However, after that session,
Richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
had been used to pay the salaries of two
Corey Assaly, Larry Bogue, Jacques Tardif
H AWKESBURY
employees who worked for the Society, the
and Reno Viola, offered to join the board.
BIA and the Chamber of Commerce.
The first functions of the new directors
Denis Charlebois, who was president of
will be to receive the BIA’s 2010 financial
There ought to be a law against an
the society and the BIA, Marcel Laviolette
report and adopt a budget for 2011, says
“obsolete” and “unfair” police billing
and Marc Boucher quit in late December;
Councillor Michel Thibodeau, who
systemthatpenalizestownsthatareforced
Bernadette Blais had stepped down in
represents the town on the commission.
tofoottheentirebillforOntarioProvincial
October. The resignations left Thibodeau as
At the same time, the commission must
Police services.
Photo Richard Mahoney
theonlyBIAboardmember.Withthearrival
alsodealwithastrongmovementtodissolve
Councillor Marc Tourangeau expects that
That is the case Hawkesbury and other
ofthefournewboardmembers,Councillors
the group.
Hawkesbury council members “will not
Ontario municipalities are presenting in
Johanne Portelance and Marc Tourangeau,
AtMonday’scouncilmeeting,Thibodeau
make any friends” with budget cuts.
an effort to reduce their shares of O.P.P.
who had been named by council to help
recommended that the status quo be
Police bills.
Thibodeau form a temporary BIA board,
maintained until at least the BIA’s 2010
Under the Ontario Police Services Act,
Back to the
havewithdrawn. Last year, the commission
auditor’s report was presented. The town
Hawkesbury is required to pay 100 per cent
collected $98,150 in taxes on 172 properties
ought to also levy on BIA members taxes
of the $4 million it will pays this year for
in the downtown area. Members on Main
sufficienttopayoffanyBIAdebts,Thibodeau
servicesprovidedbytheO.P.P.detachment.
Street pay $575 in dues while members in
added.
drawing
However, other municipalities in Prescott
other parts of the zone pay $250.
AsofDecember31,theBIAowed$26,227
County, served by the same detachment,
receive provincial grants to help offset
policing expenses because they fall under a
board
Superintendent
different section of the Act.
“The system is obsolete and should no
richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
longer be applied,” contends Mayor René
of School
Berthiaume.
H AWKESBURY
The billing method is becoming a more
critical issue as costs continue to rise,
Some difficult decisions face
increasing by about 12 per cent in 2011.
Effectiveness
Hawkesbury council members as they try
Thisyear,theO.P.P.isadding$442,000to
to chop proposed spending and avoid a
its bill, which last year was $3.5 million.
newsroom@eap.on.ca
huge tax increase this year.
PoliceprotectioncostHawkesburytaxpayers
“Wearegoingbacktothedrawingboard,”
K EMPTVILLE
about$3.2millionin2009,$2,987,739in2008
Mayor René Berthiaume said during a
and $2,955,148 in 2007.
discussionofthe2011municipalbudgetlast
The price is not negotiable, chief
The Catholic District School Board of
week. Based on the figures presented at that
administrator and treasurer Normand
Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) has appointed
meeting, property taxes would increase by
Beaulieu reminded council during a budget
Charlotte Rouleau to the position of
11 per cent. “There is no way we can accept
discussion last week.
Superintendent of School Effectiveness.
such an increase,” the mayor stated.
Berthiaume notes that the system hits
Rouleau, now the CDSBEO’s Principal of
“We have to make some big cuts” in
hardmunicipalities that once had their own
Curriculum,hasservedasaschoolprincipal
proposed spending in order to avert a large
constabularies.
and teacher in the Catholic school system.
tax hike, added Councillor Marc
"This is
Director of Education WilliamGartland,
Tourangeau.“Wearenotgoingtomakeany
stated,“Mrs.Rouleau’sdiversebackground
friends with these decisions.”
an anomaly."
and wealth of experience has prepared her
Council members want to freeze the tax
Charlotte Rouleau
Since 1999, when the town’s municipal
welltoservetheneedsofourCatholicschool
rate and to limit the tax bill increase to the
NationalIntensiveFrenchNetwork,andthe
force was absorbed by the O.P.P., the
communities.Sheisdedicatedtoservingthe
riseinpropertyvaluesortherateofinflation.
French as a Second Language Provincial
municipality has had a service agreement
studentsandfamiliesoftheCatholicDistrict
This objective is feasible, said chief
Working Committee, among others.
with the provincial force. While that
School Board of Eastern Ontario. I am very
administrator and treasurer Normand
She has been with the CDSBEO and
agreement assures a certain level of service
pleasedtowelcomethisoutstandingCatholic
Beaulieu, if council is prepared to reduce
worked inCatholic education formore than
for the town, it also brings a hefty price tag.
educatortoourSeniorAdministrationteam.”
services.
30 years.
“Thisisananomaly.Itdoesn’tmakesense
As Principal of Curriculum, Rouleau has
Councillor Michel Thibodeau observed
The Catholic District School Board of
thatHawkesburypays100percentofpolice
played a vital role in curriculum
that members needed more details before
EasternOntario operates 40 elementary and
costs while the municipalities next door get
development. Gartland said, “Mrs.
they could make an informed decision. “If
10 secondary schools across eight counties.
grants,” says Berthiaume.
Rouleau’s leadership has been a key
necessary, we will cut,” he said.
Enrolment is about 13,500.
Traditionally, 60 per cent of the calls
componentinthepositiveincreaseinstudent
Council agrees that all possible options
handled by the detachment have come from
achievement. The initiatives she has helped
ought to be explored in the pursuit of higher
Hawkesbury, while the balance originates
to develop and implement are clearly
Dances for Peace
revenues and lower expenses.
from Alfred-Plantagenet, Champlain, East
showing results. This is a testament to Mrs.
The administration has been asked to
nouvelles@eap.on.ca
Hawkesbury and a part of The Nation.
Rouleau and the curriculum team and their
providereportsondifferedrevenues,capital
Bring your dancing shoes to the Arbor
Hawkesbury’s police fees rise
ongoing efforts to achieve success for all
costs and debts. “I need more information
automatically when O.P.P. salaries rise,
students.”
Gallery, 36 Home Avenue, Vankleek Hill,
ontheoverallfinancialsituationofthetown.
observes Berthiaume.
Rouleau brings a wide variety of
March 12 at 7:30 p.m. to take part inDances
I am not at ease with the picture we have
Thetownis joiningothertownsinsimilar
leadership experience to the role. She has
of Universal Peace, led by Pat Kerr.
now and I am not comfortable with the
situations to submit their argument to the
implementedaboard-wideOntarioWriting
Forfurtherinformation,call613-678-5086
proposed tax hike,” said Berthiaume.
province. Glengarry-Prescott-RussellLiberal
Assessmentforteachers,theIntensiveFrench
CouncillorJohannePortelancesuggested
or visit www.vankleekhill.ca/events.
M.P.P.Jean-MarcLalondehasexpressedhis
program in seven schools, and has led
the municipality dip into its reserves.
“Participating in theDances of Universal
support for the lobbying effort, relates
workshops marking an increase in
Whilethereissomewiggleroom,Beaulieu
Peace, a synergy of movement and sacred
Berthiaume. “He had encouraged us to do
collaborative networking and professional
cautionedthatthetownwillstillhavetopay
sound, creates for me hope of peace in a
this,” he remarks.
dialogue.
some large fixed costs.
fractured world, direct meaningful
The association of police boards is
Rouleau has served as a keynote speaker
Forexample,theOntarioProvincialPolice
connection with others and the inspiration
organizing the lobbying campaign. The
onseveraloccasions,discussingcurriculum
is increasing its bill by $442,000, or about 12
of fun in joyful community,” says Kerr.
Association of Municipalities of Ontario is
initiatives and sharing best practices.
percentmorethanthe$3.5millionitcharged
Shewas drawn to and begandancing the
also raising concerns about policing costs.
Rouleau’s commitment to education
last year. “There is little we can do about
Dances of Universal Peace about five years
AsCouncillorAndréChamaillardsaidat
stretchesbeyondthebordersoftheCDSBEO,
that,” he advised council.
ago with a group in Ottawa.
ameetinglastweek,thisisagoodtimetoput
as she continues to serve on regional,
Lastyear,theownerofa$100,000intown
Fortwoyears,shehasbeenanapprentice
pressure on provincial politicians as they
provincial and national committees. She is a
paid $1,887 in taxes, a slight drop from the
prepare for the campaign leading up to the
valued member of the Eastern Ontario
leader with her mentors, dance leaders Bob
$1,911billimposedonthesameresidencein
October 6 provincial elections.
Catholic Curriculum Cooperative, the
and Marlene Neufeld.
2009.
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