The county agenda: Buildings, trails and roads gŏđŏ editionap.ca
County levy increases Ratepayers will pay about $1 million more in taxes towards the united coun- ties of Prescott-Russell in 2013, despite a freeze in the counties tax rate. Because of an increase in overall prop- erty values, an average of about four per cent next year, the total requisition on the eight municipalities will increase to $37,445,000, or $1,139,050 more than the 2012 levy. The total budget has been set at $86,621,600, compared to last year’s bud- get of $85,730,700. The taxes imposed on local ratepayers account for about 42 per cent of the total county revenues. Major expenses next year will be social services ($32 million), public works ($15 million), Prescott-Russell Residence ($14.5 million) and emergency services ($12 mil- lion). Rapid commercial development in both municipalities has created greater congestion on the important artery. Work must be carried out on the strip located between Highway 34 and the East Hawkesbury Township boundary, he contended. “There is not a lot of money floating around”
complete. Concerning the location of new facilities, Barton wondered: “Do we want one in the east and one in the west? Can we afford two residences?” While the official home for the aged, the Residence, is located in Hawkesbury, the counties support the Centre d’accueil Roger Séguin in Clarence Creek. The current arrangement makes sense, he allowed. “People want to stay close to home.” Parisien commented: “We are in the planning stages now.” However, he stressed, “We need to focus on regional development if we want to sustain or promote growth.” The trail A clear path ought to be defined for the development of the recreational trail, observed Barton. While considered a key to tourism, the trail “is used on a local level; it does not attract people to follow it from end to end,” he said. A gravel surface, the type found on most of the path, “is not fun when you have an expensive bike.” “Major issue” A potentially controversial move would be the push to develop the trail along the Ottawa River. “Acquiring private land will be a major issue,” cautioned the veteran mayor. County Road 17 Eventually, the counties must take action to improve a section of County Road 17 south of Hawkesbury at the intersections of Cameron and Tupper Streets, Barton said. “I am shaking my head over the development
RICHARD MAHONEY richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
L’ORIGNAL | Buildings, trails and roads are just some of the items that comprise the “Things To Do” list that must be han- dled by Prescott-Russell united counties council in the coming year. When Hawkesbury Mayor René Berthiaume succeeds The Nation Mayor François St-Amour as Prescott-Russell warden December 18, the eight-mayor council must also draw up a list of priorities, suggested Champlain Township Mayor Gary Barton at a recent session. Municipalities continue to struggle to find money for infrastructure improvements, he noted. “Infrastructure is a problem for everyone, but there is not a lot of money floating around,” he pointed out. “We need to decide where we’re going and where we’re spending our money.” Council members concur that the regional government ought to build reserves for the public works department and a new Prescott-Russell Residence. Chief administrator Stéphane Parisien added that the counties would also have to decide whether to build an addition to the administrative headquarters in L’Orignal. An expansion would enable the counties to consolidate all operations. As for a new home for the aged, this project would take five to ten years to
Photo Richard Mahoney
Gary Barton
in that area,”Barton commented in reference to the highway that forms a border between Hawkesbury and Champlain.
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