Cornwall_2012_04_04

Pleas for city tax freeze fall on deaf ears

By Greg Kielec The average city resident will pay $35.68 more on their tax bill this year. The figure is a result of a 1.5 per cent tax increase arrived at by Cornwall city council after a marathon three-hour budget meet- ing at city hall last Wednesday evening. Administration had proposed a two per cent tax increase in a $145 million budget after months of committee meetings and cuts to various departments. But for many councillors, two per cent was simply too much. A push for a tax freeze by Councillor Andre Rivette, and a road map from Coun- cillor Leslie O’Shaughnessy show how council could reach the elusive “zero” number was shot down by the majority of council members. But a majority of council members were able to push through a half per cent cut by using $258,000 more of last year’s surplus to offset this year’s tax increase. The pro- posal by Councillor Glen Grant reduced this year’s tax hike to 1.5 per cent. A subsequent attempt by O’Shaughessy to reduce the tax hike even more by con- tributing cash from the anticipated sale of the former Si Miller Arena land was voted down by a majority of council. O’Shaugh- Rivette motion for ‘zero’ budget voted down at special council meeting

think our external auditors will also advise that that low.” Councillor Elaine MacDonald said taxes “get a bad rap” as she railed against seek- ing further budget cuts. “Every time I hear zero per cent tax increase I shudder,” she said. “We have to start thinking of the taxes being the relief.” Rivette was supported by O’Shaughnessy, Councillor Maurice Dupelle and Council- lor David Murphy, but they were outvoted the remaining councillors and Mayor Bob Kilger. But the tables were able to push through Grant’s motion to use surplus funds to achieve a 1.5 per cent tax hike. A cost-cutting measure introduced by Thibault at the end of the meeting also failed to gain traction. Thibault was de- rided by a number of council members for proposing councillors take a five per cent pay cut. O’Shaughnessy said a five per cent coun- cillor pay cut “is peanuts … and that’s not even a gesture. For me to agree to some- thing like this is ludicrous.” Rivette said the proposed cut is “unac- ceptable” and Grant panned the gesture as “tokenism”, and both councillors Denis Carr and Syd Gardiner said they would not support the move. MacDonald said it individual councillors want to give up their council salary, she en- courages them to donate to a charity of their choice or even donate it back to the city. Follow @gkielec on Twitter. For breaking news, go to www.editionap.ca and click on The Journal. Email greg.kielec@eap.on.ca

Photo by Greg Kielec Acting Cornwall CAO Stephen Alexander is surrounded by Mayor Bob Kilger, Deputy Clerk Manon Poirier and city finance manager Maureen Adams during a break part way through city council’s budget meeting Wednesday evening.

nessy wanted to use $250,000 from the sale of the former Si Miller site to slice the tax hike to one per cent. He estimated the city would get $500,000 for the land. Rivette initiated the lengthy budget de- bate with an emotional plea to use the city’s operating surplus to achieve a “zero” tax increase budget. He said it is unfair to sad- dle ratepayers with a tax hike caused by “mistakes” over the past year and the cost of severance packages “and all this other stuff.”

“I think it’s only reasonable to take a look at the whole picture. Who will pay? It’s the poor guy who is paying rent, who is prob- ably getting minimum wage,” he said. Adams said the city’s reserve fund would stand at $3.1 million after the city uses $400,000 of surplus funds to bring the tax increase to two per cent. Using more sur- plus tax dollars to avoid a tax increase could leave its reserve fund below $2 mil- lion, she warned. “I would suggest that that’s low and I

Alexander named acting city CAO

Successful pitch made to proceed with Benson Centre soccer fields

taliating against its health and safety officer Diane Shay after she reported an incident of abuse at Glen Stor Dun Lodge against man- agement directives. It also lost a Human Rights Tribunal of On- tario decision for mistreatment of a finance department employee Marie Anne Pilon late

By Greg Kielec

City planner Stephen Alexander has been named acting chief administrative officer for the city of Cornwall. Alexander told The Journal that he was ap- pointed to the position by city CAO Paul

By Greg Kielec

Cornwall soccer enthusiasts have moved one step closing to getting their fields of dreams. City council, in a council chamber packed with soccer enthusiasts, endorsed a proposal last Monday night to begin design work for two soccer pitches north of the Benson. The preliminary design work at the site, es- sentially green space adjacent to the multi- sport complex along the Seventh Street extension west of Brookdale Avenue, will cost $20,000. A report by city administration has pro- jected a cost of $1,143,000 to create two fenced and lighted fields at the Benson Cen- tre. But not all of that cost would be picked up by the city. The Seaway Valley Soccer Club and the Kinsmen Club of Cornwall have both pledged to contribute $75,000 each in instal- ments of $15,000 and the 3+1 Fundraising Committee have offered more than $400,000 left over from its fundraising for the Benson Centre, according to a staff report. Staff noted that two natural fields located side by side in Ottawa were tendered in the fall of 2010 and constructed in 2011 at a total cost of just under $600,000. The city has been advised the cost single unlit fields in Ottawa are budgeted at $350,000. As well, according to the staff report, GTI Solutions Group has advised the average cost to construct unlit soccer fields varies subject to soil requirements and local avail- ability of qualified contractors, but would recommend between $450,000 to $600,000 for a double field. Councillor Denis Thibault said he had reservations about the cost of the proposal if

Fitzpatrick who went on medical leave Monday afternoon. “I was asked by the CAO to be acting CAO,” Alexander said. Alexander filled in for Fitzpatrick at Monday night’s meeting of Corn- wall city council, but no indication was given by the mayor or council whether he had actually been ap- pointed acting CAO. Mayor Bob Kilger began the meet-

last year. And just recently, a closed-meeting investigator was called in by Councillor Andre Riv- ette after he was castigated during an in camera session for comments made to the Cornwall Free News. He also admitted recently to using city resources to pull his vehicle out of a parking lot adjacent to the soc- cer fields along Second Street West near the Power Dam after he be-

Fitzpatrick

ing with a terse statement indicating Fitz- patrick had gone on medical leave. He gave no indication about when Fitzpatrick will re- turn. Fitzpatrick has had a difficult past six months as the city’s top non-elected official. In October 2011 the city was convicted of re- ERRATUM Please note the following two errors in Leon’s advertisement published last week in . The Serta Blith Double Mattress should have shown a price of $229 and the model number of the refrigerator should have been RB194ACRS. Sorry for any incovenience this may have caused. The Journal

came stuck in the snow. He said at the time he had gone to the fields to investigate a damage report. And it was revealed just weeks ago that the city had hired an Ottawa lawyer to monitor the Cornwall Free News, a revelation which incensed some council members who had not been briefed by administration about the monitoring. Email greg.kielec@eap.on.ca Robyn Guindon Pharmacie Ltée. Centre d’achats Cornwall Square Cornwall Square Shopping Centre 1, rue Water St. E., Cornwall ON • 613 938-6060 LIVRAISON/DELIVERY Home Medication reviews Étude sur soins à domicile Mail East Court Mall 1380, 2e rue Est, Cornwall ON 1380, Second Street East • 613 937-0956

council goes with “the whole enchilada”. He lauded the financial commitment from com- munity groups, but warned there will not likely be federal or provincial funding for the project. Councillor Bernadette Clement agreed that “cost is important”. But council must look at the positive health impact for local children, she stressed. Councillor Maurice Dupelle said the soccer field proposal “is the start of something good that is going to happen. It’s part of making our community more healthy and inclu- sive.” Photo by Greg Kielec Brejana, left, and Mikalah Kisnics listen to Cornwall city councillors discuss a pro- posal for two new soccer fields adjacent to the Benson Centre as they sit with their fa- ther Brad at a council meeting last Monday.

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