ACTUALITÉ / NEWS
Number crunching done for Clarence-Rockland budget gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca Rockland said during a phone interview Jan. 24. “Make sure there’s nothing missed.”
Final approval of the budget will take place during the regular session of council on Feb. 13. One capital expense item that made it through the budget review is the decision to buy a new pumper truck for the Cla- rence-Rockland Fire Department. The present pumper is 20 years old now and not eligible to continue as a primary response unit under the guidelines by the FireUnderwriters Survey of Canada (FUS). The FUS provides fire protection ratings for municipalities. Insurance companies use these ratings to help determine fire insurance coverage costs for their clients. Not having an FUS-approved primary pumper would have affected Clarence- Rockland’s overall fire protection service rating and that would have impacted local fire insurance rates. Michael Currie, FUS risk management servicesdirectorforWesternCanada,noted during a phone interview that Clarence- Rockland’s present fire rating provides local homeowners and businesses with fire insurance savings ranging from 30 to 70 per cent, depending on other factors that their insurance takes into consideration. That works out to anywhere from $300 to $1500 a year saved in fire insurance premiums. “Without a first-line pumper, they (City of Clarence-Rockland) might be sacrificing a fire (rating) grade,” Currie said. “They would be losing that 30 to 70 per cent savings.” Thecitystillhassomelimitedborrowing capacity and will take out a loan to cover the $450,000 price tag for a new approved pumper truck.
Clarence-Rockland council has managed to avoid a repeat of last year’s double-digit tax rate hike with this year’s new budget proposal. For Mayor Marcel Guiboard results of the final review of the budget draft by the end of a three-hour evening session Jan. 23 proved better than he had anticipated. The previous week’s round of review sessions sawmayor and council trying to find ways to trim operating expenses and necessary capital works costs. “We’vegottafindsomemoneytobeable to do the minimum,” Mayor Guibord said during an interview following the Jan. 19 review session in Bourget. For the five veteranmembers of council, dealingwiththeannualbudgetisafamiliar process, including having to cope with the stress of trying to balance necessary operation costs with capital projects wish list items and still keep the tax rate from increasing too much. For the first-time mayor and his rookie councillors René Campeau, Diane Choinière, andGuy Félio, the 2011 budget was a hard lesson in the reality of municipal financing and their second budget experience proved just as challenging a learning experience as the last one. Other municipalities in Eastern Onta- rio which have managed early approval for their 2012 budgets were also able to Anewaddition to the economic profile inOrléansisalsoanadditiontothecultural mosaic. Asian Supercentre marked its official opening earlier this month in the former site of the Tenth Line Road Canadian Tire franchise. Coun. Stephen Blais noted that the grocerymegastorerepresents160jobs,most ofthemfull-time,fortheCumberlandward and also shows that the Orléans area con- tinues to enjoy steady economic development and growth and a broader,
Photo Gregg Chamberlain Coun. Guy Félio checks a point about the budget with the city's finance director Chantal McLean-Leroux during one of several review sessions for council and staff.
keep their tax rate increases to between one and three per cent with 2.5 per cent increases proving the average. Mayor Guibord was not optimistic last week about Clarence-Rockland’s chances of matching that kind of budget planning performance this year but had a pleasant surprise when the final cuts and adjustments resulted in a 3.5 per cent tax rate increase proposed to meet the municipal levy portion of the 2012 budget. “Somemonies came up,” themayor said, notingthatstaffwereabletoadjustspending prioritiesandreallocateunspentfundsfrom “Smal- and medium-size businesses are vital to our economy,” Blais stated in a news release following the official opening ceremony. “As Orléans continues to grow, our newest grocer offers a uniquely diverse selection of ethnic cuisine in addition to some Canadian staples. New businesses, such as this one, contribute greatly to the prosperity of Orléans and Cumberland.” The Asian Supercentre is one of the largest multicultural grocery stores of its
the past year’s budget. Administration will now prepare the final draft of the budget for presentation to council and the public during the Feb. 6 committee of the whole session of council. More specific details of the 2012 budget, including total operation expenses, capital works projects approved, the municipal levy and other matters will be available then. Pierre Tessier. Clarence-Rockland’s current interim chief administrative officer, does not expect anymajor changes from the figures hammered out in the final review. “We’re going to over all our notes,” he
Asian Supercentre store adds to job profile in Cumberland ward vision@eap.on.ca Orléans more cosmopolitan cultural profile for its residential areas.
kind, featuring a wide variety of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Indian cuisine items on its shelves and display stands.
T 613 446-2220 F 613 446-2142 293 Pigeon St., Rockland ON K4K 1J8 www.harmonyhyundai.com Bienvenu e! - Welcome! Pierre Renaud
Honneurs au mérite Luc Joly, courtier/propriétaire de Remax Riviera 2000 Realty Inc. , est fier d’annoncer que Christopher Blenkiron et Geneviève Landry se retrouvent au tableau d’honneur pour avoir cumulé le plus grand volume des ventes et de transactions chez Remax Riviera 2000 Realty Inc., pour l’année 2011. De plus, Christopher Blenkiron a été nommé au Temple de la renommée (Prestigious Hall of Fame) de 2006-2011. Chris et Gen se feront un plaisir de vous aider avec tous vos besoins immobiliers.
M. Bernard Danis, directeur général chez Harmony Hyundai profite de l’occasion pour souhaiter la bienvenue a M. Pierre Renaud au sein de son équipe de vente. M. Pierre Renaud, représentant des ventes, profite de cette occasion pour souhaiter la bienvenue à tout ses clients.
Mr. Bernard Danis, general manager at Harmony Hyundai would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Pierre Renaud to his sales team.
Mr. Pierre Renaud, sales representative, would like to invite all his customers to come and see him for the purchase of their next vehicule.
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