Monthly Archives: December 2015

Killing Me Softly …..

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections, Suggestions

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with road salt.

Winter as we remember it has returned, and the crews are out in force in West Parry Sound plowing and salting the roads. And at the same time slowly killing Mother Earth.

We have all driven south on the 400 towards the Big Smoke in the Spring and noticed the brown evergreens lining the highway. Look back few more metres and everything is green. And if you pay attention you will notice that where trees are being replanted as a windbreak, they are being moved higher and further back. There is no obvious intention to reduce the use of road salt.

We worry about phosphates, and fluoride, and carbon dioxide, yet somehow never recognize the impact of using road salt. Bit by bit it’s silently killing the ground and lakes.

A Globe and Mail report from 2010 noted the impact that road salt was having on groundwater and streams. Researchers studying the area around Pickering found that the salt was polluting groundwater and during winter thaws causing some streams to have salinity levels approaching that of ocean waters. I’m sure the locals, not the humans, are not happy with this situation.

An article posted at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services website reviews the environmental, health and economic impact of of road salt. The conclusions are concerning, with road salt having a detrimental impact on water quality, human health, pets, wildlife, vegetation, soil and infrastructure.

Road salt is used liberally in the Town of Parry Sound. It’s a ‘cheap’ and effective way to keep roads and sidewalks from icing up. But like many things, what is cheap now, may come with a heavy future cost. We are actually seeing the impact of road salt on our property. Because of the way our street was developed there is very little roadway allowance on our side of the street. This results in the snow being pushed up onto our front lawn. But it’s not just snow that accumulates on our side of the street, it’s also sand and road salt. And with our front lawn sloping down from the street the salt ends up in our lawn. The results are obvious in the Spring and Summer, the grass struggles and the annual weeds take over.

It’s all a trade-off of one sort or another. More industry and transportation at the expense of climate change, whiter clothes at the expense of water quality, greener grass with fewer weeds at the expense of the insects and birds, and clear winter roads at the expense of soil, water and wildlife.

We are beginning to make the changes necessary to save the environment. Phosphates have largely been removed from detergents, perfluorohydrocarbons have been phased out as propellants, and insecticide and herbicide restrictions have cut back use by the home owner. And there seems to be global agreement on reducing, or at least stabilizing, greenhouse gas levels. Perhaps we can take a look at what we need to do to stop poisoning our land with salt. This won’t be an obvious problem for years to come, at which point there won’t be any simple solutions. An ounce of prevention when it comes to the environment can be priceless.

I Wonder Where It Ends Up? (Parry Sound in Overcast)

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District Policing – Reaching Consensus

18 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in Reflections, Safety, Seguin Township

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It seems that consensus is being reached among the regional municipalities to forego local policing. Instead, the communities will depend on the services of the Ontario Provincial Police, even if might be more expensive.

I agree with the decision, and I believe that investigating the alternatives was an important exercise. Without a clear idea of the costs and the implications it would have been an option that would have hung over the local municipalities. ‘Would we be better off with a local force? would it be cheaper? Well, maybe yes, and maybe no.’ It would have been a serious distraction to have left it hanging out there. At least the numbers and analysis have been completed and it seems there might be savings, there might not, but there was a guarantee of upfront investments, oversight requirements, and quite possibly headaches in the years to come.

I liken the situation to a person with a longer laneway who has benefited from their brother-in-law, a professional, plowing his snow for a well below market price, because well, he lives next-door and he wants to make sure his sister is able to get in and out safely. The brother-in-law moves away and the the husband finds out what it really costs to plow his laneway. His first thought is to get his own truck and blade. Yes, it would cost a bit upfront but it would save money in the long run. And it would be far more economical if he could defray his costs by plowing his neighbours’ laneways. He might need to take a loan, and there would be a need to store the equipment, repairs, the time to do the plowing, but by gosh he would be saving money.

Well, it might be cheaper if he can buy the equipment at a reasonable cost and his neighbours agree to participate. But he will now need to get up early and plow not only his snow, but that of his neighbours. And there probably won’t be a winter vacation, and …. And what if he finally decides he no longer wants to plow snow? How easy would it be to sell the equipment, and how much would he lose?

In the end I suspect that Township of Seguin Council and others realized there was more in the way of pain and liability than was offered by the potential savings. That was probably also the case with the other municipalities.

It needs to be remembered that the local municipalities were receiving below market pricing for their policing costs up until this year. It can be argued that the previous pricing was fair because these municipalities made limited use of policing services. That may be true, but it’s a little like health care coverage. Although I may not require the types of services that are used by many others I am still required to pay a similar amount in terms of federal and provincial taxes as those who do. It’s effectively an insurance plan and I consider myself fortunate that I only have to pay for coverage and not use the services. Going forward the OPP costs are now scaled to include basic ‘insurance’ and a ‘usage’ component. The less you require, the lower your policing bill. But there will always be a basic cost that is a function of your population. It’s like an automobile insurance policy with an annual premium and a deductible. Have too many accidents or tickets and your policy cost will go up. But even if you are a perfect and lucky driver you still will be paying more for your basic premium than you think is fair.

I take care of my own snow rather than use a service. The area is small, I can do a more careful job and at the same time protect the landscaping. I also have the time, and in the process get some exercise and save a few bucks. And I prefer to enjoy the snow rather than ‘get away’, so it all lines up. If I had a larger piece of property I would surely toy with the idea of getting bigger equipment, but I hope in the end I would make the right decision and hire a professional with the equipment to get the job done.

MetrolandMedia has good coverage of the policing issue at www.parrysound.com if you want to dig into the details.

Eyes Wide Open (Parry Sound in Colour)

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Council Agenda Preview – December 15, 2015

12 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Town Council

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This last meeting before the holidays is rather light. The more interesting items in my opinion are noted below, with comments as appropriate. In terms of issues, fluoridation continues to be a topic of nattering, it seems some are concerned that they are ‘getting the shaft’, and there is the possibility of additional internet services for McDougall.

Closed Meeting Items

c) a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board; (3 Potential Property Acquisitions/Dispositions). It seems the Town is active in real estate.

Correspondence

4.1 – Kris Phillips, P.S.P., R.Ph. President/Chief Compounding Pharmacist/GMP QA Consultant of OmniVet Pharma Inc. Re: Concerns regarding the addition of fluoride to the Town’s Drinking Water. Hmm – why listen to experts when there are so many amateurs who know better? Experts in this case would be individuals trained in understanding and interpreting the literature as it relates to public health issues. Also, beware those who may have a commercial interest in a particular outcome. Commercial interests generally trump those of the general public, consider pollution regulations in China, and train safety regulations in Canada and the USA.

4.2 – Doug Graham, resident. Re: The BOCC was reviewed by Mr. Kropf for its suitability for the “World’s Largest Hockey Stick” and was found unsuitable. Request for Council to reconsider the Stockey Centre.

4.4 – Marilyn Hafichuk, Lethbridge, Alberta. Re: Concerns regarding the addition of fluoride to the Town’s Drinking Water.

Deputations

5.1 – Trevor Pinn, Director of Finance and POA Court Services. 2016 Budget Overview. It’s worth catching even if only on the ‘tube’.

Resolutions and Direction to Staff

9.1.2 – The World’s Largest Hockey Stick. Direction. That Council direct staff to advise Mr. Graham that a suitable location for the erection of the World’s Largest Hockey Stick cannot be found at this time and if potential locations are identified in the future, staff will investigate the feasibility at that time.

9.3.1 – Second Quarterly KPO Summary. Resolution. That the November, 2015 KPO Summary Report, attached as Schedule “A”, be approved.

9.3.2 – Amendments to the Council Code of Conduct. Direction. That staff be directed to provide notice to the public for a 21-day period, per Council’s Provision of Notice Policy, to allow comments to be received regarding the proposed amendments to the Council Code of Conduct By-law. The amendments seem to be highlighted in the text. Take a look and as appropriate provide your comments to the Town in the specified period. In my opinion the document offers too little protection for non-elected and non-staff individuals who choose to serve on committees. After the kerfuffle almost two years ago with a local volunteer being summarily and very publicly booted from their position on a board, I cannot recommend any individual serve on committee of the Town if they actually hope to make a difference that deviates from the ‘party line’. At best it’s frustrating, at worst it’s public embarrassment. Better to stand on the outside and make points through deputations, and letters to Council and the local press. It’s harder for them to ignore you and you are less likely to be marginalized.

By-laws

10.1.1 – Rezoning Application – Z/15/5 – 100 Church Street/1 Joseph Street – Microsuite Properties Ltd. Being a By-law to amend By-law No. 2004-4653 (The Zoning By-law), as amended, for 100 Church Street/1 Joseph Street – Microsuite Properties Ltd. Resolution That Consent Application No. B28/2015(PS) – Microsuite, be supported, subject to the following conditions:

  1. The payment of $2,596 per newly created lot for parkland dedication fees.
  2. That separate water and sewer service connections be provided to each of the severed and retained lots.
  3. That the lands be rezoned in accordance with Zoning By-law 2004-4653 as amended.
  4. A right-of-way be dedicated over severed lot 1 in favour of the retained lands to permit vehicles to use the rear parking spaces on the retained property.

10.5.1 – Vianet Agreement. Being a by-law to authorize the execution of an agreement with 768812 Ontario Inc. (o/a Vianet) to facilitate installation, maintenance and use of fixed wireless antennae on the Town’s North Sector Water Tower. This may mean additional telecommunication options for the residents of McDougall.

See you Tuesday.

Local Colour (Parry Sound in Colour)

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Parry Sound Budget Meeting Notes – 2015-12-08

09 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Budget/Financial, Parry Sound, Reflections, Town Council

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Here are some thoughts arising from the Budget Meeting last night. There were only two of us in the audience, no Cogeco and no media. I suppose that if you don’t show up for the discussion you are obliged to keep your mouth shut after the decisions are made. Or not.

Here are my takeaways from last night’s meeting:

  1. The budget is based on a 1.9% overall increase in the tax rate. This turns out to be a $43 tax increase for a property assessed at $200,000 (the Parry Sound median value). If your assessment is $300,000 the increase would be $65, and for a $400,000 property the increase would total $86. Any MPAC assessment increase would be in addition to the tax rate increase. So some properties might see an effective 2.5% to 3.5% (or more) increase, while others may see only the 1.9% increase, and a very few may actually see a decrease.
  2. A number of ‘facts and figures’ were presented and are incorporated in the 2016 Draft Budget. These included comparative demographic figures for Parry Sound compared to Ontario as a whole, as well as Northern Ontario. In general it seems we have an older population (no surprise there), and overall we are in a reasonably good financial position as a municipality.
  3. One interesting set of figures presented at the meeting concerned the 2015 Weighted Assessment per Capita for West Parry Sound. It provides for a comparison of the local municipalities in terms of how much assessed property they have per ‘resident’ (I assume this to refer to permanent, rather than seasonal, population). Parry Sound has the lowest assessment per person, about $100,000 per resident. The Archipelago has an assessment of about $3.4 million (yes, million) per resident. Seguin and Carling are tied for second with an assessment per capita of about $750,000. That explains in large part why taxes are higher in Parry Sound than the surrounding communities. We have a much lower assessment base to tax. It also explains why other municipalities, in particular The Archipelago, can spend so much on their annual Christmas party for Staff and Council, while in Parry Sound attendees are required to pay their own way. If you’ve got it, flaunt it; assessment that is.
  4. The discussion last night focused on what new expenses were being recommended and what expenses were considered, and ultimately rejected. What wasn’t discussed was any review that might have been undertaken regarding existing services/expenses and whether they still make sense and are required. This is a whole review that is conducted internally among Staff and is never presented in detail to Council or the Public. I have some concern about this.

I will be spending time working my way through the draft budget, there are almost 150 pages to review. The good news is that the next meeting to discuss the budget will only be in January, so there is lots of time to ‘dig in’. I encourage you to take the time to review the document and contact the Director of Finance (Trevor Pinn), the Mayor, or one of Councillors if you want more information or would like to provide your input. Here is a link to the Town’s budget page where you can download the Draft Budget and supporting documents. The Draft Budget (link) is also hosted here if you have trouble finding it at the Town’s website.

An additional note: although Town Council is working on the basis of a 1.9% tax rate increase, I estimate that the Town will be spending about 3% more in 2016 than in 2015. The difference is the MPAC assessment increases on newly constructed, or renovated, property now subject to property taxes. For the home and business owner it’s double jeopardy, tax rate increases and assessment increases. And then of course there are the scheduled increases in water service costs. I hope that Council doesn’t assume the simple $43 increase associated with a 1.9% rate increase for an average property is the sum of all increased expenses the property owner will face in 2016 with respect to municipal services.

No complaints from me; overall I believe we receive good value for our tax dollars. Nonetheless, I will spend the next few weeks going over the 2016 Draft Budget to better understand where we spend our tax dollars, and be comfortable that these are good investments.

Looking at Nuts and Bolts in a Different Light (Parry Sound in Colour)

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Parry Sound – 2016 Budget Documents

06 Sunday Dec 2015

Posted by in Budget/Financial, Parry Sound, Town Council

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The 2016 Parry Sound Budget documents are available online. Here is a link to the website that has all of the links including the actual draft budget and the supporting materials. I found the actual 2016 Budget link a little hard to identify (the link is a shade of blue is a little too close to black for my skim reading style). In case you have any issues, the 2016 draft budget has been saved at ParrySounds and is available through this link.

I have only taken a cursory look at the 2016 Draft Budget and will withhold comments on the ‘numbers’ until I have attended the Parry Sound Council Meeting on Tuesday where the budget will be introduced with preliminary discussions. The meeting is this Tuesday, December 8th, at the Parry Sound Town Office. Note: the meeting starts at 5:30 PM, not the usual 7:00.

One quick comment on the Parry Sound 2016 Draft Budget document. It is a beautiful piece of work in terms of design and clarity. I don’t know if the numbers add up or I will like the recommendations, but it will be a pleasure to review. Nicely done.

It’s All About the Nuts and Bolts (Parry Sound in Black & White)

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