AD SPOT - NON PRINTING
Megan Dunn, NP at Elmira Chiropractic
Private Nurse Practitioner Clinic
elmirahealth.com
Medical Weight Loss • Body Composition Analysis & More
elmira_health
Peri/Menopause & Hormone Therapy • Women’s Health
Ontario's #1 Weekly Community Newspaper
(519) 669-1100 Call to Book!
SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
This Weekend Friday
280 Saturday
270
Sunday
280
Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 29 | Issue 37
Business | 16
Woolwich councillors blanch at 11% tax increase Steve Kannon Observer Staff
Best friends Evan Brooks, 2, and Westlyn Waugh, 3, hold hands at the Heidelberg Family Fun Fair on Sept. 7.
Julian Gavaghan
PITCHED AN 11 PER CENT tax increase for 2025, even Woolwich councillors balked, suggesting Tuesday night that staff come back with some firmer numbers. The budget parameters rolled out by director of finance Colm Lynn suggested a 7.5 per cent increase to the base budget, plus a 2.5 per cent infrastructure levy and another one per cent for greening projects.
At 11 per cent, the average homeowner would pay an additional $130 on the township portion of their taxes, based on a home assessed at $418,000. That increase would follow large increases of about 8.7 per cent over each of the last two years, a compounding path that would see taxes double every eight or nine years. It gave pause to councillors, who suggested staff look at a lower target in preparing a budget for 2025. → WOOLWICH TAXES 6
Katie Musselman named Wellesley Fair ambassador Andrea Eymann Observer Staff
ON TOP OF BEING NAMED the township’s junior citizen of the year, Katie Musselman, 17, was also named the new Wellesley Fair ambassador Tuesday night. She was passed the sash and crown from the previous ambassador, Katelyn
Bartlett. Musselman was selected from a field of three that also included Olivia Lebold and Katie Sommer. “It’s crazy,” said Musselman. “I’m shocked but also so excited and so happy for what this year is going to bring.” She added: “I’ve been representing this town-
E R A WE ING! Y U B SERVING THE REGION SINCE ‘91!
ship in my own way without a title for the past year, and I can’t wait for all the new opportunities as an ambassador that come with the sash and crown.” This was the second year she had run for the position, with perseverance being integral to her speech as part of the competition.
“The truth is, nothing good comes without a little bit of hard work and perseverance, and none of this would have been possible for me. I wouldn’t have stuck to my word and not let that setback stop me, so I could not have been here.” At the end of the candidates’ speeches, all three hopefuls supported each
other for a job well done with a fist bump. This fall fair was the first year running the junior ambassador, which Musselman organized. She will continue the junior ambassador program and attend the monthly fair board meetings. Also at the fair Tuesday night, Manni Hayer, 15,
was also named winner of the fair’s first junior ambassador competition. “No words, I’m speechless,” said Hayer. “Honestly, I don’t know what to say. I’m just really grateful to be able to just be a part of this.” She added: “It has been a wonderful experience; I think being here and → AMBASSADOR 5
COLONIAL ACRES ON VICTORIA
Looking for Watches, Gold Jewellery, Collectable Coins & Banknotes AD SPOT - NON PRINTING
Gold Jewellery
Silver Cutlery & Plates
Paper Money
Old Coins
991 Victoria Street North Kitchener, ON N2B 3C7 | www.colonialaces.com | 519-579-9302 | Mon-Fri 9:30 - 4:30
Watches
Free In-Store Appraisals