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01 | 17 | 2015 VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 03
newly built Skate park gets rave reviews living here PAGE 21
COMMENT PAGE 6
Council must do a better job scrutinizing budget
Haiti still struggling five years after devastating earthquake that claimed Elmira aid worker
A rockin’ time for edss curlers
haiti | 4
The EDSS curling club took part in the bonspiel tournament Jan. 14 at the Elmira Curling Club. Left to right: Anika Molenaar, Morgan Glofcheskie, Louis Ditner, Veronica Bernard, Natalie Bean, Matt Jessop and Pauline Ditner, Alex Bean. Front: Michael DeGanis and Jonathon DeGanis. During match play, Pauline Ditner and Morgan Glofcheskie sweep while Anika Molenaar keeps on eye on her release. [scott barber / the observer]
INSTOCK
Throws & Cushions 1 Union St.,Elmira 519.669.3072 www.elmiragiftoutlet.com
Woolwich council appears more eager to question budget assumptions STEVE KANNON
Scott Barber Five years have passed since the devastating magnitude seven earthquake struck just outside of Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-Prince, killing tens of thousands of people including aid worker and Elmira native Yvonne Martin. Despite the tidal wave of volunteers and donations that flooded the impoverished Caribbean nation in the wake of the disaster, the humanitarian crisis persists Yvonne Martin to this day. And a number of local individuals and organizations continue to do their part to help. Elmira’s Marilyn McIlroy works as a liaison between the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada and Haiti’s AEM (the national missionary church).
www.OBSERVERXTRA.com
Woolwich’s new crop of councillors appear ready to advocate for the public as this year’s round of budget talks get underway, challenging the need for tax increases and looking at the greatly-expanded staff roster. There was little in the way of change applied to the draft 2015 budget, however, following the first of three special budget meetings January 8. The targeted tax increase this year is two per cent, with an additional 1.5 per cent tacked on to fund future infrastructure projects, bringing the total to 3.5 per cent. That represents another $27.02 on the bill for a home with the average township assessment of $331,500. Noting the township had several hundred thousand dollars in unexpected revenue in 2014, Coun. Larry Shantz raised the issue of using the money to offset tax increases this year. An increase in penalties and interest for late pay-
budget | 2
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ment of taxes, for instance, brought in $332,000 instead of the $100,000 in the budget. Likewise, a line item for grants in lieu jumped to $252,000 from an expected $130,000. Quickly adding up a few of the extras, Shantz noted they added up to $428,000, far more than the $135,000 that would come from the 1.5 per cent special levy for infrastructure. “Could we not give a break to the levy this year?” Director of finance Richard Petherick said that was an option, but warned using surpluses in place of tax increases could result in the township having to play catch-up later on as baseline tax revenues fall behind. Petherick expects there will be a surplus for 2014, but just how big will be determined when all of the year’s expenses and revenues are finally tallied. Responding to questions in the same vein from Coun. Patrick Merlihan, Petherick said money
May not be exactly as shown. While quantities last.