Monday, February 10, 2014 • Issue # 45The independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, Canada

384 Ridge Road, Ridgeway • 905-894-1703www.dwhowardrealty.com • dwhowardrealty@gmail.com

D.W. Howard Realty Ltd. BrokerageLakefront Experts for 30 Years

Town taxes up 3.9%

235 South Mill St., Ridgeway, Ontario • (289) 271-2955www.ridgewayherald.com

Mike Cloutier, editor and publishercloutier@ridgewayherald.com

The independent local newspaper of Fort Erie, Canada

There will be horse racing in Fort Erie in 2014.“Funds required for a full season of racing at Fort Erie

have been secured,” wrote John Snobelen, head of the new agency Ontario Racing Live, to Premier Kathleen Wynne on Friday.

Details have not been worked out but Snobelen wrote that an alliance between Woodbine and Fort Erie Race Track will be established similar to one already set up for standardbred tracks.

Jim Thibert, CEO of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, said the business plan for a fi ve-year agreement is still in the works and will be submitted by Wednesday.

“The key is ‘full calendar of racing’ which means at least the same as last year. Four hundred races and $100,000 a day in purses,” he said.

“This alleviates the anxiety of horse people,” he said. “They’ve been wondering whether to book and pay for stalls at other tracks. Applications for stalls here will start to be processed today (Friday) and tomorrow.”

Racetrack getsanother reprieveFunds approved for ‘full season’

The parent company of Eurocopter Canada has undergone a rebranding as Airbus Helicopters and its Fort Erie operation is now known as Airbus Helicopters Canada. In rolling out its new identity last week, the company also announced a multi-million dollar expansion of its Fort Erie plant in which 40 employees will be hired to produce engine cowlings for the EC225 long-range passenger transport helicopter widely used as a workhorse in the oil and gas industry. Unrelated to the announcement, Airbus Helicopter employee Keith McKellar rolled out his new McIlvain dragster on the landing pad at the Fort Erie factory. The car features similar composite and precision construction as the pictured AS350 helicopter which set a record as the fi rst helicopter to touch down at the summit of Mount Everest. Photo by Vitek Zawada

New name, new jobs, new car

Exodus continuesLawsuit grinds on

2 • The Ridgeway Herald

By Mike CloutierNewspaper stories are supposed to

speak for themselves. They convey the facts, provide information and then become fodder for editorial comment.

Sometimes copy monkeys like me happen upon stories that transcend any attempt to editorialize and tell a

complete story even when written in the most straight-ahead, matter of fact way.

Such is the case when town councillor

Paul Collard suggested the decrepit two-storey concession building at Bay Beach could be burned down instead of demolished.

“Don’t laugh and don’t shoot the messenger,” he said. “Just having a question here.”

He wondered during the council meeting on Jan. 13 if the fi re department could use the building for practice.

“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m just wondering if that could be a possibility,” he said.

Fire chief Larry Coplen said environmental and safety risks are serious concerns for a “live fi re in an acquired building”.

There are dangerous toxins associated with burning paint, shingles and other material that may be present, he said.

“That’s why we appreciate having a training tower where we can do that type of thing in a controlled fashion,” Coplen said.

“If anything happens to it,” Collard said, “I had nothing to do with it, I assure you.”

The Ridgeway Herald is distributed at advertiser locations and is available in bulk quantities at the following places.

Brodie’s, Boggio and Edwards, Papa’s Pizza, Downtown Dollar and Discount, Joe’s Valu-Mart, Summer Delight, Movie Madness, Trailside Grill, Work of Art Frame Shop, Three Ferrises, Schmitts and Giggles, Headshapes, Palmwood, Mia’s Antiques, S-Bend Restaurant, Lee’s

Express, Lucky Bamboo Restaurant, Tony’s Pizza, The Plaice, Old Bank Bistro, Carroll’s Bowling Lanes, A-One Crescent Mart, Subs and Sweets, Jack Shaw’s Green Acres Service, Beachcombers.

It is also available in smaller numbers at many other places as circumstances and supply permit.

Subscription E-MailoutsThe Ridgeway Herald is delivered

to a growing list of subscibers,

advertisers and others via email in PDF format.

For information call 289-271-2955 or drop an email to cloutier@ridgewayherald.com.

Advertising Advertising spots are available for

any budget.For information call 289-271-

2955 or drop an email to cloutier@ridgewayherald.com.

Page 2 • Editorial • Op-Ed • What-not

Crystal Beachimprovement— Collard style

Nothing is too stupid for this council

By Tracie Miskolczi, chairpersonFort Erie Relay for Life

An information night for the Canadian Cancer Society Fort Erie Relay for Life will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Fort Erie Golf Club from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This is our ninth year in Fort Erie and I know many of you probably have never heard of the event. It is an inspiring event held the fi rst Friday

in June. This year it is June 6-7 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School.

We are looking for teams new and old to attend. Anyone wishing to learn more about the event, someone interested in volunteering (yes, we do sign off for student volunteer hours), local businesses who wish to support our event through sponsorships or donations and anyone who wants to

help us fi ght back against cancer is welcome to attend the meeting.

Please consider coming and fi nding out more about the event. It is a great team building activity that can not only bring you and your employees together but at the same time help us fi ght this dreadful desease.

For more information, call 905-894-1140.

Letter — Relay for Life organizing meeting to be held Wednesday

The Ridgeway Herald • 3

The Town portion of property tax bills will increase by 3.88 per cent, but the overall increase will be moderated by smaller increases in the Regional and educational components.

The overall increase on the tax bill for a household assessed at the median average of $175,000 will be less, although the fi nal fi gures have not been calculated.

The Regional component is expected to increase 0.64 per cent and the education component rises 1.25 per cent.

The Town portion of property taxes is 39 per cent.

A Town press release says the local portion of taxes will increase 2.72 but fails to include the impact of the phased-in property assessment increase that will show up on tax bills as a larger increase.

Town council approved a general levy (revenue from taxes) of $21,543,574, an increase of $805,976 over the budgeted 2013 levy of $20,737,598.

Tax writeoffs nullify growthAssessment growth exceeded

taxation write-offs in 2013 by only $9,000. The vast majority of write-offs were due to assessment appeals. In total, growth accounted for $206,000 in new taxes and write-offs cost $197,000.

Several large commercial and industrial assessment appeals are outstanding and the potential reductions are not known, but the Town has budgeted $175,000 for those eventualities.

Town staff estimates new assessments based on building permits that were issued in 2012 and 2013 will add $170,000 in taxes.

Extra grants from provinceA big shot of new revenue comes

from the provincial government. Where staff had expected the elimination of the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grant of $51,000, the Town will receive $339,000.

This is an Assessment Equalization Grant provided to municipalities with limited property assessment due to lower property values and limited non-residential assessment, according to the OMPF technical guide.

A second big shot of new revenue will come from an increase in interest and penalties on overdue tax bill and water bill payments amounting to about $165,000.

Other increases include revenue from payments-in-lieu of taxes, cell phone tower leases and some user fees of $93,000 which will offset an expected $60,000 drop in building permit revenue.

The Town will also get $20,000 more from the province’s gas tax for transit services for a total of $270,000 in 2014.

Base budget expensesOperating expenses (not including

capital expenditures) to maintain current services decisions will increase $26,000.

Along with anticipated increases in assessments and non-tax revenue, staff recommendations on the base budget called for a 1.98 per cent decrease in taxes.

Changes are itemized as follows, according to the budget report:

With the Central Avenue fi re station having come online, the debt payments begin with $176,000 due in 2014.

Overall wages and benefi ts are

budgeted to increase by $78,000, not including an additional $40,000 for staff time required to maintain enhancements at Optimist Park and other parks.

Wage rates are subject to change depending on the outcome of union negotiations.

Insurance costs will be decreasing by nearly $200,000 as a result of dropping the Ontario Municipal Exchange system, which called for a $71,000 increase for 2014, and going back to a private insurance company.

An error in the 2013 budget will come back as a savings of $26,000 for transit services as staff forgot to include the rebate for HST for the transit contract. The Town does not pay HST and taxes charged on contracts

continued on Page 4

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4 • The Ridgeway Herald

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. . . continued from Page 3

continued on Page 8

are rebated back.The base budget for materials and services will increase

by $98,000 for vehicle licences, postage, fi re inspection software, asset management plan licences and actuarial services required for valuation of retirement benefi ts.

The library board basic grant is increased by $30,000. The total grant is $1.4 million.

The EDTC base grant increased by $8,700. The total grant is $630,000.

Supplemental budget expensesAs well as the base budget, which by itself would have

meant a 1.98 per cent decrease in taxes, another $984,000 in expenses were added by councillors in what are termed supplementary budget items.

These expenses result from council requests and staff recommendations for additional spending. They generally refl ect new programs or expenses that may be one-time expenses or ongoing additions that will be added to next year’s base budget.

Chief among these is an allocation to reserves to fi nance the future replacement of infrastructure assets. The lifetime of assets can range from 10 years for vehicles to well over 50 years for buildings, roads and storm sewers. Water and sewer infrastructure is fi nanced through water bills.

Following an inventory of assets conducted in 2009 which was required by the government, the “capital asset amortization” for 2014 is $5.8 million which is a measure of the cost of “consumption” of the assets.

Based on the historical rate of reserve allocations, staff had recommended the Town allocate an additional $2.5 million per year and set up a fi ve year schedule of $500,000 increases to reach that amount.

Last year, council had trimmed $100,000 from the recommendation. This year staff recommended $600,000 and council approved only $500,000, which means staff will recommend $700,000 next year.

All told, with the approved $500,000 increase, the Town will be allocating $4.3 million to reserves. Generally, surpluses from capital allocations are put back in reserve.

Town taxes hiked

The Ridgeway Herald • 5 FORT ERIE • NIAGARA FALLS • NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE

Hon.Rob Nicholson, M.P.

Working for you!New Fort Erie Office

35 Jarvis Street • Fort ErieTelephone 905-871-9991

Niagara Falls/NOTL 905-353-9590

A Superior Court judge is reviewing documents related to the termination of town solicitor Heather Salter and allegations of confl ict of interest of four town councillors.

Fort Erie lawyer David Hurren is representing Tim Whitfi eld in the legal action against councillors John Hill, Bob Steckley, Paul Collard and Don Lubberts.

The action alleges the four were in a confl ict of interest when they authorized the Town in a closed session meeting to pay Salter $50,000 to settle her claims against them personally.

Salter was fi red in April 2012 after fi ling a complaint of harassment against at least one, and likely more, councillors.

Whitfi eld launched the lawsuit a year

later and affi davits were sworn out by Mayor Doug Martin and councillors Stephen Passero and Rick Shular attesting to the secret payment to Salter and the circumstances around it.

Hurren said Justice Barry Matheson is reviewing the settlement agreement with Salter in order to decide on motions fi led by both sides.

The settlement includes a non-disclosure clause.

One motion fi led by Hurren seeks to have the agreement, the minutes and other evidence from the secret meeting disclosed for the public record.

The other motion fi led by the defence seeks to have Hurren disclose the names of the people who are paying on behalf of Whitfi eld to pursue the lawsuit.

Three current and former directors with the Town of Fort Erie have been hired for top posts at Niagara Region.

Moving directly from the Town will be director of corporate services Helen Chamberlain who was hired as director of fi nancial management and planning and will take on the new job on Feb. 18.

Most recently, former infrastructure services director Ron Tripp was hired as commissioner of public works last week and will start March 17.

They join former chief administrative offi cer Harry Schlange who started his new job as the Region’s CAO in October 2013, two years after leaving the Town for a position in the health care industry in the Ottawa region.

Chamberlain is the sixth director to have rotated out of Fort Erie since mid-2011.

Rino Mostacci left as director of community development services in May 2011.

Schlange followed in August. Tripp was made acting-CAO for more than a year and a half and was snubbed three successive times for the permanent position in a series of 4-3 votes.

Town solicitor Heather Salter was fi red in April 2012 in a 4-3 vote after formally complaining of harassment by one or more town councillors.

Tripp quit the Town to join the City of St. Catharines as director of transportation and environmental services a couple of days after Larry Adams was tapped for the CAO job who lasted fi ve months and left in September 2013.

The Town remains without a permanent CAO and council has decided -- although not formally announced -- to leave the position vacant.

Chamberlain was scheduled to do a three-month term as acting-CAO starting in April.

Confl ict case awaits decisions on motions

Sales RepresentativeBrian Hodge

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Exodus of senior Town staff continues

6 • The Ridgeway Herald

Natural Health Care

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Author Earl Plato will launch his latest book, The Wintemute Warriors, at the Fort Erie Historical Museum on Sunday, Feb. 16 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

This new novel follows the Wintemutes from Palatinate, Germany, as they settle in North America and face losing their homes and livelihood as they remain loyal to the Crown.

Copies of latest book and his previous works will be available for sale at the Museum

The museum gallery will also exhibit the Wintermute wedding dress panel from the collection. This is a hand-embroidered section of the dress worn by Jane Wintermute, who made it for her 1753 wedding in Boston.

The annual Valentine’s Tea hosted by the Bowen Road Women’s Institute will be held on Saturday, Feb. 15 at People’s Memorial United Church from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For tickets call 894-1189.

The monthly pasta dinner to raise funds for the Ridgeway Lions Club will be held on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Crystal Ridge Community Centre from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

On the menu are spaghetti and penne with sausage, home-made meatballs, salad, plain and garlic bread, cookies, coffee and tea. Bar service is also available.

Tickets are $9 at the the door, $9 for takeout, $4 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children under 6.

The Lions are also accepting old, unused eyeglasses to be recycled and reused.

43 Jarvis St., Fort Erie • 871-8711

Gerald RuchLAW OFFICE

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David HurrenBarrister - Solicitor - Notary

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Plato’s latest novelto be launched Feb.16

Lions serve pasta

Valentine’s tea Saturday

The Ridgeway Herald • 7

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Plumbing, Heating & Air ConditioningJ. Muro

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Ready to Read Tuesdays at Centennial and Wednesdays at Crystal

Ridge at 10:30 a.m. Reading, writing, talking, singing and playing. For children ages 1.5 and up. $2 per session. Pre-Registration not required.

Born to ReadThursdays, 1:30 p.m., Centennial. For babies newborn

through those about to take their fi rst steps and their parent or caregiver. Participants should bring a small blanket and toy. $2 per session. Pre-registration not required.

KnittingThursdays at Crystal Ridge. 6:30 p.m. Learn to knit and

practice. Ages 8-14 years old. Free in partnership with the Bowen Road Women’s Institute. All materials are supplied.

Alzheimer’s Q & AFeb. 12, 7 p.m. at Centennial. Members of the Alzheimer’s

Society share information about Alzheimer’s. Symptoms, treatments, coping for caregivers. Bring your questions or concerns. Free.

Valentine CraftsFeb. 13, 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at Stevensville, 2 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

at Crystal Ridge; Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Centennial. All ages are invited to drop in for a free Valentine’s craft.

Teen Book GroupFeb. 13, 3:30 p.m. at Centennial. Chat about the books that

are keeping you on the edge of your seat and make some new friends in the Teen Area. Snacks, too. Free.

Lego ClubFeb. 14, 2:30 p.m. at Centennial; Feb. 22, 2:30 p.m. at

Crystal Ridge. All ages are invited to join the Make It: Lego

Club. DUPLO also available. $2.Magic Tree HouseFeb. 20 at Centennial at 4 p.m. Read a book about Jack

and Annie. Do an activity and collect passport stamps. For Grades 1 and up. $2.

Harry Potter ClubFeb. 18, 4 p.m. at Crystal Ridge; Feb. 19, 4 p.m. at

Centennial. Making butterbeer, learning potions, practicing Quidditch. Grades 5 and up. Pre-registration is required. $2.

Research & Renovate Historic HomesFeb. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Crystal Ridge. Keith Overend

presents information on fi nding out about and fi xing historic homes, the difference between renovation and restoration, and tips from his years of experience. A joint program with the Bertie Historical Society. Free.

Library events

8 • The Ridgeway Herald

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“This means the Town is utilizing the economic benefi t of its capital assets at a rate faster than it is investing in capital assets on an annual basis,” writes treasurer Helen Chamberlain in her budget report.

Other supplementary items council approved:- $200,000 yearly commitment for construction of a proposed South Niagara hospital- $84,000 increase for service level enhancements to parks, cemeteries, beaches and trails- $15,000 for an Integrity Commissioner- $45,000 for additional library staff- $15,000 for health and safety supplies and equipment- $12,529 operating assistance and repairs to Kinsmen Pool - $28,000 additional funding for watering plants in the Business Improvement Areas (Ridgeway, Bridgeburg, Crystal Beach)- $3,000 for health and safety training- $30,000 for demolition of the concession stand at Bay Beach- $10,000 to establish systems to receive payments via the internet- $26,500 for the Fort Erie Lions Senior Citizens Complex;- $14,467 reduction in ice-time fees for the Fort Erie Minor Hockey Association- $12,500 for the Niagara Community Foundation- $50,000 for consultant to develop an “industrial lands strategy”- $10,500 for the Beachcombers Senior Citizens- $1,000 for the Fort Erie Horticultural Society for fl ower plantings at town hall- $24,350 for Community Events.

Town taxes hiked