Centre Wellington council approved its budget on April 6 and that meant an overall tax hike of 2.67%.
Residential taxes will rise by an estimated $34 per $100,000 of assessment. An average house assessed at $232,500 will see an increase of $78. Council will spend just over $20.1-million on capital projects this year and $17.37-million in its operating budget.
The 2009 budget includes the following capital projects:
– $11.026-million, for expansion of the Elora water pollution control plant and construction of a bio-solids management facility, conditional on grant funding from the federal and provincial governments;
– $253,000 for reconstruction of Kertland Street, from Colborne Street to Church Street in Elora;
– $45,000 for improvements to ditching (for drainage) on Hill Street in Elora;
– $156,000, for reconstruction of Gowrie Street from St. George to Hill Streets in Fergus;
– $25,000 for additional parking spaces on Geddes Street at the former Dalby House in Elora;
– $120,000 for a new roof and heating and air conditioning system at the Fergus Grand Theatre;
– $117,000 for the design of improvements to Bissell Park in Elora, with funding provided by the Elora Lions Club, the Grand River Agricultural Society and a private donation;
– $170,000 for reconstruction of Tower Street from St. Patrick Street West to St. George Street West in Fergus;
– Engineering design and approvals for the following bridges – $70,000 for Carroll Creek at 3rd Line in Pilkington and $75,000 for Sideroad 20 in West Garafraxa;
$870,000 for reconstruction of Metcalfe Street from the bridge to County Road 7 in Elora to improve traffic flow, safety, and storm drainage;
– $8,000 for the installation of Opticom system on two more traffic signals to improve fire emergency response times;
– $20,000 for reconstruction of the following rural roads 3rd Line in Pilkington between Sideroad 5 and County Road 17;
– $375,000 for 4th Line of West Garafraxa, between County Roads 18 and 22; and
– $375,000 for the 2nd Line of West Garafraxa between Sideroads 15 and 20.
The budget also noted the township plans to maintain the current levels of its various services, including:
– all township-owned roads being cleared within five hours following a snow storm; and
– snow removal and sanding and salting of sidewalks and municipal parking lots.
