Iroquois Legion holds Chili Cook Off

A September 11, Canadian Press report regarding the province of Ontario and its contracts with wind power generators inspired South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke to draft a motion for South Dundas council to debate at their next meeting.

The report explains that wind power generators are being paid by the province not to produce electricity.

According to the report, Ontario has had a surplus of power since 2006, and that there are current signed contracts for approximately 5,800 megawatts of electricity, though only 1,500 megawatts are currently connected to the grid.

Locke read the following to his fellow council members at the September 17 council meeting: 

Acknowledging the fact that the Municipality of South Dundas is currently hosting a project consisting of 10 turbines with the capacity of 30 megawatts, which was approved prior to legislation giving the municipality the opportunity to support or not support hosting such a project, I make the following motion: 

Due to the fact that Ontario has a considerable surplus of electrical generating capacity and only 25 per cent of the current wind power generating approved contracts are currently connected to the power grid, the Municipality of South Dundas hereby declares that any future proposals will not be supported until the supply and demand for electricity demonstrates a need.”

South Dundas councillor Jim Graham was eager to second that motion, as he has on many occasions stated his displeasure with Ontario Green Energy Act.

“I feel, as a member of council and as a responsible citizen, the time has come to do something about this situation,” said Locke.

“I am not anti wind generation,” Locke told The Leader, explaining that based on the given facts he simply could not support any wind power application in South Dundas in the future, until supply and demand in this province dictates a need.

All members of council will have the opportunity to speak to the motion when it is debated at the next regular South Dundas council meeting.

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South Dundas’ financial position is better than last year, a year in which South Dundas already had a very strong financial position, this according to Jamie Pollock of the accounting firm Craig, Keen, Dispatie and Markell, which handles the yearly audit of South Dundas’ finances.

He presented the audit findings to South Dundas council at the May 21 meeting.

South Dundas’ net worth increased by 12 percent, its net financial assets increased by 11 percent and municipal debt decreased by one percent.

The result: an operating surplus of almost $624,000.

“You had a very good year and that’s why you are in better financial position than last year,” Pollock told council. He credits South Dundas staff with “good management of budget items. They were very close to budget on most line items.”

In terms of reserves and reserve funds Pollock also reported that South Dundas had a “very good year.”

For a township of this size, the auditors expect to see reserves of between $2.3 and $4.6 million.

“You’re at the high end of that range,” said Pollock who reported in the audit of the 2012 finances they found little change from last year with $4.1 million in reserve funds.

Looking at the big picture, Pollock remained positive reporting that South Dundas’ long term debt is decreasing and that South Dundas is managing the tax rate very well, as shown by little change in taxation revenue.

Taxation revenue is a little lower than it was five years ago and expenses are up about 10 percent, but still South Dundas has been able to maintain its strong financial position. “This shows good budget management,” commented Pollock.

“All financial indicators show that administration and council are doing a good job,” he said.

Regarding the surplus, South Dundas council will receive a report from their treasurer in the near future with recommendations about what should be done with the surplus funds left over from last year’s budget.

[…]

 Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) continued a tradition of fiscal responsibility Wednesday night, September 10, by instituting an administrative hiring freeze and moving to better monitor spending in an age of fiscal constraint. 

Members passed three motions during the first Board meeting of the new school year to ensure the UCDSB lives within the budget passed by trustees in June. 

The motions were approved out of concern due to recent hints by the Ministry of Education that the province is tightening its belt, which may affect future funding for the board.

Director David Thomas welcomed the changes.

“At this board, we have created a legacy of compliant budgets and responsible use of resources and the board has simply asked us to continue in this manner to ensure budgetary needs are met,” said Thomas. 

“These moves are consistent with the trustees’ focus on accountability as has been exemplified by the Accountability Framework,” added Chair Greg Pietersma.

Changes implemented to ensure accountability include:

•Trustees approved a hiring freeze on all administrative positions outside positions that have already been advertised. The freeze is in effect until March 11.

•Members called for a comprehensive review of service delivery that will have no impact on classroom activities.

•To better monitor spending, trustees requested financial reports any time a department budget is exceeded by three per cent or more. The motion also requires the department manager to propose a remedy.

This past June marked the 11th straight year that the board has passed a Ministry of Education-approved, compliant budget that meets all our students’ needs, said Thomas.

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