Butternut cut is finally permitted

The numbers have been reworked by staff, but the end result will still be big increases to water and sewer rates for residents of South Dundas who are connected to municipal infrastructure.

The hardest hit by the increase will be those connected to the Iroquois waste water treatment plant.

Since the last time water and sewer rates were reviewed, about five years ago, consumption has dropped so much that the money being collected through the billing process is not covering the costs of the water and sewer plants.

The only solution to fix the problem is to raise the rates, significantly.

Staff first presented the numbers to council March 11. Those numbers showed that a 20 percent rate increase is needed. 

Following that meeting, staff were asked to rework the numbers to balance the budget, and minimize any transfer of funds to reserves.

The result will be a three cent increase in the consumption rate. It will go from 62 cents per cubic meter of consumption to 65 cents per cubic meter of consumption. But, that’s not all.

The water plant capital levy will go from the current charge of 50 cents per cubic meter to 75 cents per cubic meter. 

Also, the fixed rate water charge will increase from $19.54 to $21.99 monthly.

For those connected to the Morrisburg sewer system the sewage charge will be calculated at 100 percent of the water charges, excluding the capital levy.  

The calculation will not be the same for those connected to the Iroquois sewer system. 

Because water consumption in Iroquois is so low, the sewer charges are not sufficient to cover sewer operating costs. Already the reserves are being depleted by as much as $100,000 per year and with the new plant being commissioned later this year, the operating costs will see a huge jump. 

The new plant, will cost at least $100,000 per year in hydro alone, according to public works manager Hugh Garlough. 

He explained that the bigger building and the more complex treatment systems all mean added costs. 

However, those added costs that come with the new plant are necessary to meet the Ministry of the Environment’s secondary treatment criteria, added South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald.

Iroquois water users will be billed the same fixed water rate of $21.99 monthly, the same water consumption rate of 65 cents per cubic meter and the same capital levy charge. 

However, their sewer charges will be calculated at 125 percent of the water cost, excluding the capital levy.

Staff warned that this 125 percent figure, might need to go as high as 170 percent after the new waste water treatment plant is commissioned.

Once the new rates come into effect, in May or June, the average household in Morrisburg will see an increase of about 13 percent in their monthly water and sewer bill, while the average household in Iroquois will see an increase of about 21 percent in their monthly water and sewer bill.

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This just in…Michele Proulx at Canadian Tire in Morrisburg has asked us to let the community know that to help out the Brody Froats family, as they deal with Brody’s and mom Lisa’s illnesses, Canadian Tire has set up coin collection jars at each of its cash outlets. Through the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program, every penny collected in the Canadian Tire jars will be double matched up to $1,000. 

So, if we as a community drop up to $1,000 in donations in the Canadian Tire jars, that means the Froats family will benefit to the tune of $3,000. What a boost that will be, and what a wonderful, wonderful community spirited thing this is for Michele and Canadian Tire to do. 

The Every Penny Counts-Help the Froats Family fund raiser is now totally up and running and donations to assist the family can be made at any Scotiabank branch in the name of Froats Family Trust Fund, Account #706720303984.  In addition to the Canadian Tire Coin collection jars and donations made at any Scotiabank, coin jars are now located in a number of other local retail outlets.

In last week’s story on the Froats family, we incorrectly stated that mom Lisa is battling breast cancer, when in fact, she is receiving treatment for Indolent Follicular non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

We have been in touch with Lisa who tells us she is feeling better after her recent treatment. She tells us that during her chemo weeks she is very ill. She spends as much time at the hospital with Brody as possible, as there is also brother Brett to care for at home. Dad Mark continues to be at Brody’s bedside and has not been home in five weeks.

“Everyone has been so supportive and genuinely concerned for Brody and myself,” says Lisa. “It really touches one’s heart in a way that cannot possibly be expressed in words. I can say we are so very blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community.”

In regards to Brody, Lisa tells us, “there has been no change. He is stable. The most recent echo cardiogram showed the same as others. It hasn’t gotten worse, but sadly isn’t repairing itself either. It’s a wait and see what happens. Prognosis is unknown. It is up to his body. I will say he is a miracle in all of the doctors’ eyes, as the second day he was there they told us there was no chance of survival…We didn’t accept that a month ago, and we continue to hold faith that somehow he will beat the odds.”

On a happier note, Lisa reports that the family will be helping Brody celebrate his 17th birthday on Sunday, December 2. 

“Brody is very excited and has invited everyone to come to the hospital to have cake with him. I am a little concerned about how many are going to come through the doors,” says Lisa. “To date, he has had well over 100 different wonderful people visit him. He has loved every minute. He is such a social butterfly.”

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With the last of the summer long weekends only days away, the Ontario Provincial Police are giving advance notice that they will be honing in on distracted drivers as part of the heightened enforcement they have planned over the Labor Day weekend.     

With kids heading back to school next week, distracted driving is of particular concern to the OPP as distraction-related collision fatalities in OPP jurisdiction continue to surpass impaired driving-related deaths this year.  According to the OPP, everyone travelling on roads and highways should be equally concerned about this alarming trend.

“Most people would not get into a vehicle with an impaired driver and they are at as much risk in the presence of a distracted driver as an impaired driver,” says Chief Superintendent Don Bell, Commander of the OPP Highway Safety Division.  “If drivers do not have the good sense to stop this dangerous behaviour on their own, I encourage passengers to take responsibility for their own safety by speaking up.  If you are a passenger in a vehicle and the driver is not completely focused on driving, is talking on a cell phone or even worse – texting, remind them that they are endangering your life and that you want them to stop,” added Bell.

“So far this year, 47 of the 177 people killed in motor vehicle collisions in OPP jurisdiction involved distracted driving, compared to 32 impaired driving-related collision deaths,” said Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support.  “Our statistics make it clear beyond a doubt that road users need to pay greater attention to this problem and get on board with our efforts to stop it rather than wait for a devastating tragedy to occur,” added Beechey. 

Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviour, impaired driving and seat belt compliance will also be on the OPP’s radar over the long weekend.  Boaters and off-road vehicle (ORV) users should also be prepared to see a strong OPP presence on waterways and trails, with ORV fatalities up 80 per cent and marine fatalities up more than 15 per cent this year.

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