SVCA annual presentation
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) general manager Wayne Brohman and manager of communications Shannon Wood attended Arran-Elderslie council on April 23.
During a power-point presentation Wood explained why conservation authorities were formed and what they do. The 1946 Conservation Authorities Act provided the means by which municipalities within a common watershed could petition the Province of Ontario to form a conservation authority for that watershed. There are 36 in the province.
SVCA was established in 1950 as a result of increased flooding problems in and around the communities developed along the Saugeen River. Its watershed jurisdiction covers 1,800 square miles and involves the financial support of 15 municipalities, as well as the province.
A core mandate for all conservation authorities across Ontario is the prevention of loss of life, property damage and social disruption due to flooding and erosion processes.
Hurricane Hazel hit the Toronto area in October 1954 and is to date one of the deadliest natural disasters in Canadian history with the loss of 81 lives and about $180 million in damages.
In order for this not to happen again, a flood forecasting and warning system was established. Other regulations were implemented to limit and control future development and inappropriate land use activities in flood hazard areas, as well as to protect the wetlands that store water. Conservation authorities are responsible for administering these regulations in their watersheds.
The SVCA‘s first major capital project was for flood control in Walkerton with a series of dykes built in the 1950s and ’60s. Flooding there had been a major problem in the early to mid 1900s.
Dykes were also built in Paisley between 1981 and 1986 as homes and businesses often experienced flooding. Paisley was close to serious flooding last spring as water reached the bottom of the Queen Street Bridge and evacuation notices had gone out to some residents, but the dykes prevented that from happening.
In addition to capital works (water management), correcting an existing problem and protecting life and property, SVCA has 27 automated gauges measuring water flow and does environmental planning.
Its “Grassroots Conservation Efforts” include tree planting and forest management. In 2018 80,000 trees were planted and 6,671 trees sold at the annual Arbour Day Tree Sale.
It regularly monitors water quality of rivers and streams and takes groundwater samples, as well as monitoring aquatic organisms.
“We can tell a lot from the bugs about the water quality,” Wood said.
The SVCA offers more than 90 different curriculum-based programs for children on a “fee for service” model and last year 11,700 youngsters participated in such things as day camps and Earth Week programs.
In addition they offer agricultural programs educating farmers about soil health and infiltration projects.
Recreation is part of their mandate as well. A recent venture at Saugeen Bluffs outside of Paisley is the development of trails for horse riders. They are looking at how to connect these trails to the village so that people can do a little shopping. For more information check out www.svca.on.ca.
SVCA funded 53 per cent of its budget last year from products, service fees and campground revenues. The 15 member municipalities contributed 40 per cent. Each municipality contributes a different amount based on a per capita basis. Arran-Elderslie contributed $42,151 last year based on its population of 6,810 people. That works out to $6.20 per person per year.
For the past 22 years the province has contributed $157,669 each year. However, this year the government recently announced a significant reduction to funding to conservation authorities to assist in their flood control and flood warning program.
That program plays an integral part in protecting people and property from flood issues. For SVCA the reduction for 2019 was $76,000.
“That funding reduction is a great disservice to local residents and seems to counter the province’s avowed goal to protect Ontario’s citizens and the environment,” Brohman said.
Draft capital budget
Revenue for the municipality comes from three sources: property tax levy, user fees and grants/subsidies. Expenses are divided into operating and capital.
The operating budget pays for all the day-to-day activities of the municipality, such as salaries and wages, supplies, fuel and services like snowplowing. At the previous council meeting the operational budget was gone through line by line for every expense in every department.
On April 23 the same process was applied to the proposed capital budget for 2019. The capital budget is for big ticket items, like a new snowplow or pick-up truck, which will have an impact for years. It also includes infrastructure upgrades to existing assets, such as sidewalk replacement, an improved municipal website and arena light upgrades.
“This is the first run through,” said Elderslie Ward councillor Brian Dudgeon, who is also the chair of the finance committee.
Tara councillor Ryan Greig, who is the chair of the recreation committee, went through the proposed purchases for the recreation department with council. Each item was questioned and discussed.
Manager of public works Scott McLeod followed the same process for public works. Each proposed purchase/expense was discussed as to its merits and evaluated.
Dudgeon asked councillors to take another look at the draft budget before the next council meeting on May 13 to see if anything needed to be added or if something could be trimmed. He also reminded council that money needed to be raised from taxes for reserves.
“We have to put away money before we spend it,” Dudgeon said. “We’re also trying to maintain the high level of services our residents are accustomed to receiving.”
Council is aiming for no more than a three per cent tax increase, which is similar to neighbouring municipalities. Hanover residents will see taxes go up by 2.69 per cent, Brockton by 2.8 per cent, Chatsworth by 3.8 per cent and Owen Sound by 2.51 per cent.
Drinking water report
Both of the municipality’s water systems (Tara and Chesley/Paisley) once again received a 100 per cent rating for 2018 from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Mark O’Leary, water/sewer foreperson, reported that day-to-day operations are running well. There were no written complaints last year and any phone calls of concern were responded to quickly.
Water operations is budgeting and looking to install water bottle filling stations in the three municipal arenas this coming summer.
Chesley has three wells with the original having been drilled in 1948. Every two or three years $15,000 to $20,000 is spent on its maintenance and staff suggests that it might be time to consider another source to produce water.
The issue of water meters comes up annually and although council would like to install meters in Chesley and Tara it will have to wait until there is a grant available.
According to the prepared staff report, using 2018 recorded water usage from the water plant or water wells, the following figures indicate approximate water used last year: Chesley – 57 gallons per day per capita (down from 69 the previous year), Paisley (where there are meters) – 56 gallons per day per capita (down from 58) and Tara – 69 gallons per day per capita (down from 85).
Deputy mayor Mark Davis, chair of the works committee, thanked staff on behalf of the municipality for their hard work and continuous efforts to make sure drinking water is safe.
SMART motion passes
The motion introduced by Chesley Ward councillor Doug Bell regarding additional funding in 2019 for Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit (SMART) to purchase three to five new adapted minivans this year passed.
Arran-Elderslie is one of six participating municipalities that support SMART, and its portion of the $250,000 request will be $18,358.51 based on ridership and a per capita basis.
All the summer staff needed have been hired according to program co-ordinator Katrina Eke.
Thirty-nine students have been hired, some full time and others part time. The positions include 15 for the Chesley and Tara pools, one for the Treasure Chest Museum in Paisley, 13 for the Tara and Chesley day camps, nine for parks/works and one for water/GIS marking.
Wages range from $16-$19 an hour, depending on the position and if they are a returning summer employee.
The increased wages this summer has helped to attract staff for the pool, said Eke, as those individuals have specific training and qualifications that have costs involved.
This means the pools are fully staffed with an expanded schedule of programs being offered this summer, Eke added.
The next council meeting is Monday, May 13 at 9 a.m.