Question:

I would like to inform you that I am opposed to the towns lawsuit against a resident with serious health issues which the install of the new water metre will make worse and am in support of them being exempt from the new metre install.

I am also against the use of tax payer money to hire another lawyer from out of town to fight against this residents right not to have the metre installed so they can be safe and healthy in their own home. I would also like to add how disappointed I am in the towns lawyer (initially assigned to this frivolous case) and their disgraceful behaviour towards the judge.

Other municipalities have made reasonable concessions for their residents, why isn't Kingsville? I don’t know what is happening to our town and council that you believe this is in anyway ok to do to residents and I hope you stop and reconsider your decision.

Answer:

Normally, the Town does not comment on ongoing litigation matters, but since the other side has made public statements and we are being asked questions, we will attempt to provide clarification where we can.

It's important to note that the applicant already has a Radio Frequency meter at her home. The difference is simply that the new meters automate the reading system to save paying staff to physically drive around town to collect water meter data. These new meters are being installed by municipalities across North America.

Health Canada has advised that these new meters are safe.

We are sympathetic to the applicant. We offered the applicant an alternative which involves placing the meter in the road allowance away from her home, but she rejected that option.

The Town has invested in this upgrade and can only realize the benefits if all installations are complete. The manufacturer of the old water meters no longer provides support for them as these units have finished their useful life. New meters are required.

The Town did not commence this legal proceeding but is simply responding to it.

Additionally, we contacted the Court regarding the allegation that our lawyer yelled at the judge and received confirmation that this is untrue.

We were saddened to learn that the Williams family will not move forward with their light display this year.

It has been clear for many years that the light show has outgrown the neighbourhood.

In the past, the municipality has attempted to work with the organizers to move their display to an appropriate public space but could not meet their terms.

During a survey conducted this year, we found that while many neighbours supported the event, others voiced significant concerns regarding its impact on the quiet enjoyment of their properties and the safe passage of emergency vehicles.

The Large Holiday Display By-law does not prevent the organizers from having their display but establishes reasonable limitations on the hours of operation.

The organizers were contacted before and after the approval of the by-law, encouraging them to apply for the permit and continue their show. Unfortunately, it seems they have decided not to work within the framework of the by-law.

We sincerely wish the Williams family the best in their future endeavours with their lightshow.

We have not sold the park in Ruthven. It is unfortunate, but not unusual, that allegations are made on Facebook without any factual basis.

Although we don’t know the reason for the recent allegations on Facebook, there is a legal issue in that the park lands are not listed in the name of a municipality. This is a little unusual but not wholly surprising since the ownership records date back to 1959 and legal records were not always updated properly decades ago. In this instance, we believe the lands were intended to be transferred to the Town as part of a subdivision agreement. The final step appears not to have been completed at the time the subdivision was developed, although the Town has maintained the lands as a public park for many decades. We are working on a solution to this legal issue.

The Town is preemptively releasing its list of employees who earned more than $100,000 in the previous calendar year, which we recently provided to the Province under Ontario’s Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act.

The number of employees earning more than $100,000 per year increased by five in 2023, to a total of 22. Reportable salaries reflect total compensation, including overtime paid. Some employees have lower annual salaries but earned more with overtime in 2023, and are therefore included on the 2023 list. Employees whose employment ended during the year due to a resignation, retirement, or other reasons have their salary reported at the amount actually paid to them for the partial year of employment.

Interestingly, the $100,000 threshold has remained the same since 1996. According to CTV news, using the Bank of Canada's inflation calculator, the threshold of $100,000 would equal $177,890 in 2023, a 77.89% increase since 1996. In recent years, more employees across the province have found their names included on the list, including frontline workers, building inspectors, police officers, firefighters, and teachers.

"Municipalities across Ontario face challenges recruiting talented and experienced professionals," said Kingsville Chief Administrative Officer John Norton. "We're competing across the region for planners, engineers, lawyers and other experts."

Salary increases are subject to good performance reviews and include different components, such as cost of living and years of service. After employees reach the top of the pay band for their position, within five years, they only receive cost of living increases. In 2023 the cost of living increase was 2%.

Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers added, "I'm proud of our Administrative team at the Town of Kingsville. Many of our managers and directors oversee multiple specialties that other municipalities might divide into two or three positions. I see how our staff go above and beyond every day, and the caliber of our employees directly impacts the quality of our services. Competitive salaries and staff retention go hand in hand."

To be fair to both taxpayers and employees, the Town of Kingsville commissions an independent salary review every three to four years to compare the Town’s salaries with neighbouring municipalities. This review will occur later in 2024. If you have questions about this list, please use the "ask something new" tab to submit a question.

Q: Can the town release the % increase in the town's portion of the 2024 taxes please, so we do not have to pull out our property tax bills and do a whole bunch of math?

A: The Town of Kingsville budget only represents 55% of your total property tax bill, which is why presenting a % increase can be misleading. Further, some residents have drainage or local improvement charges included on their tax bill, which are not impacted by annual budget changes. Perhaps the simplest way to understand the impact of the 2024 budget is that it will result in an annual property tax increase of $63.27 per $100,000 of assessment.

- Ryan McLeod, Director of Financial and Corporate Services

Answer: We appreciate your feedback regarding our operations. The Town of Kingsville has a Levels of Service Policy that we use to determine our response to winter events. This policy is based on provincial law which requires us to meet certain thresholds, which must be met before we dispatch trucks onto our roadways and tractors onto our sidewalks. These policies are in place to manage our operational and financial resources efficiently. If you'd like to learn more about sidewalk service levels, visit our webpage, "Get to Know the Plan for Snow." You'll find a table with sidewalk clearing Levels of Service on the page. In the future, if you notice an icy sidewalk and believe it to be a safety concern, please advise the Town by emailing requests@kingville.ca, and we will dispatch staff to inspect the area at the earliest opportunity. - Shaun Martinho, Director of Public Operations

Answer: We appreciate the ideas you have for the Kingsville Recreation Complex and Arena. In it’s current configuration and layout, the arena does not allow for the addition of an indoor walking track or pool. Earlier this year, the Town completed a town-wide facilities review, and Council approved several recommendations. The full report can be found by following this link- Facilities Review Report. You’ll note in the report that in 2025, we plan to complete a lifecycle assessment for the Arena. That means we will not schedule upgrades or additions to the Arena until that study is complete. When it comes time to upgrade the Arena, public consultation will be available. We encourage you to bring forward your ideas for Kingsville’s Recreation Complex and Arena at that time. - Shaun Martinho, Director of Public Works

Answer: The Town regularly receives comments and requests to open the arena canteen. The Town has been actively searching for someone to run the arena canteen, but unfortunately, the previous vendor withdrew their services. Council has instructed Town staff to continue the search for interested individuals or businesses that would commit to operating the canteen. If we are unable to find an operator, the staffing of canteen services will be considered a new service level to be provided by the Town at the 2024 budget for a one-year trial. If Council decides to staff the canteen, it will cost between $40,000 to $60,000 per year. Alternatively, the canteen can remain closed.

We are still optimistic that we can find an individual or business that is interested in operating the canteen at little or no cost. However, it's important to remember that municipalities often provide services that private businesses won't, because these services, while unprofitable, are important to the community. For example, the arena, libraries, parks, and roads and bridges, are not profitable services. These all cost money and the Town provides them at cost.

If the canteen staffing goes to budget deliberations, Council will need to assess the cost of providing this service internally and weigh it against its “community value”. Council also has to weigh the value of this service against the cost of other services.

We will continue our search for an operator. In the meantime, until an operator is found or Council decides to hire staff to run it, the canteen will remain closed.