Erin dips into reserves for unbudgeted costs

The Town of Erin will use reserve funds to cover an operating deficit of $62,924 for 2017, plus an unbudgeted total of $693,388 to complete the Wastewater Environmental Assessment.

Town council agreed on April 3 to fund the deficit from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve, which now has a balance of $224,881. At the end of 2016, that reserve was at $383,809.

Details on the 2017 fourth quarter results were presented in a report by Director of Finance Ursula D’Angelo. It includes explanations for departments that were over or under budget by more than 10 per cent or $10,000. 

The overall operating budget is about $10.5 million. In addition, the Town had budgeted $7.6 million for capital projects in 2017, but by the end of the year had spent only $2.4 million. Council has agreed to push a list of projects forward to 2018.

D’Angelo also got council approval to cover $693,388 in outstanding costs for the Wastewater EA, to be funded equally between three reserve funds: Infrastructure, Water Lifecycle and Administration Development Charges.

The March 2016 EA contract with Ainley Group was $899,253, and the town intended at the time to budget $200,000 per year towards it for three years. That was done in 2016, and with funds brought forward from 2015, $345,865 was covered.

D’Angelo’s report indicates that no funds for the contract were allocated in the 2017 or 2018 budgets. Councillors made no comment about this, but Mayor Allan Alls said later that covering these costs from reserves was always the plan. 

Also not included in the budget or the cost of the Wastewater EA was $140,000 in management fees from Triton Engineering. When added to the Ainley obligation, the total outstanding is $693,388.

“I want to know how we missed the management fees,” said Coun. John Brennan. “Obviously that is an important part of any project, and something that we need to pay attention to as we go forward.” 

The town’s 51 reserve accounts were up by about $1 million at the end of 2017, to a total of $9.1 million, and are projected to be almost $10 million by the end of 2018.

The fourth quarter report shows the administration department 19 per cent over budget, partly because better tax collection reduced income from penalties and interest.

Administration expenses were also higher than expected by 14 per cent, with an extra $90,000 in labour costs due to staff changes, and an extra $28,000 for temporary administrative support. Insurance and deductibles were higher by $52,000 due to “ongoing corporate matters”.

The planning budget took a hit of $64,665 in legal fees for the successful defense of the Angelstone Farms zoning bylaw at an Ontario Municipal Board hearing.

Planning revenue of $18,100 was just 53 per cent of the budget projection, while labour costs were 21 per cent over budget at $37,214. On the positive side, consulting services cost only $5,600, instead of the expected $39,900.

For bylaw enforcement and crossing guards, there was an extra $5,000 for labour costs and an extra $7,982 (100 per cent over budget) for legal fees. Revenue was only $950 (43 per cent of budget).

There were many positive and negative variances in the recreation department, including an extra $103,000 in labour costs due to staff changes. Facility rental income was down by $15,000 at the Erin Community Centre due to lower activity, and revenue from baseball diamond and soccer field rentals was lower due to rain-outs. 

Council has voted in favour of doubling its general liability insurance coverage from $25 million to $50 million, for a premium increase of $1,500 annually. The full insurance contract with Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc. has an annual premium of $127,862.

LOOKING BACK – Erin soldier gassed

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1918)

Erin soldier gassed

The Toronto Star of Wednesday last contains the photo of R.E. Speers, who has been gassed. He is the son of Mrs. J. Speers, 10th Line, and their many friends join in the hope that he may fully recover. Mrs. Speers also has another son at the Front.

Part of Category B men of Class 1 under the Military Service Act in this No. 1 Military District, have been notified by the Deputy Registrar to report for service on April 15th.

During the past week, Mrs. Justice received a letter from her husband, Major Justice, in Belgium. He speaks of not being far from the cemetery in which the late Pte. G. Sutton was buried and that he intends to go and see the grave. 

Referring to Mrs. Tarzwell, he hopes that the citizens of Erin will take an interest in her welfare and see that she does not want for anything, through the loss of her son. He also thanks the Women's Institute for the Xmas boxes sent to the Boys from this vicinity.

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1983)

New grant for non-profit housing

Erin Township is receiving a $20,102 interest free provincial loan for the 29-unit senior citizen non-profit rental building planned for Hillsburgh. The announcement was made by MPP Jack Johnson. The Non-Profit Housing Corporation has already received a $4,000 grant and a $7,000 interest-free loan. Rent-geared-to-income units can be up to 50 per cent of the building.

New plan to save soil

A new soil conservation and environmental assistance program begins this month, according to Mel Chamberlain, Wellington County agricultural representative. Farmers can get grants of up to 50 per cent of construction costs to a maximum of $7,500 for erosion control devices and up to $5,000 for one third of the cost of manure storage facilities.

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1993)

Erin Public officially “Green”

Erin Public School has joined an elite group of less than 300 schools across Canada in being declared “Green” by a group called SEEDS (Society, Environment and Energy Development Studies). Students had to initiate and participate in 100 action projects related to the environment. Teacher Librarian Barb McKinnon said this would influence them for a lifetime. SEEDS has donated $135 for planting trees, and provided a Green banner and trophy.

Village needs a vision

An open invitation is extended to all 1,500 eligible voters to attend an upcoming meeting on updating the Erin Village Official Plan. Reeve Terry Mundell is calling it the Vision Meeting. “We’re trying to determine what the people in our community feel the municipality should look like in the next 10, 15 to 20 years,” he said.

From the Advocate – 20 years ago (1998)

Bell’s Hardware closing

After operating for three generations at the same premises on Erin’s Main Street, Bell’s Hardware has closed. Dwight and Judy Bell, who have resided their entire married life in the apartment above the store, decided to retire. The business was started by R.M. (Robert) Bell and continued by Dwight’s father Donald – who was known for selling TVs starting in the early 1950s.

109 Main gets new lease on life

The old village office at 109 Main Street is likely to be preserved. The garage is to be demolished, and but the OPP will use two offices, and EWAG will take over the council chamber and two other offices. EWAG Executive Director Irene Smedley said one room would be a drop-in centre for healthy seniors over 55. The basement of the building could become a youth centre, with support from Erin Optimists.

Major expansion planned at Cheltenham Badlands

A long-term plan to expand trails and parking facilities at the Cheltenham Badlands could allow a high volume of tourists to safely view the dramatic landscape on Olde Baseline Road.

The final site concept was presented at the Caledon East Community Complex on April 5, the last of four public meetings in a Master Plan process. About 50 people attended.

The Badlands were closed to the public three years ago due to safety concerns caused by heavy visitor traffic. A parking lot for 33 cars and two school buses has been completed, along with a new sidewalk leading to a 200-foot viewing boardwalk on the east side of the attraction, but the site is not expected to re-open until August.

People will not be allowed to walk on the Queenston Shale hummocks, featuring red iron oxide with greenish banding. The area was exposed due to erosion caused by tree clearing and poor farming practices.

The site will be managed by Credit Valley Conservation, to eventually be open during daylight hours from April until the end of October. Parking fees are planned.

Located north of Cheltenham, about 2 km east of Winston Churchill Blvd., the property was very popular with tourists – especially during the fall colours season. It remains blocked by a security fence, and that section of Olde Baseline Road is a No Stopping – Tow Away zone.

Some area residents opposed construction of the parking lot, saying it would make the road more hazardous, but their appeal was rejected by the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

The Master Plan still needs approval by the Ontario Heritage Trust (OHT), which has owned the block of land containing the Badlands since 2002. 

OHT received about $1.2 million for the recent site improvements. The Region of Peel financed the parking lot, a Canada 150 grant helped with the accessible viewing boardwalk and TD Friends of the Environment contributed to signage that directs visitors and explains the history and geology of the Badlands. 

This year, a temporary trail will create a loop that links the existing Bruce Trail with the viewing area and the parking lot. More funding and donations are needed to build washrooms and a new wheelchair-accessible trail from the parking lot as part of Phase 1.

No timing has been set for Phase 2, which includes a trail of limestone screenings on the south side of the Main Badlands, and along the side of a Secondary Badlands feature running south. Staircase-style boardwalks will be built over narrow sections of the shale, and additional loops will be created using the west side, and the main and side trail routes of the Bruce Trail.

Phase 3, which is not expected for about 10 years, features a second parking lot in the far south corner of the property, on Creditview Road. It would accommodate 50 cars and could allow for a shuttle bus service “to be developed by external stakeholders as part of area-wide economic development and tourism opportunities”, according to a display at the public meeting.

 “The Trust will need to raise funds to support the implementation of each phase of the plan,” said OHT representative Catrina Colme.

Natural erosion of the hummocks will continue even without human foot traffic. The feature will gradually flatten out over many decades, according to Joe Desloges, professor of Geology and Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto. 

Drone surveying shows the height of the hummocks declining about 2.5 cm per year, and the gullies filling in with about half that amount.

Erin gets wastewater pep talk

The Town of Erin got an enthusiastic endorsement of the benefits of developing a wastewater system, from a similar community that is “now dealing with a growth explosion”.

The pep talk came from Jane Torrance, a councillor from Mississippi Mills, located about 20 minutes west of Ottawa. She was the guest speaker at the bi-annual Mayor’s Breakfast, March 28 at the Erin Legion, with about 100 business people and community members attending.

Mayor Allan Alls said the recent trend of allowing the severance of rural properties “has pretty well come to an end”, since the province has imposed a prime agricultural designation on most land previously classed as secondary agricultural.

“Our growth has to be in the urban areas, and we need wastewater to make that happen,” he said.

Torrance said her town’s 75-year-old sewer system had reached full capacity.

“Our challenge to growth was wastewater – we were saying no to development,” she said. With ten years of planning, one third funding each from the federal and provincial government, and the use of development charges, they were able to complete construction of a new state-of-the-art wastewater plant in 2012 for $28 million. It is operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency.

 “There are more kids moving in – we’re focusing on a family population so we can be sustainable in the long term,” said Torrance. Their town banned estate lot subdivisions many years ago. “We can’t just build one type of housing. What type of housing is good for families? And bungalow townhouses are popular with seniors.”

More local employment means fewer commuters, and people who grew up in the town are more likely to move back.

Mississippi Mills has similarities to the Town of Erin, with a population of 13,500, including about 5,000 in Almonte, their largest urban area (and the only one with sewers). There are several other communities in their town including Pakenham, site of a major ski hill.

While Torrance described the growth as an explosion, it has meant only about 1,000 new residents since the new wastewater plant was completed. More significant, however, was the arrival of six substantial business developments including a mall, providing employment and revenue.

“Expanding the tax base means spreading the cost over more people,” she said. “All of the municipality is benefitting from Almonte’s growth.”

Mississippi Mills has been aggressive with social media and traditional promotion to attract visitors, and all of their materials stress the beauty of their river.

Unlike Erin, Almonte was starting with an existing sewer system, so did not have to install collection pipes or house hook-ups. Also unlike Erin, they had a hospital and a long-term care facility (now expanding). Being in a growth phase, their challenge is to keep up with demand for services such as childcare, and to add enough municipal staff to handle the activity.

There has been a library expansion, trail development, a downtown that promotes its charm, popularity with cyclists, a desire to protect a rural and mill heritage, and growth in home-based businesses.

“Councillor Torrance today showed our community what Erin could become if we build a sewage treatment facility – a healthy and vibrant community,” said Mayor Alls. “Her story is proof of the positive economic benefits that a facility could bring, including new jobs and diversified housing options.”

Alls said upcoming revisions to Erin’s Official Plan will determine exactly where new housing will be allowed, and define “what we want to be when we grow up”.

Lack of trust holding town back

As the Town of Erin prepares to embark on a major expansion, it needs to deal with a chronic lack of trust between the municipal corporation and the residents it currently serves.

Of course, people know that the roads will be plowed, the water supply will remain of high quality, the ice will be ready for hockey players and the tax bills will arrive without fail. 

But most people just don’t care about how local government works, and they are under no obligation to do so. Many feel it is an out-of-control system that takes a lot of their money and only gives a little in return.

As an independent observer, I don’t think the town is out of control. Local municipal projects are often very expensive, very slow moving and highly controlled by provincial regulations and funding. 

Yes, the town should be aggressive in finding ways to be more efficient and innovative. But it also needs to do better at communicating – regaining trust and building up its image.

I spoke recently with Garland Williamson, a farm owner and businessman. He has no specific objection to construction of a wastewater system, but is concerned about the town spending millions of dollars and lacking expertise.

He wonders how the town will manage a doubling of its population if it can’t properly manage what it has now.

Often it is what people actually see when they drive around town that affects their confidence in the municipality. Williamson brings up the example of the entrance to the medical centre and Tim Hortons from the intersection on County Road 124.

The county did not want traffic coming in from that intersection, but agreed to a compromise – a sharp curve in which two cars cannot pass by in opposite directions. And the number of parking spaces is inadequate.

People don’t care how much it was the county’s fault or the town’s fault, or the fact that it was a previous council. They just know it is a municipal failure, and that they are stuck with it for a long time.

He also raises the property standards bylaw. You can drive around town and see properties with old cars and other junk out front – apparent violations of the bylaw. There are various new homes where the landscaping is not completed until years after the house construction. There have also been many complaints about improper dumping of soil fill. There’s a general feeling that nothing is being done.

Mayor Allan Alls said the Town has to pick its battles, since bylaw cases often get bogged down in expensive court battles. Just recently, council agreed to upgrade the Bylaw Enforcement Officer position from part-time to full-time on a contract basis.

CAO Nathan Hyde and the mayor acknowledged that the town has an image problem.

“We do need to communicate a lot better with the public – we need to have positive outreach with the community,” said Hyde, who has been CAO for just over a year.

He is hoping that the recent hiring of Jessica Spina as Communications and Special Projects Officer will help with that process. There will be a Citizen Engagement Charter coming out later this year, and development of a new Strategic Plan. 

He said the staff reorganization last year was designed to improve delivery of core services, and that performance standards are in place to measure how well they succeed.

“My mission is to make Erin a future-ready community, which means ready for growth and ready for investment,” he said. “That’s us being ready for wastewater down the road. Council has bought into that vision and that’s the direction we’re going.”

All of the department heads are new in the last two years, and staff are under a customer service mandate, so let’s give them a chance to deliver.

“We want the public to have over time a level of comfort in what we’re doing, because we exist to serve them,” said Hyde.

Erin council remuneration totals $120,062

Remuneration for Erin town council members totaled $120,062 in 2017, according to an annual report by Director of Finance Ursula D’Angelo.

Mayor Allan Alls received a salary of $27,000, while each of the other members received $16,200. Other benefits including employer contributions for pension and insurance premiums are valued at up to $7,018.

The Municipal Act requires the treasurer to provide an itemized statement of amounts paid to members of council and other boards.

Councillors are allowed to claim the cost of attending conferences and other expenses. The town paid expenses of totalling $1,173 for the mayor, $2,706 for John Brennan and $1,725 for Jeff Duncan. Councillors Matt Sammut and Rob Smith claimed no expenses.

Anyone considering running for council in the October 22 election should be aware of a Candidate Information Session to be held Thursday, April 12, 6:30 p.m., in Aboyne Hall at the Wellington County Museum and Archives near Fergus.

It is a free education session conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs. It covers qualifications, financial obligations, candidate responsibilities and the roles of council and municipal staff.

Nominations can be filed as of May 1 and the deadline is July 27.

Town gets $1.5 million for Hillsburgh bridge project

The Town of Erin has received a $1.5 million provincial grant that will cover more than half the cost of rebuilding the Station Street bridge in Hillsburgh.

The total cost of the project, which includes rehabilitation of the millpond dam, is estimated at $2.5 million. Design work will be completed this year, with tendering expected in the fall and the start of construction in the spring of 2019.

“The significant repairs being done to the structure will be of added value to the town as we continue to grow,” said Mayor Allan Alls.

Wellington County owns the water control structure in the 

Hillsburgh millpond dam, while the Town of Erin owns

 the earthen berm that supports Station Street.

Gooderham and Worts built the dam that created the 

Hillsburgh millpond in the early 1850s, with a new mill that 

shipped grain to what is now Toronto’s Distillery District. 

The Station Street bridge was built in 1917.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs approved the grant through the top-up component of the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF). The town applied for $1,576,988 in July last year, but the grant was not approved until the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change gave the project the green light.

“The OCIF grant is great win for the Town,” said CAO Nathan Hyde. Erin has been turned down for OCIF grants in recent years. The program provides long-term funding for small, rural and northern communities to develop and renew their infrastructure. 

The project was the subject of an environmental assessment that recommended preserving the millpond. Town council and Wellington County backed the EA result, but it was challenged by Credit Valley Conservation and others who preferred either decommissioning the pond, or creating a smaller, off-line pond. 

Town council was prepared to go ahead with the project without a grant, and had arranged $2.5 million in debt financing. Mayor Alls said he expects that debt will still be used to cover the balance of the cost.

He said the town might be able to reduce the cost of the project if sections of the dam’s foundation can be re-used. Construction will have to be timed to avoid disruption of trout hatching.

The bridge was built in 1917 and was first identified in 1971 as being in need of replacement. Although the dam had repairs and reinforcement after an outlet pipe failed in 2011, forcing temporary closure of the road, the province is insisting that the risk of failure be brought up to modern standards.

LOOKING BACK – Brother home safely

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1918)

Brother home safely

Pte. W. Sutton, who has been overseas for the past two years, has returned home. It will be remembered that his brother Pte. Geo. Sutton made the supreme sacrifice some months ago. In Hillsburg, Mr. E. Royce, son of Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Royce is home from the Front, where he has been for over three years.

Remembering George Short

George Short was born in Erin on April 4, 1918 and lived much of his life in the village. He passed away in his 100^thyear, on March 16, 2018. I interviewed the World War Two veteran and his wife Florence a few years ago to hear stories of earlier times in Erin, and found them to be most hospitable. George helped develop minor hockey in Erin and once managed the arena on the Agricultural Society grounds. He was well loved and respected in the community and will be sadly missed.

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1983)

New firehall needed

The volunteer firemen of the Erin Fire Department have decided to “take the bull by the horns” and raise the needed money to build a new fire hall. “We can’t count on any government money or grants,” said firefighter Terry Osborne. “We have decided to get the ball rolling and do it ourselves.” 

Deputy Chief Bob Bates said they need more space for their equipment. The vehicles have to be washed and maintained outside, and there is no room for lockers or showers for the men after they come back from a call. The department has a 1943 vehicle that has to be parked elsewhere due to lack of space. Hoses are dried on the floor, which can produce mold and rot. 

The department’s ladies’ auxiliary will have a fundraising garage sale, and there will be a door-to-door blitz of residents in the village, and the eastern corner of the township serviced by the village department. Their workload has increased from 59 calls in 1979 to 92 calls in 1982.

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1993)

Tight purse strings at Township

Organizations requesting funding from Erin Township should be warned that early signs point to tight control of 1993 expenditures. Barb Tocher presented the Library Board’s request for an extra $3,000 in operating funds and $20,000 in capital funding, and Karen Smith of the Ballinafad Community Centre presented a pared down operating budget and a request for $5,000 in capital funding. 

Council made no promises on the funding, with Reeve Duncan Armstrong saying, “We have no problem with needs, but wants are another matter.” Clayton Leigh told council the 16,000 books now housed by the library is low for a community of this size. In 1982 the library received $13,800 when they had an annual circulation of 25,000, but in 1992 funding had only gone up to $14,700 for a circulation of 41,000.

From the Advocate – 20 years ago (1998)

Ice storm wrecks havoc

A severe ice storm caused major damage to trees and knocked out power to many in the Erin area last week. Erin Rent-All owner Carol Mercer said her husband Vic had been out all night Wednesday delivering generators. Police were busy directing traffic at major intersections, and people were checking in on seniors to make sure they had assistance if needed. On Dundas Street, half a tree crashed down on the roof of a home. Ontario Hydro said about 60,000 people in Southern Ontario were without power for more than two days. 

Grant helps expand high school micro-farm

Everdale Farm has received a $25,000 grant to expand the micro-farm project at Erin District High School (EDHS) and create a how-to manual for other schools to follow.

It’s one of 15 projects promoting local food production and growth of the agri-food sector, to be supported by $315,000 in grants through the Greenbelt Fund.

The EDHS project started last spring, with previous financial support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. 

Student work bees were organized during Friday lunch periods on a section of land owned by the school board, across from the library area of Centre 2000. Three-foot high metal enclosures were erected and filled with soil to create raised beds, which improve drainage and make crops easier to manage.

Erin District High School students planted the first raised beds last year.

 “We wanted to make it like a farm park,” said Everdale co-founder and youth director Karen Campbell. 

The idea was to create links to the community, potentially selling some produce to local businesses or restaurants, or donating some to the food bank. The micro-farm is also intended to as a teaching space, supporting areas of the curriculum such as literacy, numeracy and the development of work and leadership skills.

Everdale staff are also creating a comprehensive “Start a Micro Farm at Your School” teaching module to help other schools replicate the project, including advice on soil composition and sample crop plans.

Everdale is a non-profit organic farm near Hillsburgh celebrating its 20th year. Their endeavours include the Harvest Share program that provides weekly produce for members, sales at farmers’ markets, events such as Carrotfest, farmer training programs and internships, and farm school programs designed for various interests and grade levels.

More raised beds have now been constructed at EDHS and there are plans for an area of ground-level planting. 

Since students are away from school in the summer, the strategy is to plant quick-growing crops like lettuce and spinach that can be harvested in late spring, then planting seeds for longer term crops like carrots, kale and potatoes that can be harvested in the fall.

It is a continuation of a longer-term effort at the high school to bring more healthy alternatives to the cafeteria, where students from the hospitality program cook and serve food.

Students with interests in farming, food and environmental issues have been involved. The art department is decorating the new picnic tables and tech students are working on a sign.

The school has received EcoSchool certification for its efforts to reduce energy consumption in the building, the installation of water bottle filling stations and the use of composting bins for the cafeteria. 

The Environmental Club, under the supervision of teacher Ross Watson, planted an herb garden in 2013 on the far side of the parking lot to supply some fresh greens to the cafeteria.

Brainstorming on possible future developments ranges from an outdoor classroom to establishment of nut trees or perennials such as raspberry plants.

Erin is part of the Wellington County Local Food Initiative known as Taste Real. As part of the county’s economic development strategy, it is building a network that includes farms, restaurants, food retailers and the growing farm tourism sector.

“By increasing access to local food and drink, and supporting innovation in processing, we are strengthening rural and urban economies, creating good jobs, and building a more sustainable future,” said Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

LOOKING BACK – Strike at Graham Fibre Glass

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1983)

Graham Fibre Glass workers on strike

Graham Fibre Glass, Erin’s largest employer, has been quiet since March 17 when 71 production workers walked off the job. The members of Local 271 of the International Aluminum, Brick and Glassworkers had been working without a contract since Jan. 11. Their average wage is $8.33 an hour. Local president Bob Anderson said the main issues are wages and benefits. General manager Ian Graham said the company was completely surprised by the strike and breakdown of negotiations. “Money didn’t seem to be the issue,” he said.

Caledon residents want farmland preserved

A survey by Caledon Ward One Councillor shows strong support for the preservation of agricultural lands, low growth, control of gravel pits and a plebiscite on regional government. John Alexander got responses from over 300 residents in the western part of the town, including Belfountain, Alton and Caledon Village. More than two thirds supported policies of low residential and commercial/industrial growth. Most also favoured maintaining the Niagara Escarpment Commission, and most said urban services such as street lighting, curbs and road paving are not needed.

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1993)

Village to keep up with the times

Residents learned about Erin’s plan to keep abreast of changing economic and social trends, at a public meeting to discuss a background report on the Village Official Plan. Deputy Reeve Carolann Osborne was pleased with the high turnout. Updating the plan will cost about $10,840 according to Wellington County Senior Planner Aldo Salis.

The report said the village population has had slow growth, from 2,315 in 1981 to 2,489 in 1993. The average household size is 2.9. The schools have portables, and new schools may be needed to handle future growth, but growth is currently restrained by lack of municipal sewage treatment. The municipal landfill site will reach capacity in 1995.

No extra policing for Erin

Reeve Terry Mundell is continuing to press for a greater police presence in the village, but Wellington OPP Inspector Walter Trachsel told village council that current coverage is adequate. “Someone who lives in a small town can’t expect the same level of policing they would get in an urban area, because they are not paying the high taxes,” he said. While the OPP has had gradual improvements in staffing and efficiency, the village has lobbied the provincial government for more police funding. 

Mundell has been investigating the cost of Erin hiring its own police officers. Trachsel said residents and store owners must be more proactive in preventing crime. There are plans to revive the Community Oriented Policing group, and the Business Improvement Area has started a reward program to help solve petty crimes in the area. 

From the Advocate – 20 years ago (1998)

$40,000 pledged for youth centre

The 60-member audience at a public meeting on the new Erin Multi-use facility applauded as Everett Roberts, Director of Youth Activities for the Erin Optimist Club, pledged $40,000 towards a youth centre in the facility. The meeting included a presentation on options from the project management firm C.A. Ventin, and was a chance for councillors to assess public support for town involvement. 

Councillors Rod Finnie, Ken Chapman and Culver Riley want the town to be involved, but Mayor Barb Tocher and Councillor George Root have expressed serious reservations. Tocher said she was concerned about taking on debt, while Dave Dautovich, head of the high school council, responded by saying “elected members have to show leadership”. 

Other possible partners expressing interest in the centre include the Rotary Club, the Tennis Club, Erin Hoops, Erin Little Theatre, Sue’s Moves, Dr. Walcott and Dr. Mathieson. Irene Smedley said EWAG would like to establish a seniors’ centre.

Tennis Club to be independent of Town

The Town of Erin is doing away with four Community Centre Recreation Boards, but is promising to do so with minimal disruption.

A financial audit advised council last fall that having independent groups such as the tennis club within the town’s structure creates an issue with oversight. A report from Clerk Dina Lundy said this could expose the town to legal liabilities and “reputational risk should there be issues with how these enterprises are managed”.

Council voted on March 6 to repeal a 1985 Erin Township bylaw that established recreation boards to operate the Erin Tennis Club (ETC) and the Ballinafad Community Centre (BCC), which are still active, and for Victoria Park and the Hillsburgh Community Centre, which are not.

The BCC is considered integral to the Parks and Recreation Department, so that board will be converted to an advisory committee. The Town of Halton Hills has agreed to increase its annual contribution to the Ballinafad centre from $500 to $5,000, and they will receive regular financial statements from Erin.

The tennis club gets no funds from the town, and membership fees are used for maintenance and a variety of programs. Unlike other sports organizations, the club operates on town property without a rental agreement, and the town holds their reserve funds.

The five courts were built and paid for by the town, which borrowed $171,000 for the project in 2002. There was a major court resurfacing in 2015, with the club paying more than half the cost.

The town will now sever its financial relationship with the club and negotiate a new agreement for use of the courts, which will also ensure public access.

ETC President Chuck Hall said there is concern about the club losing coverage under the town’s insurance, and reminded council that club members have made significant contributions of money and volunteer labour towards the facilities.

CAO Nathan Hyde said the club could be allowed to continue temporarily on town insurance, and that staff will work with them “to make the transition as seamless as possible”.

Mayor Al Alls said, “We won’t leave you stranded.”

Erin has new rules for election signs

Election candidates will have to post a $125 refundable deposit with the Town of Erin to cover possible enforcement costs if there are violations of the new election sign bylaw.

Clerk Dina Lundy drafted a bylaw that will apply to federal, provincial and municipal elections. Council approved it with minor modifications on March 6.

It includes a sign height restriction of one metre, an area restriction of three square metres and a list of where signs may not be placed (including within two metres of a roadway).

The town will notify candidates of infractions, and may remove illegally placed signs, destroy those not picked up by candidates and recover its costs.

The provincial election is on June 7 and the municipal election is on Oct. 22 this year.

Signs were to be allowed for 45 days leading up to a municipal election, but this was changed after Councillor John Brennan noted that such a short period would disadvantage new candidates who need to build up name recognition.

Council has decided that nominated municipal candidates can put up signs as of Sept. 1, which is 52 days before the election.

Nominations can be filed starting May 1, and the deadline (‘nomination day”) is now much earlier than in previous elections, moving from the second Friday in September to the fourth Friday in July.

There will be no referendum questions on the Erin ballot this year, since the deadline for placing such questions was March 1. Also, council has rejected the option of ranked ballots.

The town will continue to use the vote-by-mail system that has been in effect since 2006. Everyone on the Voters List will receive a voter kit, and have the option of mailing their ballot by Oct. 12, or dropping it off at Town Hall on election day.

Lundy had suggested charging candidates a $25 non-refundable fee to cover the cost of administering the new sign bylaw, but councillors said that would be unreasonable.

Initially, signs were to be prohibited within 30 feet of a street corner, to promote traffic safety with a “daylight triangle” of visibility. This has been changed to 10 feet.

All election signs must be removed with 96 hours of the election.

Changes urged for Erin pit proposal

With town council expected to decide soon on whether to support expansion of the Halton Crushed Stone (HCS) gravel pit just south of Erin village, community members are renewing objections and proposing changes to the project.

A second public meeting was held March 6, with James Parkin of MHBC Planning providing an update on behalf of HCS.

“There has been a good consultation process,” said Parkin, noting that there are no outstanding objections from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Credit Valley Conservation, or the consultants who have peer reviewed HCS studies of hydrogeology, noise, traffic and visual impact.

“The proposal has withstood scrutiny, and we have made changes that are responsive to the community,” he said.

The existing pit west of Tenth Line is 300 metres from the road, but the expansion could bring it to within 30 metres. HCS says it plans a setback of 60 metres in Phase 1, in a radius from the corner closest to the McCullogh subdivision.

Other changes include increased berm heights, tree and shrub plantings along County Road 52, a noise audit, stockpile height limitations, a dust management plan and an annual water level data report to the town.

Residents Sharon Cranstone and Roy Val are urging a setback of 300 metres in the northwest corner. This is not a legal requirement, since the land is already zoned from extraction, but the County Official Plan does specify a 300-metre “yellow ribbon” setback for new zoning around urban areas.

They want the setback increased to 60 metres for the whole length of the pit along County Road 52, an increase of berm height and more extensive tree planting and landscaping. They want HCS to pave the first 300 metres of Tenth Line to reduce dust, and a setback of extraction near the Tenth Line.

They either want extraction in the northwest corner delayed until the final phase of the pit lifespan, to allow the trees to grow into a screen, or to have extraction in that area done first and completed in 18 months.

Cranstone and Val are also concerned about the environmental impact of asphalt being recycled and stored on the site. They want leachate testing and a limit on the volume equal to 10 per cent of exported gravel. HCS says asphalt is not a significant risk.

They also want to know why various provisions in the 1976 Ontario Municipal Board ruling that approved the original pit, and the development agreement that followed, were never enforced.

These include requirements that the pit owner pave a section of Tenth Line; create turning lanes where the Winston Churchill Blvd. haul route meets both County Road 52 and County Road 124, and reconstruct/maintain Winston Churchill to county standards.

David and Caitlin Piva, who live close to the existing pit, said there is a problem with gravel trucks parking on the Tenth Line and using their back-up beepers prior to 6 a.m. They are also concerned about rocks that fall onto the road from loaded trucks, and say that with high stockpiles of gravel in the pit, existing berms are not adequate.

Even though Credit Valley Conservation is predicting the expansion will not affect groundwater, they are still concerned about their well water.

Resident Karen Maxwell said dust from the pit on local properties remains an ongoing problem. She also reminded council that the 1976 OMB ruling approved the original pit with an assumption that extraction would take place prior to construction of a nearby subdivision.

Councillor Matt Sammut did not attend the meeting, and has declared a conflict of interest since his residence is in that subdivision.

LOOKING BACK – Ladies keep on fundraising

From the Advocate – 100 years ago (1918)

Ladies keep on fundraising

The Ever Ready Club of Erin, composed of young ladies of the Village, have sent out invitations for an assembly, in the Town Hall, on Friday evening March 15th. Proceeds in aid of Erin Patriotic Society.

The Coningsby Women’s Institute held their monthly meeting at the home of Mrs. W. Sutton, on Thursday evening, March 7th. There were 104 present. The President in the chair. An excellent program was given by the following: Music by the Awrey Orchestra; Song by Mr. and Mrs. E. Awrey; Paper by Miss E.R. Burt; Reading by Miss E. Barbour; Recitations by Miss E. Thompson and Mr. E. Hindley. A collection was taken in aid of the Blind at Halifax, amounting to $7.75. A dainty lunch was served and a social hour spent by all present.

From the Advocate – 35 years ago (1983)

Hillsburgh seniors’ apartments approved

Zoning for the new senior citizens’ apartment complex in Hillsburgh has been approved by Erin Township Council. The building is to be situated on an extension of Spruce Street, on what was part of the Nodwell property, and will have 29 self-contained apartments. Non-profit housing chairman Lloyd Lang said not one negative comment was heard at a public meeting on the project.

Wives start fire department auxiliary

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Erin Fire Department held its first meeting to discuss plans and elect an executive, said public relations person Laura Pickett. The 23-member group will lend support to the firemen and let the public know what they do. The executive includes Jenny Franklin, president; Barb Hebbes, vice-president; Pat Evans, secretary; and Helen Lucas, treasurer. They will do fundraising and hold social events to bring the families of the department closer together. They will “bring refreshments when the men are fighting a grass fire on a hot day.”

From the Advocate – 25 years ago (1993)

Brewers’ Retail may be lost

After years of discussion and anticipation, construction of the new commercial plaza in south Erin is expected to begin in mid-April. Members of the Erin Business Improvement Area (BIA), in conjunction with Village Council, will have input into the appearance of the plaza. Councillors last week studied site plans and brick samples provided by developers Basilio Sinopoli and Vittoria Mauti. It has been an expensive three-year wait since the developers first brought plans to council, including Brewers’ Retail as a major tenant. Council approved a plan, but a group of citizens appealed it to the Ontario Municipal Board. The appeal was settled before the hearing, but Brewer’s Retail is now thinking of pulling out of the project. Reeve Terry Mundell said council is committed to having a building façade that will “fit in with Erin’s old-time charm and heritage.”

From the Advocate – 20 years ago (1998)

Feeling proud from a distance

A letter to the editor from Sarah Denison: I just finished reading Harry Smith’s editorial “Feeling Proud About Erin”. The news must cross the Pacific to reach me, since I’m teaching English in Japan, so it’s old but still cherished. I cherish memories of neighbours who greeted me on afternoon walks and friends who would “honk and wave” as they drove by. I remember hanging out at the arena to watch friends play hockey. Mention of the Erin Fall Fair stirs memories of warm woolen sweaters and cold beers as mini reunions took place all over the grounds. It is really true that you do not realize how important something is to you until it’s no longer at your immediate grasp or in your sight. I hope Erin can hold onto its charm and small town feeling that I love so much.