Work crews to start on rec centre Monday

City hall officials say Harold Sutherland Construction is expected to begin excavation work for Owen Sound’s regional recreation complex at Victoria Park starting this Monday.

The company will also install new water-sewer lines for the $38-million facility.

The project is five months behind schedule. Project planners had expected to break ground in November.

The estimate for excavation work is $661,000. The budget was $1.2 million. However, city manager Jim Harrold said Harold Sutherland’s cost estimate does not include work to dig the 25-metre pool. That will happen later.

The entire rec centre project is expected to be completed in autumn 2011.

COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS PROJECT: Worth the risk

City council has reinforced its unanimous support for Owen Sound’s $38-million recreation centre project, even though the city’s cost to build the complex could more than triple an original estimate.
The revised $16.6 million projected cost to the city would force Owen Sound to increase what it raises through property taxes by 3.4%, according to a report by city manager Jim Harrold. It would take 17 years, at that rate, starting in 2012, to pay off a debenture for the city’s contribution.

Family Y ups pressure

The Owen Sound Family Y has boosted its contribution to the city’s regional recreation centre project to $1.35 million, partly as a means to pressure city council to unanimously approve proceeding with the project at a meeting this afternoon.
“The support of all council members is vital if the Family Y and its fundraising committee are to be successful in reaching the community fundraising goal of $5 million,” Family Y board chairwoman Evelyn Dean said during a press conference today.
The Family Y had committed $1 million to the project. The non-profit organization plans to take out a $1.35-million loan and pay it back over 20 years with operational revenue.

Community rallies for rec centre

A public meeting to discuss Owen Sound’s 2010 budget turned into a rally to show support for the behind-schedule regional recreation centre project.
About 300 people crowded into a room at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Monday night for the meeting. Some carried shovels or signs with messages of support for the $38-million project.
“We’re just trying to let city council know that the recreation centre is something that needs to be brought to fruition,” said Owen Sound resident Donna Twining, who created pro-rec-centre placards taped to garden shovels.
The large show of support for the complex was due, in part, to comments made by Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners that the recreation centre will not likely be substantially completed by March 31, 2011, as required by the senior levels of government to ensure two-thirds funding. She told The Sun Times Friday that she would not support spending more than the $8.6 million in taxpayer money already committed by the city for the project.
Lovell Stanners told the crowd Monday night that the project is five to six months behind schedule, due to soil problems at Victoria Park.
The city has asked the provincial and federal governments to extend the deadline for “substantial completion.” Even though Infrastructure Canada and Ontario’s municipal affairs ministry told The Sun Times that no extensions will be granted, Lovell Stanners said the city is still hopeful it will happen. She said council expects an answer Wednesday.

Community shows rec centre support

Well, they came armed with shovels and signs of support for the $38-million regional recreation centre at last night’s public meeting. Most people in the crowd seemed in favour of a tax hike in the name of recreation.

I also noticed a bit of media bashing, I must say. For the record, The Sun Times called Infrastructure Canada and the province and received the same answer — no extensions will be approved for Building Canada projects. Sorry, we broke the bad news. But, this is from reliable, media sources in the correct government department. We don’t make this stuff up.

I also noticed some campaigning last night. Coun. Deb Haswell was the worst offender. Setting up to run for mayor? We know it’s an election year, but, come on.

School board tired of guessing game

The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board doesn’t have the money to play a guessing game with Owen Sound council, the board’s top administrator says.

Education director Bruce MacPherson said the board wants clear direction from council on a compromise that would meet the city’s desire to adequately commemorate the original wing of St. Mary’s High School and allow the board to demolish the 1891 annex.

“It just doesn’t make any financial sense for us to keep saying: what about this and what about that? Because each time, with architects, etc., it’s costing us money. So now we’re just waiting to hear from city council on what it is that they would like to see,” MacPherson said in an interview.

The original St. Mary’s schoolhouse, now part of a much larger Catholic high school, was boarded up last November.

Sixteen months earlier council voted to block the school board’s plan to demolish the structure by moving to protect it under Ontario Heritage Act legislation.

The school board objected, saying the building is cost prohibitive to repair. The Ministry of Education paid for a $3.7-million addition at the opposite end of the school, but provided no money to fix the original annex.

The objection sent the matter to Ontario’s Conservation Review Board, which makes non-binding recommendations on heritage preservation.

But before proceeding to a full-blown hearing, the city agreed to give the school board a chance to entice council to withdraw its intention to designate with a plan to commemorate its historical significance.

The board failed to impress council last October with its proposal to preserve bricks and a stone name plate from the annex for use in a replica entranceway.

Board officials were sent away with the direction to improve the plan.

MacPherson said the school board has not been working on another plan. They have been waiting the last four months for clear direction from council.

“We were making presentations on things we were saying we would do and finally we said, ‘You tell us what you’re looking for.’ So that’s what we’re waiting for,” he said.

City manager Jim Harrold said both sides are “still talking.” A second Conservation Review Board pre-hearing is scheduled for March 29.

“We don’t have a problem with a hearing, but I think we’d all rather resolve the problem amongst ourselves without the need for a third party,” he said.

Coun. Jim McManaman, an outspoken critic of the demolition plan, said the board’s last proposal was “unacceptable.”

“In my mind, just speaking for myself, I’d like to see them come up with a plan to save the old 1891 portion of the school,” he said.

While the school’s expansion is great news, he said the city must work to preserve its heritage.

He said public buildings should be held to a “higher standard” than private properties.

Ideally, McManaman said the board and city should partner together to “make a case” to save the school. The two sides could search for funding opportunities and possible uses, he said.

He questioned whether the board tried to secure Ministry of Education funding to repair the original wing.

Ministry spokeswoman Patricia MacNeil said the Catholic board applied for “prohibitive to repair” funding to build an addition. It did not apply for renovation funding.

Councillor expenses include trip to Whistler, B.C.

City council billed Owen Sound taxpayers nearly $23,000 for expenses last year, including $3,200 for Coun. John Christie to attend a four-day conference in Whistler, B.C.

Christie, who claimed the most for council-related expenses, said his trip to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference was “money well spent” because he learned a lot about issues of importance to Owen Sound.

“It’s expensive and it’s very hard to measure sometimes whether something is well spent in terms of the actual dollars, but I think attending — it was my only major expense of the year and it certainly was the highlight in terms of educational expanse,” he said Friday.

Christie said he attended presentations on waste management, sewage treatment, brown-field redevelopment and affordable housing.

He said he also networked with municipal leaders and listened to talks by senior ministers and federal opposition leaders.

No other city councillors attended.

Christie billed $1,259 to stay at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, $805 for airfare, $675 for a registration fee and $500 for per diem pay. He said he travelled to B.C. by train, but submitted a claim for the less expensive airfare.

Christie’s total bill for expenses was $177.35 over the councillor limit of $3,250.

In all, council members received $218,000 last year for salary, meeting payments and expenses.

Coun. Bill Twaddle presented a motion, which passed during budget deliberations, to reduce the councillor expenses limit for 2010 from $3,250 to $2,500.

Twaddle, who also presented motions to freeze council pay, said a $2,500 expense allowance is “reasonable.” It is enough to cover one out-of-town conference per year, he said.

“What I’m trying to do, without diminishing the role of council, is ask council to show some leadership because we’re asking for restraint and spending controls in so many areas,” he said.

The province cut $400,000 from the city’s 2010 transfer payment. Council dedicated five full days to chop down the city’s operating budget.

In the end, council accepted a budget that requires a 5.81% hike in property tax revenue to finance. Council is holding a public meeting about the budget, which has yet to be finally approved, March 1.

City/county Coun. Arlene Wright said council members should be “very careful” with their expenses.

Conference schedules should be carefully reviewed to ensure they are worthwhile, she said.

Coun. Deb Haswell, who attended a Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Calgary a few years ago, said she found it to be worthwhile, with plenty of useful information.

“No one does this job because of the money,” she said.

This year’s FCM conference is in Toronto.

Haswell claimed $2,143.68 in council-related expenses, including $685 for printer cartridges and $1,246 to attend conferences in Toronto. She bought tickets to Ducks Unlimited and Chamber of Commerce dinners. She also spent $2,274.46 to attend conferences for her role on the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities (OSUM) executive and AMO’s climate change task force.

Coun. David Adair claimed $3,008.24 in expenses, including $2,204 to attend an AMO conference in Ottawa. He also purchased ink cartridges, a printer and tickets to the Owen Sound cultural awards ceremony and a Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners spent $670.66 to attend the AMO conference, $355.26 to attend functions on behalf of the city and $1,850 for council-related expenses.

Coun. Peter Lemon claimed $2,686.21 in expenses, including $2,121 to attend an OSUM conference in Cornwall and for mileage, event tickets and a printer cartridge.

Twaddle claimed $2,504.24 in expenses, including $2,110 to attend the AMO conference. He also paid for mileage and event tickets.

Wright billed $1,547 for expenses, including $870 to attend a municipal conference in London. She also attended a policing conference in Caledon and other meetings. The county paid her way to an AMO conference.

Coun. Jim McManaman claimed $1,253.40, including $1,138.33 to attend the AMO conference. He also bought city Christmas party tickets and an ink cartridge.

Coun. Tom Pink claimed $1,132 in expenses for event tickets, meals, business cards, pins and printer cartridges.

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By the numbers

Council salary, meeting per diem and expense payments made to Owen Sound councillors in 2009 for city work. Approved at a meeting this week.

Mayor Ruth Lovell Stanners: $30,688.50 salary, $4,700 per diem, $2,876.46 expenses.

Coun. David Adair: $11,692.08 salary, $6,275 per diem, $3,008.24 expenses.

Coun. John Christie: $11,692.08 salary, $5,650 per diem, $3,427.35 expenses.

Coun. Deb Haswell: $11,692.08 salary, $343.86 salary for police services board, $10,850 per diem, $2,143.68 expenses, $2,274.46 for AMO/OSUM expenses.

Coun. Peter Lemon: $11,692.08 salary, $6,600 per diem, $2,686.21 expenses.

Coun. Jim McManaman: $11,692.08 salary, $9,025 per diem, $1,253.40 expenses.

Coun. Tom Pink: $11,692.08 salary, $7,450 per diem, $1,132.80 expenses.

Coun. Bill Twaddle: $11,692.08 salary, $2,750.88 salary for police services board, $9,075 per diem, $2,504.24 expenses.

Coun. Arlene Wright: $11,692.08 salary, $3,094.74 salary for police services board, $5,715 per diem, $1,547.87 expenses.