By Chad Ingram

Published March 28 2017

The following are brief reports of items discussed during a March 27 meeting of Dysart et al council.

The main entranceway at the A.J. LaRue Arena will outfitted with a timber frame structure though a joint project of the Haliburton Rotary Club and Haliburton School of Art and Design.

The structure will have an aesthetic consistent with other timber frame projects conducted by the Rotary Club and the school including the pavilion at the Haliburton public docks the bandshell in Head Lake Park and the gate at Glebe Park.

“Our club will cover costs from the ground up” said Rotarian Steve Roberts as he made a presentation to council.

The structure will measure about 10 feet by 16 feet and have a peaked steel roof that will sit just under the second storey window of the arena

The township will be responsible for some preparatory work including the breaking of some concrete and digging of post holes.

“The wheelchair ramp that is in place will not be changed” Roberts said. He said most of the installation of the structure could be done within one day with the steel roof added afterward.

Council passes budget

Councillors passed the 2017 budget which includes $15.4 million in total expenditures and a 5.87 per cent increase over last year’s lax levy. That equates to $261.89 per $100000 of assessment an increase of $23.71 from 2016 for residential property taxes.

The commercial rate will be $388.31 per $100000 assessment an increase of $21.54 from last year while the industrial rate will total $449.95 per $100000 an increase of $24.95.

Both unionized and non-unionized staff members will receive a 1.75 per cent cost-of-living increase for 2017.

At the upper-tier level county council has passed its 2017 budget which includes 6.24 per cent increase over last year’s tax levy for a tax rate increase of 4.86 per cent. That equates to an increase of $9.19 per $100000 of assessment for residential properties and $13.63 per $100000 of assessment for occupied commercial properties.

Dysart el council cost just more than $117000 to operate in 2016.

Councillors accepted a remuneration report that shows Reeve Murray Fearrey was paid approximately $25800 for the year with no mileage or other expenses.

Deputy-reeve Andrea Roberts was paid just more than $17000 with no mileage or other expenses.

Councillor Tammy Donaldson received $14590 in per diem payments and charged $1230 in mileage for a total of about $15820.

Councillor Susan Norcross was paid $14590 charged about $615 in mileage and had other expenses of $180 for a total of less than $15400.

Councillor Walt McKechnie was paid $14590 and charged approximately $440 in mileage for a total of just over $15000.

Councillor Nancy Wood-Roberts was paid $14590 and charged no additional expenses.

Former councillor Derek Knowles who resigned from council last October as he prepared to move from the community received $12150 in per diem payments and his Ward 2 replacement Councillor Dennis Casey was paid $1215 for the remainder of 2016.

Council waived a requirement for site plan approval permitting RPM marina to construct a two-storey  135-foot-by-80-foot addition to its boat storage facility on its property along County Road 21. The marina must survey and stake property lines along an abutting property before proceeding with the project.

Council passed motions to official hire Karl Korpela as the new chief building official for the municipality effective April 10. Korpela will replace retiring CBO Dan Sayers.