Buying support
Solar developer offers council $70,000 a year to endorse its 100-acre solar energy installations How much is council’s blessing worth? Skypower, once a wind energy developer now reincarnated as solar energy developer, calculates that the thumbs-up from County council is worth $70,000 a year. That is how much the renewable energy developer is willing to […]
Growing pains
Residents air concerns about expansion of Wellington on the Lake The residents want a few issues sorted out before the owner of the residential community is permitted to expand. Sandbank Homes’ application to open a new phase of Wellington on the Lake was the subject of a public planning meeting last week. Nearly 50 residents […]
Tiny bubbles
Feds assist County winery to invest and grow County wines are gaining fans and followers around the world—but did you know the County is developing an equally strong reputation for sparkling wines? According to Vicki Samaras, a principal along with partner Jonas Newman in Hinterland Wine Company in Hillier, the County’s distinctive climate and terroir […]
Watch the pennies
Council sidesteps opportunity to save $2,550 The Ameliasburgh Town Hall needs a new roof. Strong winds in March pulled up eight sections of the existingmetal roof—a roof installed perhaps 25 or upto 35 years ago—estimated by the County’s property staff, part of the Recreation, Parks and Culture department. Staff recommends replacing the roof with steel […]
A little off the top
Proposed tax levy increase cut from 13.3 per cent to 8.1 per cent Council managed to shave about a million dollars or about five per cent from the proposed tax levy increase as part of budget deliberations on Monday. Council agreed to take $500,000 from last year’s budget surplus and use it to offset costs […]
Hammers down
First quarter points to fourth year of decline in County homebuilding sector One of the key reasons County administrators are able to claim to have wrestled the tax increase below 10 per cent so far is that in their calculation they have netted out growth in assessment from of new homes, additions and commercial structures. […]
Tower anxiety
Residents reject plan for broadband Internet tower near Roblin Lake Aproposed tower intended to improve, and in some instances introduce, broadband Internet access to about 1,000 households around Ameliasburgh met stiff resistance from about 30 residents at a public meeting there last week. Representatives from Internet service provider Xplornet and the Eastern Ontario Regional Network […]
Takedown
Council considers bond to protect landowners, municipality from abandoned wind turbines Is it a tactic to stall or delay wind turbine development, or a way to protect landowners and ultimately the municipality? Those were the two ends of the debate last week by the committee of the whole, as they chewed over a proposal to […]
Short end
County collects a comparatively paltry share of tourism tax dollars Rebecca and Kane spent a “lovely” weekend in Prince Edward County. The Mississauga couple had never been to the County before—but had heard the “buzz” and decided discover it for themselves. The couple toured several wineries—bought a few bottles at one—a case at another. They […]
Tweaking
Budget meetings yield few savings; property taxpayers brace for massive increase The budget meeting was scheduled to span three days. But in the early going of day two—Thursday—council had run out of things to talk about. Some complained that it hadn’t been explained clearly that the purpose of the sessions was to table proposed changes […]