Doug Arnold comments on Sewer Charge Adjustment for properties with no water services

Good afternoon all:

For those of you who are not on Councillor Brooks' email list I have attached an excerpt from the minutes for the Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) along with an excerpt of Councillor Brooks' Update, so that you can compare for yourself what Councillor Brooks is claiming Mr. Webster said at the PEC meeting about the "Sewer Adjustment - Richmond/Carp versus what Councillor Brooks is stating. It should also be noted that Councillor Brooks did not attend the PEC meeting as an interested Councillor. He is not a member of the PEC.

Doug Arnold

From the minutes of the April 13, 2010 meeting of the PEC.

11. SEWER CHARGE ADJUSTMENT FOR PROPERTIES WITH NO WATER SERVICES

AJUSTEMENT DES REDEVANCES D'ÉGOUTS POUR LES PROPRIÉTÉS SANS SERVICE D'EAU

ACS2010-CMR-FIN-0019 CITY WIDE/À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE

E-mail correspondence on this matter dated 10 April 2010 was received from Howard and Linda Healey, which is held on file with the City Clerk.

Bruce Webster, Richmond Village Association, was present in support of the recommendation.

He noted that the issue had been brought to the attention of the previous Councillor, and no action had resulted. He wished to thank the current Councillor for taking action on this matter, and commend staff for their quick response.

That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend Council:

1. Approve a credit program for current owners to offset or adjust the sewer service charges collected by property taxes for the period of ownership between 2001 and 2009 to be applied to the 2010 Final Tax Bills issued in May 2010.

2. That such credit program include interest and provision in the same manner as authorized by the Municipal Act Section 345 and Education Act Section 257.11 for overpayments.

3. That the estimated cost of this program in the amount of $797,000 be funded by the Sewer Reserve.

From: Councillor Glenn Brooks

Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 9:06 AM

To: douglasarnold@******.ca

Subject: Councillor's Update

Councillor's Update

Sewer Adjustment – Richmond/Carp:

To Tom Lischer who raised this issue with me back in 2008, the residents of Richmondand Carp owe you many thanks for your work in demonstrating the City's overcharge for sanitary services. In 2009, based on Tom's investigative labours, I was able to get about a 40% rate reduction. I then proceeded to request a further re-imbursement for previous years back to 2001. Staff agreed in principle and proposed the following:

1. A credit program for current owners to offset or adjust the sewer service charges collected by property taxes for the period of ownership between 2001 and 2009 to be applied to the 2010 Final Tax Bills issued in May 2010;

2. That such credit program include interest and provision in the same manner as authorized by the Municipal Act Section 345 and Education Act Section 257.11 for overpayments;

3. That the estimated cost of this program in the amount of 797,000 be funded by the Sewer Reserve;

4. Including previous owners will cost an additional $210,000 – the right thing to do!

I was very surprised that Mr. Webster spoke in favour of the PEC recommendations that would limit re-imbursement only to the current owners and only for 2 previous years I thought this unfair and thus, unacceptable!

(Full article:www.glennbrooks.ca)