South Glengarry will be forced to increase property taxes unless Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry ditches a plan to download two county roads on the municipality. That Is the message members gave to SDG Transportation Director Ben de Haan when he presented a report suggesting responsibility for County Roads 17 and 26 be transferred to the township.
“I don’t want them downloaded,” stated Councillor Sam McDonell. “I don’t see the fairness in this. It’s not fair when we are already struggling.”
“We would have to up the taxes” if the township were to take on the extra 17 kilometres of roads, as suggested in a county report, said Deputy Mayor and SDG Warden Martin Lang.
“This is a big thing for our community,” observed Mayor Lachlan McDonald, noting the transfers would impose millions of dollars in extra expenses on the municipality.
On County Road 26 alone, there are three bridges which the township would now be responsible for. South Glengarry spent over $750,000 on bridge repairs and over $2 million to replace one bridge.
The report also suggests that SDG take a “hands-off” approach and shift responsibility for Main Streets in Alexandria and Lancaster to the townships, to give more autonomy over developing their downtowns, said de Haan.
Councillor Trevor Bougie suggested a swap could be arranged. “Maybe we could make a trade…as long as we get the better of it,” he remarked.
County council will have the final word, noted de Haan, adding that before any transfers took place, the roads would be in good condition so they would not become liabilities for municipalities.
“This is not a bullying session,” he added, saying that he would not expect county council would make a decision that municipalities are not comfortable with.
Lang agreed. County council colleagues “know all the challenges we face. Things are tight.”
South Glengarry will be forced to increase property taxes unless Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry ditches a plan to download two county roads on the municipality.
That Is the message members gave to SDG Transportation Director Ben de Haan when he presented a report suggesting responsibility for County Roads 17 and 26 be transferred to the township.
“I don’t want them downloaded,” stated Councillor Sam McDonell. “I don’t see the fairness in this. It’s not fair when we are already struggling.”
“We would have to up the taxes” if the township were to take on the extra 17 kilometres of roads, as suggested in a county report, said Deputy Mayor and SDG Warden Martin Lang.
“This is a big thing for our community,” observed Mayor Lachlan McDonald, noting the transfers would impose millions of dollars in extra expenses on the municipality.
On County Road 26 alone, there are three bridges which the township would now be responsible for. South Glengarry spent over $750,000 on bridge repairs and over $2 million to replace one bridge.
The report also suggests that SDG take a “hands-off” approach and shift responsibility for Main Streets in Alexandria and Lancaster to the townships, to give more autonomy over developing their downtowns, said de Haan.
Councillor Trevor Bougie suggested a swap could be arranged. “Maybe we could make a trade…as long as we get the better of it,” he remarked.
County council will have the final word, noted de Haan, adding that before any transfers took place, the roads would be in good condition so they would not become liabilities for municipalities.
“This is not a bullying session,” he added, saying that he would not expect county council would make a decision that municipalities are not comfortable with.
Lang agreed. County council colleagues “know all the challenges we face. Things are tight.”
