Area rate meeting set for Brooklyn to allow 5.5 cents charge on top of property tax

Canadian cash lying on a table

Photo Ed Halverson

Residents in the Brooklyn area will have their say on how much more they will pay in area rate on top of their annual property taxes.

The Region of Queens describes area rates as special tax rates over and above the normal tax rates which are applied specifically to one or more assessment districts only. Property owners in other districts do not have to pay this charge.

Brooklyn Recreation Committee has requested that Municipal Council levy a 4 cent per $100 of assessment area rate in the Brooklyn area across Assessment Districts 5 and 6 for the upcoming fiscal year. That would provide the recreation committee with the $32,000 they’re looking to raise to cover some of their costs.

Brooklyn Cemetery Committee is asking the Region to levy a 1.5 cent per $100 of assessment area rate in the same area for repairs and maintenance of the grounds of the First Brooklyn Cemetery, Seaside Cemetery and Brooklyn Community Cemetery.

Residents will cast ballots on the area rates in a non-binding vote which will be considered by Region of Queens council when they are preparing the 2023/2024 budget.

A Public Area Rate Meeting will be held on Monday, March 27, 2023, at Liverpool Fire Hall from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Residents can vast their vote on the proposed area rates Thursday, March 30, 2023, at Brooklyn Community Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Region of Queens Council is reviewing the budget in March and will set tax rates, including area rates for the upcoming year in April.

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Pool talk dominates discussion at most recent Region of Queens council meeting

Men and women seated around a table in a community hall

Region of Queens Council listens to public comment in Brooklyn during the Jan 24 meeting. Screen shot from Region of Queens YouTube video.

Region of Queens council took the show on the road, holding the last meeting in January at the Brooklyn Community Hall.

A large number of residents came out to voice their support during the public comment section for building an indoor pool instead of the outdoor pool currently in the planning stages.

The proposal was made to take the money donated by an anonymous benefactor and combine it with the money the municipality has earmarked for the construction of a new library.

The proponents expected that would account for almost $6 million.

The group would like to see the province and federal governments each contribute matching funding to bring the total amount to $18 million and build the new library and pool at Queens Place.

At this point there is no formal plan or budget to determine if $18 million is even enough to get the desired outcome.

They’ll be more on this story in the coming days.

Once the meeting commenced there were two recommendations for council to consider.

First, council approved a $236,000 grant to the Liverpool Curling Club for the installation of solar panels and the construction of an accessible entrance.

The cost of the grant will be covered by a recent donation made to the Region by the J & W Murphy Foundation for the purpose of directing it towards civic improvement projects.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the club has invested approximately $750,000 in upgrades over the past year without any ask from the Region.

Considering the community benefit the club brings for events extending far beyond curling council was glad to provide them with the help they’ve requested.

“The curling club has proven their ability to move forward on their projects,” said Norman. “They’re very successful, dedicated, hard group of workers. And of the many projects that are within Queens County this place has a definite positive impact on our Main Street Liverpool. You know it’s three-minute walk from there, this is the type of thing that we can support at no burden to the taxpayer and at the same time be helping that Main Street area as well as social, physical, forwardness from our people.”

Council also approved the second recommendation to install a new uninterruptible power supply (UPS) in the Liverpool Business Development Centre, home to the area’s largest call centre.

The new unit will replace one that has been in operation for 20 years but has reached its end of life.

Council awarded a tender to Universal Power Solutions to install the new UPS at a cost of $114,950 plus HST.

Council then heard an update from Public Works detailing the projects they are currently involved in across the municipality before turning their discussion once again to the subject of a pool.

Deputy Mayor Jack Fancy spoke as a member of the pool committee to ask that council review the recommendations previously brought forward by the committee.

The committee has proposed a site at Queens Place, the use of solar power, a pool design that features a gradual sloped entrance or “zero entry” accessible side and six lane and they’re asking to be able to apply for grants on the Region’s behalf to secure more outside funding.

The committee’s recommendations will come before council at a future meeting for discussion and a vote.

Council will return to chambers for the next meeting to be held on Valentines Day, February 14 beginning at 9:00am.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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