Cornwall Coun. Syd Gardiner. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)
CORNWALL – The City of Cornwall won’t be going ahead with a special property tax to “motivate” owners to rent out their buildings and generate money for social housing.
City council agreed with administration Monday night to abandon the Vacant Properties Tax proposal from Coun. Syd Gardiner, which would have put the money from the tax into affordable housing.
Based on a city analysis there are 20 known residential properties identified as abandoned – half of those owe back taxes (in arrears). The city has 15,950 residential properties. At a 1.25 per cent tax, it would generate $24,656 a year.
In this December 2017, file photo, the municipal garage on William Street in Williamstown, Ont. The township will start formal talks with Parks Canada to partner on a water storage tank on the property. The water storage tank is part of the renovations to convert the garage into a fire station while Parks Canada would like to tie in to protect the Sir John Johnson House next door. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)
WILLIAMSTOWN – South Glengarry will start formal talks with Parks Canada to protect a national historic site as it renovates the old municipal garage into its new fire station in Williamstown.
South Glengarry Corporate Services General Manager Lachlan McDonald. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)
LANCASTER – South Glengarry council appears split on whether the township should resume using a billing multiplier for water and sewer charges for multi-residential properties.
The practice was halted in 2019 as the township undertook a review of its water and wastewater rates, which is very close to being approved in the next month or two.
The end goal of the phased-in multi-residential plan, which started in 2017, was to have every apartment unit pay the same water and sewer as a standalone house by 2023.
During last week’s council meeting (Feb. 16), Coun. Stephanie Jaworski was not comfortable with the multi-residential billing and wanted more information. “At a basic level, to me it doesn’t make sense that an apartment is having the same minimum charge as a detached house. But worse than that, particularly for me…the retirement homes where their units really ar
In this April 2019, file photo, South Glengarry Infrastructure Services GM Ewen MacDonald cracks a smile during a township council meeting. MacDonald is retiring after 29 years with the municipality. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)
LANCASTER – After 29 years with the Township of South Glengarry, the general manager of infrastructure services has taken part in his final council meeting.
Ewen MacDonald started as a roads superintendent in 1992 and then became public works director in 1999 after amalgamation. He was also a director on the board of Ontario Good Roads Association for number of years.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Ewen for 25 years of this working career and I can honestly say I will certainly miss having your around the township office,” Mayor Frank Prevost said during a retirement presentation on Tuesday night (Feb. 16).
LONG SAULT – More emergency cash for Royal Canadian Legion branches has been doled out locally.
The Lancaster and Long Sault branches are both getting $10,845, while the branch in Chesterville is getting $7,449 since it was able to reopen in July 2020.
The money will mostly cover overhead and operating expenses.
Long Sault Legion President Randy Robertson says the money will allow them to “pay the bills necessary to keep the doors open, once we can reopen safely,” and also do some upgrades to the bar.
Lancaster branch President Bill Bresee is appreciative of the money because “there was no revenue coming in.”