MAPLETON - Council passed the 2022 user fees and charges, yet postponing the approval of water and wastewater fees and charges.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, council passed the 2022 user fees and charges, however, they did not pass the water and wastewater fees and charges as the proposed 22 per cent rate increase is a lot higher than expected.
Mapleton residential users of municipal water and wastewater systems could be facing a 22 per cent increase, around $25 per month, in base rate charges in 2022.
The proposed increase is the result of higher-than-expected costs to build a water tower in Drayton.
“We have removed the water and wastewater as that discussion needs a special meeting. I’ll talk to each councillor when we can have that special meeting next week,” said Mayor Gregg Davidson.
There were minor changes to the 2022 user fees and charges. None of which were significant concerns.
Council also decided to reconvene on a motion that was passed in April 2021 regarding the construction of Mapleton’s water tower after finding out that the colours they had chosen are bound to rust sooner than expected.
“Everyone knows that the water tower is progressing well. We’re getting ready to construct the tank, which will be constructed on the ground and then it will get painted. It’s expected for the tank to be vertically placed in April 2022,” explained Sam Mattina, township’s director of public works.
“However, we found out that the colours the council chose will rust over time. We’re asking the council to go over the colours once again and decide whether you want to keep the colours or change them before we paint the water tower.”
Davidson informed council that before council can decide on the colours and direct staff with any direction, council must reopen the motion from April 2021 first.
Coun. Dennis Craven explained that he didn’t want the water tower to look like a rusty bucket, noting that “the water coming out of it won’t look very tasty if it came out of a rusty bucket.”
Council unanimously decided to reopen the motion to further discuss the water tower’s colours.
