It is hard to believe that this new Pelham Town Council already has one year’s experience under its collective belt. We have now completed two financial budgets, and I am happy to report that this council continues to make financial sustainability its number one goal.
With inflation being pegged at 4 – 4.5 percent, I am quite proud that staff and council settled on a property tax increase below 4 percent, at 3.77 percent, to be exact. For the average residential property with an assessed value of $377,000, this would be an increase of approximately $83 per year. For the second year in a row, the Town has ended the year being a million dollars in the black, and a 13-year-old short-term debt of $772,000 has also been eliminated.
Unfortunately, the Region’s property tax bill will bring the combined total increase to just over 10 percent. It must be remembered that while the Town of Pelham’s budget is approaching $28 million, the Region’s, with police, housing, healthcare, and garbage included, plus the usual infrastructure items, is in the area of $1.5 billion.
It was also a year of some notable capital projects being completed around the Town. The addition to Town Hall, complete with a clock tower and modern public washroom facilities (goodbye to the port-a-potties), was a great complement to all the improvements made to Peace Park over the last several years under the leadership of the Bandshell Committee.
The other big-ticket item was the completion of upgrades to Pelham Street. Smaller projects included multiple improvements to Centennial Park. The latest of these was a makeover of the public washrooms, making them accessible, along with an addition to the Fenwick Lions concession stand.
There were also many rural roads that were rebuilt in both the south and north ends of town. There are still a fair number more awaiting repaving, but noticeable progress has been made.
Early in this new year, there will be a chance for town residents to provide suggestions for usage of a remaining Town property located east of the Meridian Community Centre. Many council members have expressed a desire for more parking, but also possibly a commercial building of some type. Please keep watch on the Town’s website for future details.
Council has also asked staff to bring a report on the cost of completing or rebuilding missing sections of the sidewalk connecting Fonthill west to Ridgeville, continuing on to Fenwick, some time in the first quarter. Many residents have expressed that this project is long overdue. I totally agree, and I am hopeful this project will move along quickly.
In closing, on behalf of council and myself, I want to take this opportunity to wish all residents of the Town a healthy and prosperous new year.
