Haldimand Council News August 27, 2019

By Mike Renzella

The Haldimand Press

The following items were discussed during the Tuesday, August 27, 2019 Council in Committee meeting. Any decisions made were set to be ratified at Council on Tuesday, September 3 after press time.

New telecommunications towers

Requests were submitted to Council for the construction of two new telecommunications towers for private communications services by Xplornet Communications. The towers would be located at 3558 Haldimand Road 20, South Cayuga and 294 Concession 5 Road, Fisherville.

Proper guidelines, as laid out by Industry Canada, are being followed in the planning of this project. The towers will stand at a height of 147.64 feet, with a base area of 96.9 feet.

The purpose of the towers is to improve and expand the area of service and coverage for Xplornet Communications within Haldimand County.

Council voted unanimously in favour of the proposal.

Tax arrears analysis

A report was submitted to Council providing details on the status of property tax arrears and an update on the current tax registration process used by the Finance Division.

A total of 303 properties in Haldimand were sent letters of notice in May.

The notices are not a requirement of law, but the County issues them as a measure in helping to assist property owners to find a solution in a timely fashion.

The report indicated that these letters have been largely successful. Currently, property tax arrears account for approximately 8% of total taxes levied, which is significantly lower than recent years, and as a result, Haldimand has landed within the low level of risk based on standards established by the Province.