EVANSVILLE—With concerns relating to the Manitoulin Centennial Manor’s aging infrastructure and the recent one-time expenditure allocation to Island municipalities, Burpee-Mills Township council is requesting a meeting to be held involving the Manor board and Manitoulin municipal representatives.
“Whether it is a one-time expense or not to municipalities, there has been an increase provided by municipalities to the Manor this year,” said Ken Noland, reeve of Burpee-Mills. “We were hit with an increase in our normal requisition to the Manor and the one-time expenditure requisition as well, which in total is a 25 percent increase in our requisition, which is unacceptable. As a council we feel that all municipalities should meet the Manor board to discuss the long-term viability of the Manor.”
“What is the next one-time expense going to be?”asked Reeve Noland. “It seems as if we are almost back to where we were 10-15 years ago when we (municipalities) had to meet with Ontario ministry staff about the huge increases municipalities had to pay.”
In a letter to the Manor Board dated March 13, 2018, Burpee-Mills council clerk-treasurer Bonnie Bailey wrote on behalf of council, “Re: Concerns with costs of updating of the Manitoulin Centennial Manor’s Aging Infrastructure. Dear Manitoulin Centennial Manor Board; The council of the Township of Burpee and Mills has concerns with the 2018 one-time expenditure funding allocations and are requesting a meeting with the Manitoulin Centennial Manor Board and the municipalities to discuss the long-term viability of the Manor.”
As was reported previously the Manor Board of Directors had set its 2018 budget which will see Island municipality’s requisitions increasing two percent. As well, municipalities will be sharing the one-time costs for the needed HVAC system at the Manor, a cost of $93,000.
The 2018 one-time amount each municipality will pay is as follows: Tehkummah-$4,447.99; Central Manitoulin-$20,181.21; Assiginack-$10,017.18; NEMI-$30,528.15; Billings $9,122.55; Gordon/Barrie Island-$7,276.08; Gore Bay-$5,829.09; Burpee and Mills-$4,428.10; Cockburn Island-$1,169.65.
