For the first time in Haliburton County history, a mayor has prepared a township budget, along with staff, under the Strong Mayors act.

The Minden Hills draft budget was tabled at a Dec. 15 special council meeting.

Mayor Bob Carter said it was his “privilege” to present the proposed budget, adding, “2026 will be a challenging year for Minden Hills. Municipal government must sustain essential programs and services and rebuild aging infrastructure whilst ensuring that our tax rates remain affordable for our citizens.”

He noted the township will receive “welcome” additional funding from the province in 2026, but this is offset by an 11 per cent increase in OPP costs, “and costs continue to rise on all fronts.”

Facing these challenges, Carter said staff had worked “diligently” to review and examine expenditures and service levels in every department – coming up with a proposed 3.95 per cent tax increase for 2026. They are also looking at a two per cent increase for water, and three per cent, for wastewater.

“This increase includes: enhanced service levels; a robust capital expenditure program focusing on infrastructure; a new community centre in Lochlin; 1.5 per cent put aside for future capital needs and maintaining healthy reserves to ensure fiscal sustainability. This budget strikes a balance between investment for now and the future, fiscal responsibility and affordability for the people of Minden Hills,” the top elected official said.

The total tax-supported budget is $12.32 million – with a 4.95 per cent municipal levy increase, comprising 2.77 per cent for municipal services; 0.36 per cent for dedicated capital investment; and 1.82 per cent for OPP costs.

It represents a residential property tax increase of $18.46 per $100,000 of assessment. For commercial properties, the jump is $27.37 per $100,000 of assessment.

No members of the public attended the meeting in-person or provided written comments, prompting Coun. Tammy McKelvey to ask that in future, “could we have the public participation later on in the process Let’s face it; it’s 10 days ‘till Christmas. We’re all a little bit busy. They don’t have their heads around next year’s tax bill at this point in time.”

Sweeping new powers for mayor

Some of the suggested spends include a new bulldozer, heavy duty pick-up truck, and half-ton pick-up truck; adding 48 niches to the columbarium at 12 Mile Cemetery; new lighting for the Minden Riverwalk; a new foot bridge for Snowdon Park; a new Lochlin Hall building; fixing up downtown sidewalks and installing a crosswalk in the village core; implementing an organic recycling program; and finishing the Scotch Line transfer station. Under roads, parts of Bethel, Blairhampton, Nichols, Salerno Lake, Irondale, Sedgwick Road East and West, and Francis will receive road resurfacing/double surface treatment.

In the proposed budget summary, staff and Carter said, “within the proposed 3.95 per cent overall tax rate increase (4.95 per cent levy increase), we have the foundation for a well composed municipal budget. There are no service level cuts. In fact, there are proposed service level enhancements with the addition of a resource in public works roads department (for better winter maintenance and seasonal road repairs) and in the building department (for in-house septic inspection program).

Council was not enamoured with the new process that unfolded during a nearly nine hour meeting this past Monday. McKelvey asked if Carter was sure he could not waive the requirement for a strong mayors budget. Deputy mayor Lisa Schell said it was the most difficult budget process she had experienced in her 19 years on council.

Under the Strong Mayors act, the mayor is responsible for preparing and proposing a budget to council by Feb. 1 of each year. If not, councll shall prepare and adopt a budget. CAO Cynthia Fletcher said staff would summarize and circulate changes made at Monday’s meeting. When they meet again, Jan. 6, she said council could officially pass, by resolution, any formal amendments.

A new pedestrian crosswalk helping people manoeuver Highland Street between the township docks and restaurant Hook, Line and Sinker could be coming in the new year, though Dysart et al council has shot down a similar proposal for Mountain Street, in front of the Haliburton Legion.

In May, council asked public works director Rob Camelon to investigate whether crosswalks were necessary in either location. He told elected officials during a Dec. 9 meeting that traffic operations studies were completed in both spots, by Asurza Engineers, in November.

“They are recommending a pedestrian crossover be placed… at the boat launch, which is the opposite of what the last study indicated 10 years ago,” Camelon said.

The issue had been brought forward by coun. Pat Casey earlier this summer, with the Ward 1 representative saying he was worried about public safety, with people routinely dodging traffic to cross the road from the parking lot to the restaurant.

Camelon said Asurza found a crosswalk would be better placed on the road immediately in front of Hook, Line and Sinker, rather than at the intersection of Highland and York. He said the engineer did state, though, that there’s a case for installing traffic lights at Highland and York.

“There is a delay for traffic turning left, southbound, onto York Street from Highland. Over the next 10 years, that is expected to get worse,” Camelon said.

Typically, traffic control devices are kept at least 200 metres apart, but Camelon said the engineer noted a need for both the traffic lights and crosswalk. Council opted to pursue a design for the crosswalk, but not the lights. Camelon asked that the design work be completed to incorporate all of Highland Street to Maple Avenue, as the road is nearing the point where it needs to be rehabilitated.

Highland Street was last resurfaced in 2020, with Camelon saying he hoped to get seven years out of it.

“We’re entering year six of that surface now, so we need to be thinking about this soon anyway,” Camelon said.

Council approved getting cost estimates for a design, with Camelon estimating the project could cost around $100,000.

Mayor Murray Fearrey wondered if the township could hold off ordering any new equipment, such as overhead lights, asking if council should be thinking about redesigning the intersection at Halbiem Crescent for traffic lights. He suggested the crosswalk equipment in place now could be moved to Highland Street.

“Eventually, whether we like it or not, we’ll have to close Wallings Road. There’s potential for about 100 housing units in there, between the old [Ministry of Natural Resources] and one other [vacant] property,” Fearrey said, noting the vehicles are “going to have to go out through Halbiem and that will require lights [installed for that] as you can hardly make a left hand turn out of there now.”

The mayor said the County has stated it will not assist financially in any redesign of Wallings Road, Halbiem Crescent and the proposed entrance to the 92.5-acres the town owns on County Road 21. He said a decision may be required soon.

“There’s an offer coming on that land on Wallings, but they can’t do anything with it because they can’t get people off that road. It’s too bad. We’ve got so much development that could happen, but roads [are preventing it],” Fearrey said.

Legion crosswalk no-go

Camelon said it was Asurza’s recommendation not to proceed with a crosswalk on Mountain Street, despite Haliburton Legion president Mike Waller strongly advocating for one.

“The report recommends a pedestrian crossover not be placed mid-block in front of the Royal Canadian Legion, just because of the proximity between Dysart and Maple avenues,” Camelon said. “It goes back to the desire to keep traffic control systems 200 metres apart throughout town.”

He noted Asurza did recommend installing crosswalks in front of town hall, stretching across both Mountain Street and Maple Avenue. Camelon said that would also require that intersection becoming a four-way stop, though he foresees that being a problem.

“I do have concerns that truck traffic may not be able to navigate that corner if we put a four-way in there,” Camelon said. “I want to get comments from the MTO on this, see what they have to say and then, from a geometric design, make it work on paper if we can. If we can’t, I think we’re back to square one.”

Waller told The Highlander he was disappointed in the decision, but that he has no intention of giving up. Currently, Waller said he helps people parking at the arena, but coming to the legion, cross Mountain Street regularly.

He added a petition calling for a crosswalk to be installed has been signed by more than 500 people.

“Everybody I talk to says this is something they definitely want and definitely need,” Waller said. “This is something the whole community can benefit from – seniors, parents with children, everybody.”

Despite four people voicing objections to a proposed cell tower near Brady Lake in Minden Hills, council agreed to a letter of concurrence for the project.

The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) said the tower would result in improved coverage and capacity to more than 1,000 households.

EORN’s Lisa Severson and Paula Preston said it would provide improved mobile service along Hwy. 118, currently served by two sites more than 20 kilometres apart.

They further said it would provide service for approximately 148 unserved households and 187 unserved parcels, and “overall provides improved coverage and capacity to approximately 1,091 households and 1,238 parcels.” They added it would address gaps in the northern quadrant of Minden Hills.

They pointed out this was the third location considered for the site, and “there is no time left in the project to find an alternative and complete the regulatory requirements.”

Spectra-Point Inc., on behalf of Rogers, said they’d done public consultation in the form of notifying people within the required setbacks; advertising in local newspapers; and a hybrid in-person and virtual meeting. They said 16 residents commented, with 11 in support of the tower “citing public safety, access to connectivity, and tourism as reasons why it should proceed.”

They said five residents don’t support the tower “due to concerns with possible property devaluation and health issues related to electromagnetic radiation from the tower. Several of these requested the tower be moved.” However, Spectra said the issues are deemed non-relevant concerns by the ISED (Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada).

Spectra said they did a natural heritage assessment and an environmental impact study, with some mitigation requirements they plan to adhere to. They asked for a council letter of concurrence.

However, Donna and James Conn told council, “as residents of Brady Lake, we have substantial concerns regarding the process, location, consultation, environmental impact, and land use compatibility associated with this proposal.”

Among their many concerns was that the tower “would have profound and irreversible impacts on: the visual landscape of Brady Lake; migratory bird habitat and adjacent wetlands and community cohesion and enjoyment of shoreline properties.”

Brady Lake property owner Heather Conn told council, “the Brady Lake community supports improved connectivity — but not through misrepresentation, lack of transparency, or avoidance of accountability. This project, as presently managed, fails to meet both the letter and the spirit of ISED’s public consultation framework and the ethical expectations of publicly-funded infrastructure.”

Emillie Jones also lodged opposition to the proposed tower, citing a flawed public consultation process, environmental concerns, inaccurate photo simulations, scaring people by saying this is the last attempt at the site, lack of information and community involvement.

Minden Hills director of planning, Amanda Dougherty, told council she felt the public consultation was completed in accordance with ISED protocol and the tower complies with land use requirements of the township official plan and zoning bylaw. She asked council to sign the statement of concurrence.

Coun. Shirley Johannessn peppered the EORN and Spectra delegates with questions, prefacing her comments with, “I can’t go personal with this because this is where I reside.” She said she had concerns, but wanted to look at the whole picture.

Council agreed to the letter of concurrence via a recorded vote, with Coun. Bob Sisson the only one voting against.