Dysart et al councillors are getting a hefty pay rise in 2025, though mayor Murray Fearrey noted the extra money is being allocated to attract more people to run for office in next year’s municipal election, rather than compensating incumbents.

At a Jan. 28 meeting, council approved upping the mayor’s annual salary to $40,000 back dated to Jan. 1, an approximate 24.15 per cent increase from the $32,219 Fearrey earned in 2024.

The deputy mayor position, currently held by Walt McKechnie, will now pay $30,000 a year, up 16.39 per cent from the $25,775 earned last year; while councillors Pat Casey, Nancy Wood-Roberts, Tammy Donaldson, Carm Sawyer and Barry Boice will each get $25,000, a 10.85 per cent hike from $22,552.

Fearrey was set to earn $32,798 this year, with McKechnie originally getting $26,239 and councillors receiving $22,958.

Dysart’s mayor has long preached for increased pay, noting the hours required of some council members to effectively fulfill their role is similar to that of a full-time job.

“I don’t think anyone here is desperate for money, that’s not the issue. We’ve got to get some interest for next year,” Fearrey said. “The last thing we want is for there to be more acclamations… right now, at the current pay, it’s hard to attract qualified people. We’re lucky here that we’ve got four people involved in business. We’ve not always been that lucky.”

Casey, Sawyer, Boice and Donaldson all run their own businesses, while Wood-Roberts is a nurse at Haliburton Highlands Health Services. Fearrey and McKechnie are both retired.

More than half of the sitting members were acclaimed during the 2022 election, with Fearrey and McKechnie unopposed for the leadership positions and Donaldson, in ward three, and Boice, in ward five, given a free ride.

It was a similar story at County council, Fearrey noted, with Minden Hills mayor Bob Carter and deputy Lisa Schell also acclaimed. Only Highlands East mayor and current County warden Dave Burton and Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen, the deputy warden, were elected.

Highlands East deputy mayor Cec Ryall and Algonquin Highlands deputy Jennifer Dailloux were each acclaimed as the ward three councillors in their respective communities.

“The average age at the County level is over 70. That’s not very healthy,” Fearrey said, noting he’s also calling on the upper tier to adjust its pay structure for sitting representatives. It did so Feb. 12.

Dysart clerk Mallory Bishop said, “some councils in Ontario are raising their remuneration in preparation for the election. It is something that’s being discussed in other areas… an attempt to attract candidates to run.”

Dysart CAO Tamara Wilbee provided a list of comparative municipalities based on population size, seasonal influx, employment markets and scope of services, noting the numbers council approved – suggested by Fearrey – were “not far off” what other communities are paying.

Pay structures in Minden Hills last year were $33,224 (mayor), $27,635 (deputy), and $22,715 (councillor); Algonquin Highlands paid out $36,723, $29,379, and $24,645; while Highlands East paid $32,500, $26,150, and $22,025.

Mayors in Selwyn ($45,216 in 2024), Muskoka Lakes ($46,410 in 2022), Parry Sound ($46,190 in 2024), Seguin ($46,375 in 2025), Lake of Bays ($48,631 in 2022), and Georgian Bay ($57,750 in 2022) all earned more than Fearrey will bring in under the approved rates, Wilbee noted.

New deputy mayor and councillor pays are consistent with what those communities offer, Wilbee added.

Council also opted to bring annual pay increases in line with what non-unionized staff at the township receive, rather than basing it on inflation determined by the consumer price index (CPI). Wilbee said while there’s no official rate, workers usually receive the same as their CUPE-contracted counterparts. Staff will get a four per cent hike this year and 3.5 per cent in 2026 and 2027.

Minden Hills residential ratepayers are looking at just over a five per cent overall levy increase this year, with council expected to formally pass the 2025 budget at a Feb. 13 council meeting.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey was prepared to continue meeting Feb. 4 to try to find more revenue for the township, and to bring the levy down, but her colleagues wanted to finalize the document so staff could get on with the business of running the corporation.

McKelvey asked fellow councillors if they were content with the outcome.

Mayor Bob Carter played the numbers game, saying it equated to about a three per cent levy jump for municipal services, with the township having to come up with a 0.84 per cent increase for OPP, and putting 1.25 per cent towards infrastructure investment.

“Not many businesses are able to go yearto-year at 3.1 per cent,” Carter said. “Staff has done an outstanding job of keeping these costs down. I am not willing to sacrifice our future to have a short-term savings now. Am I happy? No, I’m not happy, but I think the 3.1 per cent is a reasonable number that people have to accept to keep this municipality strong.”

Per $100,000 of residential assessment, the impact is $22.99-a-year, or six cents a day, for taxpayers. Capital investments amount to $6,833,887 in 2025.

The mayor said that going into budget talks last November, he was worried the increase would be double digits, so this was, “as good as we are going to be able to do at this point. It is a budget, not an exact science.” He wanted to move on and get 2025 projects started.

Deputy mayor Lisa Schell said she was not content with the final number either, but said it reflected the reality of “what is required from staff to get moving on the 2025 operations of the corporation. Do I like the number? No, but I think it could have been a lot higher. We will get quarterly reports from finance, but I’d like to see tenders go out, and competitive bidding begin.”

McKelvey reiterated she’d like to look at some revenue areas to bring the tax levy down, and said it was, “not responsible to try to not bring these taxes down when we can look at things.” An example she used was bank interest.

But Coun. Pam Sayne said she did not think they would find savings to warrant spending more staff time sitting in special council meetings for the budget. She noted with provincial and federal elections looming, municipalities had to keep lobbying upper tier governments for a bigger share of the funding pie.

“I don’t like 5.2 per cent either, I’d prefer inflation, but that is not happening with downloads.” She said they needed to educate the public about why municipal tax rates are rising.

CAO Cynthia Fletcher said, “things will change and we’ll modify things throughout the year. True costs will only be known once we’ve tendered out our projects, or sought quotes for any of the services we need. There may be unforeseen things that come throughout the year, and at every turn we will come back to have discussion with council. We may be able to bring more work forward. We may have to defer some things. We may have to reallocate some things.”

She added their goal was to “keep the tax rate at a reasonable level, while maintaining current service levels where possible, and we feel we have presented you with a fair proposal today.”

Some key decisions:

• Council decided not to proceed with pound services from Paws at Killara Station.

• $50,000 to release an expression of interest seeking a partner or partners for the re-development of the Lochlin Community Centre property.

.• Hiring two additional summer students to support the new in-house lawncare maintenance program.

• New vehicles: $65,000 for a pick-up truck for environmental services from the roads reserve; $65,000 for one for community services from the parks reserve; $440,112 for a replacement excavator and float trailer for public works from the roads reserve.

• Roads: Davis Lake Road will receive surface treatment at a cost of $907,952, mostly from taxation, but some grant money. Another $183,817 for surface treatment of roads. Again, there is some grant money. Some $346,509 to convert some roads to gravel (Miners Bay and a portion of Buller Road), using tax money, reserves and grants. Another $170,881 for slurry seal of parts of Scotch Line Road and Wigamog Road.

• An initial spend of $257,500 to replace the Minden Curling Club roof, plus insulation. They have a grant application pending. And, an additional $40,000 for a new roof system for the cultural centre and library.

• $303,331 from reserves to put towards accessibility upgrades at buildings. They did get a $1,137,350 grant.

• Money for security cameras at the cultural centre and library to combat vandalism. $22,000 from reserves.

• $5,000 for a structure assessment of the Bailey Barn.

• A two per cent water rate increase and three per cent wastewater increase.

With concerns over decreased student attendance, Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) has launched a new pilot program at five schools in the region – including two in Haliburton County – designed to spark engagement in the classroom.

Speaking at a recent board meeting in Bracebridge, Wes Hahn, TLDSB director of education, said the program is designed for students with persistent absences. Staff works to assess reasons for absenteeism and implements individual site-specific solutions.

It was launched in September at J.D. Hodgson elementary, Haliburton Highlands Secondary School, Parkview Public School in Lindsay, Riverside Public School in Huntsville, and Grandview Public School in Bethany.

Associate superintendent Tanya Fraser noted the schools were chosen at random and aren’t necessarily those with the lowest student attendance. The board did not provide attendance figures for the participating schools.

“We are learning lots about the barriers students have in attending school regularly,” she said.

The program will run for the remainder of the school year. Each school has established “attendance champion teams” that Fraser says meets regularly with students and parents to set goals.

“It’s a separate meeting, not with their usual [teachers] and very personalized to each student,” Fraser said. “There’s been a shift from a punitive approach to absenteeism to a more supportive and understanding model… instead of saying ‘you must come every day, all day’ we’re talking to students and asking them what they think they can do. There’s some give and take.”

Hahn said he feels the program is about changing the culture for students who have issues with attendance. The board has brought in re-engagement and mental health counsellors to assist.

He noted students who are absent one day every two weeks end up missing a month’s instruction over the school year. There are students enrolled in the program missing multiple days per week.

The Ministry of Education has issued attendance benchmarks to boards this year, challenging schools to ensure students have an overall attendance of 90 per cent or more. Hahn said across TLDSB, 68 per cent of elementary-aged students are hitting that target, though only 46 per cent are for secondary. He noted inclement weather days, where school buses don’t run, are not included in those totals.

“We do not penalize students who cannot get to school on those days. Teachers don’t run regular lessons or anything like that,” Hahn said.

TLDSB communications lead, Carolynne Bull, said the board is “monitoring a more manageable threshold” for school attendance, at 80 per cent. In Haliburton County, 83 per cent of elementary and 84 per cent of secondary students are hitting that target.

Hahn said the board has been focusing on improving attendance for some time, hosting a series of student and parent forums last spring. Regular barriers include food insecurity, mental health issues, addictions, bullying, and feelings of anxiety and depression.

All secondary schools have started to track attendance period-by-period, with messages sent home for any absence.

“We know what the issues are and have started to address them,” Hahn said. “Interventions such as referrals to re-engagement or mental health counsellors puts parents and students in direct contact with support so they can receive help and, hopefully, remove those barriers for getting to school.

“Offering alternative academic programs is another avenue we’re pursuing. That way students don’t feel the burden of the weight of the world if they’ve been out of school for a long time. It’s about getting them back connected to school, completing assignments, and getting credits so they don’t feel so far behind,” he added.

Evolving instruction

Hahn said there’s been lots of talk about incorporating AI learning into the TLDSB curriculum.

“I know there’s been a lot of negatives on the impacts, particularly around plagiarism, but there are a lot of benefits to this,” he said. “We know the global economy and the world in general is moving forward with this kind of technology. We want to make sure our students and staff are moving along that same path.”

He said a few schools have already started with some introductory instruction.

Wanting to balance screen time with other methods, Hahn said the board is also moving ahead with a review of outdoor education. While schools have routinely organized trips to Camp Muskoka, Hahn said the board is looking at providing regular opportunities in other regions, such as Haliburton County and Kawartha Lakes.

Recent County transplants Ross and Jane Atkinson are threatening legal action against Dysart et al should council approve an application from a would-be entrepreneur wanting to set up a dog kennel on Carroll Road in Haliburton.

The file was discussed at a recent council meeting, with Monique Popp unveiling plans to establish a doggy daycare and overnight service on her home property. She’s seeking approval for up to 25 pets during the day and 12 at night.

Speaking to The Highlander this week, Popp believes her business proposal is a win for the Haliburton community.

“People are excited to hear we want to bring a kennel here. We don’t have enough of them in our area, unfortunately,” Popp said. “Since I moved here in 2020, I have had seven different dogs roam onto my property. The timing is usually early spring, or the end of fall and when I find the owners, they say they had the dog on a leash, or in the cottage and they got out or away while they were opening or closing for the season… I’ve always thought if there were kennels around, their dogs would be safe and it would eliminate the problem.”

Popp told council several neighbours are in favour of the idea. To proceed, she’s seeking a zoning exemption to allow her to retrofit an existing outbuilding into a kennel.

An application was deferred Jan. 28, with Dysart planner Kris Orsan saying the township is waiting for a site plan outlining the location of the building, which he said could be a maximum of 74.3 sq. metres. He said staff also need to confirm the intended use.

Popp, who has spent her entire career caring for dogs, including three years as a trainer with Ontario Service Dogs, said there will be options for short-term and long-term boarding, as well as daily daycare. Her proposed hours for daycare are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with two designated drop-off times. She’s aiming to open the business for the May 24 weekend.

Neighbour worried about barking

The Atkinsons, who purchased their property last year, say establishing a kennel on the “quiet residential road” would have a significant impact on them. Ross said his home is approximately 220 metres away from Popp’s.

“Our bedrooms are facing the proposed kennel area – we’d hear barking early every morning that would [likely] continue throughout the day… we wouldn’t be able to sit out on our deck at night without [hearing the barking],” Ross said.

“We are not trying to be bad neighbours, but this is going to impact the enjoyment of our property for sure. Unless the applicant comes up with great ways of eliminating the noise, perhaps covering the whole yard, I’m not sure [what could be done],” he added.

Atkinson said he recently completed sound testing at his property, with recordings ranging from 20 to 35 decibels. He claims a dog’s bark typically ranges between 80 and 122 decibels, believing dogs will be more stressed when housed at a kennel – away from their owners – and therefore louder.

Popp said she is planning to install a twometre-high fence surrounding the kennel kitted with noise cancelling buffers. The building will have high-quality insulation and acoustic baffles to mitigate noise. She also intends to fit speakers to play classical music to reduce dogs’ stress levels.

She added all dog waste will be handled on-site with a digester that breaks it down without it seeping into the soil, which she claims will also eliminate any smell.

While coun. Pat Casey suggested Dysart seek a professional opinion on how to proceed, Atkinson feels the township’s existing bylaws point to a simple path. He claims legislation outlining rules for the keeping and control of dogs prohibits any person who owns, or is in the care or custody of one, shall not allow the animals to excessively howl, bark, or otherwise become a nuisance.

“One thing about noise is it’s very easily measured and recorded. We’ll have a very good case when we complain… the second step would be civil action,” Atkinson said, noting there’s legal precedent for noise from dogs constituting nuisance under common law.

He said if they were to sell their property, he estimates losses of between $50,000 and $100,000. “So, we’ll spend the time to make the effort to stop this.”

A decision is expected in the spring.

Gena Robertson, executive director at SIRCH Community Services in Haliburton, said she’ll be using a recent $42,000 donation from Airbnb to expand on the non-profit’s popular ‘Last Chance’ initiative and launch an “exciting” new endeavour.

Representatives from the online rental accommodation agency were in Haliburton Feb. 3 to meet with staff and volunteers at the SIRCH Bistro.

Jacqueline Baptist, who lives in Algonquin Highlands and is a community leader volunteer with Airbnb, said the organization routinely invests in areas with a high number of rentals, with SIRCH seen as the perfect beneficiary given its mandate to support people in need in the County.

“We have about 400 hosts in our community, and we asked them who are the local charitable organizations that could use an infusion of cash – a large number said SIRCH,” Baptist said. “I’m a regular customer at the thrift warehouse and know all about the great things SIRCH does for people.

“The money is for SIRCH to use for their operations however they see fit,” Baptist added.

Robertson said some of the money will be used to build on the momentum of the ‘Last Chance’ project, which wrapped last fall. Between May and October, staff at the warehouse accepted wooden furniture that would normally be turned away, with local handyman Kevin Dunlop hired to breath some new life into the units.

The initiative diverted approximately 1,709 cubic feet of furniture from area landfills. Dunlop was able to create 110 pieces of new furniture, which were sold at the warehouse located at 128 Mallard Rd.

“We’re looking at a little project that will follow on from ‘Last Chance’ – same idea, where we give people an opportunity to think about how they can divert from the landfill. It’s going to be fun,” Robertson said.

She also wants to divert some funds towards transitioning storage containers on the warehouse property into mini storefronts, envisioning area artists setting up shop to sell their locally made arts and crafts and host workshops. Robertson said that’s not yet a done deal, noting she’s working with the township on a plan.

Baptist said SIRCH was a slam dunk for the money after learning what the money would be supporting.

“Environmental sustainability is one of Airbnb’s pillars that they built the community fund around. So SIRCH fulfilled a couple of different themes – the environmental aspect by diverting from the landfill and economic empowerment because of the training initiatives. They checked all the boxes,” she said.

Elizabeth Oakley, who helps manage a social media group for renters in the Highlands and Bancroft, joined Baptist last week – donating money and items to assist SIRCH in putting together 40 warming kits for people in the region.

Each unit is kitted with a sleeping bag, fleece blanket, an emergency mylar blanket, hat, socks, hand towel, and toiletries. She put the value at around $1,500.

Robertson noted the kits would be handed out to people most in need in the County and North Hastings, working with 12 distribution partners the organization routinely works with through programs like the Community Kitchen meal delivery initiative.

She said the kitchen in Haliburton prepares over 1,500 meals each month and has produced more than 95,000 since launching in 2020.

Demand peaked through the pandemic, but Robertson said SIRCH continues to support people through that, and the weekly ‘Lunch is On Us’ initiative, which provides a free meal to community members dining in at the bistro on Wednesdays. Since November, more than 600 diners have benefitted.

For more information on programs, visit sirch.on.ca.