NEWS ARCHIVESDecember 24, 2009 Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings! I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy Holiday Season. In this busy time of year, I hope that each of you have the opportunity to spend time with your family and loved ones. My sincerest best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010. I leave you with a quote from an Author Unknown: “This, the spirit of
Christmas, that forever and ever endures. May it leave its richest blessing in
the heart of you and yours.” Budget 2010 Public Consultation As Council is now amidst 2010 Budget discussions, the west-end Councillors will be holding a series of public consultations, which allow residents an opportunity to discuss the budget and pose questions to Councillors and Staff. On January 9 from 2-4pm, a public consultation will be held at the Mlacak Centre, Halls C and D, located at 2500 Campeau Drive in Kanata. A subsequent meeting will be held on January 12 from 7-9pm at Holy Trinity Catholic High School, located at 180 Katimavik Road in Kanata. I encourage residents to attend either session and provide feedback on the proposed budget and what services should and should not continue. It is important that residents be actively engaged in the process to ensure the budget truly reflects the desires of the community. The City’s Audit, Budget and Finance Committee is recommending a 4 per cent tax increase following an omnibus motion that identified approximately $58 million in spending reductions and revenue increases. I am pleased there is a willingness to keep the City’s property tax rate within a reasonable limit; however, I would have preferred for Council to review the committee budgets line-by-line to find increased savings. I have always maintained that the City should aim for a tax increase that mirrors the inflation rate plus one per cent. Following a period of Councillor-led ward consultations in December and
January, the Committee of the Whole will hear public delegations, debate and
finalize the budget starting on January 25, 2010. New police station opens its doors to community The new West Division Police Station, which is located along Huntmar Road, has opened its doors for service, and is now opening its doors for a community tour. A public Open House will occur on January 9 from 10am-2pm. I hope you and your family can attend. The proximity of the new 41,000 sq. ft., $22 million police station to our
community will be a tremendous benefit. Up until now, patrol vehicles come out
of the Greenbank Road station; a nearby station will improve response times. I
have long maintained that a visible police presence is a comforting sight for
residents and, most importantly, a deterrent for others. It reinforces the
safety of residents, which is welcomed given the dramatic growth of our
community and the volume of calls the police receives from our community. Holiday season office hours Pleased be advised my City Hall and Ward Office will be closed from December 24-January 4. However, my office will be checking voice messages on a daily basis
throughout the holiday season. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at
613-580-2476, though I encourage you to call the City’s Call Centre at 3-1-1 for
municipal issues, including snow removal complaints, to ensure a faster response
time. Resumption of City rebate program for water efficient toilets Additional funding for the Toilet Replacement Program was approved by City Council on December 9 to provide homeowners with a cash incentive to replace their old inefficient toilet with a City-approved, water-efficient toilet. Council approved an additional $260,000 in funding for the program to provide homeowners with a $60 rebate for an approved single-flush 6L or dual flush 3/6L toilets. A $75 rebate will be processed for high-efficiency toilets that flush with 4.8L or less. More than 4,000 rebates have been issued this year, with an estimated annual
savings to residents of 51,000 litres or $130/year per toilet. Funding for
rebates was exhausted in October due to the popularity of this environmental
program. With the $260,000 additional funding, the City will resume issuing
rebates, including to those whose applications were received after exhaustion of
the 2009 funding. Always listening and acting on your concerns As your Councillor, I always welcome your keen input and ideas on how we can sustain and improve Stittsville. Please contact our office anytime by phone at 613-580-2476 or by e-mail at Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca. My ward office is located in the Goulbourn Recreation Complex, located at 1500 Shea Road. The hours of operation are Mondays 9-2pm, Wednesdays 3-8pm, Fridays 9-5pm, and Saturday 9-1pm. Please do not hesitate to pay us a visit. I welcome your call or e-mail to arrange an appointment. If you are not part of my electronic outreach list and would like to be added, please contact my office to ensure you receive pertinent information concerning our community. |