March 22, 2023 · 0 Comments
There will be no change to council meetings this year. Staff introduced ways to streamline the council process, and while some changes were adopted, others were summarily dismissed. Staff recommended moving council meetings to Tuesday afternoons, from its current Monday evening schedule. But councillors were quick to shoot down the idea, noting it would limit, not encourage public participation.
Township staff are working with a local farm in its application for expanded facilities, including a greenhouse. A public planning meeting was held recently for the bid by Kinghaven Farms for a greenhouse and other related uses on his horse farm on King Road.
Community safety was front and centre during a police-led seminar for King residents last week. Mayor Steve Pellegrini welcomed One District Command Superintendent Russ Bellman and his four-person York Regional Police presentation team into King Township Chambers. The theme of the evening – “Community Safety is a Shared Responsibility” – was reinforced in an engaging manner by a quintet of YRP officers and civilian staff.
King passed its budget Monday, with a 4.95% increase for local homeowners. King’s operating budget for 2023 is $63.7 million, and the capital budget is $33.9 million, for a total budget of $97.6 million. Township Council approved the budget at a Council meeting on Feb. 6. The average increase for the Township portion of municipal tax is 2.1 per cent between 2019 and 2023. That, combined with a 3.9% increase in York Region’s share, sees a blended hike of 4.4%. Part of York’s increase is a 1% hike to cover the costs of the new subway line.