King staff will report on giving more time to hook up to sewers
By Bill Rea

Councillor Cleve Mortelliti raised the issue several times in the recent election campaign, and he’s still concerned about financial hardships that some King City residents might face by being forced to hook their homes up to the new sewer system.

Mortelliti raised the issue again Monday night in his first working meeting as a councillor, suggesting the time people are given to hook up be extended from one to five years.

He was able to get narrow support from his colleagues for a staff report on the idea.

Households are going to be on the hook for $12,541 each as their share of the installation costs, and although Mortelliti agreed that was a very low rate for the work involved, he said he believes some people will be forced to put their homes up for sale.

And the actual costs of connecting homes to the system is another matter. Mortelliti said the connection to his home should be simple, but he understands he’s looking at a bill on the order of $3,000 to $3,500. He’s heard of cases where people could be charged $8,000, $10,000 or as much as $15,000, and he pointed out that would be a difficult amount to pay out, especially for someone on a fixed income.

He also expressed the concern that people paying their $12,541 incrementally through their taxes could see their homes subject to a tax sale by the municipality if they default.

Not going to happen, was the emphatic message Mayor Margaret Black had for him.

“This Township is not going to have a tax sale against anyone over this sewer issue,” she declared, adding the municipality is committed to working with anyone who might have financial difficulties to help them deal with them.

People are welcome to talk to her or senior staff in search of ways out of those difficulties, but Black said there have been few takers so far.

She pointed out the hookup costs will be a lot less than what one would have to pay for a new septic system. She also commented on the amount of work and negotiations that went into getting the household share down to $12,541. “It’s a miracle,” she remarked.

It was Township CAO Scott Somerville who said staff would have to look into and report on the financial and legal implications before commenting on extending the hook-up period.

Township Treasurer Don Young told Councillor Jack Rupke that when sewers were installed in Schomberg, residents there had one year to hook up, and at the end of that period, they were charged according to the local water rates, whether they were connected or not.

If people were going to have to pay for a system they weren’t using, Rupke wondered what the advantage could be to waiting five years.

Black also pointed to the fact the initial work was prompted because York Region’s medical officer of health had identified a potential health problem in the village, with which the provincial Ministries of the Environment and Health concurred. “It’s a liability issue for both York Region and ourselves,” the mayor said.

Mortelliti also observed that some people have rebuilt their septics over the last five years and are still paying them off, so this would amount to more of a burden for them.

Councillor Jane Underhill sided with Mortelliti. “We need to help our residents more,” she said.

Rupke added the staff report could comment on other financial arrangements available to people to cover these costs. “There are all kinds of ways of financing it,” he said.

Councillor Jeff Laidlaw was also in favour of Mortelliti’s efforts. Similar

issues are going to have to be addressed when sewers go into Nobleton. “I’d love to see the homework done now,” he said.

Mortelliti later indicated he was pleased staff will be reporting. “That’s kind of what I was hoping for,” he said, adding his big concern is the Township’s

connection bylaw says nothing specifically about people being protected from being forced from their homes.

He also credited Black for her assertions that the Township is willing to work with people to solve their financial problems resulting from the sewers.