Blake Ellis/ Local Journalism Initiative

St. Clair Township will see a increase of 4.59 per cent in taxes just for the 2024 capital budget. This amounts to a $59.49 increase for an average home of $221,000.

St. Clair Township council went into Thursday’s budget meeting with a 7.31 per cent increase just for capital spending, amounting to $94.87 a year increase on the same average home.

But Mayor Jeff Agar suggested for the second year in a row to push the Polymoore Drive rehabilitation until 2025. This would eliminate the $470,000 project in the 2024 budget. Agar added the $182,800 which was to be taken out of reserves for Polymoore Drive be used instead for the Cameron Street reconstruction project in Corunna.

Administrators had placed $709,000 in the budget for the project – using the reserve money would shrink the tax hit to $527,000.

Cameron Street will see a complete reconstruction from Lyndock to Bentinck streets. The entire project will be done in 2024.

Councillor Pat Brown attempted further reductions to the capital budget but every time he suggested changes, he was not able to get his council colleagues to agree.

With the one major change approved, St. Clair Township will spend $4.7 million in 2024 on capital projects. About $1.9 million will come from the 2024 municipal taxes – $709,000 more than last year.
Other projects to take place in 2024 include the rehabilitation of the Marshy Creek bridge on the St. Clair Parkway. This project was to be completed in 2023 but the project was delayed due to some design challenges. The $3 million project was budgeted in 2023 and is expected to begin next July.
The White Line bridge over Clay Creek will also see some repairs done to it in 2024 with $760,000 being set aside for it.

The St. Clair Fire Department will put $550,000 into the reserves for future vehicle and equipment purchases. The department will also replace the pumper and rescue vehicles at the Corunna station, a tanker in Brigden and a rescue vehicle at Wilkesport in 2024.

Some recreation projects for 2024 include an overhaul of the change rooms for the pool and the rinks at the Moore Sports Complex. The front reception area at the sports complex is also to be rebuilt in 2024.

The drainage system in the sports complex parking lot is also scheduled to be replaced next year.