CARLETON PLACE — Carleton Place committee members received several reports for information at the March 24 meeting, including the municipality’s 2025 Wastewater System Annual Report, a proposed infrastructure cost-sharing agreement tied to a new townhouse development, and the town’s annual statement on council remuneration and expenses.
Wastewater annual report
Members received the municipality’s 2025 Wastewater System Annual Report for information, as required under provincial regulations.
Prepared by the Ontario Clean Water Agency, the report was submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks within the required 90-day timeframe. It provides an overview of the town’s wastewater system performance, including monitoring data, maintenance activities, operational issues, public complaints and any unusual discharge events.
The report notes two diversion events and one bypass event in 2025, all linked to rapid spring snowmelt and heavy rainfall in March and April that temporarily exceeded system capacity. No overflows from plant infrastructure were recorded.
There were also 10 effluent quality non-compliance incidents, largely tied to elevated ammonia levels and E. coli counts following new regulatory limits introduced during the plant expansion.
“We did have some non-conformances with the effluent quality based on equipment failures that we experienced over the past year. This is due to aging equipment that we are trying to extend,” said Guy Bourgon, director of public works, adding that once the renovations are complete, the older equipment will be mothballed and a much better effluent quality regimen will be in place.
According to Bourgon, OCWA and staff will continue efforts to improve compliance while the wastewater treatment plant expansion continues.
Cost sharing on infrastructure
The town is entering into a cost-sharing agreement with Inverness Homes Inc. tied to a townhouse development at 175 Townline Rd., where new municipal water and sanitary sewer infrastructure is being extended along Carleton Street.
“Since this extension now allows properties currently on well and septic systems and one vacant property the option to connect to municipal services, cost-sharing agreements are proposed,” explained Mike Walker, development review officer.
This would be done through a connection fee bylaw under the Municipal Act, with costs distributed based on each property’s frontage along the serviced area.
Property owners would only pay the fee if they choose to connect to municipal services. If they do not connect, they are not charged. Fees collected by the town would be transferred to the developer, Inverness Homes Inc., as reimbursement for shared infrastructure costs.
“So staff are recommending that council approve the execution of a cost-sharing agreement with Inverness Homes and adopt the connection fee bylaw,” said Walker.
Walker said this is standard practice and has been used in other local subdivisions.
The agreement would remain in effect for up to 25 years, after which the bylaw would be repealed.
Carleton Place committee receives council remuneration
Committee members also received the town’s 2025 statement of council remuneration and expenses for information, as required under the Municipal Act.
The annual report, prepared by treasurer Trisa McConkey, outlines payments made to members of council and appointed public representatives serving on local boards.
“This is an annual statutory report that I have to present to you by March 31 every year,” McConkey said.
In 2025, council salaries increased by 2.5 per cent in accordance with an approved bylaw. The report details honorariums, per diems, benefits, equipment allowances and reimbursed expenses such as travel, conferences and communications. It also includes discretionary spending for community-related purposes.
“There is a large increase to benefits from last year to this year. And if you’ll recall during the budget process, we had a large increase to benefits all across the board. So this report is reflective of that and nothing more,” explained McConkey.
Total remuneration for council members amounted to just over $305,000, with an additional $11,524 in discretionary expenditures.
The report also notes that some councillors received modest compensation from external boards, including the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority and the County of Lanark, for their participation in those roles.
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