Final Distribution of PHRA Funds

The former Chair Jim Ronson and Treasurer Gord Walter completed the financial wind-up of the Port Hope Ratepayers Association with a contribution of $1,370.93 to the Port Hope branch of the Northumberland Food Bank. The Food Bank was selected to receive the funds by unanimous vote at the final annual general meeting on April 22, 2017.
The picture from the presentation shows (from the left) Gord Walter, Ken O’Neill, Jim Ronson, and Yvonne O’Neill. Ken and Yvonne are the Co-managers of the Port Hope Food Bank. We were informed that the donation would be used primarily to buy fresh vegetables, fruit, and milk to ensure a healthy diet for the food bank clients.
 
The strong ending bank balance was due to the work of many volunteers and generous members over the years. Our website www.PHRA.ca  will remain until later this year when the domain name will expire. The much of the content on previous years elections has been copied to www.PortHopePolitics.ca, a site hosted by David Broughton.
 
We encourage all past PHRA members to stay engaged in the municipal political process. Thank you all.

The Port  Hope Ratepayers Association Bids Good-Bye to
Port Hope 

​On Saturday April 22, The Port Hope Ratepayers Association ceased to exist. Many of the members attending the final annual general meeting wished that the organization to continue, but our group was facing a leadership crisis, which is not uncommon in volunteer organizations.I have finished serving my second term, a total of four years, and notified you our members that I would be stepping down.Unfortunately no one else stepped up to assume the role of chair person.

I also received an email from Bob Anglin, our vice-chair, who resigned from the position due to health concerns. We wish him a speedy recovery. 

I would like to thank our former chairpersons, Robert Polutnik and Terry Hickey for their leadership in the past. (The P.H.R.A. began in 2011.)

I would also like to thank my board members: Bob Anglin, Gord Walter, Maureen Tambeau, Cathy Case and Roger Wilson.. We have had an interesting and rewarding four years together.

Thank you also to Miles Bowman and David Broughton for their ongoing work on our website.David and Miles are now in the process of closing down and archiving our website.

There have been ratepayers groups in the past in Port Hope, and there may be one in the future. Right now it appears that most Port Hopers are satisfied with how things are being run by the present council. If not, we have a very democratic forum here in Port Hope.You are free to attend council meetings and speak your mind as a private citizen.

As our final act the attending members voted unanimously to donate the remaining funds of the organization to the Food Bank. 

Thank you all.

Jim Ronson

A Timely AGM:
​We still need oversight in Port Hope

The recent tax hikes clearly demonstrate why an active ratepayers' association remains a priority in a healthy community. On the heels of the announcement of the rate hikes, we have a call to action for our members. Your attendance is needed at our next PHRA AGM.

Though our members may not know it, we continue to provide oversight, which is as important as its ever been. Council will be facing increasing fiscal challenges in the next two years, especially in projected increases to the Fire Department and to Transit.

Your Vice-Chair, Bob Anglin sat on the Fire Committee, and Jim Ronson (the Chair) and Maureen Tambeau sit on the transit committee. We continue to advocate for the taxpayer when increases are considered at these committees.

In the meantime, I urge you, our members, to attend more council meetings and to set aside the date of April 22 for our next AGM. At that meeting we will be looking for a replacement for our Chair. If you have ideas about where the PHRA could be heading in the future, we want to hear from you!

Reasons for the Latest 4.7 % Increase in Taxes:
​The Good & the Bad

Many of you will already know that the council has decided to raise taxes by 4.7 %. At the most recent council meeting I stated that this increase was outrageous. 

There are, however, two good reasons for the increase and I will begin with those. First of all, council is increasing taxes to increase reserves. Reserves are necessary for the town to invest in new equipment. They act like a bank account which the town can draw on to meet new requirements for equipment and infrastructure. In particular, two new snowplows were purchased. We only need look outside to see that such purchases are necessary to keep our streets clear. The second reason taxes went up was due to a decrease in revenue from commercial and industrial sources, as these amounts are under appeal.

Now we come to what I consider the outrageous portion of the increase. While increasing reserves and facing a fall in revenue, council also chose to spend more than five hundred thousand dollars on walking paths, washrooms and improvement to parks. The reason given for making all these purchases now was that council is also applying for Federal grant money under the Canada 150 program. While recognizing this is a one shot deal and that such money is desirable, was it the right decision to spend half a million dollars simply in order to (possibly) get some grant money from the Federal government? I don't think so.The timing is poor and it would appear the tax payer is bearing the brunt of these increases.

Port Hope's Tourism Industry looks to be thriving in new video

PHRA website to close in the near future!

As part of winding down the affairs of the PHRA, this website will close. Much of the information about the 2010 and 2014 elections has been archived to a new website created by founding member David Broughton. You can check it out at www.porthopepolitics.ca.

Welcome to the PHRA website!

Check out our blog. The latest posts are listed below.  

Do you have a question that you would like to ask of council? Just use the Contact form to send your question to the PHRA and we will ask on your behalf. 

Members of the PHRA board attend virtually every council meeting.  Members and potential members are welcome to join us.
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TOPICS ON OUR BLOG

Under the Clock

  • Council/COW - first and third Tuesdays of the month @ 6:30 pm
"Split decisions"
See the 2015-2016 voting record.
Agendas and minutes are available here. 

PHRA in the Media

MUNICIPAL MATTERS: COGECO FEB. 28, 2014

PORT HOPE COUNCIL QUESTION PERIOD:  MARCH 5, 2014

CHEX NEWS REPORTS ON PORT HOPE COUNCIL REJECTION OF REM.