Belleville Councillor Jack Miller addressing city council May 8, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Belleville councillor Jack Miller says he’s “anxious to have a full discussion on the city’s public harbours” at council’s strategy session later this month.
Miller made the comment at city council Monday as council received a staff report showing a predicted loss of more than $60,000 from the operation of marina facilities at Victoria Harbor and Meyers Pier.
The docks made a small profit of over $5,000 back in 2013, but that was before Crates Marina opened the following year.
Also hurting business for the City of Belleville was the opening of the new Trent Port Marina in Quinte West.
Contract for road work
Belleville city council awarded a contract to rebuild parts of Casey and Mudcat Roads in Thurlow ward.
At almost $2.6 million, Cruickshank Construction offered the lowest of three tenders.
Plans call for a 1.2 kilometre section of Casey Road, between Highway 37 and Forsyth Road to be rebuilt this year along with a five kilometre section of Mudcat Road between Phillipston Road and Sanctuary Lane
Director of Engineering Rod Bovay says it will be a “month or so” before work begins, depending on how quickly the area dries out from the spring rains.
Downtown property values
A staff report to Belleville city council Monday shows that assessment values on properties in the downtown core dropped by almost $2.8 million last year, totalling close to $42 million.
That has led to the Belleville Downtown Improvement Area board reducing its budget for this year by $30,000 to $230,000.
Near the beginning of 2017, Quinte News found 37 out of 105 storefronts in downtown Belleville to be vacant, which leads to changes in assessment.
Fire chief’s flood report
Belleville Fire Chief Mark MacDonald reported to city council Monday this is “Emergency Preparedness Week” and the city has demonstrated how important that is in the flooding emergency.
MacDonald says it was the first time in history that the Moira River and the Bay of Quinte had high water levels at the same time.
He repeated the message to residents to stay off the roads in the flooded areas.
Mayor Taso Christopher praised the work by the emergency committee, the workers and volunteers.
