June 2020 Town of Pelham Newsletter

Town of Pelham community garden competition open to residents, businesses

The Town of Pelham, with support from the Pelham Beautification Committee, is offering friends, families, and businesses the opportunity to compete for prizes while enhancing the beauty of the Town, and creating a positive, socially-safe competition.

Council, acknowledging the free time many residents have due to stay-at-home orders by the province during the pandemic, and the decreased staff and service levels available by the Town, voted in favour on May 19, 2020, of the resolution to call on residents to support local growers and spruce up flower beds that would have otherwise gone unplanted this year. 

Ten beds are available for sponsorship; each bed is to be designed, planted, mulched, watered, weeded, and maintained throughout the summer by its respective team. The Town will water the beds once a week, on Wednesday mornings. There is no minimum or maximum dollar amount for sponsors to create their gardens. There is no minimum or maximum dollar amount for sponsors to create their gardens.

The assignment of beds is on a first come, first serve basis. Those wishing to participate are asked to contact Marc MacDonald, communications and public relations specialist, by email at mmacdonald@pelham.ca. 

Registrants will be directed to the Town’s website (www.pelham.ca/garden-beds) to view a copy of the rules and safety tips, and are required to fill out a waiver for working in municipal gardens.

Participants can plant whatever they wish in the beds; cannabis, however, is prohibited. Gardens must be planted with annual and perennials. Each bed will have designated signage, provided by the Town, indicating the name(s) of the sponsor and any accompanying business logos. Support of local businesses is encouraged in the purchasing of materials for the beds.

 Judging will take place on the Labour Day weekend, with winners announced the following week. The Photos of the beds will also be uploaded to the Town’s website.

Prizes ranging from $50-$500 in the form of gift certificates are at stake. First place will take home $500, second place $350, third place $250, fourth place $150, fifth place $100, and places six through 10 $50 each.

Participants are expected to maintain physical distancing during work on the beds and are not permitted to have more than five people working at any given time. These guidelines, set by the Province, are subject to change based on new Provincial orders or Public Health guidelines.

Available Beds
1. North Pelham Gateway Sign – (1-bed) Metler @ Cream	6. Peace Park – Cenotaph (1-bed)
2. Centennial Park – Flag Pole – (1-bed)	7. Peace Park – Park Sign (1-bed)
3. Old Pelham Town Hall – (3-beds)	8. Town Hall – Rear Bed (North of Entrance door)
4. Cherry Ridge Park - Park Sign (1-bed)	9. Town Hall Rear Bed (South of Entrance door)
5. Harold Black Park – Flag Pole (1-bed)	10. Town Hall Front Beds on either side of the walkway

Learn more about what the Town is doing about COVID-19 at: www.pelham.ca/covid19

Farmers Market opens June 11

The Pelham Farmers Market, originally scheduled to open May 7, 2020, will open June 11, 2020, with 13 vendors instead of its usual 26. The reduced number of vendors allows for appropriate distancing.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market’s late start allowed for significant consultation between Pelham staff, the Market’s Committee, and Niagara Region Public Health, ensuring best practices and safety measures can be implemented for vendors and customers.

The Market will run through October under the following Public Health recommendations and guidelines: 

• An On-line market will be set up for pick up orders; there will be a  designated area for no contact pick up 
• Area designated for an easily accessible area for order pick up
• No on-site food preparation or cooking, food will be handled by the vendor only
• All items sold are to be consumed off site (in place of no items sold to promote hanging around)
• Controlled access to only permit limited numbers from entering 
• Vendors will be spaced six feet apart 
• No reusable bags will be permitted
• Hand wash and/or sanitation stations will be at the entrance and within the market
• Public Health will approve the final layout of the Market area
• Only essential items will be sold; food businesses and agriculture businesses are considered essential workplaces under the Provincial Order. 
• Vendors are required to perform a self-assessment on the day of the market.

The Market will have one entrance point and a separate exit point. The flow of people will be controlled to ensure proper physical distancing (people must keep at least two metres apart) at all times; people should not pass by one another face-to-face. The Pelham Farmer’s Market website - pelhamfarmersmarket.ca - will be updated as more details become available.

COVID-19: financial impact forecast

A  result of COVID-19, Pelham is forecasting a tax levy operating deficit of approximately $408,666 to the end of June, which could increase to approximately $849,820 by December 31, should the present situation remain unchanged until the end of the year.

The magnitude of the impact of COVID-19 on the Town of Pelham is not fully understood, however, the existing physical distancing measures and economic shut-down impacts have already been significant.

Since March 18, 2020, the federal government has announced a series of relief programs that are targeted at the most vulnerable residents and businesses including:

• $52.4 billion in direct assistance for eligible  small and medium businesses.

• $55 billion to help meet liquidity needs and  stabilize the economy, which includes deferral  of income tax payments and the waiving of interest.

• $30 billion in cash flow and liquidity assistance  for businesses, which includes deferral in  Goods and Services Tax (GST) remittances  and customs duty payments.

Many of Ontario’s municipalities have explored further financial relief measures to those already announced by the federal and provincial governments. The most common measures being implemented by municipalities include the extension of payment deadlines and the waiving of late payment penalties for tax and water balances owing.

On March 23, 2020, the Town of Pelham announced its own financial relief measures being the waiving of late payment penalties for tax and water & wastewater balances owing for the month of April. 

2020 Tax Levy Impact

A tax levy operating deficit of approximately $408,666 has been forecasted to the end of June as a result of COVID-19 which could increase to approximately $849,820 by December 31, 2020, should the present situation remain unchanged until the end of the year.

The most significant drivers of the projected deficit include:

• Lost recreation revenues from the Meridian  Community Centre, which are partially offset  by  program/service delivery cost savings, including the temporary layoff of staff.
• Lost development revenues.
• Lost tax and water interest and penalty revenues.
• Lost park operation revenues.

The Town is projecting that the tax levy operating budgets will be negatively impacted by COVID-19 regardless of how long the situation lasts throughout the year. 

Given the amount of uncertainty around timelines and availability of funding sources, it is difficult at this time to quantify the full impact of individual items as well as the overall impact on the Town.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts are quite fluid, staff will continue to monitor its financial impacts and report back to Council on a regular basis.

Read the full report to Council.