Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy says 2025 is going to be a very exciting year as the town will be celebrating the anniversary of its founding 200 years ago.
Article content
About 50 residents gathered at the Annandale National Historic Site on Sunday afternoon for the annual Mayor’s New Year’s Levee, put on by the Tillsonburg and District Historical Society.
“The town’s strategic plan continues to focus on five key areas: infrastructure and facilities, people and partnerships, information and technology, strategic planning, marketing and communication,” she told the crowd.
Looking back on 2024, Gilvesy said she wished the community center project was complete.
“But it’s not,” she sighed. “It’s a project that even I am drawing from. The project was fraught with challenges of multiple shutdowns due to asbestos and many other surprises.”
The main objective of the project, she noted, is accessible and is anticipated to be completed around the end of January.
Article content
Gilvesy lauded the municipal airport as a success story, noting that it now operates at a surplus compared to using up to $100,000 in tax dollars over the last ten years.
“The airport continues to spur economic development,” said the Mayor. “A recently built factory called Armtec located in Tillsonburg because they had airport access.”
The mayor also praised the Tillsonburg Fire Communications division that provides 9-1-1 service to 27 communities across the province.
“It was on life support costing taxpayers up to $200,000 to subsidize other communities for 9-1-1 service,” she stated. “In just a few years, Fire Comm is now providing a profit for future investments; 2023 saw a surplus of more than $138,000 and 2024 is projected to see a surplus of $320,000.”
Article content
Gilvesy brought people up to speed on the current budget deliberations, citing an initial budget that included a 13.69 per cent tax increase.
“Recognizing this was not palatable, council sent it back… with the town employees having a monumental task of reducing it to 3.08%,” she said. “Council will reconvene later this month for final consideration of a tax increase that sits at 4.78% that includes OPP costs.”
The Mayor noted that council recently passed a resolution which speaks to pushing back at the province for targeted growth numbers.
Oxford County is expected to receive a report back, which will discuss what is actually sustainable regarding growth.
“We’ve discussed numbers like 1 per cent, 2 per cent, but we are going to say stop. We can’t do it anymore. Growth is not paying for growth resulting in undue pressure on services infrastructure, healthcare, education and you, the ratepayer,” she stated. “Quality of life is in erosion, increased homelessness, mental illness and drug abuse are all too apparent.
“All of these things combined have created a perfect storm, placing more pressure on services such as EMS, police, and our local hospital.”
Leslie Cameron, a full-time paramedic who moved to Tillsonburg two years ago said it was good to listen to the mayor and find out what lies ahead for 2025.
“I’m opening a business next month in the downtown core,” she said, “It’s a passion of mine… so being part of this community that myself and my family loves is a big part of it. It’s important to know that industry and retail is starting to boom.”
Share this article in your social network