Financial report shows City paring down its debt

By Chad Feehan
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
November 17, 2023 Edition

The City of Mount Pearl presented its 2022 audited financial statements at a council meeting Tuesday.

Undertaken by BDO Canada, an independent accounting firm, the audit compared the City’s revenues and operating expenses to that of the previous year.

Councillor Chelsea Lane said the City is in “strong financial shape,” and highlighted that while revenue was down, expenditures followed suit. That was enough to land the City in a surplus position.

“We continue to pay down debt, reducing our long-term debt by just over $2,000,000 in 2022,” Lane said. “We are also continually preparing for the future… The City prides itself on solid financial stewardship and planning for the future. We continue to balance down debt with spending on important infrastructure and recreation investment while looking at opportunities for revenue generation.”

The City’s net debt last year sat at $13,923,367, a significant drop from $18,058,888 in 2021. The City had budgeted its debt for 2022 to be $23,143,512.

Revenues last year were recorded at $49,932,372, down from $53,514,546 in 2021. This was counterbalanced by a drop in expenses from $53,357,952 to $51,266,900 year over year.

Financial assets including cash, cash equivalents, and money owed to the City stood at $31,522,063, which was up over a million dollars from the previous year.

Mayor Dave Aker was pleased at the City’s financial standing in light of what the City faced in 2021 and 2022. 

“We went through a rough couple of years; COVID related and other disruptions,” he said. “We’ve come out of that with a very low net debt amount.”

Pre-pandemic in 2019, the City’s debt was $20,148,153, and its total financial assets totaled $31,998,107. 

Mount Pearl girl named Fire Chief for a day

By Mark Squibb
November 17, 2023 Edition

Rachel Roebotham of Mary Queen of the World Elementary was named ‘Fire Chief for A Day’ last Thursday.

As part of her official duties, she rode in a firetruck, met with the mayors of St. John’s, Mount Pearl, and Paradise, and lunched at McDonalds.

Rachel was named chief for the day after winning the St. John’s Regional Fire Department’s annual Fire Prevention Week poster contest, and said she was super excited, and happy, when her dad Jamie told her that she had won.

“We’re super proud of her,” said Jamie. “But we couldn’t tell anybody until the school knew that she had officially won, so everybody was chomping at the bit to tell everybody that she had won. We’re all really proud of her.”

Both Jamie and wife Rhonda were able to get the day off to share the excitement with their daughter.

“Family is the most important thing, so you try to make that a priority,” said Jamie. “We’re going to enjoy the day with our new fire chief.”

The Department had Rachel’s poster framed, and Fire Prevention Officer Cara Pardy presented the Grade 6 student with the framed poster outside of her school on Thursday morning.

Pardy said picking a winner from amongst over 400 entries was no easy task.

“It’s always hard to choose a winner, because we have a lot of great entries,” said Pardy. “Good artwork is important, and we also look for good safety tips, and that’s what we find even more important.”

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme was ‘Cooking Safety Starts With You,’ and some of the tips on Rachel’s poster included ‘Don’t leave the stove unattended,’ and ‘Use oven mitts.’

Though she was glad to accept the mantle of fire chief for a day, Rachel hopes to be a teacher like her father when she grows up.

She said firefighters have to be brave and willing to help people.

Mary Queen of the World grade six student Rachel Roebotham was named the St. John’s Regional Fire Department ‘Fire Chief for the Day’ last week after her Fire Prevention Week poster was selected as a winner from amongst over 400 entries. With Rachel are parents Rhonda and Jamie, who were able to spend the day with Rachel as she attended to her official duties. Mark Squibb photo

Hockey for Heart 2023

The Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Association is calling Hockey for Heart 2023 a success. About 450 minor hockey players representing 29 teams stationed at 13 different collection points across the city collected over $12,000 in donations and food for local food banks last weekend. Pictured in back, from left, are Ken Neil, Ashlene Doyle, Bobby Sullivan, and Cindy O'Brien. In front, from left, are Kieran Neil, Beck James, Connor Sullivan, Grant Sullivan, Eric Soper, and Quinn Ryder. If you would like to contribute, you can send an email transfer to mtpearlblades@gmail.com. The association extended its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in this year’s event. Submitted photo

City gets money for new community centre

By Chad Feehan

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

November 10, 2023 Edition

Mount Pearl City council has voted to accept some $3.6 million in capital works funding from the province towards construction of a new community centre.

Announced in July of 2021, the centre will be located at the Team Gushue Sports Complex on Arena Road and will include both indoor and outdoor facilities including a splash pad, ice rink, and a dedicated space for community groups.

The City consulted with community groups and the public in regards to the centre’s development.

In an e-mailed response, the City said a request-for-proposals will be issued in the coming weeks, and the final design, schedule, and budget will be dependent on the bids received, and will be subsequently evaluated.

The community centre will replace the current facility located on Park Place which is aging and lacking in certain amenities like air conditioning.

An additional $2,856,529 in capital works funding has been allocated towards developments on Holden Street.

The motion was carried unanimously.

Council pops the tab on new Pepsi deal

By Chad Feehan

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

November 10, 2023 Edition

The City of Mount Pearl has cut an exclusive deal with beverage producer Browning Harvey.

Until 2033, Browning Harvey, which bottles Pepsi and related products at its plant in St. John’s, will exclusively supply beverage products in all City-owned facilities and provide sponsorship for all City events.

The City clarified in an e-mailed response that all liquid refreshments sold and distributed by the company are included in the agreement including soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, energy drinks, and single serve juices and teas.

The company will pay the City $25,000 annually.

The motion to approve the agreement carried unanimously.

More legal fees rung up on Power and Ledwell case

By Chad Feehan

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

November 10, 2023 Edition

The City of Mount Pearl’s probe into Steve Kent’s conduct as Chief Administrative Officer concluded earlier this year, but the City’s payment register suggests the story isn’t fully over.
In an e-mailed response, the City clarified that $71,618 in legal fees slated for payment to law firm McInnes Cooper last week were in relation to an appeal filed by former councillors Andrea Power and Andrew Ledwell who were removed from council three years ago for allegedly communicating with Kent during his legal dispute with the City.

Kent had been dismissed – he maintains he quit – after a number of staff complained they were bullied.

McInnes Cooper represented the City against the legal action launched by Power and Ledwell. Last week’s bills cover a protracted period up to August 31, 2023.
The imbroglio between Kent and the City, and the associated actions involving Power and Ledwell, have cost Mount Pearl taxpayers some $500,000 in legal fees and professional services over the last four years.

Mount Pearl curlers happy to join the ‘family business’

By Chad Feehan
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
November 10, 2023 Edition

A pair of brothers from Mount Pearl competed in the Ottawa Valley Curling Association Junior Superspiel last weekend.

Parker and Spencer Tipple along with teammates Jack Kinsella, Isaac Manuel, and coach Andrew Manuel played five round-robin games before losing to Team MacDougall from Ontario in the quarterfinals.

The event marks a series of firsts for Team Tipple.

While they’re no strangers to away games, having competed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, the event was the first time they’ve made a trip out of the Maritimes to curl.

It was also their first time competing against an American team, though they would go on to lose that match as well.

Despite the losses, team third Spencer Tipple values the relationships they made over the course of the weekend.

“We made friends with a ton of new people up there,” Spencer Tipple said.

Skip Parker Tipple would chat with the opposing team’s coaches after every game, where they would share various tips and offer feedback with the young curler.

“I’ll take any input from anybody that will help me improve as a curler,” Parker Tipple said.

Chiefly among this imparted wisdom is the suggestion to keep the game simple, avoiding the wild gambits taken in professional tournaments like the Briar and Tournament of Hearts.

“You look on TV and they make it look so easy,” he said. “It’s a little bit deceiving.”

The tournament took place in four different curling clubs, which resulted in the team having to switch to another ice right after getting used to the last one.

Before moving to Mount Pearl from Bay Roberts, the brothers would watch their uncle Brad Gushue curl during his many, widely spectated television appearances.

This inspired them to curl, but given the lack of opportunities for curling in Bay Roberts, their dreams had to wait until the big move.

“When we moved out here we wanted to play,” said Spencer Tipple.

Last month they made it to the finals at the Harvest Spiel in Nova Scotia before losing out to Team Robichaud from New Brunswick.

Early next year the team has the Under 20 Junior provincial tournament to look forward to, which could propel them to the nationals in Fort McMurray in 2024. Here they would have another chance at competing with some familiar teams from last week.

Even with their recent appearance in the Canada Games still visible in the rearview mirror, Parker Tipple feels a sense of accomplishment from their recent performance.

“If someone told me that we were going to go into the quarterfinals of this superspiel with 16 teams of some of the best teams in Canada, I would have been really surprised,” Parker Tipple said. “I'm really proud of how well all of us played and how we composed ourselves on the ice.”

Skip Parker Tipple aims a shot at the Ottawa Valley Curling Association Junior Superspiel last weekend. He says getting off the island was a great opportunity to learn new strategies from a wider pool of talented curlers. Submitted photo

Halloween 2023

Thirteen-year-old pirate Charles Helmbold of Mount Pearl poses by a nautical themed set piece at the Admiralty House Communications Museum on Halloween night. In addition to fun props like this humorously sized skeleton hand, there was also candy and toys given out to prospective trick-or-treaters. Photo by Chad Feehan.

A witchy, hunchbacked Denise Hennebury teaches little Arthur Butler about spiders with the help of a makeshift web made out of rope. On the afternoon of Halloween, Hennebury and Sabrina Peddle took their River Rascals toddler play group out for a stroll through a wooded area in Mount Pearl. After playing and exploring through the freshly fallen snow, the little tykes were met with story time and a treat. In the background, from left, are, Peddle, Hilary Butler and Vivian Butler. Photo by Chad Feehan.

Safety Skeleton crew patrol streets

Danielle Greavette of the City of Mount Pearl municipal enforcement poses with a gaggle of trick-or-treaters on the annual Safety Skeleton Halloween run. The Safety Skeleton crew patrolled the streets of Mount Pearl to ensure the safety of those roaming the streets, while giving out treats like glow sticks along the way. On hand are, from left: William Ash, Danielle Greavette, Thomas Hollett, Lily Hollett, Samantha Ash, Michelle Filonenko, and Nicole Filonenko. Photo by Chad Feehan

Two public service groups and Employers’ Council get tax breaks

By Chad Feehan
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
November 3, 2023 Edition

Three organizations will be exempt from 2023 business taxes in Mount Pearl after a unanimous vote at City council this week.

St. John Ambulance, the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council, and Alzheimer Society NL all operate within the city and will receive 100 per cent exemptions.

The exemptions total $22,882 for St. John Ambulance, $8,665 for the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council, and $3,099 for Alzheimer Society NL.

Mayor Dave Aker described the tax breaks as “routine” for organizations of this nature.

“These are three valuable organizations that help not only our city but with our region,” he said.

Full business tax exemptions have been approved multiple times over the past year and have included the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, Heart & Stroke Foundation, and Co-Operator Housing. Masonic Park, Masonic Lodge, and Columbus Center were given 60 percent exemptions.