The vote to overturn Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom’s latest veto fell one shy Monday night.
Hoogenboom used strong mayor powers with respect to the Township’s budget, removing $72,300 of maintenance work across three projects while adding $75,000 for a pickeball court.
Councillor Deborah Hutchings took issue with the new pickleball court.
Hoogenboom defended his decision, saying the pickleball court at the Ronald E. Holman Municipal Complex has been long talked about and it’s time to get it done.
Councillor Jeff and Paula Banks said there’s no permit in place for the court, and cited drainage and other issues at the locale which may prevent the award of a new permit.
Council needs a two-thirds vote in order to overturn a mayoral directive, so six of their nine members. The vote was defeated 5-4, with Councillor Dustin Bulloch the effective swing vote.
Bulloch ran his by-election campaign opposing the use of strong mayor powers, but in Monday night’s meeting voted against the council override, stating his views on the changes Hoogenboom imposed varied in favour and againt, and wished an earlier motion calling for all five items be voted on separately passed as that may have changed the outcome.
The budget will now see a 4.82% tax rate increase after Hoogenboom reversed council’s direction to use 2% of reserve funds to lower that figure.
He defended that decision.
Hoogenboom’s latest mayoral directive resulted in the following changes:
- Pickleball Court – Council had removed $75,000 for a new court at the Ronald E. Holman Municipal Complex. The veto restored this funding, so the court will still be built.
- Gallagher Property Roof Repairs – Council had added $36,200 for maintenance. The veto canceled this, so the repair is not funded.
- Chantry Office Stone Repairs – Council had added $7,000 for maintenance. The veto canceled this, so the repair is not funded.
- Elgin Municipal Complex Walkways – Council had added $29,500 for walkway work. The veto canceled this, so the repair is not funded.
- Tax Reduction Using Reserves – Council had directed that 2% of the 4.82% tax increase be offset by Township reserves to reduce the tax burden. The veto canceled this, restoring the full 4.82% tax increase.
The mayor says even with these changes, their reserves will be stronger by the end of 2026 than they were in 2025, pointing to a recent $320,000 withdrawl for a second excavator.
Story by Grant Deme