Vankleek Hill, ON

At its most recent council meeting, Champlain Township has approved a 1.9 per cent increase in the tax rate. The move came after several budget meetings, at which council determined that this tax rate increase would generate about $75,000 in additional revenues which will be earmarked as township reserves.

Municipalities collect school taxes and taxes for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell.

VANKLEEK HILL -- What exactly is bullying and what are the different ways bullying shows up in the everyday life of any high school? These are some of the fundamental questions that bullying expert, author and motivational speaker Jim Jordan will be answering on Tuesday, February 26, at 7 p.m. in the Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute cafetorium.

Champlain Township is going back to the drawing board after landlords voiced complaints about unfair treatment in light of proposed changes to the way that water and sewage services are billed to multi-unit residential property owners.

About 40 property-owners attended the most recent Champlain Township council meeting to protest water and sewage increases proposed to take effect in March of 2013.

Champlain Township council has agreed to pay the Town of Hawkesbury an eight per cent increase for emergency dispatch services next year but council will be looking at other options, in light of looming increases.

The Town of Hawkesbury is in negotiations with dispatchers at this time, Champlain Township Mayor Gary Barton told fellow-councillors at Champlain Township's most recent regular meeting.

Even with the contracts for dispatch services with other municipalities, operating the service still cost the Town of Hawkesbury $290,000, Barton said.

The Fondation L'Ange Gardien is hosting an open house at the Vankleek Hill Curling Club on Monday, October 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to discuss the proposed addiction treatment center to be located at the former Ste-Marie convent located at 159 Higginson Street in Vankleek Hill.

The proposed treatment facility would house 70 residents, who would not be permitted off the grounds without supervision, according to Alain Champagne, general manager. At present, views are mixed about having such a center in Vankleek Hill.

Representatives from La Fondation L'Ange Gardien were present at the most recent Champlain Township council meeting on October 10 to outline a proposed addiction treatment centre, slated for the former convent in Vankleek Hill.

The council chamber was filled with local residents who had come to find out more about the proposed facility, to be located at 159 Higginson Street in Vankleek Hill.

Not in my back yard.

That is probably most people's response when they hear the words, "drug rehab center." But proponents of a drug rehabilitation facility in Vankleek Hill's historic convent say that times have changed and they hope people listen before they judge.

If their plan for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center goes ahead, no one will even know it's there, they say.

Amazing things can happen when community members work together to make good things happen.

Ian Hepburn, a vibroacoustic harp therapist at Vitality Health Team, recently had a bit of a dilemma on his hands. In addition to offering therapy at Vitality Health Team, Hepburn has also been offering vibroacoustic harp therapy treatments to patients at the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital for quite some time.