Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you Read by hand. We read Morris-Turnberry's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.
Questions · 8 so far
Things worth asking about
We read Morris-Turnberry's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 31 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.
What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking
Worth asking
There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.
$317,455more in municipal property tax for 2026, a 5.95% levy increase
The levy is the total amount of property tax the municipality asks its own residents to pay for its own services. The 2026 budget raises it from $5,338,641 to $5,656,096. The same budget page says the average home's total tax bill, which also includes county and school taxes, rises by 3.75%, or $140.25.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources
$1,945,000estimated future cost for the Morris landfill, up from $1,417,000
Under accounting rules, the municipality has to estimate what it will cost to close and look after its two old landfills, the Morris and the Turnberry. In the 2025 statements the estimate for the Morris landfill is $1,945,000, up from $1,417,000 in the 2024 statements. The expected time frame also changed, and the 2025 statements show a different 2024 figure for the Turnberry landfill than the 2024 statements did.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
$104,546gap between the two reserve totals (worked out by us)
A reserve is money the municipality sets aside now to pay for something later. The 2026 budget book lists total reserves at the end of 2025 as $6,568,844.52. The audited statements, signed three months later, show reserves of $6,464,298. The gap is $104,546, worked out by us.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
July 7, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2025 statements, three months after the 2026 budget meeting
The 2026 budget had its public meeting on April 7, 2026. The auditor's report on the 2025 books is dated July 7, 2026. So the "2025 actual" columns in the budget book were not yet audited when council adopted the budget. The audit opinion is clean.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
The statements say various claims and lawsuits are brought against the municipality, and that no money has been set aside for them because the amounts cannot be known or are expected to be covered by insurance. The statements do not say how many claims there are or what they are about.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
The municipality's consolidated statements include the Bluevale Community Committee. The committee's own pages at the back of the statements come with a "Notice to Reader" from the accountants. It says the accountants compiled the figures from information supplied by management and did not audit or review them.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 2 sources
Ontario municipalities must publish each year what they paid each member of council, and their expenses. We did not find this statement on the Treasury, Council Members, Accountability and Transparency or Bylaws pages of the municipality's website. We did not fill in council pay for this reason.
Found by reading the town's own documents · 1 source
Morris-Turnberry spent about $328 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $215. Only 4 of 31 similar towns spent more.
Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 1 source
$317,455more in municipal property tax for 2026, a 5.95% levy increase
The levy is the total amount of property tax the municipality asks its own residents to pay for its own services. The 2026 budget raises it from $5,338,641 to $5,656,096. The same budget page says the average home's total tax bill, which also includes county and school taxes, rises by 3.75%, or $140.25.
Why it matters
The two numbers measure different things, and it is easy to read one as the other. Residents should be able to see how much of the increase is the municipality's own and how much comes from other levels of government.
It could be because…
The 3.75% is a blended rate for municipal, county and school taxes together, and school taxes are set by the province.
Some of the extra money may come from the 0.746% growth in taxable property value, not from higher rates.
The municipality may be paying for higher costs it does not control, such as its policing bill or conservation authority levies.
Questions you could ask
How much of the 5.95% levy increase is for costs the municipality does not control, and how much is for its own choices?
Why is the first tax rates page headed "2025" for the average home's rate increase when it describes the 2026 bill?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The tax rates page shows "2025 Budgeted Tax Revenue $5,338,641 5.95% Levy Increase" and "2026 Additional Tax Revenue $317,455", with $5,656,096 to collect.
The first tax rates page shows "$3,744.90 approximate 2025 Taxes" for the average single family home, "$140.25 Total Increase", "$3,885.15 Approx. 2026 Property Taxes" and "3.75% Total Increase". The average home is shown at $226,031.
$1,945,000estimated future cost for the Morris landfill, up from $1,417,000
Under accounting rules, the municipality has to estimate what it will cost to close and look after its two old landfills, the Morris and the Turnberry. In the 2025 statements the estimate for the Morris landfill is $1,945,000, up from $1,417,000 in the 2024 statements. The expected time frame also changed, and the 2025 statements show a different 2024 figure for the Turnberry landfill than the 2024 statements did.
Why it matters
A bigger estimate is a bigger promise about money the municipality will need to spend in the future. Residents may want to know whether it is being saved for.
It could be because…
Closure costs for engineered landfills often change when new engineering estimates or inflation figures are used.
The estimate is spread over many decades, so even a small change in the assumed timeline can change the numbers.
The $910,000 and $920,000 figures for the 2024 Turnberry estimate may be a typing difference in one set of statements.
Questions you could ask
What changed in the estimate for the Morris landfill between the 2024 and 2025 statements?
Why does the 2025 note give $910,000 as the 2024 estimate for the Turnberry landfill, when the 2024 statements say $920,000?
Is money being set aside in a reserve for landfill closure, and how much?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
2025 statements, note 5: "The estimated total undiscounted future expenditures are $1,945,000 (2024 - $1,417,000), which are expected to be incurred over 63 years. The liability is expected to be fully settled in 2093." For the Turnberry landfill: "$900,000 (2024 - $910,000), which are to be incurred over 132 years."
2024 statements: Morris landfill "estimated total undiscounted future expenditures are $1,417,000 (2023 - $1,417,000), which are to be incurred over 38 years"; Turnberry landfill "$920,000 (2023 - $920,000), which are to be incurred over 134 years."
$104,546gap between the two reserve totals (worked out by us)
A reserve is money the municipality sets aside now to pay for something later. The 2026 budget book lists total reserves at the end of 2025 as $6,568,844.52. The audited statements, signed three months later, show reserves of $6,464,298. The gap is $104,546, worked out by us.
Why it matters
Reserves show how much cushion the municipality has. Residents should be able to match the two documents.
It could be because…
The budget book was prepared in April 2026, before the audit, so its 2025 figures were not final.
The auditor may have treated one reserve (for example, a grant held for a specific use) as deferred revenue rather than a reserve.
The two documents may define "reserves" differently.
Questions you could ask
Which reserve or reserves account for the $104,546 difference?
Will the 2026 budget's reserve opening balances be corrected to match the audited figures?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The reserves listing's total line reads "Total Reserves 5,625,833.24 2,178,410.76 (1,235,399.48) 6,568,844.52", under the headings opening balance, contributions, withdrawals and closing balance.
2026 Budget · Tab 20, Reserves, 1 of 1, "Total Reserves" line (PDF page 47)
Note 12, schedule of accumulated surplus: "Reserves (schedule 1) 6,464,298 5,625,834", for 2025 and 2024.
July 7, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2025 statements, three months after the 2026 budget meeting
The 2026 budget had its public meeting on April 7, 2026. The auditor's report on the 2025 books is dated July 7, 2026. So the "2025 actual" columns in the budget book were not yet audited when council adopted the budget. The audit opinion is clean.
Why it matters
Councils usually set the budget in the spring and the audit comes later, so this is common. It does mean the 2025 numbers behind the 2026 budget may change slightly after audit.
It could be because…
This is the normal order of things for small municipalities.
The 2024 audit was also finished in July (July 8, 2025), so the timing looks like the usual schedule.
Questions you could ask
Does council see a list of changes between the unaudited 2025 figures in the budget and the audited ones?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The budget book's cover lists "Public Meeting - April 7, 2026" under "Final Budget & Bylaw".
The auditor's report says "the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Entity as at December 31, 2025" and is dated "July 7, 2026".
The statements say various claims and lawsuits are brought against the municipality, and that no money has been set aside for them because the amounts cannot be known or are expected to be covered by insurance. The statements do not say how many claims there are or what they are about.
Why it matters
This is standard wording, but a resident has no way to tell from the statements whether a claim is small or large.
It could be because…
Most claims against a rural municipality are small insurance matters, such as road or property damage.
The notes may be written this way because the details are privileged legal advice.
Questions you could ask
Does council get a yearly summary of open claims and whether insurance covers them?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 8: "In the ordinary course of business, various claims and lawsuits are brought against the municipality. Because settlement amounts, if any, cannot be determined or because claims are expected to be within the municipality's insurance coverage, no provision has been made for the contingency in the financial statements."
The municipality's consolidated statements include the Bluevale Community Committee. The committee's own pages at the back of the statements come with a "Notice to Reader" from the accountants. It says the accountants compiled the figures from information supplied by management and did not audit or review them.
Why it matters
The committee's figures are folded into the municipality's total, but they have not had the same checking as the rest of the statements.
It could be because…
The committee is small, and a compilation costs far less than an audit.
The committee's figures are very small compared with the municipality's total.
Questions you could ask
Does the auditor do any checking of the committee's figures before they are folded into the consolidated statements?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Note 1(a) lists "Bluevale Community Committee" among the boards and enterprises consolidated.
The Notice to Reader dated "February 19, 2026" says: "We did not perform an audit engagement or a review engagement ... Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or a review conclusion, or provide any form of assurance on the financial information."
Ontario municipalities must publish each year what they paid each member of council, and their expenses. We did not find this statement on the Treasury, Council Members, Accountability and Transparency or Bylaws pages of the municipality's website. We did not fill in council pay for this reason.
Why it matters
Residents cannot check what their council costs without it.
It could be because…
It may be posted somewhere we did not look, such as in a council agenda or on a page for a different year.
It may be given out on request.
Questions you could ask
Where can residents find the yearly statement of council pay and expenses, and the by-law that sets the rates?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
The list of documents on the Bylaws page runs from Animal Control Bylaw to Swimming Pool Fence Bylaw. It does not include a remuneration by-law or statement. The Council Members page lists the five members with contact details only.
Morris-Turnberry spent about $328 per home on garbage, dump and recycling in 2025. The typical similar town spent $215. Only 4 of 31 similar towns spent more.
Why it matters
Spending more than neighbours is not wrong by itself. It might buy better service. But it is the first place to look for costs that could be lower, such as contracts that were not competitively bid.
It could be because…
Geography: more roads, more snow, a bigger area or a landfill of its own.
Accounting: some towns record the same cost in a different category.
A one-time cost in this year.
Questions you could ask
What makes this cost higher here than in similar towns?
When were the main contracts in this area last put out to competitive tender?
You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.
Speak for Morris-Turnberry?Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.
The evidence
Garbage, dump and recycling per home: Morris-Turnberry $328; typical similar town $215; ranked 5th highest of 32.
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