Maguire takes on warden role
by Jeff Green
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North Frontenac Mayor Ron Maguire is the warden of Frontenac County for 2007. At their inaugural meeting, County council also chose Frontenac Islands Mayor Jim Vanden Hoek as Deputy Warden, putting him in line for the warden’s position in 2008.

As has been practice at the County, rookie mayors such as South Frontenac Mayor Gary Davison and Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski are given a couple of years to acclimate themselves with county issues before taking on the Warden or Deputy Warden responsibilities.

County Council also received annual presentation reports from 8 groups that interact in some way with the County.

Appointments were then made to public boards. Jim Vanden Hoek was appointed to the Public Library Board, as were community members Ralph Gatfield (Central Frontenac) and Wilma Kenny (South Frontenac). Janet Gutowski will represent the County on the Public Health Board, and on the Frontenac Joint Accessibility Committee. Ron Maguire will remain as the County Rep. to the Municipal Advisory Committee – Algonquin Land Claim, and Gary Davison will sit on the Frontenac County Youth Justice Advisory Committee.

Finally, Ron Maguire, Jim Vanden Hoek and Gary Davison will represent the County on the Rural Urban Liaison Advisory Committee (RULAC), which deals with funding issues between the County and the City of Kingston. Janet Gutowski will be the alternate, but Jim Vanden Hoek indicated he will gladly cede his RULAC seat to Janet Gutowski when his term as warden is up in two years.

A discussion ensued over the fact that Frontenac County no longer has a seat on the Kingston-based Social Housing board, which owns McMullen Manor in Verona and properties in the Sharbot Lake area.

County Deputy Clerk Susan Beckel reported that Social Housing Board has changed; it is now a not-for-profit corporation wholly owned by the City of Kingston.

The City of Kingston will be approached, via letter, to see if a spot on the board can be opened up for a County representative. If so, Janet Gutowski will fill it.