Addington Highlands Council

Five years later – Denbigh dump expansion still pending

Plans to expand the holding capacity of the Denbigh waste site may come to fruition by July, after a further water test is completed this spring. If the results of the test fit within ministry guidelines, the final approval for the expansion of the site will be in the ministry’s hands.

“This would have happened quite a bit sooner if the whole thing did not sit on someone’s desk at the Kingston office for months and months,” said Public Works Manager Royce Rosenblath.

The township has invested considerable effort, and cost, doing engineering studies, environmental assessments, purchasing land, and preparing the site, in the hopes of achieving the expansion, which will significantly increase the overall dumping capacity in Addington Highlands should the Ontario Ministry of the Environment give the go-ahead.

Ratepayer flummoxed by MPAC

Jim Snider appeared before Council to talk about a dispute he has had with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation over several pieces of property that he owns, which have been assessed and re-assessed on numerous occasions over the last five years.

“I don't consider myself an idiot but you have to be a little bit that way just to get in the door with MPAC,” he said.

In the end, Mr. Snider owes money to the township in back taxes, and he said he wants to come up with a total owing that relates to the value of his lots.

Council said they would have to look into the details of the case before making a decision.

Denbigh Community Centre – Councilor Tony Fritsch reported that the food bank has moved into the new centre, and that a boiler problem that surfaced in January has been resolved. An application for a public access defibrillator at the centre is being completed.

Fixed rules for Deputy Reeve selection – Since amalgamation, Council has never had a fixed rule about how it selects its deputy reeve, a position that includes membership on Lennox and Addington County Council. By convention, the position has gone to the councilor who received the largest share of the vote in the ward other than the one the reeve comes from, and the bylaw will make it an official policy.

Budget meeting date set – Council will hold a special meeting to consider the 2012 budget on Thursday, March 1.