| Feb 22, 2017


Gary Radford and Robert Taylor attended council on behalf of the Flinton Jamboree.

They asked if council could offer the Jamboree the use of the Flinton Recreation Centre, during the August 3-6 long weekend, free of charge. They also asked for an exemption to the noise bylaw over the festival weekend and Council agreed.

“There have been some issues in the past that we hope to smooth out this year,” said Robert Taylor.

Gary Radford said “we need to recruit some younger volunteers. It would help bring us some new energy and help with the workload as well.”

“We are also requesting a $200 donation from the township to the hall of fame,” said Taylor.

Last year, the jamboree initiated the Land O’Lakes Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame by inducting 6 inaugural members, and are planning to induct new members at this year’s jamboree.

“The request is in the budget,” Reeve Hogg told Taylor. “That doesn’t mean it is approved, but right now it is in the budget.

Concern over mandatory septic pump outs
The Rural Mayors Forum of Eastern Ontario (RMFEO) sent information and proposed motion regarding a proposed change to the building code requiring that all residential septic systems be pumped out once every five years and that records of the pump out be retained by the owner. The RMFEO expressed the concern not only that mandatory pump outs are not necessary in all cases, such as rarely used cottage properties. It is also concerned that administrative costs for enforcing the new provision will be foisted on local municipalities.

According to he RMFEO, Premier Wynne stated at the recent Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference that the “province recognizes that one size fits all solutions do not always work in rural Ontario” and is hoping to convince Bill Mauro, the Minister of Municipal Affairs to rescind the proposed change.

“This would be just another burden for residents and for the township,” said Reeve Hogg.

Council supported the RMFEO motion and will communicate that to the minister.

Setbacks from wetlands puzzles AH Council
AH staff member Patricia Gray prepared a report to Council concerning the proposal by the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) to begin regulating all wetlands within the Mississippi river watershed. A 30 metre setback for construction on all designated wetlands is what the MVCA plans to instigate.

Gray said that the township already has provisions in their official plan for wetlands, “and we do impose a setback already.”

Councilor Tony Fritsch said “I think this is just duplication that will add confusion. Not all of our township is in MVCA territory, we also have Quinte and we have some land that is not covered by any conservation authority. Do we need different sets of rules.”

MPP Randy Hillier recently sent a letter to the MVCA questioning whether undertaking the new authority is a good idea.

Member municipalities each have a seat on the MVCA board. Addington Highlands is represented by Councillor Kirby Thompson, who will have a vote when the matter comes up for a final decision.

Arguing that even though the MVCA can take on this regulatory power it does not have to, Hillier took to metaphor: “by way of an example, the law does not prevent MVCA from selling potato chips – they would, however, require board approval and municipal support to sell potato chips.”

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