| Nov 20, 2013


Fire at Waste Site

Indications are that a fire that severely damaged the recycle bin at the Weslemkoon Waste Site in the north west portion of the township was deliberately set.

“It appears the fire started at both sides of the bin at the same time, so it's not likely a cigarette butt or something like that that caused it,” Public Works Manager Royce Rosenblath told Council at a meeting in Denbigh on Monday night, November 18.

The bin will need to be sandblasted and repainted, which will cost “some thousands” Rosenblath said, and will also result in a shorter lifespan for the bin, which will be more subject to rust in the future. He also said that police believe a recent break-in at the site may have been done by the same perpetrator. A fire extinguisher and a box of official Addington Highlands Clear garbage bags were taken in that incident, which took place earlier this fall.

The waste site has been closed since the fire took place two weeks ago, but Council is planning to re-open it.

“I'm not sure what we can do to secure that site when it is closed,” said Reeve Henry Hogg, “there is no power at the site and no Bell line. I suppose we could put in a camera.”

“How far is the site in Tudor and Cashel [township] from our site,” asked Councilor Adam Snider.

“Not far” said Hogg.

“Maybe we could contract with them to take our waste, just for the winter,” said Snider.

“That would involve them getting a change in their Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of the Environment, if they were even interested,” said Rosenblath.

The township has a smaller surplus recycle bin that they will bring to the site in order to re-open it while the large bin is being repaired. Adam Snider put forward a motion that the township contact Tudor and Cashel to see if there is a possibility that, in the longer run, waste site services for Addington Highlands residents in the area could be taken over by Tudor and Cashel under a contract with Addington Highlands. The motion was seconded by Councilor Helen Yanch and approved.

Christmas coming early

Council was in a spending mood this week. When Helen Yanch moved that a pitch for advertising in the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command “Military Service Recognition Book” be received for information, no one stepped forward to second the motion.

Instead, a subsequent motion to purchase a 1/10 page business card ad in the book at a cost of $275 was approved unanimously.

As well, Council decided to donate $200 to the Land O'Lakes Lions Club for the Santa Claus parade, which will be held on Sat. Nov. 30, leaving from the Kaladar Community Centre at 10 am.

Finding money for Streetlight Retrofit

Earlier this month, the township committed to putting in new energy-efficient dark sky-friendly lighting on township roads, works yards, fire halls, and other township facilities, at a cost of $117,000.

Federal Gas Tax Rebate funds, which bring in about $77,000 each year, are applicable to this type of project, and if the township used the 2014 funds to pay for most of the project and self-financed the remaining $44,000 until the 2015 gas tax funds come, the project can be completed without using money from the annual levy to township ratepayers.

“We have always used gas tax funds for roads projects,” said Reeve Hogg, “So if we use them for this we will just have to levy more for roads.”

“We do have to show an improved environmental impact from the gas tax projects,” said Clerk Jack Pauhl, “and it might be easier with this than with roads projects.”

Council did not decide whether or not to use gas tax funds for street lighting. They will re-visit the issue later on.

Fire hall meeting - A special meeting is being held this week (it was actually scheduled for Wednesday morning – November 20 – while this paper was being printed) to look at the proposal and construction costs to build a fire hall on a lot the township has purchased on Road 41 just south of Northbrook. 

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