In early December, South Frontenac building inspector Christa Johnson was arrested in Kingston and charged with an alcohol blood reading over the legal limit (100 mg/100ml). In late January she was convicted, fined $1,000 and prohibited from driving for one year. Pointing out that Johnston had no prior record, defense lawyer Patricia Knox-Leet said, “She is one of the most remorseful and chastened people I have ever dealt with.”

Township CAO Orr refused comment regarding Johnson’s ability to carry out her duties under the circumstances, saying that he is unable to publicly discuss personnel matters while the Township is “following due process, working within the confines of the collective agreement. There is no pre-determined outcome.”

There are two other members of the township building department: recently apppointed Chief Building Official Ryan Arcand and building inspector Tom Berriault.

Time commitments have caused Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith to pull back from participation in the 14-municipality Rural Mayors Forum of Eastern Ontario (RMFEO).

“The Township is still a member but I personally have had to pull out, chiefly because of my work with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN),” Smith said. “The meetings tend to overlap and there is a lot of reading involved with both.

“So, I’ve said (to RMFEO) that I can’t be as involved.”

EORN was created by the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus (EOWC) a few years ago to improve Internet service to the area.

“I have had too much on my plate,” Smith said (which includes helping out at the Medical Centre in Sharbot Lake while they look for a new director). “The RMFEO issues are good (with skyrocketing police services costs being a major focus) but they want to research a lot of stuff.

“The EOWC works well because the member CEOs do much of the research but with RMFEO, it’s the mayors themselves that have to do it because our township CEOs and clerks already have too much they are responsible for.”

Ryan Arcand has his work cut out for him as the new Chief Building Official for South Frontenac Township.

Working for a municipality that covers more than 941 sq. kms and staged to grow, the new manager seems undaunted by a busy building season lurking around the corner.

"My main goal is to work with people," the 42-year-old said from a coffee shop in early 2017. "The Ontario Building Code is complex and a lot of people don't understand it. It's our job to work with people to help them understand it."

Wrapped in a warm sweater to ward-off cold air seeping through cracks in the windowsill, Arcand talked openly about his family and life.

Describing himself as laidback, easy going, open-minded and fair, he admitted he would like to move to the township someday. For now, he plans to stay in Amherstview where he and his partner are raising six children.

"My children are too young and are really involved in their schools," he explained about the children aged 17 to 6.

A trained Architectural Technologist from Sudbury, Arcand has been in the building business since 1997.

Before starting his new role with the township on Dec. 5, he worked for the City of Kingston for 11 years.

"I was looking for a challenge and career advancement," he noted about the career move. "This new role will allow me to expand my skill set."

Taking over from Brian Gass, the township's former Chief Building Official, Arcand will serve a population of 18,100 in areas such as Sydenham, Verona, Harrowsmith, Hartington, Bellrock, Perth Road Village, Battersea, Inverary and Sunbury as well as the rural countryside.

In addition to its large geographical area, the township has more than 75 lakes.
"It can take 40/45 minutes just to get to an inspection," Arcand says about the job requirements.

Asked about future development in the township, Arcand replied quickly, "I see a lot of development in South Frontenac. There's a lot of potential for development here."

According to Arcand, his plan is to provide a welcoming place for business to come-in and get good customer service. He plans to accomplish this through an open-door policy and a strong customer-focus.

Citing 71 new home starts in 2016, the Chief Building Official admitted he will have a better sense of development in South Frontenac this year after the permit season which is typically March to October.

"I welcome any contractor, builder or citizen," said Arcand. "If they have questions, please call our development department. We're here to help."

Members of the Hartington Community Association (HCA) were certainly off the Christmas list at the Vandewal and McDougall households this year.  Eric Gillespie, a lawyer representing them, sent a letter to Frontenac County and South Frontenac on December 6. The letter pointed out that the two men attend meetings of both Frontenac County and South Frontenac Councils, and says that the two bodies do not have “common interests” in the matter of a proposed subdivision in Hartington that the HCA opposes. This lack of “common interest” Gillespie is referring to comes from the fact that South Frontenac Council passed a motion on August 23rd expressing their opposition to the proposed subdivision, and on the very next day Frontenac County Council ignored that recommendation and approved the subdivision. Vandewal and McDougall supported the subdivision at South Frontenac Council (by voting against the motion that opposed it) and they both voted in favour of the approving the subdivision when it came to Frontenac County on August 24.

As the result of this, and the fact that issues surrounding the subdivision were discussed at an in camera meeting of South Frontenac Council, Gillespie claimed in his letter that there is a “reasonable perception and apprehension” of breaches of confidentiality,  solicitor client privilege, and common interest privilege on the part of the two men. It asks that the two men recuse themselves from any further meetings or communications regarding the matter.

Gillespie’s claim, on behalf of the HCA, is partly based on the possibility that in camera communication and legal advice they would have heard as members of South Frontenac Council could have been used by Vandewal and McDougal to advise their colleagues at in camera meetings of Frontenac County Council.

(Note – In Camera meetings are held in private, outside of public scrutiny, by municipal councils under a set of circumstances that are prescribed by the Municipal Act of Ontario. Minutes from those meetings are not released to the public.)

In response to the letter, Frontenac County sought legal advice from the firm of Templeman Menninga. A letter from Wayne Fairbrother and Samantha Foster of the firm poked some holes in Gillespie’s claim. The first point they made had to do with in camera meetings.

In the words of the letter: “In particular, the letter of December 6, 2016 alleges that in camera meetings were held by the county with respect to the Hartington Application. You have advised that, in fact, there have been no in camera meetings with respect to the Hartington Application. In our view, this fact completely removes the foundation for Mr. Gillespie’s allegations.”

The letter then goes on to deal with the concept of conflict of interest in this kind of case, concluding that in cases where members of council do not have a personal financial interest in a project it is difficult to argue they have a conflict of interest, citing case law to support that position.

The letter concludes that “in our opinion there is no legal basis for requiring council members of lower-tier municipalities who sit on upper-tier municipalities to refrain from participating in discussions on the Hartington Application at both levels of government.”

The entire matter of the Hartington subdivision will be dealt with at a hearing of the Ontario Municipal Board scheduled for this spring.

As part of an initiative that is being led by Lennox and Addington County, Addington Highlands is now making use of the services of McDougall Insurance Brokers to help them navigate the world of municipal insurance. Until this year the township has dealt directly with Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT), one of three companies that offer municipal insurance in Ontario. Chuck Airhart, from McDougall, came to Council this week to talk about how his company is working at ensuring that the township has of its needs met. He said that the cost of basic insurance from JLT is set to rise this year by about $2,000 or 4%, from just under $72,000 in 2016 to $74,000 in 2017.

“The cause of this is really global,” Airhart said, “there is lots happening and the american and worldwide markets.”

In addition, he said that cyber-insurance, which until now had been covered within the existing policy from JLT, has now been pulled out and needs to be paid for on its own.

“I don’t have the final quote for that from JLT, it was not ready when I was leaving my office to come here today,” he said, but I have a price of $2,400 from another company so that is a maximum and maybe it will be less.”

Airhart’s son Mike attended the meeting with him. Mike also works for Mcdougall and is better versed in cyber-security issues. He said “as a municipality you have private information, including information from you ratepayers, that needs to be protected, and as we know even with a good system in place, it can be hacked.”

“How responsible are we, if we are hacked,” asked Deputy Reeve Bill Cox.

“Unfortunately it comes back into your lap,” said Chuck Arihart.

Airhat also proposed that the township consider a $1,200 policy for Facility User Event Liability (FUEL) to cover for damage from individuals and groups who rent township facilities. Council was interested, but when they found out that the coverage does  not inlcude use of township facilities for licensed events, they saw less benefit.

They received the information from the Airhart’s and voted to accept the $74,000 insurance contract and up to $2,400 for cyber-coverage, and to decline the FUEL policy.

Township willing to help Kaladar Commuinity Centre, to a point
Bill Cox and Councillor Tony Fritsch met with representatives from the Kaladar Community Club to talk about their struggles to keep the Community Centre open now that the Land O’Lakes Tourist Association is no longer a tenant in the building.

Tony Fritsch said that “we discussed the viability of it. It was a good and candid discussion. They are looking at revenue and at cutting costs to keep it going, and I think they will be coming forward with a request for a small grant from us before we do our budget for next year, like other groups do.

“We told them that we cannot take over the building,” Cox said, “and they seem to be ok with that. They said it costs them $6,000 a year to keep it going, but when they have some problems beyond that as well. They are struggling. They do make money from the bingo’s they hold but that money cannot be used to help maintain the building. We said we would keep in touch with them and that the township does want to help to the extent that we can.”

New propane furnace for Health Centre
Ongoing heating issues at the Lakelands Family Health Team building, which is owned by the township, have led a contractor to propose that a new propane furnace be installed to replace electrical heating systems at two locations in the building. $12,000 has been quoted and Council decided it was better to spend that money than to continue with the electrical systems. Two other quotes will be sought before the contract is awarded.

Water woes hitting Denbigh where it hurts, at the rink
Councillor Fritsch reported that early in the day an attempt was made to flood the Denbigh rink, but the water table in the shallow well that is used to flood the rink is so low that it only ran for a minute or two and the rink could not be made.

“The well is shallow, it normally only runs for 15 or 20 minutes, but this time we didn’t get enough to flood the rink,” said Fritsch.

The fire department will be contacted to see if they can help out by flooding the rink until the water comes up in the well.

1/2 price for use of Flinton Rink
Peter Rasenberg made a request that rink fees be waived for a skating program that runs on Saturdays from 10:am until 12:30 pm at the Flinton rink between January 7th and mid March, and for a fundraising hockey tournament on Sunday, February 18.

“I have no problem with this, except that the fundraiser is to support activities for only one the Pineview Free Methodist Boys and Girls youth group, instead of all township children. I have nothing against that group, but it would good if all kids had the opportunity to go,”said Reeve Hogg.

(Correction – Reeve Hogg mentioned at the meeting that in a cutline for a photo that appeared in the Frontenac News two weeks ago he was identified as Henry Higgins, a mash up of his name and that of North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins. Ron Higgins also informed the news about this in an email last week. We apologize to both Reeve Hogg and Mayor Higgins for the mix-up. Neither has yet taken up our offer to record them reciting “The Rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain” or singing “I’ve grown accustomed to your face”  for a Youtube posting, but the offer still stands)

Last May, proposed housekeeping changes to the South Frontenac Official Plan were passed by a 5-4 vote of Council in the face of a storm of protest from long-time waterfront residents.

Now, South Frontenac Township is facing 8 OMB appeals on behalf of over 300 long-time lakefront residents from Buck, Desert, Bobs, Crow, Hambly, Loughborough, Big Clear, Howes and Knowlton Lakes. The residents fear they will lose their current rights to do any major improvements on their existing cottages, because those cottages were built years ago within the 30 metre setback from the shoreline now required for all new construction.

This spring’s  Official Plan changes to section 5.10.2): A) do not permit buildings within the 30-metre setback to be taken down and reconstructed, even on the same footprint and in the same dimensions, and B) define a property as vacant once more than 50% of load-bearing walls have been removed from a building within the setback (and therefore the structure would not be replaceable.) Council did retain that part of section 5.11 which permits replacement of a structure partially or completely destroyed by fire, flood or other ‘act of God’, but removed the right to replace a structure lost through a Township ordered demolition permit.

As spokesperson for the residents’ steering committee, Jeff Peck pointed out at a Committee of the Whole meeting on November 23 that the Official Plan changes do not address the majority of non-conforming lakeshore structures that are neither abandoned nor destroyed by natural causes. Many 60 to 100-year old family cottages which are still in use require more than just patchwork plumbing and wiring upgrades to continue to be safe and functional. He said that sometimes, in cases of mould, rot or decay, old summer cottages may need to be reconstructed in order to continue to be safe and healthy for habitation. This degree of reconstruction will now require an application to the Committee of Adjustment before being granted a building permit.

The residents Peck speaks for are not asking to increase the size of their grandfathered structures; only to have the right to maintain and update the current structures on their current footprints. Recent decisions by the Committee of Adjustment, supported by recommendations from the Health Unit and the CRCA , have consistently resulted in the requirement that wherever possible, all reconstructions must be relocated 30 metres back from the shoreline, thus reinforcing the complainants’ concerns.

This spring, Council accepted planner Mills’ interpretation of the intent of the Township’s Official Plan as: “eventually all buildings will be well set back from waterbodies to ensure protection of our lakes,” even though this interpretation, if followed to conclusion, could force relocation of the historic Township hall itself.        

“We would welcome the opportunity to work with Council to resolve this in a respectful manner, and could withdraw our OMB appeal,” Peck told Council last week; “We feel our individual property rights and the environment can both be protected. The Township could permit reconstruction on the footprint, but also stipulate environmental protection measures such as updated septic systems, water conservation strategies, etc.”

However, the twenty individuals who comprise the steering committee are determined to continue with the OMB appeal if Council shows no wish to work with them toward a mutually acceptable resolution. They are well funded and will be represented by Murray Chown, (Planning Consultant and Expert Witness) and Michael Polowin, (Lawyer). In a 2009 appeal involving the City of Ottawa, Polowing  convinced the OMB that “municipalities may not limit or coercively bring to an end non-conforming or non-complying rights beyond the narrow constraints permitted by the Planning Act, R.S.O.1990, c.P.13 and at common law.” (this ruling was discussed fully in The Digest of Municipal & Planning Law, Jan 2010, Issue 13.)

“An OMB appeal will be unnecessarily costly for all of us,” Peck told the Committee last week.

At the end of the meeting, Councillor Sleeth asked “Are we going to talk with them,” and offered to bring a motion to reconsider Council’s earlier decision. Deputy Mayor Sutherland said they had already come to a decision as a Council. Mayor Vandewal suggested that it was inappropriate to publicly discuss a matter currently before the OMB, and suggested they bring it to the closed session before the Dec 6 Council meeting. To be successful, a Council vote to reconsider a recent decision requires a 2/3 majority.  

NFCS Annual Update
Louise Moody, from North Frontenac Community Services (NFCS), made a presentation to Council on Friday to explain what the NFCS does for youth in the community and to update them on this year's successful programs which Council supported financially.

NFCS offered a weekly after-school program at Clarendon Public School and this past year there were 9 families enrolled in the program. The agency also implemented a “Steps of Success” program in the area that offers youth courses so they can be ready to be home alone and prepares them to babysit for their families. Moody explained that the babysitting courses are offered to kids 11-years old and up.

This past year, with funding from the Ministry of Recreation and Tourism, they were able to introduce area kids to lacrosse and snowshoeing and teach them that they are living in an Indigenous community.
Moody also told Council that lacrosse is a great sport to teach because most kids have no previous experience with the sport and it starts the kids out on an even level. NFCS also now,  has snowshoes that can be rented.

“Rural youth need a different approach,” Moody said, explaining how different North Frontenac is compared to the southern part of the County and how they're trying to create programs and activities that reflect that difference. The Sand Lake swimming program was one of those.

“The biggest challenge was that the youth didn't want to leave,” Moody said. “We want to deliver different programs up here and we can do it.”

Moody also told Council that they are considering a name change to reflect the work they do throughout the Frontenacs. The front runner for a new name is Rural Community Services of Greater Frontenac.
Re-zoning Approval

Reid Shepherd, a planner for the County of Frontenac, presented some notes on a re-zoning application to Council Friday regarding a business that currently exists on Elphin-Maberly Road that is looking to sever it's property and re-zone it's new lot from tourism commercial to rural commercial.

The property, previously operated seasonal rental cabins, hence the tourism zoning, is the new home to Raymond Measurements, a business that manufactures radio-frequency-shielded enclosure cabinets and antennae measurement chambers that are used by the military, government, and high-tech companies.

The application was reviewed by the Committee of Approval and the only issue they had was with the property owner's current driveway into the residence needing to be improved.

Shepherd told Council that the County is recommending they approve the project.

“It's an economic development opportunity,” Shepherd said. “They will be hiring additional employees as well.” Council approved the application.

NF Insurance Savings
North Frontenac will be saving approximately $20,500 in premiums next year, thanks to a joint RFP they sent out this past fall. They will be switching their current coverage over to Frank Cowen for 2017 and will be paying approximately $80,000 for the coverage.

Council Votes Against Ranked Ballots
Council shot down the idea of running the next Municipal election with a ranked ballot system as opposed to the current first-past-the-post system that is in place. They cited the difficulties in explaining the new system to constituents as one of the reasons for not changing their electoral process.

“A lot of Councillors are saying no because they don't want to be the first to go out and educate the public,” Tara Mieske, the Town Clerk/Planning Manager told Council after taking a training course recently on ranked balloting.

Invasive species washing station
The Skootamatta District Ratepayers Association (SDRA), with letters of support from Quinte Conservation and the Mazinaw Property Owners' Association, made a request to Council for usage of a small parcel of land on Skootamatta Lake Road to build a boat washing station to help prevent the spread of invasive species to area lakes. The SDRA said the station “would serve to promote the local community as proactive in managing and protecting the natural environment.” Council voted against the idea citing liability and insurance issues as deterrents.

Freshwater Jellyfish in Gull Lake
The low water levels on North Frontenac lakes are revealing strange things.
“Right now, the way it is, Gull Lake is not going to replenish itself,” Councillor Wayne Good said. “It's lower than I've ever seen it and Kash is the lowest I've ever seen it. “When the water went down on Gull they found bunch of freshwater jellyfish.” Councillor Gerry Martin told Council and said they have the same sting as a saltwater jellyfish.

About 18 people showed to a public forum on November 16 to talk about the best option for a senior’s housing project in South Frontenac. A Committee made up of two representatives from Frontenac County Council (John McDougall and Tom Dewey), as well as Mayor Vandewal and South Frontenac Councilor Pat Barr are seeking proposals for a minimum 5 unit building that would be available for rent to senior’s.
The project is a county-wide initiative, with each township having $350,000 available to them to provide financial support for a public or private sector developer to build new housing. The township of Frontenac Islands was the first to take up the challenge, and the planning for a new 5 unit building on a lot that is located on the south edge of Marysville on Wolfe Islands is well under way. South Frontenac is the next to start working on it, and at the meeting on November 16 there were three groups represented who are thinking about putting a proposal forward. Of them, two are not-for profit corporations, Loughborough Housing and Southern Frontenac Community Services, and the third is Robert Morgan of RJM Classic Homes, a Sydenham based company.

“The meeting we held was very good, and with a number of ideas being floated it became clear afterwards that we needed to broaden the discussion before focusing on what kind of development we would like to support,” said John McDougall, who sits on both South Frontenac and Frontenac County Council.
To do that, the township has posted a 12 question survey on the Southfrontenac.net website. The survey asks residents if they think senior’s oriented housing is needed in the township, where that need is greatest, and what kind of project is best suited to the township. It also asks whether it should be a rental unit, unit sizes and amenities, what kinds of services should be in place, and what government support should be available to the developer.

Ken Foulds and Ed Starr from Re-Fact consulting of Ottawa are helping the committee select a project and they will also help with the business plan. Once a project is selected and arrangements made for financing, they will also help with a business plan. Eventually, it will be the group that is developing the project who will come to the fore. The consultants and the county committee will pull back and let the project proceed.
“That’s how it worked in Marysville,” said McDougall,” who added that one of the things that needs to be determined is what the $350,000 can be used for, particularly if the project goes to the private sector.
Location is one of the subjected being explored through the questionnaire. All three of the groups at the meeting on the 16th have property available in Sydenham, however, so there is some likelihood it would be built there.

South Frontenac Community Services has property available at the Grace Centre site. Robert Morgan has set aside some land in a subdivision he developed off of Rutlege Road, and Loughborough Housing has some space available on the same site as their two building are located, and has another piece of land available in Sydenham. A site in Sydenham that can be hooked up to water would fit with the township’s development plan for the village.

Another decision that needs to be made is whether the units should be available at market rent or as rent-geared to income properties. Market rent is what is being contemplated on Wolfe Island.
The Seniors Housing questionnaire will be available until the end of the year on the township website. Southfrontenac.net.

Massive insurance savings through joint insurance RFP.

Central Frontenac has cut its insurance cost by 2/3rds through a joint request for proposal for insurance services that was undertaken by the four Frontenac Townships and Frontenac County, with the help of a consultant. Insurance companies were asked to quote on providing a single policy to cover all 5 entities, and to quote in each individually. In the end, by choosing the lowest individual offers, each of the townships and the county have realised savings. But none as much as Central Frontenac. Aon Insurance offered to provide “as good or better coverage than we had in the past” said Treasurer Michael McGovern, “at a greatly reduced price.”

Council agreed to sign a three year contract, to cover 2017 and 2019 with Aon at a price of $129,628 each year. In 2016 the township paid over $300,000 for insurance.

“The savings are about $175,000 this year, and when I saw the numbers I looked over the policy very carefully to make sure I wasn’t missing anything,” said McGovern. He said he also received assurances from the consultants, Cameron and Associates, that the policy was sound.

Money to be set aside for Arena Floor

Council decided to follow the advice of the Frontenac Arena Board and will set aside $50,000 to go towards a new floor when the time comes to replace the 40 year old floor at the arena.

Councilor Brent Cameron, who is on the Board, said that the “floor does not need to be replaced this year, or next year or even the year after, but it will need to be replaced, and it could cost up to $700,000.”

The arena supervisor will be proposing that the board do an in-depth analysis of the floor as part of the 2017 budget to determine how long it will last and how much it will cost to replace.

The estimated share of the cost to Central Frontenac is $287,000, so $50,000 would help mitigate against financing costs when the time comes. South Frontenac Township is also committed to creating a $50,000 reserve over the summer, but as they move towards finalising their 2017 budget this month, that commitment is in danger of being lost in the face of other budgetary constraints.

Holiday closure – The township office will be closed on Friday, December 23rd at 4:30 and will not re-open until Tuesday, January 3 at 8:30 am.

New approval process for waste sites

Interim Public Works Manager Mike Richardson, who said he will be leaving the township’s employ at the end of next week ( note - he’s said that before) encouraged the township to employ Golder and Associates to complete some site plan work on the Olden Waste site in order for the site to comply with a new approval process. In place of the Certificate of Approval Process that has been in place for years, a new process, the Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) process. Richardson said that making the change is voluntary for now, but will be mandatory soon. Council agreed and Golder will begin working next month with the expectation of completing the new approval process by February.

Engineering work for 4th Depot Lake Road Culvert Replacement

Council has contracted with Greer Galloway to the tune of $8995 to engineer and administer of a large culvert replacement on 4th Depot Lake Road.

Canada 150

Bill Bowick, and his sidekicks Rose Marie Bowick and Ray Fletcher brought an update about the activities of the Canada 150 committee. Bowick said that plans were proceeding for events throughout the centennial year, starting with a New Year’s Eve Dance in Sharbot Lake and a New Year’s Day levee in Arden. Other events that are planned include a heritage costume dance, a writing project by the United Church Women, a sharing circle by the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, and special events at the Frontenac Heritage Festival in February, Canada Day, and at the Parham Fair in August.

The Flinton Gold Mine

It is too early to predict either a gold rush or an environmental disaster for the village of Flinton, but Jimmy Sun, President and legal counsel for the Union Glory Gold group of companies, is bullish on the old Addington Mine property.

His company purchased both the surface and subsurface rights to the property, and an adjacent property from Imperial Minerals some years ago, and in a letter to Addington Highlands township staff from earlier this month, he talked about the exploratory activity his company has been carrying out at the property, which is located off Flinton Road (Concession 4, Lot 24, Kaladar).

“We have in the last few years carried out some preliminary work. Last spring some drilling turned up encouraging data and we have since decided to conduct more drilling in an effort to better understand the potential of the property. This drilling should be completed by the end of November,” he said in his letter.

Sun also pointed out that the property was a producing gold mine in the 1930’s. He invited the township to contact him for more information.

Patricia Gray, from the township office, contacted Mr. Sun after meeting with a consultant who was doing a socio-economic study for Union Glory Gold as part of their exploration activities. In addition to contacting Mr. Sun, Gray also spoke with the regional geologist with the Ministry of Mines and Northern Development who said the company is doing some diamond drilling and also doing studies on streams and water in the vicinity of the potential mine site.

“The geologist advised me that the company is complying with requirements at this time,” she said in a report to Council.

Gray also reported that, again according to the geologist, any mining activity is a number of years away and that public consultation will be required if the project proceeds to that stage.

Union Glory Gold has another project in Eastern Ontario that is further along the process of development. It is located near the town of Tudor in the township of Tudor and Cashel, located south and east of Bancroft in Hastings County. The company estimates the Tudor property contains up to $2 billion in gold deposits, according to information that is posted on their website.

Union Glory Gold is based in Toronto and Hong Kong. It lists the Tudor gold project, an iron ore project in Shefferville, Quebec, and the Addington project, on its website.

At their meeting in Denbigh on Monday (November 21) Addington Highlands Council received Patricia Gray’s report on the Flinton gold mine project for information purposes.

(Other items from Addington Highlands Council)

Free rental for NAEC formal dances

Council agreed to provide the Flinton Recreation Centre free of charge for the Christmas and Spring Formals put on by the North Addington Education Centre Student Council. Joel Hasler and Dave Kerr, staff advisers to the student council, wrote to the township making the request because with decreasing enrollment the increasing cost of DJ’s, the students are having trouble breaking even on the dances.

New CBO/facilities manager/bylaw officer position created

As part of an organisational restructuring process, the township will be hiring a full time Chief Building Official who will also have responsibility for bylaw enforcement and will manage township buildings. Until now it has fallen to members of council to oversee buildings such as the former Denbigh schoolhouse and the Land O’Lakes Family Health Team.

Taylor named volunteer of the year, Guardian Pharmacy as Outsanding Business

Northbrook’s Robert Taylor, the driving force behind the Land O’Lakes County Music Hall of Fame this past year, has been involved in community activities for many years. Tobia’s Guardian Pharmacy is a core business in Northbook, along with the Bank of Montreal and Foodland stores. They will both be honoured at the township Christmas Dinner next month.