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Feature Article April 29

Feature Article November 4, 2004

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Penny Sharman resigns as NF CAO - and notes from North Frontenac Council meeting of October 28

Penny Sharman, who has been the senior staff member since North Frontenac was formed almost 7 years ago, has resigned. Sharman has been on an extended leave since early October and was scheduled to return to her job in early December, but at their meeting last Thursday, Council received a letter of resignation from her. Her resignation was accepted by Council with regret. Later in the meeting, Council went into an in camera session to decide how to go about finding a new clerk administrator. Jack McNamee, who has been doing the clerks job while Penny Sharman has been on leave, will continue on for the time being.

Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust Conservancy At the request of Council, Ted Mosquin, from Lanark, appeared before council to explain an initiative that aims to establish easements on provincially significant lands in environmental terms. There are two ways these easements can work, according to Mosquin. Either the Land Trust Conservancy can purchase lands or they can be appointed by landowners to manage their lands. Easements are legal documents that prohibit future owners from taking certain actions on a given piece of land. In the case of land trusts, they prohibit development, maintaining the lands as they are.

Councillor David Smith expressed his displeasure at the land trust explicitly. This is the second time this has raised its ugly head, he said. Mosquin responded that this current initiative differed from one he had been involved with a few years ago in that it did not involve any public lands.

This is an arrangement that can be entered into by a private landowner if they so wish, he said. We have been approached so far by three landowners. We will probably not take responsibility for the easement on these properties, which are all in Lanark County, because the land is not significant and we have very limited resources.

There are about 50,000 acres of land in the province that are protected by land trusts, according to Mosquin, through the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, of which the Mississippi Madawaska Land trust is a member.

Deputy Mayor Gleva Lemke expressed some surprise that future owners of lands will be encumbered by the easements, which raises the possibility that future development throughout the township may be effected.

Mosquin said it was unlikely that a significant amount of land will ever be effected, and reiterated that this is a process that will only effect private lands.

Tar and Chip 101- Kent Plummer of Greenwood Paving appeared before Council in response to complaints about windshields that have suffered damage from driving on roads that have undergone the tar and chip process. Plummer explained that tar and chip is the most inexpensive way of paving roads and is the preferred method in many areas throughout the province, and represents about 8% of all surface treating in Ontario.

Earlier this summer, Greenwood Paving did some tar and chip resurfacing on Roads 506 and 509. When the Ministry of Transportation owned those roads they were treated the same way, Plummer said.

He explained the process. An asphalt emulsion is sprayed on the road and then aggregate stone is put on top. The stone must be crushed within a specific range, and enough stone is put on to cover about 115% of the surface of the road.

You have to put more stone than you need, in order to fill all the gaps, and it takes about 2 or 3 weeks to pack down the stone. It is during those two or three weeks that stones can easily be sent flying as cars travel over the roads, and this is what causes the chipping of windshields and car bodies.

We post the areas with 40 km/h signs, but even cars that travel at that speed are not safe, because it is the other cars, the ones going 100km/h that send the stones flying into the slower cars windshields, Plummer said. We cant enforce the speed limits.

Mayor Maguire asked if Greenwood has ever been sued and Plummer replied that they had not.

Another problem occurs when the excess stone bunches up on the shoulder, forming a loose gravel hill that can send cars out of control. Kent Plummer said that his company can keep off loose gravel, although they have to wait until after the tar and chipped road has fully set.

What is the cost to the township? asked Mayor Ron Maguire.

We dont charge extra, Plummer replied. It was decided that Public Works Manager John Ibey would talk to Kent Plummer about which of the roads could use sweeping.

Engineers will wait for MoE to set new regulations

Interim clerk Jack McNamee reported that he has been in contact with Guy Laporte of the engineering firm Totten Sims Hubicki (TSH), and Laporte said that TSH will honour the bid theyve made in response to a township tender designed to bring it into compliance with Ontario water regulation 170/03 until such time as the Ontario government decides what changes it will make to the regulation.

$200 for Kaladar Santa Claus Parade The township decided to donate $200 towards the Kaladar Santa Claus parade. Even though the parade takes place in Addington Highlands Township, it is the local parade for many people from Barrie district. The parade is scheduled for November 27 at 7:00 pm (It is a Parade of Lights this year)

Crotch Lake cleanup completed Councillor Smith reported that the Crotch Lake Association has completed its fall cleanup of 7 kilometres of township road.

Public Budget meeting In keeping with a promise to complete a draft budget for 2005 before the end of the year, and to make the process more open to public participation, a public budget meeting will be held on November 20 from 9:00 am until 12:00 at the Clar-Mill Hall.

With the participation of the Government of Canada