Julie Druker | Dec 09, 2015


by Julie Druker and Jeff Green

MacDonald named deputy mayor

An election was held for the post of deputy mayor of Central Frontenac for 2016. It will be a year in which the deputy may be called upon to do more work than in other years because Mayor Frances Smith will be busy fulfilling the role of Frontenac County warden in addition to her mayoralty duties.

Two candidates were nominated: Brent Cameron and Bill MacDonald. They both spoke briefly about their willingness to serve and they each also indicated they would be supportive if the other person was chosen.

Councilors Sherry Whan and Cindy Kelsey were absent, leaving six members of Council to vote. The vote was tied 3-3 and Mayor Smith cast the deciding vote for Bill MacDonald.

MacDonald has served six years as mayor of Central Frontenac and two as warden of Frontenac County, but this is his first term as deputy mayor.

Planning report

Township planner, Joe Gallivan, reported on the work plan for township planning for 2015 and 2016. He said that he hopes to bring forward proposals for an Official Plan update and a new comprehensive zoning by-law in the spring of 2016 for public scrutiny.

Both of these documents have been delayed, but Gallivan said, “That delay may be to the township's advantage, because indications are that the first Frontenac County Official Plan will be approved shortly and once that happens the County will be the approval authority for the township's Official Plan update.”

Since two members of Central Frontenac Council sit on County Council, Gallivan said the “County will be more aware of the reality on the ground in Central Frontenac than the current approval authority, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.”

He said minor Official Plan amendments can take over a year to complete when the approval is done by the ministry, and he expects a six-week time frame will be sufficient once the county takes over the approvals.

Building starts hit $7 million for 2015

Chief Building Official Jeremy Neven reported that as of the end of November permits for $6.9 million in building projects had been taken out, and a week into December that number has gone over $7 million. The total for the first 11 months in 2014 was $4.6 million and in 2013 the 11 month total was $5.6 million.

Permits for 18 new homes have been taken out this year, up from 10 at this time last year, and 15 in 2013.

Permit fees are set to hit $100,000 this year.

Olden waste site date changes effective Feb. 1, 2016

Council agreed to the recommendations put forth by Public Works Manager John Badgley to close the Olden waste site on Mondays and open it on Fridays instead, with the changes to take effect as of February 1, 2016. Badgley said that the change would give the Olden site attendant two consecutive days off. As well, due to low traffic counts, all waste sites in the township will be closed on Remembrance Day.

Council upholds no parking by-law on Anne Street in Arden

Regarding a request by an Arden resident at council's last meeting to park on Anne Street, council adopted Badgley's recommendation to deny the request since a no parking by-law is in effect there. “Staff do not need any more obstacles than they already have,” Badgely said when Councilor Tom Dewey asked him why an exception could not be made in this case since the resident has no place else to park at his home.

Dewey then asked council to defer the issue until staff could look further into it. Council upheld Badgley's recommendation, with Mayor Frances Smith stating, “We have a by-law in place and until it is changed it must be enforced.”

Council agreed to review the existing parking by-law in the new year and until that time the resident will, by law, have to park elsewhere.

Public Works Activity Report

Badgley reported that township staff are continuing to brush, grade and patch local roads throughout the township when the weather permits. A recent meeting with the trappers' council in an effort to get the township's beaver issues under control is ongoing and staff are perusing new ideas to address the issue. Crews have also been installing a fence at the Parham cemetery.

Fire Report

Fire Chief Bill young reported the number and types of calls received from December 1, 2014 to November 30, 2015. He said that the number of controlled burning calls, 22, is a continuation of a three-year downward tend. When questioned why the number of medical/resuscitator calls were so numerous, at 163, Young reported that the unit has been receiving these types of calls roughly every two or three days. Of the overall hours of servicing, these calls required 691 hours of service. Young said they are expensive to do since the department receives no outside financial assistance. Young also reported that training sessions and hours were up in this period as a result of a number of mandatory training sessions where often over 100 volunteers were required to take part. Council requested a break down in the calls per district in the township as a way to better understand overall service requirements and expenses.

Parham fire hall update

Fire Chief Young outlined changes in the costs to the building of the new fire hall in Parham, which included a $40,000 increase as a result of office code regulations to make the building's public library/community space fire rated. Young said he expects the building to open, if not before Christmas, then in the early new year.

Surplus equipment up for grabs for non profits/general public

Council passed a motion offering up the surplus equipment in the former public school in Sharbot Lake following council's recent acquisition of the property. The equipment will be up for grabs first to non-profit organizations in the township, and second to the general public at a nominal fee. The equipment includes desks, chairs, filing cabinets and shelving units. Chief Building Officer Jeremy Neven volunteered to head up the project.

CF Re-Use Center committee proceeds as planned

At council's last meeting, Councilor Victor Heese proposed setting up a re-use center at the Olden waste site, and at this meeting Heese and Deputy Mayor Bill MacDonald volunteered to sit on a planning committee. The committee will include members of the public and will investigate the viability of such a site. The re-use center's mandate is to “provide residents with a space to drop off usable items that will be offered free of charge to visitors”. The objective is to divert goods away from local landfill sites. It is expected that the site will be operated by volunteers.

Full day set for budget deliberations

Following his financial report to council, Treasurer Michael McGovern was asked by council when staff might have their numbers ready for upcoming budget deliberations. McGovern replied that it could take three weeks. Council set a date for Friday January 29 to meet for a full day of budget deliberations and McGovern agreed to get the numbers to council in advance of that meeting.

Delegations

Louise Moody, executive director at Northern Frontenac Community Services, made a presentation to council accompanying her $15,500 request to council for support for the multiple youth programs that NFCS offers in the township. The programming includes after school programs that are run out of St. James Major and Land O' Lakes schools, as well as the Child Centre. Last year 70 students were served. Programming included a day camp run at the Child Centre that had 29 participants aged 6-10, and a Steps to Success and Leader-In-Training program for older youth.

Youth dances, field trips, the Great Outdoor Adventure and Kids Fit Indoor Soccer were some of the other successful programs that Moody outlined.

Moody also hoped to recruit a member of council to the Northern Rural Youth Partnership, which has many members from various related organizations. Council accepted the report for information.

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