| Dec 13, 2017


Reconstruction of Elm Tree Road has been delayed until Jan. 8-12, Public Works Manager Brad Thake told Central Frontenac Council at its regular meeting Tuesday in Sharbot Lake.

The job was to have begun Monday, Dec. 11.

“It’s very disappointing,” Thake said. “The delay was due to a contractor not getting a permit.

“And a little bit of high water.”

Thake said he’s confident the work (along with the temporary road closure) will continue in January but cautioned that it is winter and if delayed again, it will likely have to wait until spring.

The funds slated for the project will be moved into next year’s budget.

Still with roads, Thake said with “the little burst of winter,” they had a couple of breakdowns and have some maintenance to do but road crews are “pretty much back on schedule.”

Council agreed to make up the $403 difference or at least put it into next Monday’s budget discussion meeting for a business plan for the former Hinchinbrooke Public School to be turned into a recreation/community centre.

Janet Anderson, representing the committee looking into the project told Council that they had been the recipients of a $2,597 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Kingston and Area.

Along with the $2,000 Council had already earmarked for the project, that still left a $403 shortfall from the winning bid to create the business plan of $5,000 from Social Focus Consulting.

Anderson said they’re hoping to have the business plan done in time to apply for a Trillium Foundation grant to begin renovations. The Trillium deadline is in February.

Starting in February, building materials and shingles will no longer be accepted at the Oso Landfill Site, rather they will be directed to the Olden site. This is in order to maximize the life of the Oso site and the fact that grinding/shredding will take place at the Olden site.

Originally, the change was to have taken place January 1 but at the request of Mayor Frances Smith, that was changed to Feb. 1 to allow for advertising the change.

In a separate report, Public Works Manager Brad Thake reported that the capacity of the the Oso site is somewhere around 4-6 years while the Olden site should be good for 30-35 years, factoring in the closure of Oso.

Council appointed Kennebec Coun. Tom Dewey as Deputy Mayor for the final year of this Council’s mandate.

Mayor Frances Smith reported that the Land O’Lakes Tourist Council has ceased operations. The kiosk on Hwy. 7 at Road 38 belongs to the Township and Smith suggested the Township might have to consider printing up a tourist brochure on its own.

Central Frontenac may have to go it alone with planning, following a suggestion that it move its committee of adjustment meetings to 4 p.m. from 6 p.m. because County planners were putting in too much overtime.

As it is, said CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn, the County is looking at hiring another planner and revising its billing to Central and North Frontenac with a model based on what it charges for IT services.

She said that Central’s cost of a shared planner with North Frontenac could be in the region of $60,000 per year.

“If we’re going to be paying the County $60,000 should we be looking at hiring a consultant to look after just us?” said Mayor Frances Smith.

Don’t everybody volunteer at once.
When Mayor Frances Smith asked for Council volunteers to be on the new (and yet to be formally named) septic inspection committee, a lot of councilors suddenly became very interested in looking at the floor.

Eventually, Coun. Phillip Smith and Tom Dewey reluctantly ‘volunteered.’

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