Oso waste site to continue on as transfer station after closure

Craig Bakay | Mar 11, 2020

The Oso waste site will continue on as a transfer station when it reaches capacity as a landfill sometime in the next five or so years, Central Frontenac Council decided at its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake.

Public Works Manager Tyson Myers had recommended against the conversion to a transfer station but told Council his plan was based purely on operations and cost. He freely admitted he was leaving any and all political considerations to Council and invited Cambium project manager Stephanie Reeder to answer any questions Council might have.

Coun. Victor Heese began the discussion pointing out the cost to set up a transfer station had been listed at $100,000 initially and $40,000 per year after that. Heese calculated that for the vast majority of Central Frontenac residents, a transfer station at Oso would save them five minutes a trip, at best. He did concede that it would somewhat alleviate the obvious inconvenience for Crow Lake area residents but asked “do we want to spend $100,000 plus $40,000 per year to save people five minutes?”

Coun. Bill MacDonald said that he didn’t remember setting up the Hinchinbrooke transfer site being near that expensive.

Reeder responded that the big costs are in site preparation and bins.

“There’s going to be some tree falling necessary and a lot of flattening to make the site sufficient for the transportation involved,” she said.

MacDonald asked if there were some way they could mitigate costs — even now — such as reducing hours.

“Instead of 30 hours a week, could we reduce it to 15 — and I want you to know right now I won’t be running in the next election,” MacDonald said.

“If you live in the very south end of the Township, you’re looking at a very long drive ahead of you regardless,” said Coun. Brent Cameron. “But I think Bill’s idea would be something people in the south would be very interested in.”

Reeder said that regardless of what the Township does, with the Olden site, it still has about 40 years of capacity left.

“The Province considers that a lot,” she said. “But that $40,000 per year budget could be changed depending on what you accept at the site. Hinchinbrooke hours could be changed too.”

“We could look at fewer hours for Olden as well,” said Dep. Mayor Tom Dewey.

“There’s efficiencies to be had in hours,” said Myers.

“So, when it closes, it will be a transfer station, whether that happens before that will be to be determined,” said Cameron.

• • •

Coun. Bill MacDonald asked Public Works Manager Tyson Myers if there could possibly be some room for members of the public in the safety classes he’s scheduling for his public works crews.

“I know there are some small businesses out there that would like to get the training for their people but can’t afford it on their own,” he said.

Myers said that he’d put together a list of the courses offered and “look into it.”

• • •

Mayor Frances Smith said they decided to keep a $1,000 grant to SA.L.T. in the budget even though the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together has received a provincial grant.

“It’ll be there in case they need it,” Smith said. “It doesn’t really change anything in the budget and we want them to know how much we value them in the community and that they can come to us each year if they need to.”