| Dec 16, 2010


by Julie Druker and Jeff Green

20-year struggle over rail lands over for Central Frontenac

CPR lands to be transferred: Central Frontenac Council met on Tuesday evening, December 14 and heard some good news just in time for Christmas.

CAO John Duchene reported that late last week he was contacted by Canadian Pacific Railway and was informed that they hope to transfer all the CPR lands located in Oso to the township by the end of the year. The CAO reported, “The paper work should be ready to be signed any day now,” which will complete a process 20 years in the making.

Tax Rebate: Frances Smith brought forth a motion for council to grant a tax rebate for the 2010 tax year to the Parham IOOF hall, saying that the hall provides many important services to the community. The motion was passed.

New Water Tanker - Council passed a motion for the purchase of a new water tanker for District #2 fire hall that will replace a 40-year-old tanker at a cost of $255,408 + HST. Fire Chief Mark MacDonald explained to council that the tanker “is virtually the same type of vacuum tanker as the one purchased in 2007” and that it is the first new heavy truck to be purchased, excluding the Piccadilly truck, since 2004. A $50,000 down payment was budgeted for the purchase in 2010 and the balance of funds will be paid from the 2011 budget allocation to the Central Frontenac Fire and Rescue Service

$300,000 Loan: Council passed a motion permitting Treasurer Judy Gray to establish a five-year bank loan for $300,000 to pay for the township’s portion (one third) of infrastructure projects as completed and approved by the 2010 budget.

Waste Management-

A letter sent to council from Lisa Wilson, co-owner of Camp Oconto, requesting off site composting facilities for the camp in order to discourage bears on the grounds was discussed in depth among council members. Councilor Frances Smith agreed that composting in the bush can be difficult as it attracts wild animals and thought the issue of off site composting should be forwarded to the Waste Management Committee. Councilor Tom Dewey suggested looking into having composting facilities at all waste sites in Central Frontenac. After further discussion a motion was passed to refer the composting issue to the Waste Management Committee.

Appointments: Quinte Region Conservation - Heather Fox; Rideau Valley Conservation Authority - Tom Dewey; Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority - Wayne Millar; Frontenac Arena Board - Bill Snyder and Heather Fox; Economic Development Committee - Tom Dewey; Kennebec Rec. Committee - Jeff Matson; Hinchinbrooke Rec. Committee - Bill Snyder; Olden Rec. Committee - Norman Guntensperger; Oso Rec. Committee - Wayne Millar; Eastern Ontario Trails Assoc. - Jeff Matson; Family Health Team - Frances Smith; Multi-Use Cultural Centre Committee - Frances Smith; Waste Management and Steering Committee - Wayne Millar, Norman Guntensperger and Heather Fox.

 

How many clerks does it take to change a bylaw? Three, but the bylaw has to really want to change.

Council met for a Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 14, and the major issue they discussed was whether the COW itself should be continued under the new council.

The previous council set up the committee because they had found that their council meetings were becoming too lengthy, and that the formal structure of a council meeting made it difficult for councilors to fully discuss various issues.

The COW meets twice a month in the afternoons, on the same day as the regular council meetings, for those more informal discussions and reports from senior staff.

With the new council now in place, CAO John Duchene said, “It's up to you people to decide what you want to do - keep the committee as it is, change it, or eliminate it entirely.”

All of the councilors in attendance who had worked under the Committee of the Whole, Frances Smith, Norm Guntensperger, and Jeff Matson, as well as Mayor Gutowski, said they like the committee, but thought it could be streamlined. Councilors Bill Snyder and John Purdon were not at the meeting.

New Councilor Heather Fox said she has looked at the minutes from Committee of the Whole meetings and council meetings and can't tell the difference. She also pointed out that according to the township’s procedural bylaw, the mayor needs to chair all meetings. Until now the chair of the Committee of the Whole has alternated between members of council according to the topic that the committee was discussing.

“I agree that we should look more closely at the procedural bylaw and perhaps the Committee of the Whole as well,” said Clerk/Chief Administrative Officer John Duchene.

In the end a sub-committee was formed to look at the procedural bylaw before deciding on how the COW will operate. Councilor Frances Smith, who was a former clerk of Oso Township back in the 1980s, Heather Fox, a former clerk administrator of Central Frontenac, and CAO John Duchene, will form the sub-committee.

Parham Ballfield canteen – Tenders were opened for building a new canteen at the Parham ball field, and John Duchene reported that one was for $40,000 and one for $74,000. The approved budget for the project is $23,000 so none of the tenders were accepted.

Arden Demolition – The Arden motel demolition is in process but the Ministry of Labour must approve the project before it can go ahead. That approval is pending.

Road repairs – Public Works Manager Mike Richardson reported that the Ardoch Road washout has been repaired and repairs to Echo Lake Road are almost complete.

 

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