Central Frontenac Council – Jan. 26/10

Jeff Green | Jan 28, 2010

Central Frontenac cool to ambulance plan

With several council members expressing anger about the plan, and none supporting it, Mayor Gutowski will not be supporting a plan to move the Parham Ambulance base to Sharbot Lake at Frontenac County Council any time soon.

In a presentation to Central Frontenac Council at a meeting on Tuesday, January 26, Frontenac County Director of Emergency Services Paul Charbonneau said, “Up until now the rural ambulance review has been peripheral to Central Frontenac”.

All of that changed on November 16, Charbonneau added, when a staff proposal to build a new ambulance base at the junction of Highway 509 and Ardoch Road was not accepted by Frontenac County Council and direction was given to Charbonneau to look more closely at putting a new base in Ompah,

The plan that he came up with would put new bases in Sharbot Lake and Ompah and see the Parham base close.

“This would provide service within 30 minutes, which is the accepted standard for rural ambulance, to 97% of the township,” Charbonneau said.

“I was just totally angry when I heard about this,” said Councilor Bill Snyder. “The Parham base has worked wonderfully for many years. I can’t see any sense at all in moving it to Sharbot Lake.”

Councilor Norm Guntensperger saw a connection between the ambulance recommendation and recent news from the local school board. “The coincidences just seem to build up. It looks like the small villages are doomed and everything will go to Sharbot Lake,” he said.

“We had a consulting group that recommended leaving the base where it is. We’ve got another case where we hire a consultant and then the study is put aside,” said Deputy Mayor Gary Smith.

Mayor Gutowski said, “North Frontenac refuses to accept a station anywhere but Ompah. They are still resolved, and perhaps Ardoch Road is not an ideal location. At this point I’m not prepared to accept this recommendation. I think it’s premature to make a decision. We need to study this some more.”

Council passed a resolution to send to County Council, which said it cannot support the proposed relocation of the Parham base at this time based on the information that has been provided to date.

NO 0.4% SOLUTION: Central Frontenac Council has routinely adjusted the employee salary grid to reflect changes in the Consumer Price index, which led to a 2.5 % increase in wages last year. The consumer price index for the year ending on January 1 has just been released, and this year it is only 0.4%.

When the matter was raised during the Committee of the Whole section of the meeting, there was no consensus among the six members of council who were present. Three favoured a 0.4% increase and three thought it was too low.

“It’s too low,” said Norm Guntensperger “I think we should treat our staff with respect and dignity. Other contracts reflect a 3-4% increase.”

“You’re not a farmer,” said Bill Snyder

EARLY BUDGET NUMBERS ARE SKY HIGH 

“This budget includes some wish lists,” said Chief Administrative Officer John Duchene as he handed out a thick budget binder. The preliminary budget, which was presented to Council for information purposes only, included an increase in the levy to ratepayers of $1.4 million, or 19.3%.

In order to bring the budget to a 2% increase to ratepayers, $1.25 million will have to be cut from the budget.

Public Works Manager Mike Richardson said that his budget, which makes up a large part of the overall budget, includes a number of projects that he put in for Council’s consideration and he expects Council will set their own priorities as the budget process moves forward.

SEPTIC REINSPECTION – Council considered an innovative septic re-inspection bylaw as a Committee of the Whole. The bylaw puts the onus on property owners to have their systems inspected every five years, and to present proof of that inspection to the township. Council approved the bylaw in principle and it will come forward to the next Council meeting.

$5,000 TO EOTA – A proposal to donate $5,000 to the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance was warmly received, and will be brought forward as part of the budget.