Central Frontenac Council - May 10/11

Jeff Green | May 12, 2011

Council looking at cutting fees for new school

Mayor Janet Gutowski has proposed that Central Frontenac Council consider waiving at least a portion of building fees for the new comprehensive school in Sharbot Lake.

“This is a one-time investment that the school board is making in our municipality. It will never happen again on this scale, and this is the first purpose built JK-12 school that they have built. I think we should look at waiving or diminishing the fees as a financial contribution to support such things as a theatre at the school,” she said to council at their meeting on Tuesday night, May 10.

Councilor Norm Guntensperger liked the proposal but wanted to fine tune it.

“I think we should be more concrete. If we can come to some consensus about what we are looking for, I’m all for it. I don’t just want to save money for the school board, I think we need to see something extra coming from this kind of investment,” he said.

Councilor Frances Smith proposed that the matter be referred to staff to investigate the waiving of building and planning fees.

There is some pretty big money involved. The permit fee on the building is 1% of the total construction value, which translates into $130,000.

Councilor Bill Snyder opposed the idea.

“Right now we are tight for money and now we are giving it away. And don’t forget our building inspector will have to do a lot of work on this, and if we don’t charge the fees, we will be paying his salary for it. That’s not right,” he said

The matter was referred to staff for comment.

Farmers’ market proposed – Pat Furlong, the new chair of the Hands On Harvest Group, which puts out a pamphlet listing local growers, came to the township asking if her group could set up a farmers’ market at the parking lot on the north end of the Sharbot Lake beach on Saturday mornings starting in June.

“The market would be a good drawing card and a boost to the local economy. The Perth market brings in tourists each week, and all the downtown businesses benefit. We could do the same here,” Pat Furlong said.

The market would take place on Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings.

Council raised a number of questions about the location, but were generally supportive of the idea.

“I don’t know if there is enough parking at that location, especially if you are using the parking lot,” said Councilor Guntensperger, “you may want to find another location.”

“I think the beach would be a good location for us to start because it is such a beautiful spot. We could move later on. We don’t know if crowding is going to be an issue,” Furlong replied.

Council accepted the presentation and asked for a staff report for the next meeting.

Council likes hockey rinks – Dave Willis, from the Oso Recreation Committee, came to inform council about a project the committee is working on. They have received a $10,000 donation from a local club and Willis wanted council to know that the committee has the opportunity of purchasing modern hockey boards from Ottawa at a low price of $4,000, leaving $6,000 to help pay for a concrete pad near the high school and the baseball field on Road 38.

“It could be used for ice hockey in the winter and ball hockey or basketball in the summer,” he said. “There is a well at the site, and the only issue there is drainage, but with the new school requiring a drainage plan we could work with the school board on it. With all the students coming to that school a new hockey rink would be a great addition,” he said.

Council received Dave Willis’ presentation and encouraged him to continue working on the project.

But tether ball and horseshoes, not so much – A proposal by Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) to set up a tether ball and horseshoe pit at the Sharbot Lake Beach to complement the youth centre they will be holding at the beach twice a week this summer, was discussed at council.

“The youth centre would plan to hold the tether ball and horseshoe equipment and offer this for use by the general public at a nominal fee,” wrote NFCS Executive Director Don Amos in a letter to council.

Liability, liability, liability, was council’s reaction.

“I don’t like the rental idea. I don’t see how that can work,” said Frances Smith.

“It’s a nice idea, but metal spikes sticking out of the ground; horseshoes flying at the beach - I don’t know about that,” said Mayor Gutowski.

“Tether balls, when they get used, as they do, need to be replaced pretty quickly. And people get knocked down,” said Norm Guntensperger.

“I think it’s a nightmare waiting to happen,” said Frances Smith.

Council rejected the proposal.

Bridgen’s Island – two more weeks

Council agreed to defer consideration of an official amendment for the Bridgen’s Island subdivision on Eagle Lake to canvas a minor amendment to the plan with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The amendment would combine an existing building lot with two restricted lots, all of which are owned by the same person.

Mayor Gutowski opposed the deferral. “I think the ministry has gone as far as they are willing to go on this subdivision,” she said.

Gravel contract – Council accepted a bid of $206,900 from Crains’ Construction for the supply of gravel, to be used mainly on Elm Tree, Fish Creek, Forty Foot, Bull Lake and Willis Armstrong roads.

The public works manager, Mike Richardson, also informed council that road grading has been slowed down this spring by wet weather, and the township has had a high number of road washouts to deal with.

Septic reinspection – Council agreed to spend $6,000 on a voluntary septic reinspection program this summer, to be run by the Mississippi-Rideau Septic system office. Mississippi-Rideau has also made an offer to do all the septic inspections for new installations at a lower price than the township is paying to the Kingston Frontenac Public Health Unit for the same service. The entire septic inspection issue will come back to council later this year.

Building permits up – Chief Building Inspector Jeremy Neven reported that as of the end of April, 42 permits have been issued in 2011 for a construction value of $2.16 million, up from 39 permits for a value of $1.24 million in 2010. In the month of April alone, 23 permits were issued for $1.56 million in construction value.