CF Council hears about sliding truck

Jeff Green | Jan 22, 2014

Meeting  on January 14/14

It might have had something to do with an extra full agenda or perhaps the election year is resulting in councilors being more intent on making their opinions heard, but the Central Frontenac Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon (January 14) was the longest in at least a couple of years. It was over three hours before the open session ended and there was an in camera session afterwards.

The first item on the agenda was the selection of a Deputy Mayor for 2014. The only nominee was Councilor Frances Smith, who agreed to take on the role.

Truck off the road

Public Works Manager Mike Richardson reported that during one of the freezing rain events that took place over the Christmas holidays one of the township's plow trucks was damaged.

"It was an ice-related event,” said Mike Richardson, “the truck had just finished plowing a hard-topped road and before the chains could be put on it started sliding on the ice towards the side of the road. There was nothing to stop it and it slipped off the road down an embankment and flipped. The truck is at the Olden garage now and the adjuster has looked at it and we will see what comes of it soon,” said Richardson to a question from Councilor Wayne Millar.

Millar also asked about the delivery of a new truck that the township had ordered last spring.

“That truck will be delivered in March,” Richardson said.

“Is that a normal delivery schedule?” Millar asked.

“No, it isn’t,” Richardson replied, “but the salesman’s wife died and then the owner of the company making the truck died, and then the company had to fill a large order with massive penalties, so our order kept being dropped back, but it is now coming.”

Hazardous Waste Day

Council easily approved a proposal to hold a household Hazardous Waste day in July. Last year the event, which diverts solvents and other materials that can contaminate township landfill sites, cost about $32,000 to operate.

“Do we not get that money back?” asked Mayor Janet Gutowski of Kyle Labbett, the waste management co-ordinator for the township

“We used to get about 90% back but now it is more like 50%, making our net cost about $16,000 last year,” said Labbett.

Amnesty load survives, barely

Kyle Labbett recommended, as he did last year, that the practice of allowing residents to dump one free load of garbage each year be eliminated. He said that only 15% of residents use the free load, just over 500 last year, and the fact that the size of the load has never been specified has led some residents to abuse the amnesty offer by bringing large trailers.

All of those in attendance expressed their opinion, some more than once, on this debate, which has become an annual tradition.

Councilor Norm Guntensperger, who sits on the waste management committee, said he supports the free load because it keeps garbage out of township ditches and it is a positive gesture from the township to residents.

His position was supported by Councilors Dewey, Fox and Deputy Mayor Smith.

Councilor Jeff Matson said that if tipping fees were paid for the 500 loads, it would bring in $16,000, and with so many items now accepted for recycling, disposing of waste is already less expensive for residents than it was in the past.

“I’d prefer to keep taxes lower than forego that revenue,” Matson said.

His position was supported by Mayor Gutowski as well as Councilors Purdon and Millar. Councilor Bill Snyder was absent. Because the vote was a 4-4 tie, the motion to end the amnesty program was defeated and the amnesty program survives for another year.

“You should have made a motion that we keep it going,” Norm Guntensperger said to Kyle Labbett, "then the tie vote would have killed the program."

Kyle Labbett smiled.

“I’ll be back next year” he said.

Habitat reports to Council

Ron Ruttan, CEO of Habitat For Humanity-Kingston and Paddy O’Connor, the volunteer liaison for the Tichborne build, brought an update of the local project for Council’s benefit. Ruttan said the house is now 70% completed, and should be done before April 1, when the Roberts family will be able to take possession.

He said he is very pleased with the volunteer efforts of local tradespeople, with the partnership between Habitat Kingston and the Kingston prisons that led to inmates playing an integral role in building the home, and with the family who will be occupying the home.

“We are not about affordable housing; we are about affordable home ownership,” Ruttan said, and he added that he would like to see more builds in Central Frontenac, a community where he has roots.

He also said that the next time, he will be asking the township to grant back the building and tipping fees. “It’s not so much a grant as an investment, which will bring economic benefits to the township,” he said.

Another build in Tichborne is a possibility for Habitat, as are builds in other Central Frontenac districts.

NFCS presentation

Don Amos, the executive director of Northern Frontenac Community Services, presented a two-page list of the activities that his agency organized for youth in the township in 2013, courtesy of a $15,500 grant from the township.

“Consider this report our request for the same amount of money this year,” he said.

“Your agency's presence is definitely felt in the schools. We are looking very much forward to seeing you at the new school once we get our feet under us,” said Norm Guntensperger, who teaches at Granite Ridge Education Centre. “You have my full support.”