High marks for Asset Management Planning - North Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | Dec 21, 2016

Vickie Leakey, a senior manager with KPMG professional services, appeared before Council to bring an update of the Asset Management Plan that the township has been developing and following over the last 5 years. She said that the township is in a much better position than most in the region and that this might account for some of the success the township has had in obtaining grants for much needed roadwork.

The township devotes 2% of its levy to ratepayers to a reserve fund for the replacement of capital assets, which includes equipment and both paved and gravel roads.

In her report, Leakey said that the township faces an issue of affordability when it looks at its capital needs because of its lower growth rate than the provincial average, 3.9% as opposed to 19.5%. Also, a high number of people in the township live on on fixed incomes, 39% derive all their income from pensions as opposed to the provincial average of 14%.

“You also have a lot of roads per person in North Frontenac because of the size of the township and the sparse population. For North Frontenac, as for a lot of rural townships we look at, it’s all about the roads when it comes to asset management,” Leakey said.

She also pointed out that North Frontenac is the only township she knows about that has done an inventory of gravel roads and entered them into their asset management plan.

“That’s why when it comes time for the province to look at grant applications, they see that what is coming from North Frontenac has some data behind it, and that makes a difference. Your staff and council are to be commended for all your efforts,” she concluded.

Floating dock on Canonto Lake sparks “principled” response from Good, Inglis
An item that was easy to deal with at this time, but may be more contentious in the future revealed one of the fault lines among two members of Council. The Canonto Lake Association is proposing to build  a floating dock to improve boat access to the trails network it has developed at the Palmerston Canonto Conservation Area. The association has $500 to invest and is willing to provide the labour, and is asking the township to kick in $2,500 for materials.

Before deciding, council is referring the matter to the Mississippi Valley Consernation Authority (MVCA) the owner of the land that will be accessed and the agency that provides comments on construction projects on the water.

However, if the dock is built it will become the property of the township, with all of the liability and potential future maintenance issues that flow from ownership of a public dock.

“I support this in principle,” said Councillor John Inglis. “The association wants to improve access, they are taking initiative and we should support them.”

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now, we are not in the dock business,” said Councillor Wayne Good.

When it was pointed out that the township has assumed ownership of a number of docks in recent years, Good said “I am certainly aware of that and I opposed them all. We can’t afford to make everyone in the township pay for a dock that is serving a few people on one lake,” he said.

The matter was referred to the MVCA and to the 2017 budget process as well.

No grant from Trillium Canada 150 fund
The township has learned that it will not be receiving a $500,000 grant from the Trillium Foundation for the renovation of the township office building that is planned for next year.

Nomination for regional leadership award
The township has nominated Brenda Martin for one of  the Canada 150 Regional leadership award for all of the work she has done for local causes, including her current work with the Clarendon and Miller archives. It is a long shot, however, since there will only be 5 winners named from the entire country.

Money, money, money
Council looked at mileage rates for members of council attending meetings within and outside of the township’s borders with the exception of meetings of Council. The current rate is 48 cents per kilometre, but based on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recommended rate for 2017, the township is raising it to 54 cents per kilometre. A motion was proposed by Mayor Higgins to set the rate at the CRA rate so it does not need to be debated each year. Councillor Inglis said he had prepared documentation, which he offered to share with council, which he said shows that the mileage rate is based on the assumption that the vehicle that is being driven is valued at $55,000. According to his calculations, over 35 cents out of a 54 cent per kilometre rate is to cover for the cost of replacing the current vehicle of the owner.

“If we assume that the owner is driving a $20,000 car, the rate would be 30 cents,” he said.

His was the only opposing vote on the motion to set the rate at the CRA rate.

Remuneration
At Council’s, request, staff prepared a chart comparing the pay of the Mayor and members of Council in North Frontenac with similar sized municipalities. The pay in North Frontenac is higher than most.

“It looks like we have the lowest population, and the highest pay,” said John Inglis.

“It is hard to say, since some of the others pay a salary plus money for attending council and other meetings, which we don’t do.”

The salary for the Mayor of North Frontenac was $22,424 this year, the Deputy Mayor received $18,745, and council members $15,066. The pay is similar to what politicians in Addington Highlands make, but double the salaries that are paid in Central Frontenac and Frontenac Islands.