North Frontenac Council Report

Jonas Bonnetta | Jan 18, 2017

Eric Kohlsmith, from the Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office (MRSSO) made a presentation to Council on Friday regarding the results of their 2016 Sewage System Re-inspections.

The MRSSO made 67 voluntary re-inspections in North Frontenac in 2016. 90% of the inspections were cottages and almost 2/3's of the inspections were done on Kashwakamak and Missassagagon Lakes.

The MRSSO had planned on inspecting the North Frontenac Parklands campsites as well but were thwarted by low-water and drought conditions.

“The past year our response rate has increased,” Kohlsmith said. “The protocol is looking at systems that are 10 years or older and haven't been re-inspected in the past.”

“The goal of it is education,” Kolhsmith said. “We're looking to make sure the system is operating properly, not necessarily meeting today's standards.”

The MRSSO reports that 62% of the systems they inspected were septic tanks with leaching beds. Earth pits, composting toilets, and privies, were the second most inspected systems at 25%.

The report also detailed distances that septic systems exist to surface water. Just under half of the systems inspected were at least 30M away from water. The other half were somewhere between 15M and 30M, which meets the Ontario Building Code, yet doesn't meet zoning by-law requirements.

The report also revealed that 78% of the septic tanks they inspected were made of concrete.

Kohlsmith's report showed 55% of the systems they inspected needed remedial work done on them. This could include something as simple as the system needing a pump out or as intensive as baffles inside the tank needing replacement or repair. The MRSSO recommended replacement for 3% of the systems they inspected.

The program will be continuing into 2017.

Palmerston Beach Enhancement
Cille Harris and Steve Sunderland, members of the Palmerston Beach Community Organizing Committee, made a presentation to Council regarding restoring the Northern part of Palmerston Beach.

The proposal they made includes 3 phases over 3 years and would eventually replace the staircase, install accessible picnic tables, and pave the parking lot.

The committee looks at the enhancement of the beach as a great opportunity to boost tourism and build a new place for community to meet.

Sunderland, a former landscape architect who has designed over 200 parks, brought a detailed drawing to Council to help them envision what the committee has in mind for the area.

Harris said that the re-opening of the trails in the area has been an extraordinary success and “being an active group we'd like to do something else.”

The staircase leading down to the beach is currently in disrepair and the beach is covered with gravel that has eroded from the driveway into the parking area and beach.

“You'd need a backhoe to build a sandcastle on that beach,” Sunderland said.

The group is hoping that in 2017 they could start phase one, which would include an engineering assessment, beach sand, some landscaping, gravel on the driveway, parking lot, and pathways, and 3 picnic tables.

The community contribution for phase one is estimated at $19,000 and the committee is looking for the Township to remove the stairs and pave the entry, which they currently say is a safety concern for cars trying to exit the parking lot. This contribution from the Township is estimated at $8,800.

Phase two of the project, slotted for 2018, would include a 50M stone retaining wall, a concrete and stone stairway, 3 accessible picnic tables, and an accessible pathway to the beach. The community contribution for this would be approximately $22,200 and the Townships contribution would be $10,000.

Phase three, in 2019, would include installing a wooden sun shelter, 3 more picnic tables, storm drainage, paving the parking lot and access road, and upgrading the washroom facilities. This stage they've estimated will cost them $13,400 and the Township $44,200.

Council suggested that the committee have a conversation with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) regarding the project as the beach is on MVCA property.

Corey Klatt, the Manager of Community Development, raised a few concerns about the project.

“You have to consider there are 4 other beaches,” Klatt said to Council. “They're great projects. They're enhancements. But there will be increased costs for the Council to take on in the future.”

“I can see us fixing up the stairs if they're a safety hazard, and the erosion of the road, but I can't see us investing in this project when there are other beaches,” Councillor Wayne Good told Council.

Council was going to discuss the item further once the committee spoke with the MVCA regarding the project.

Northern Exposure Revisited
Janice Powell, Chief Administrative Officer for the Lakelands Family Health Team, made a request to Council for $75,000, paid in 5 instalments of $15,000 per year for the next 5 years, to be used for doctor recruitment.

It is hoped that Addington Highlands will, again, contribute to the fund as well push the incentive up to $30,000 per year for a doctor to join the health team.

This incentive agreement would be similar to the one signed by Dr. Matt Dumas in 2015.

Powell explained to the Council that there is “fierce competition for physicians right now” and that it creates a struggle to recruit a doctor for the area.

The recent departure of Dr. Anne Wilson has left a hole in the Lakelands team and Powell expressed concern that, even with the incentive, finding the right doctor could take some time.

There wasn't much discussion from Council surrounding the decision.

“It's the most important,” Mayor Higgins said.

Council approved, in principle, the request for $75,000 to be used for a third medical agreement.