North Frontenac Council - Nov. 13

Jeff Green | Nov 15, 2012

Volunteers make pitch for ATV runs

Brian Moffitt, representing the Ompah Volunteer Firefighters Association, brought information about the increasingly successful ATV runs that the association has been sponsoring each spring and fall.

In 2012, the two runs raised a total of $35,500. Some of that money was donated back to the township for fire equipment, and some has been set aside for a new fire hall in Ompah. Among recipients of the rest of the money are the Santa Claus parade and the local bass derby. A small amount was also provided to local families in crisis.

“In addition to raising money, we have been promoting the township. We did a survey and found that 98% of the registrants for the runs came from outside the township. Those people spend money in local businesses and they come back to the township at other times during the year,” said Moffitt.

He also said that he is aware of five individuals who have purchased property in the township after participating in the ATV runs.

He added that the general manager of Kanata Honda came to one of the runs this year, and “after riding a 100 kilometres through North Frontenac, he was so enthused that he offered a brand new 2013 Honda ATV at cost for us to raffle off.”

The association intends to sell 2,000 tickets at $10 each, picking the raffle winner at the 2013 spring run. The raffle could add another $15,000 to the kitty, upping the fundraising total from the two runs to $50,000 per year.

Council had a number of questions about the ATV runs, including several about insurance and liability.

Councilor Betty Hunter expressed a concern about some of the images used in Moffitt’s presentation, which emphasise one of the appeals of ATV runs, riding through mud. In fact, one of the items that Moffit credited the township with providing for the ATV run was the mud on the trails.

“The emphasis on mud worries me,” said Hunter.

“Why?” asked Brian Moffitt.

“Because of the environmental impact, the destruction of habitat, damage to the trail, that sort of thing,” said Hunter.

“Twelve hundred people come here for the trail runs over two days,” Moffitt replied, “a small amount compared to the thousands of people who ride the trails over the entire year. The fact is that when people buy an ATV they don’t buy it to drive slowly. Yes, the runs cause ruts in the trail, but, but there are ruts being developed as we speak, as hunters drag deer out, as they set up their camps. You are not going to walk 100 kilometres on those trails. They are there for motorized use.”

Deputy Fire Chief Denis Bedard, who was also at the council meeting, said that most of the trail that the ATVs run on is high and dry, and that there are bypasses for all of the lower, muddy parts.

“I’d say about 75% of the riders used the bypass. We don’t market our events as mud runs,” Bedard said.

Mayor Clayton said “I don’t think anybody on council is opposed to the run or the way you run it. The only thing we worry about, for your sake, is that you advertise in advance where the money you raise is going.”

The firefighters' association is working with township staff to develop a protocol for reporting on where the money they raise is donated.

Meeting schedule altered – At the request of Township Clerk Jenny Duhamel, there will be changes to the meeting schedule in 2013. Starting on January 14, meetings will be held every third Monday throughout the year. Currently meetings are held every second and fourth Monday of the month. They will start at 9 am instead of the current time, 1 pm, and they will all be held at the Clar-Mill fire hall, which is located on the same property as the township office. The practice of holding meetings at the Harlowe, Snow Road, Ompah, and Barrie Halls between April and October will be stopped.

“If we do have a major issue on the table that is of concern in one particular district, we can always move that meeting to another hall,” said Mayor Clayton, as Council voted to accept the new schedule.

“It is in the interest of staff to hold the meetings every three weeks, for their scheduling,” he added, “and as I’ve said before it is really the staff that run the township, but they do tolerate a little interference from Council."

No logo, but new signage gets the nod

As part of her report from the Economic Development Task Force, Councillor Betty Hunter presented the rough draft of a new township logo. In place of intertwined hands symbolizing the coming together of former townships into North Frontenac, the proposed logo includes a stylized NF and some imagery representing the night skies initiative.

“This is just a rough version. It will look a lot better once we get a graphic artist to work it out,” said Hunter.

“I don’t see any reason to change it [the current logo],” said Mayor Bud Clayton.

“I don’t think we like the new one,” said Councilor Gerry Martin.

A motion to approve spending up to $1,000 for a graphic artist to finalise the new logo was defeated in a 3-3 vote. (Councilor Wayne Good was not at the meeting)

Proposed promotional signage for Highway 506/509, which was prepared by sign maker Rodger MacMunn, was well received by Council. They approved a motion to seek bids to build the signs. If MacMunn gets the job, the artwork he did for it will be included. If he doesn’t, the township will owe him $250.