North Frontenac Council – Oct. 14, 2010

Jeff Green | Oct 21, 2010

Highway 7

Council discussed the recently announced long-term strategic plan for Highway 7 that the Ministry of Transportation is undertaking.

“The Ministry needs to understand that our economic development prospects will be pretty dire if improvements are not made to Highway 7,” said Mayor Ron Maguire. “The intersection at Highway 41, for one thing, presents a dire safety concern and needs a stop light in the worst way.”

Council decided to send a letter to the ministry expressing their concerns. “We need to take every opportunity to press them on this, “ said Maguire.

JEPP grant application?

In the past, the township has applied every year for a Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) grant from the federal government for equipment that has been of use to the fire department to deal with potential emergencies.

In a report from Township Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson, it was proposed the township seek JEPP funding in the amount of $13,600 for equipment to set up either the Harlowe Hall or the Barrie Hall as an alternate emergency operations centre for the township. If the grant is approved, the township will have to cover an additional $28,000 or $29,000 depending upon which hall is chosen.

Deputy Mayor Jim Beam said he was reluctant to commit that kind of money from next year’s budget.

Given that the emergency operations centre for Addington Highlands is the North Addington Education centre, located across the road from the Barrie Hall, Council decided to focus on the Harlowe Hall and consider a less expensive option for a generator than the $34,000 generator that that was being recommended for the JEPP application.

The issue will be taken up at the next council meeting, on October 28.

Good year for building - Building permits have been issued for $6.7 million worth of construction so far in 2010, up $1.2 million from the same point in 2009. The good news extends to the building department finances as well. $112,816 has been collected in permit fees in for the first nine months of 2010, as compared to $95,012 as of the end of September in 2009.