North Frontenac Council - Jan. 10/12

Jeff Green | Jan 12, 2012

Council Goes Solar, in Principal

North Frontenac Council has decided, in principle, to pursue a ground-mounted solar MicroFIT project. The decision came about when council was considering one in a long string of communiques from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario about the opportunity for municipalities to join property owners from across rural Ontario who have invested in small-scale solar power production.

“We in the township have been skirting this issue for years,” said North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton. “Do we want a ground or rooftop mounted MicroFIT or do we not want one? There is no point going into any of the details until we settle that question.”

“I don't think a rooftop installation would be a good idea because there are too many unknowns,” said Councilor Gerry Martin.

A motion proposing that council approve in principle a ground-mounted solar project was then prepared, and all councilors save for Lonnie Watkins voted in favour.

Township staff have been directed to prepare a preliminary application for a project, to be located at the Ompah helipad.

“There has to be an address included in any application, but that can be changed later,” said Councilor John Inglis.

“This will have to come back to council at budget time,” said CAO/Treasurer Cheryl Robson.

According to Mayor Clayton, the cost of a 10 kilowatt solar array has come down since the MicroFIT program, which has resulted in solar panels dotting the rural landscape, was initiated a few years ago. Typically, the initial investment has been up to $75,000 but Clayton said it can be as little as $60,000 today.

MicroFIT systems function as investment vehicles for private landowners and municipalities, with the initial investment being paid back in less than 10 years, followed by 10 years of profit because the price for the power that is produced is fixed for 20 years.

The program has come under criticism, with opponents claiming it is responsible for increases in hydro rates.

Several years ago now, members of Frontenac County Council, in an effort to demonstrate their commitment to renewable energy, committed to bringing at least one municipally owned MicroFIT program to each municipality, and if a project goes ahead in North Frontenac, the township will join South and Central Frontenac and the County itself in having one up and running.

Because the project would generate revenue in the long run, any budgetary impacts in 2012 would be mitigated by future profit.

Septic inspection report:

Eric Kohlsmith of the Mississippi-Rideau Septic System Office office (MRSSO) reported to Council on the results of the 2011 voluntary septic re-inspection project. Due, in part, to the timing of a national mail strike last June, Kohlsmith said that the inspection program fell short of its goal of completing 100 inspections in 2011. In the end 81 inspections were completed on the following lakes: Big Gull, Brule, Buckshot, Canonto, Kashwakamak, Mackie, Marble, Mazinaw, Sand, and Shabomeka.

269 information packages were sent out to property owners, most of whom had already been approached in the last 1 – 3 years, and the 30% response rate is rather low, according to Kohlsmith. He recommended that the township consider changing tack in 2012, and moving from the voluntary program that has been in place for a number of years to what is called a “discretionary” program.

“For the upcoming 2012 season, the MRSSO recommends that a Discretionary Septic System Maintenance Inspection Program be implemented. The discretionary program has mandatory inspections, which would allow for the inspection of non-responding properties,” he said.

Kingston Frontenac Public Health, the agency that currently does septic inspections in the township for new construction, will be appearing before council next month to talk about a re-inspection program, so Mayor Clayton said the township would wait for that before deciding what to do in the coming year.

CAO Robson said that one thing council will have to look at is the cost to property owners under a mandatory system. The voluntary system is paid for by the municipality, at a cost of $8,000 per year but a mandatory system would involve direct billing to property owners, at a higher price per inspection.

In looking at the results from this year's program, Eric Kohlsmith said that of the 81 systems that were inspected, 36 were done on water access properties.

Of the 81 systems, inspectors found that 29% had no issues for remediation, while 52% required at least some remedial work, ranging from a pump out to repairs to a tank or a septic field. In six cases (7%), the systems were deemed to be substandard and “posed or could pose a risk to human health or the environment”. These were reported to Kingston Frontenac Public Health for enforcement.

“Do you do any follow up to see if any enforcement takes place?” asked Bud Clayton of Kohlsmith.

“No,” said Kohlsmith, “since we do not have the authority for enforcement, once we report it to Public Health we step back and leave it to them,” he said.

No winter interments – In preparing a cemeteries bylaw for the township, it was determined that winter interments are done in Barrie ward, but not in the others, a hangover from pre-amalgamation days. Staff presented a bylaw to council with two options: allow winter burials throughout the township or forbid them. Winter is defined in the bylaw as December 1 to March 31. Delaying burial until the spring can cause emotional and logistical strain for families. On the other hand the potential for disturbing neighboring plots by bringing in equipment in the winter is significant, and in the past the township has had to cover costs for repairing plots and headstones. Council decided to ban winter burials.