North Frontenac Council - May 20, 2014

Jeff Green | May 22, 2014

Tappin's Landing dock to be upgraded

The Mazinaw Property Owners' Association (MPOA) has been meeting with North Frontenac staff to develop a plan for the expansion of the township-owned docking facility at Tappin's Landing, which is a major access point for the public and for water access property owners on Mazinaw Lake in both North Frontenac and Addington Highlands.

The association approached the township last August about the project, at which time they said they expected they could raise enough money to build an expansion to the dock.

Up to 80 cars can be parked at the landing on busy summer weekends, according to Deputy Mayor Fred Perry, and the township gave the MPOA leave to develop the project.

On April 15, MPOA President Arndt Kruger advised the township that that the MPOA has raised enough funds to complete the construction. Cory Klatt, the manager of community development for the township, has met with Kruger on site and ensured that all the necessary hoops are being followed in the construction of a township asset.

At their meeting this week the township agreed to spend $600, as requested by MPOA, on the construction. Addington Highlands has committed $3,000 to the project.

Starting next year, North Frontenac will be putting money aside to replace the bridge in about ten years' time.

Community speakers series

John McDougall and Tracy John attended the meeting on behalf of the Sustainability Advisory Committee of Frontenac County. The committee is that proposing that a Community Speakers Series be established, with at least one event being held in each of the four Frontenac townships.

“Hosting an evening in each township means the subject matter will vary by event and be relevant to local residents,” said John McDougall.

Among potential topics are: A Homeowner's Helper (healthy homes, solar water heaters, etc); Developing Resilient Communities (car share programs, encouraging volunteerism, etc); Living Naturally, Living Locally (seed banks and heritage foods, eating locally in the winter, etc.); and A Climate Conscious Community (greening for local business, lake management plans, etc.)

“What we are looking for from you is some idea of topics that might work in North Frontenac,” said McDougall.

“I don't see much about climate change coming from the committee. I would think that adapting to climate change is going to be the key issue in the coming years,” said Mayor Bud Clayton.

Councilor John Inglis said that he has been tracking the temperature regularly at his property since 1994 as part of a program sponsored by Environment Canada and “there has been a clear upward trend over that period,” he said.

“But I think that climate change is an issue on such a broad scale that I wonder what we can do about it as a committee,” he said.

Mayor Clayton asked that members of Council bring ideas for speakers to him, and council endorsed the speakers series as a concept.

NF to join the social media revolution

In order to help publicize the Dark Skies events and ongoing use of the township observation pad on Road 506, Council agreed to set up the first North Frontenac Township-sponsored Facebook site. The site will be accessible on its own and through Northfrontenac.com. It will be managed by a volunteer, although the possibility of township staff working on social media functions was addressed.

IT/911 co-ordinator Evan Sepa, who brought the idea to Council, said the potential for staffing costs devoted to social media may become an issue in the future, but that all depends on the number of messages that a township Facebook page receives. For now, there is no cost.

Wine at farmers markets a slippery slope to wine at chip wagons, Clayton warns

Council expressed understanding but little support for a request from Dr. Ian Gemmill of KFL&A Public Health that they back out of a pilot program that allows the sale of VQAO wine at farmers' markets.

Mayor Clayton, who is the Frontenac County representative to the board of KFL&A Public Health, said “It starts with farmers' markets but when you follow through to the end stage you are looking at wine for sale at chip trucks; and can you see someone running a chip truck refusing a sale because of age?” he said “I'm just using this as an example, but you can see where this is leading.”

Noting that VQAO wine is an Ontario-produced product, and that wine and beer are sold in stores in most jurisdictions, Council decided to receive Dr. Gemmill's request for information instead of adopting it. Mayor Clayton's was the only vote against the motion.

Speed bylaw

A road speed bylaw was approved, although councilors questioned the wisdom of a 40 km per hour limit throughout entire hamlets.

“I tried this morning and had trouble going 40 through Plevna,” said Councilor Gerry Martin.

Public Works Manager Jim Phillips said he will be refining the bylaw by looking at specific sections of road. “I can see Plevna at 60 on the two ends and 40 in the school zone,” he said.