North Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | Nov 25, 2015

North Frontenac set to invest $900,000 into existing office/township garage

At a meeting to lay the groundwork for their 2016 budget last Friday, November 20, members of North Frontenac Council came to a decision about the future of their township office.

They decided to spend about $500,000 improving the cladding, insulation and air flow in the office section of the existing building. They are also planning to build a 1,500 square foot extension to the front of the building at an estimated cost of $400,000.

Earlier this year, Councilor Denis Bedard prepared a report that outlined six options for Council to consider.

Option 1, to do nothing, was not considered a viable option because “from a health and safety point of view the building as it is now is inadequate” said Bedard.

When the report was tabled in the late summer, Council responded favourably to option 3, to build a new office at a township-owned property in Plevna and keep the existing building as a garage. The estimated cost of this option was $1.63 million.

In September, Council received a flood of letters and emails from residents expressing dismay over the plan for a new building, many citing the cost as more than taxpayers can handle after years of tax increases and the impact of a jump in OPP costs that will be felt in the coming budget years.

When the issue came back to Council last week, Mayor Ron Higgins said, “There are some issues that need to be addressed. From staff I see that heating issues are a priority and a public washroom is also a priority. We can address these things one at a time.”

“The consultant has provided an estimate of $500,000 for insulation and siding and windows. You can't piecemeal that; you have to do it all at once,” said Councilor Bedard.”

At this point Councilor Wayne Good said, “To put money in the existing building is like putting a motor in a 50-year-old car and thinking that you have something. $500,000 is total waste of money. I don't agree with it at all.”

At this point in the meeting, the idea of dealing with the problems in the existing building and putting in a new section, which will include washrooms, a foyer, and proper office space, was proposed.

“We should use a new addition for offices, not a council chamber as the consultant said. That would eat up all the space,” said Councilor John Inglis.

“I agree with John,” said Wayne Good, “if we get the staff into the new part, put in washrooms, and then gut the old section and think about renovating it later, I could see doing this.”

Ron Higgins said that a cost of $900,000 can only be taken on as a loan, because of immediate budget pressures.

Jeremy Nevens, the township's chief building official, was asked if he could seek verbal quotes from architectural firms that could put together preliminary drawings, based on information about the space needs for staff, showing how a new addition could be built and organised.

“We can use verbal quotes rather than a formal process as long as the cost is under $20,000, according to our procurement bylaw,” said CAO Cheryl Robson.

“I think I can make those calls. There are a number of good firms available to do this, as long as I can get the specifications about what is there now and what the needs are,” said Nevens.

“This will take us a year to set up, and we will start building in 2017,” said Higgins.

Manager of Community Development Cory Klatt was then asked if he can find updated information about the water at the site, which has been an ongoing problem for years.

Fire chief, treasurer positions filled

At their meeting this week, council announced that Eric Korhonen, who has been the interim fire chief, has been hired as the permanent fire chief. Kelly Watkins has also been promoted to the position of treasurer.