Works manager confident major projects will be done by Labour Day

Craig Bakay | Aug 08, 2018

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth said he’s confident the Township’s three major projects for this summer will be completed by Labour Day. Segsworth was responding to a question from Coun. Mark Schjerning at South Frontenac Council’s regular meeting Tuesday night (the only Council meeting scheduled for August).

Segsworth said asphalt is scheduled for this week and next on the Harrowsmith intersection, Harrowsmith-Rutledge Road and Bedford Road projects.

“Weather permitting we should have everything completed, including the line painting, by Labour Day,” Segsworth said. “This has been a stifling hot summer and I can’t say enough about how well our staff has done in it.

“There’s not much chance you can go full out in this heat but we’ve got everything done, including a few of our other projects,” he said.

And Segsworth expects the traffic lights to be working at the Harrowsmith intersection as well, however, he cautioned that they will take some adjusting.

“It is going to take a while to get the timing right on the lights,” he said. “There will be some adjustments to be made according to traffic density, rush hour, etc.

“We’re not going to get that right right off the bat.”

Johnston’s Point
Coun. Ross Sutherland’s attempt to get Johnston Point Condominium project back on the table has failed.

Sutherland argued that Bylaw 2018-34 passed at the June 5 Council meeting should be reconsidered on the grounds that the developer has yet to sign the condominium agreement.

“We passed that bylaw on the assumption that the Township would be able to go in and investigate complaints such as tree cutting and blasting,” Sutherland said. “But we can’t do that until the developer signs the agreement.

“And there has been a complaint subsequent to our passing the bylaw.”

His Council colleagues disagreed however. Bringing the bylaw back to the table for debate required a two-thirds majority vote of Council (ie six votes).

The motion was defeated 7-1 with Sutherland being the lone ‘yes’ vote.

Stone Buildings capture Heritage Commitee’s attention
A report from the Heritage Committee suggesting future plans with respect to heritage buildings led Deputy Mayor Alan Revill to wonder aloud “are we changing the focus of the committee, which up to this point has been rather passive?”

“The committee has been revising its priorities by looking at buildings of interest,” said CAO Wayne Orr. “But it’s still functioning within its terms of reference.”

Of note has been David Jefferies’ Stone House Heritage Route Project but Coun. Ross Sutherland suggested there were “some really fascinating wood structures still intact like Fermoy Hall.”

“The committee has had discussions on that but decided the stone buildings would be a good starting point,” said Orr.

“The stone buildings do catch the eye,” said Coun. Pat Barr, who is on the committee.

“If we do get this registry of fascinating buildings nobody knows about completed, we could start tours for events like the ATV rally,” said Mayor Ron Vandewal. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

Phone company to expand fibre network
Council voted to enter into an agreement with North Frontenac Telephone Company for the installation of fibre optic cable for high-speed internet connection along the length of the K & P Trail from Tichborne to Orser Road. Council agreed to the waving of $1,750 in license of occupation fees.

High mark for building permits
In the second quarter of 2018, $13,050,191 worth of building permits were issued in the township, the first time in the last four years that over $13 million in permits were issued in one quarter. For the first six months of 2018, over $16 million in permits have been issued, up from just under $15 million in 2017, $14 million in 2016, and $10 million in 2015. Overall the value of permits has been trending upwards over the last 4 years, as annual values have risen from $27 million to $32 million in the three year period between 2015 and 2017 and it appears that will only go up this year The number of permits for new homes in the first half of the years is 31, 26 permanent dwellings and 5 seasonal dwellings.