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Feature Article - March 15, 2007Two dumps to close in Central FrontenacbyJeffGreen
The Arden and Elbow Lake dumps will be closing within the next six weeks.
At their meeting on Monday night, March 12, 2007, Central Frontenac Council decided to stop residents from tossing their garbage over the hill at both locations by the end of April, but they are hoping to have the approvals in place to turn the Elbow Lake dump (in Hinchinbrooke ward) into a waste transfer station by the time it is scheduled to close on April 20th.
Arden residents will have to travel to the Olden dump as of April 30th.
The decisions to close the dumps came about when an ad hoc committee on recycling delivered their report to council. The report said that the Hinchinbrooke site “is rapidly nearing capacity (estimated to be about 1 month) and that conversion of this site to a Transfer Station needs to proceed immediately. This conversion requires application to MoE for approval, and decisions will be required around how the site is to be operated.”
In the case of the Arden site, the report says that during a site visit with the township’s consultant on March 7, “it was agreed that the site ‘in theory’ could accommodate garbage. However the remaining capacity is only available over the southern portion of the site and complete filling of this area will soon present real operational challenges relating to both dropping off recyclables and dealing with recyclables.”
The committee recommended that the Arden site be closed to the public, and the remaining space used up by dumping waste that will be transferred from the Hinchinbrooke site once it closes.
Council has discussed the fate of the two dumps periodically over the past two years. Some councilors were surprised at the timing of the closure of the Arden dump, which was not expected until the end of 2007 or early in 2008.
Councilor Gary Smith from Kennebec Ward said that he thought a transfer station had been discussed for Arden as well as Hinchinbrooke, but interim clerk John DuChene said he has seen no record of that.
“It is unfortunate for the people of Arden that their dump will be closing and they will have to travel to Olden. Not everyone will be pleased,” said Mayor Janet Gutowski.
Recycling contract – Faced with a demand by their recycling contractor, MANCO, that they purchase larger bins, the township has decided to seek another contractor. MANCO will continue to haul recycling until the end of March, and the township has found another hauler that will then take over on an interim basis.
“This will give us the opportunity to assess the costs of new bins, and consider other options. We can then go to tender for our recycling needs,” said John Purdon of the recently formed recycling committee. Purdon also reported that the township has a long way to go with its recycling program.
“I did some internet research, and found in a report from Waste Diversion Ontario that of the 24 municipalities in our geographical and size category, we ranked 17th in 2005, so there is room for improvement,” he said.
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Feature Article - May 10, 2007Dump pass cards not needed for 2007 in CentralFrontenac
Township property owners with a home or cottage located on their property are entitled to dispose of ONE LOAD of refuse originating from their property, FREE OF CHARGE for the year, as approved by council.
However, starting this summer, "Dump cards" will not be issued in your June tax bill. Instead, you (or a person you have designated) will simply need to sign beside your name at the landfill site when arriving at the site with the load of waste. The landfill site attendants will be maintaining a list of property owner names and there will be space for a signature associated with each property.
For tenants, you will be required to obtain an authorization note from your landlord (forms will be available at each site and at the township office), which will enable you, as a tenant to dispose of one free load of materials.
The same load restrictions and guidelines will apply that existed in previous years. For example, one load is defined as one car or one van or one single axle dump trailer or one half ton truck load.
Property owners will have from June 1 to October 13, 2007 to take advantage of this free offer. This offer is only valid at the 1094 Olden Park Road site or the 1122 Wemp Road site.
The municipality believes this change will be both more efficient and effective in providing this annual service. Please call the municipal office if you have any questions or concerns.
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Feature Article - June 21, 2007AH Council refuses to reconsider Denbigh dump closure
by Jule Koch Brison
Paul Isaacs appeared before council to ask them to reconsider the temporary closing of the Denbigh dump. Isaacs said, “I’ve been pondering the closure and couldn’t understand why… there must have been some threats, some kind of bureaucratic blackmail. There is nothing positive about closing the site…For the community it is an outright hardship.” Isaacs asked Reeve Henry Hogg to poll the council to bring forward a motion for reconsideration.
In reply, Hogg pointed out that the closure is temporary and that council has already applied for a certificate of approval to expand the site. Hogg then asked the four councilors if anyone wanted to bring forward a motion for reconsideration. No one responded. He asked twice more but still there was no response and so Paul Isaacs’ request was denied.
- The McGuinty government announced on June 6 that it is accepting applications for Rural Connections, a $10 million program aimed at bringing high-speed internet to rural municipalities. However, resident Ian Brummell attended a meeting and said that there was no hope for Addington Highlands to get in on the program as it is for municipalities with much more advanced projects.
The township received two bids for rockblasting and removal on the Hughes Landing/Skootamatta Lake Road, one for $1035/hr, and one for $884/hr from Danford Construction. Council accepted the lower quote.
- Council accepted a quote of $2073.89 from Quinte Eco for replacing two groundwater wells at the Kaladar dump that have been destroyed, probably by bears. Councilor Helen Yanch asked if the township’s insurance would cover the wells, but Township Clerk Jack Pauhl didn’t think so, as the destruction was not an accident, and also, the replacement cost from Quinte Eco is less than the deductible.
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Feature Article - March 20, 2008 North Frontenac Council –Mar 13/08by Jeff GreenNorth Frontenac has time left at waste sites
Guy Laporte from the engineering firm Totten, Sims, Hubiki (TSH) brought reasonably good news about waste disposal to a meeting of North Frontenac Council last week. (March 13)
The five waste sites that remain open in the township (Ardoch, Kashwakamak, Mississippi Station, Plevna, and Road 506) will all be able to accept waste for at least 10 more years, and based on current estimates, the township has 20 years of cumulative life left in its dumps, up from 15 years when TSH first estimated the cumulative life back in 2002.
Laporte credited improvements in recycling as well as improved operations, along with a tendency of TSH to be conservative in its assessment as reasons for the improved picture.
“When I say 20 years, that's easily 30 years if we keep going in the way we've been going,” Guy Laporte told council.
North Frontenac could look to some of its neighbours as it considers how to maximize the life of its dump sites. Lanark Highlands, another client of TSH, will be temporarily turning all of its sites but one into transfer stations, and concentrating all dumping at a single site.
“In this way they can purchase one good compactor and concentrate on getting maximum use from each site. When one site is full, they will then move to another site and proceed in this fashion,” Laporte said.
Another option would be the one that South Frontenac has taken, commissioning a waste master plan by TSH.
“How much does a master plan cost?” asked North Frontenac Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson.
“The South Frontenac master plan is $20,000. Mind you, they chose not to do public consultation as part of theirs, but that's the ballpark range,” Laporte replied.
Based on current estimates, the 506 dump has 17 years of dump life left; the Ardoch dump has 24 years, the Kashwakamak dump has 10, the Mississippi Station dump has 29, and the Plevna dump has 10 years.
Guy Laporte also updated council on ongoing environmental monitoring that is required at all waste sites, and the post-site closure activities and monitoring at the Ompah, Cloyne, and Fernleigh sites.
An application to operate Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Stations at the 506, Mississippi Station and Plevna sites has been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and it is anticipated approval will be received to initiate the service in 2008.
Hall troubles – A report by a township task force on the future of the township’s community halls was discussed at length at a special budget meeting on February 28.
The report called for a standardised rental agreement for all halls so they can be centrally administered, and included other recommendations about the operation of the halls.
In the minutes from that meeting, Mayor Maguire is noted as stating that he expected “something more” from the task force report. “The report cites maintenance work needed at each hall ... however the long term picture is not included and I have been telling people at council and the county that the task force is looking at a long-term plan,” he is recorded as saying.
Major questions regarding the future of the beleaguered Clar/Mill hall, which has been vacated by the public library because of a mould problem, the future of the Ompah hall and fire station which has its own deficiencies, and a lack of space at the township office, remain as issues that council needs to deal with. As well, a lingering question about whether the township can maintain five small community halls in the long term has not been settled.
With all of these issues remaining outstanding, council decided to put money into the 2008 budget for the Clar/Mill and Ompah halls, to ensure that all health and safety issues are dealt with.
NF joins CF on ICSP – North Frontenac Council received notification that the Council of Central Frontenac is urging the County of Frontenac to put a halt to approving the framework for a county-wide integrated community sustainability plan (ICSP) which is slated to set up a points system whereby $2 million worth of federal gas tax funding will be doled out in the County over the next 3 years.
Citing a lack of consultation at the township level, North Frontenac passed a motion endorsing the motion Central Frontenac Council approved at their meeting earlier in the week.
The ICSP framework is slated to come before the Frontenac County agenda at the monthly meeting this week.
Rural Routes funding request denied – The Rural Routes Transportation Service has received funding from Frontenac County this year. They are receiving $20,000, and the county set an additional $20,000 aside pending the development of a county-wide transportation system.
This has left rural Routes with a shortfall and they have therefore sent a request for supplemental funding to North, Central and South Frontenac townships. In the case of North Frontenac, the request was for $7,000.
At the county level, Mayor Maguire has been a staunch supporter of Rural Routes, but he did not favour a direct financial contribution from the township.
“I guess before we get involved in what I properly think is county business, we should think twice. The county is on the hook for that second $20,000 and until that issue is resolved I don’t want the county to say '”Well. it's your property, you are obviously funding it,” Maguire said.
“I agree”, said Councilor Fred Perry, ”if we support this we are letting the county off the hook.”
Rural Routes has requested $15,000 from Central Frontenac, and $4,000 from South Frontenac. A table that was included with the request to North Frontenac presented information about Rural Routes services in 2007. There were 4354 trips provided by the service, covering almost 260,000 kilometres, and 6,777 volunteer hours. Of those trips, 247 originated in North Frontenac, 2890 in Central Frontenac, and 180 in South Frontenac.
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Feature Article - September 18, 2008 Portland Residents Critical of Waste Management PlanBy Jeff Green
Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth face a barrage of questions and comments in Verona last week
Guy Laporte, the engineer from the firm Totten Sims Hubicki, who has been working with the South Frontenac Township Sustainability Committee, and township Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth, were faced with a series of provocative, often angry questions at a public meeting in Verona last week.
The meeting was one of four that took place to present a draft plan to amalgamate and overhaul the township’s waste management system. Meetings took place in each district of the township, and since the districts all have their own systems in place, and would be impacted differently by the changes, the tones of the meetings varied considerably.
The Verona meeting was the largest and most contentious of them all.
One of the reasons for this response is that Portland is the home of the largest capacity dump in South Frontenac, with 39 years of projected dumping available if it is limited to the use of Portland residents and current dumping practices are maintained.
The draft waste management plan envisions increased recycling, and other practices aimed at diverting more waste and reducing the amount of garbage each South Frontenac resident sends to landfill by at least 25% over the next few years.
If those reductions are achieved, with the Portland dump being integrated into a township-wide system, the township is projected to run out of dumping capacity in 32 years. If Portland residents increased the amount of waste they divert by 25%, and continued to have exclusive use of their own dump, they would have “50 or 60 years of capacity” said Guy Laporte.
Another reason for the controversy is that Bill Robinson, a long-serving Portland councilor and the current deputy mayor of the township, actively promoted the meeting as an opportunity to try to save the Portland dump.
Guy Laporte explained the ins and outs of the draft plan, which, among other things, would call for a true user-pay system, with $2 bag tags being available at local stores, and current waste fees ($125 per household in Loughborough and Portland and $25 in Bedford) being eliminated. It would also mean an end to the practice of shipping waste out of Storrington District to a commercial landfill site at a cost of $85 per tonne plus shipping. The draft plan envisions a single waste stream for the entire township, with curbside pickup of garbage and recycling on all township roads and the orderly filling up of all township dump sites.
“What we have been trying to do is establish a 20-year plan for waste management throughout the township of South Frontenac,” said Mark Segsworth. “We have come up with a draft plan but nothing is set in stone, and this is a great turnout to talk about it.”
Deputy Mayor Bill Robinson addressed the audience after Guy Laporte was finished. “You've made my heart just race. I'm so thrilled to see you all. These people have created a crisis here, when there never needed to be one,” he said.
What followed was 90 minutes of questions and statements, most of them running counter to the idea of opening up the Portland dump to waste from outside the district.
“There are a lot of people here who want to keep what they have,” said one individual, “and you people are trying to take it away from them.”
“It's very clear that you've already made up your minds and are going to shove this down our throats,” said another.
Another question arose concerning the garbage that is generated in Storrington district. The report concluded that it would be more efficient, and more cost effective, to keep that garbage within the township.
“The principle is that we should take care of our own garbage,” said Mark Segsworth.”
“When you look at all the costs, you see that it makes more sense to dump it at home,” said Guy Laporte.
This did not go well with many of the people in the hall.
“We have worked to develop our dump and keep it up,” said one person, “and in Storrington they sold off their dump, and then we are supposed to take their garbage for free? How are you going to compensate the people of Portland?”
“We have identified that compensation should be considered,” said Segsworth.
The Township Sustainability Committee, which produced the draft plan, is made up of four councilors and four volunteers, with each district having at least a councilor and in most cases another member of the public on the committee.
Councilor David Hahn from Bedford, who is one of the committee members, spoke out in favour of the plan and the process through which it was developed. He said the plan is an attempt to be fair to everyone, “and to ensure that garbage is dealt with tomorrow and in 20 years while encouraging recycling, setting up a hazardous waste centre, doing everything we can do to have a good, solid system that works for everyone.”
Councilor Jim Hicks from Portland pointed out that “neither myself, nor Pam Redden [the non-council rep. from Portland] nor Councilor John Filion from Storrington voted for this plan. We opposed it.”
Most members of South Frontenac Council were in attendance at the meeting, including Mayor Davison, but they kept quiet, leaving Public Works Manager Segsworth to represent the township.
The public meetings in the other districts were neither as contentious nor as crowded as the Verona meeting, but common concerns were raised, including a resistance to the user-pay bag tag system that is being proposed.
All of the commentary from the public meetings, as well as written submissions, are being compiled and a report is being presented to the sustainability committee this week.
The matter will eventually come before the entire Council.
Editorial_08-38
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Editorial - September 25, 2008 32 years: Lots of Time to Fix Waste Management ProblemEditorial by Jeff GreeThe issues raised about a draft waste management plan for South Frontenac Township at public meetings over the past month reveal that amlagamating services in the township is never easy.
But developing a comprehensive waste management plan for the entire township within the next year will serve everyone's long term interest, even Portland residents.
The most contentious of the public meetings was held in Verona, where Portland residents rallied under the banner “Save Our Dump”.
The residents were not mollified when they were told that by opening up their dump to garbage from other districts in South Frontenac, it is projected to last only 32 years, instead of 39 years if it continues to be restricted to use by Portland residents only. The discrepancy is actually greater than 7 years, because the 32-year projection is based on a 25% decrease in the amount of garbage each resident sends to the dump because of improved recycling programs, etc. If the 25% decrease is applied, and the Portland dump continues to be used only by Portland residents, it would last about 50 years.
So, apart from some kind of all for one and one for all attitude, why should Portland people want to go to the troble of sorting their garbage and recycling, perhaps even getting into municpal composting, etc., and still end up running out of room in 32 years?
On top of all this, the consultant report behind all the changes does not call for any new dumping sites to be developed in South Frontenac.
Thirty-two years ago it was 1976. At that time there were no recycling porgrams, there was no real sense that garbage was a problem. There were no dump attendants. Every couple of weeks, people filled their trucks with everything they didn't want, drove to the dump and topssed it 'over the hill'. That is, if they didn't dump their garbage in a hidden corner of their own property. Dumps were located on marginal land, often near swamps, and there was no real concern over the impact of leachate from dumps on the watershed.
a lot has changed in the past 32 years. A lot has changed in the past 10 years, and the changes will be wven greater over the next ten years.
For people who do recycle and compost, and that is more and more of us every year, the major source of garbage we produce on a weekly basis is plastic packaging. This will not be the case in ten years. Plastic bags from grocery stores will be gon,and manufacrureres will be forced to take back their packaging or pay for its disposal.
The other major waste stream that we produce is brush and construction garbage. Both of these waste streams can and will be dealt with over the next few years.
Trying to turn around things like carbon emissions are slow, difficutl processes, requiring both a change in bahaviour adn a cahnge in technology.
Garbage is not nearly as complicated. The cahnge in baehaviour iw well underway, nboth on the aprt of producers and consumers. A change in technology is not even required.
The upshot of all this is that within 10-15 years, there is no reason for us to be dumping any more than 25% of the waste we dump now.
Apply this to the South Frontenac dump situation, and it could mena that in 20 years, which is how long this waste management plan is designed to work, there could be at least 25 years of life left in South Frontenac dumps.
There is much to debate about the wate management plan, including whether curbside pickup in Bedford is necessary (or even wanted by Bedford residents) whether dumping all of Storrington`s waste in the townhip instead of shipping it away is a good idea, how the bag tag system will work, how the recycling system will work, etc.
The basic premise that a single system, rationally considered, will lead to rsidents being able to put out their garbage each week for years to come without having to pay exhorbitant tipping fees, is sound.
The details need working out.
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Feature Article - September 4, 2008 Waste Management to be debated in South FrontenacBy Jeff GreenOf all the issues to be sorted out in South Frontenac over the next few months: finalizing the official plan, putting the Sydenham water issue to bed once and for all (which happened this week), and changing the way waste is collected, the last is the one that people throughout the township will notice most.
The reason for this is that the way garbage is collected will change: change in the way it is picked up, where we have to take it, and how much and in what way we will pay for it to be disposed of.
Waste management is also one of the last bastions of the area rating system that has been a feature of municipal life in South Frontenac since the township came into existence some 10 years ago.
As of now, the situation varies widely from district to district. In Bedford district, ratepayers deliver their garbage to several small dump sites, most of which are nearly full.
In all three other districts there is garbage and recycling pickup, and the township provides enough bag tags for two bags of garbage each week, but the similarities in service mask stark differences in what happens to the waste stream after the garbage is picked up.
Portland district is home to the largest site in the township, with a potential ability to handle Portland’s waste for another 30 years. The Loughborough dump has limited life left in it, and in Storrington the waste is transported out of the township and is dumped at a commercial site, for a fee.
Residents in Loughborough, Portland, and Storrington pay about $125 each year in waste management fees as part of their tax bill, while in Bedford the fee is $25. Residents receive 100 bag tags each year, and additional tags cost $3 each.
The Waste Management Plan that was approved by the township’s sustainability committee in draft form was presented to the public in Bedford District recently and will be the subject of meetings in the other three districts over the next two weeks (see ad on page 13). It envisions a basic change in the way waste is managed in South Frontenac. In practical terms the changes for ratepayers would be greatest in Bedford District, where curbside pickup is proposed on township roads.
The other major impact noticed by the public would be how the system is funded. Instead of annual fees, the report proposes establishing a standardized user-pay bag tag system in the township.
This proposal is outlined on page 35 of the report.
“13.1 – The Township of South Frontenac should continue to require bag tags on all garbage bags. The Township should move towards a standard bag tag that can be used by all residents.
13. – The Township should consider changes to its bag tag system with the objective to encourage more recycling and diversion. Consideration should be given to full user pay.”
The report goes on to say that the township “should determine what system best serves its long term needs and then prepare a transition plan to implement the final system.”
In terms of the backbone of the system, the report calls for sweeping changes. It recommends that all the township’s garbage be kept within the township, and that dump sites be considered as a township resource for use by the entire township.
This would mean that the garbage from Storrington district would end up in South Frontenac landfill sites instead of being exported. Some sites, particularly those that are nearing capacity, would likely be filled up first, and sites might be temporarily closed as other sites are used up. This promises to be the most controversial aspect of the report.
Under this scenario the township would be out of dumping capacity by 2024, based on current practices and dumping volumes. If the districts kept their garbage to themselves, however, Loughborough would run out of space in 2021, Bedford in 2025, and Portland in 2046, with Storrington continuing to dump outside of the township.
However, mainly through the use of increased compaction, increasing recycling and other diversion practices, the report says the township should be able to continue dumping until 2039 without having to look at establishing new sites or expanding its Salem site in Bedford or its Portland site.
Currently, South Frontenac diverts about 20% of its waste, and the goal is to increase that to 50% in the coming years through increased recycling, e-waste diversion, and establishing a collective composting program.
The complete report is available on the township’s website (township.southfrontenac.on.ca). Click on “General Info” in the menu on the left side of the page, then on “dump/landfill/recycling information”, then on “waste management plan report.”
North Frontenac Township – Mar. 11/10
Several years ago the waste sites in North Frontenac were filling up at such a rate that the township was faced with the possibility of shipping garbage away by the middle of this decade.
The township entered into a long-term management plan for the six currently active sites and three closed sites in the township, and developed a more aggressive recycling program. These actions have made a marked difference.
The township now has a projected 21 years of dump capacity available, according to a report to Council by Guy Laporte and Anne Kloosterman of Aecom Consulting, the engineering company that works for North Frontenac. “The recycling program is really working, that's one major difference,” Anne Kloosterman said.
Kloosterman added there are two ways to calculate the amount of recycling that township residents are doing. “Because the operators now keep exceptional records, we know that of every 100 bags they receive, 46 are recycling compared to 54 that go into the dump,” she said.
For several years, North Frontenac has had a policy of “paying” for recycling by giving residents a $2 dump tag for every bag of recycling. Tags are required on each bag of waste. The township has also recently gone to a clear bag system to further ensure that recyclable materials do not end up in landfill.
Basing waste diversion calculations by total weight, however, doesn't yield quite the same result, Kloosterman said. “If we use the empirical prediction that each resident produces 1.5 kilograms per person per day of waste, and look at the total weight that went into landfill last year, we get a diversion rate of 38%, which is still a marked improvement over the past,” Kloosterman said.
Going forward, Kloosterman said, “The first 'R' in the three Rs of waste diversion, 'Reduce', will become more and more relevant. Packaging practices are changing, and so are people's buying habits. If that 1.5 kilograms per person per day is decrease to 1, the diversion rate would jump up,” she said.
Construction waste is another major factor when the total weight of materials going “over the hill” is considered. On that front, Public Works Manager John Ibey said he has been informed of a process by which companies can recycle old shingles into paving materials, so shingles may soon be removed from the waste stream.
North Frontenac also invested in hazardous waste recycling last year, and ten tons of hazardous waste was collected. “That is not a large number but this the really toxic, really gross stuff that you don't want in your landfill site,” Guy Laporte said.
At an e-waste recycling day, 5.1 tons were collected. Guy Laporte said it would be relatively simple for the township to collect e-waste at one or two of its sites, by purchasing an old shipping container and lining it with pallets.
The township invested in a compactor in 2009, and it was used extensively at some of the sites.
“The compaction had a major impact on your overall dump life capacity last year,” said Laporte, “it went from 19 years after 2008 to 21 years after 2009. Now that the sites have been compacted, that dramatic an impact will not continue to occur.”
In terms of the health of the environmental impact of the township’s sites, Aecom does monitoring on an ongoing basis, and deals directly with the Ministry of the Environment for the township. They propose to drill two new monitoring wells in 2010 as part of their monitoring work, one at the 506 site and one at Plevna.
Other items from NF Council –
Plevna medical clinic by the end of the year? Councilor Fred Perry attended an organizational meeting for a Northbrook-based Family Health Team and reported back to Council. The current time-lines that the Ministry of Health is working with call for the satellite clinic at Plevna to be accepting patients by the end of 2010. Council asked staff to invite Kim Bains, the consultant to the project, to attend a meeting of council and bring further details.
Kennel approved – Council approved a zoning application that will permit a breeding operation for small so-called “designer dogs” by a Mr. Whyte at his property on the South Lavant Road.
Council remuneration – It cost North Frontenac ratepayers $137,000 to pay salaries and expenses to the mayor, council, and members of the Committee of Adjustment in 2009. Councillors received $13,884 in salary, $600 in office expenses and varying amounts for mileage, conference and county meeting expenses.
Because Mayor Maguire took a leave for three months, he received less pay for the year ($16,820) than Deputy Mayor Jim Beam ($18,022) did for the year. Including all travel, mileage and conference costs, the total for Beam was $27,570 and Maguire $23,000. Among councillors, Fred Perry received the most overall, $18,600 and Lonnie Watkins the least, $14,713.
AFAR further away – Councilor Fred Perry continues to attend meetings of the Addington Frontenac Area Radio station project (AFAR) and he reported that group is now considering switching gears and seeking an AM band instead of FM. They are also looking at the ongoing costs and commitments that are connected to operating a station. “The complications have been mounting but the committee is still working out solutions to the problems,” Perry said.
South Frontenac Council - May 3/10
Public Works Issues
Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth reported purchase of a rubber-tired excavator, which will also have a brushing attachment. After test driving machines from the three lowest bidders, staff recommended the third lowest bid ($263,290) as the best unit for cost and functionality.
Council approved the bid of Roadlast Sealing and Asphalt Maintenance to complete the crack sealing work on Sydenham Road. Segsworth said the process should extend the life of this heavily used road by ten years, before it will need a full re-paving. He said that while the surface ‘looks bad’, the skid resistance of the road has increased significantly. This, combined with the shoulder paving, has greatly improvedthe road’s safety. He reminded Council, “Our (Township road) needs greatly outweigh our resources.”
Metro Line painting was awarded the road painting tender on the basis of their excellent performance last year.
Portland Dump
Council agreed “To direct the Public Works manager in conjunction with AECOM to follow up on the process to amend the Certifi cate of Approval for the Portland Dumpsite to allow for the receipt of brush.”
Council also agreed to purchase land adjacent to Portland dump from Robert Leonard for the sum of $116,075.
Verona Health Services Council also agreed to establish the Verona and District Health Services Committee as a committee of the township, separate and distinct from the Verona Community Association.
Addington Highlands Council - May 3/10
Taxes jump by 6.7% in Addington Highlands
Addington Highlands Council will be increasing their net levy to ratepayers by $114,000 in 2010. In 2009 the total amount raised through taxation in the township was $1.68 million, whereas in 2010 it will be $1.79 million, an increase of about 6.7%
One of the major reasons for the increase, according to Reeve Henry Hogg, was a cut in a provincial transfer fund for municipal services. Payments to Addington Highlands from the Ontaro government under the Ontario Municipal Partnership fund (OMPF) decreased by $144,000 this year. “There was not much we could do,” said Henry Hogg, “we still have to cover all of our costs, even if the OMPF fund was cut back.”
The township will be completing work on the Denbigh garage and the Matawachan Road this year, both projects that were partially funded by grant money. A planned new fire hall in Northbrook will not go ahead this year, but money has been set aside for the construction in the future.
The extra levy will be covered by assessment increases that are being phased in over a four-year period.
Dump site to be mothballed? An inquiry has been received by the township about a small dump site that serves residents who live on Buckshot Lake. The localized dump, which is only active in the summer, does not receive recycling, only waste, and use is based on subscribers among members of the lake association. The complaint concerns maintenance of the dump.
According to Reeve Hogg, the site has been in existence since before amalgamation, and the Ministry of the Environment is aware of its existence. “I think this might mean that the site will have to be mothballed, and if it is we are going to have to pay the closure costs,” said Hogg, although as of yet the township has not been contacted by the Ministry of Environment about the Buckshot Lake dump.
“We would not consider that site for a transfer station if it were closed,” said Roads Superintendent Royce Rosenblath.
Although the matter was the subject of conversation, Council took no action on it. At this time, there are no plans to close the site.
LOLCS to pay for hall rentals – Land O'Lakes Community Services (LOLCS) requested a significant fee reduction for the use of township halls.
“What do they normally pay?” asked Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch.
“I think we normally waive the fees,” said Councilor Louise Scott.
“If we give them a very reduced rate, or free use of the halls, there is still the matter of the cost of cleanup,” said Treasurer Jack Pauhl. “But we do have a reduced rate for service groups.”
Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch moved that the service group rate be applied to all use of halls by LOLCS, and Council agreed.
Tender for coverall at Flinton rink – The impact of the Harmonised Sales Tax on the project has made it difficult for the township to determine if the tenders they have received for the Flinton Rink Coverall will lead to a cost over run, but there is a possibility that there will be a $5,000 extra cost.
The Flinton Recreation Committee has committed $63,000 towards the $125,000 municipal cost of the project, and will be doing fundraising for the rest. An infrastructure grant is covering the other $250,000. Council agreed to cover the extra $5,000 cost, should it be necessary.
Internet voting returns – Council decided to engage Intellivote to run the 2010 Addington Highlands Election. Residents will receive a PIN number in the mail, which will enable them to vote over the telephone or through the world-wide web. The same company provided service for the 2006 election, and voting went off without a hitch.
