Cf_council_oct27

Jeff Green | Oct 27, 2005

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Notes fromCentral Frontenac Council

by Jeff Green

Cattle Crossing Jim England wrote to council asking for their support for his request that planned construction on Hwy. 7 east of Road 38 include a culvert for a cattle pass under Hwy. 7 at Zealand Road. Mr. English has property on both sides of the highway and it is difficult to move his cattle across the road when he needs to do so. Council agreed to support his request to the Ministry of Transportation.

$80,000 for Bridge repair A bridge over the Salmon River on Cranberry Lake road near the historic Village of Elm Tree is in need of repairs. A report was presented from the engineering firm of McCormick Rankin, which presents several options. Option 1, which is an immediate measure to shore up the bridge so it will get through the coming winter, has already been undertaken. It is estimated this work will cost $5,000. After that several options were presented, at estimated costs ranging from $30,000 for repairs that “may require repairs in the near to medium future” according to the Engineers, to $275,000 for a new bridge that would be “relatively maintenance free for a 75-year life”. McCormick Rankin recommended several mid range options at costs ranging from $75,000 to $100,000, and Public Works Manager Bill Nicol recommended Council proceed with one of them. This option involves the reconstruction of the bridge’s superstructure at a cost of $80,000. It will require that the bridge be closed to traffic for about eight weeks, and will produce a bridge that, according to the engineers, will last for 25 years.

Councilor Bill Guigue wanted to delay repairing the bridge beyond the immediate stop-gap measures in hopes of finding funding for it in the not too-distant future. Councilor Snyder wanted Council to look at the bridge as part of the roads tour that Council had scheduled for the day following the Council meeting, and Councilor Murray thought the $30,000 option would be sufficient.

In the end, Council supported the Public Works Manager’s recommendation. Necessary approvals will be sought immediately and the project will be brought to tender in the near future, with construction expected to commence as early as possible in the spring.

Amnesty day loses popularityIn 2005, 33% of residents made use of their free dump load passes compared with 375 in 2004. The numbers were highest in Oso where 40% were used, and lowest in Kennebec (29%)

Gravel crushing tender Danforth Aggregates was awarded the contract to crush gravel at township pits for use in winter road maintenance this year on a bid of $167,200. The next lowest bidder was Gemmill Sand and Gravel at $197,750

Construction in September 21 construction permits were issued in September, compared to 19 last year and 17 in 2003. The total value of the permits is down significantly from last year, however. In 2005, September permits are for a construction value of $389,000 while the total was $910,000 in 2004. The year-to-date figures are significantly higher this year than in the two previous years. The total for the first nine months of 2005 is $6,636,000 compared to $4,842,000 in ’04 and $3,803,000 in ’03.