Ah_council

Jeff Green | Mar 08, 2007

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Addington Highlands CouncilbyJeffGreen

During his report to council at this past Monday’s Addington Highlands Council meeting, Roads Superintendent Royce Rosenblath told council that the supplier of sand and gravel that serves the north end of the township does not intend to seek a license to continue operating his pit when regulations come into force on July 1st.

“This puts the township in a position of having to lease the pit from him or buy it outright if we want to keep sourcing material locally,” Rosenblath told council.

The Aggregate Resources Act has been in place throughout southern Ontario for a dozen years, but several rural townships were exempted when the act was originally proclaimed. Legislation will come into place on July 1st bringing the act into force in Addington Highlands , as well as Central and North Frontenac.

At a meeting for pit owners that was held in Sharbot Lake, Ministry of Natural Resources officials explained that small operators who wish to comply with the act can do so by purchasing a “B” license at a cost of $200, and submit a sketch of their operation, but they must do so before June, after which time the price will go up.

North Frontenac Township councillor Fred Perry was in the gallery at Monday’s Addington Highlands meetings. He offered that he had attended a 15-minute meeting between David Ramsay, the Minister of Natural Resources, and the mayors of Central and North Frontenac, which was held during last week’s Good Roads conference in Toronto.

“The mayors were asking that the legislation not be proclaimed, but Ramsay said it was too late. He did say the regulations could be loosened somewhat, but the Aggregate Resources Act is coming,” Fred Perry told Addington Highlands Council.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has been trying to contact pit owners to let them know what they need to do to comply, but since the pits are currently unregulated in these townships, they often don’t know who to contact.

“There are only 3 pits in Addington Highlands that were contacted by the MNR,” said Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch.

Mileage for committee members Township Clerk Jack Pauhl brought forward amendments to the township’s procedural bylaw in order to comply with Bill 130, the new Municipal Act in Ontario . Among the items to be clarified was the matter of mileage payments for members of township committees.

The practice has been that members of the public who sit on committees who submit requests have been receiving forty cents a kilometre to offset their costs to attend meetings, but not all members of committees have submitted requests.

“If people are willing to volunteer for township committees, I suppose we should cover their mileage,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch said she didn’t agree, but the amendment to the procedural bylaw was approved.

Quinte Conservation budget increase Addington Highlands will pay $12,469 to Quinte Conservation in 2007, a 3% increase. The township was also levied $230 to cover capital costs for a dam rehabilitation project near Madoc.

“Why do we have to pay for something that far from here?” asked Deputy Reeve Yanch.

“They are also doing a $75,000 project at Deer Rock Lake ,” said Councillor Eythel Grant.

“I guess, like my Hydro bill,” Yanch replied, “I have to pay it even if I don’t like it.”