| Jan 10, 2008


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Feature Article - January 10, 2008 Council to apply for infrastructure grant to pay for Flinton bridge.

by Jeff Green

The reconstruction of the Flinton bridge, which was condemned late last year as the result of a bridge study, will be Addington Highlands’ candidate for funding under a $300 million provincial infrastructure granting program whose deadline is coming up next month.

The ReNew Ontario program is a one-time investment program, administered by Infrastructure Ontario. Unlike other recent municipal infrastructure programs which required investments of 1/3 of the cost of projects by municipalities, this one will provide up to 100% funding for approved projects.

In order to submit an application, the township will have to submit a preliminary design and budget for the project.

Roads Superindentant Royce Rosenblath asked if Council wanted him to approach Jewel Engineering, the company that prepared the recent roads and bridges study, to see if they could provide the required bridge design and engineering study. “We will have to spend money on the design, but will have to get that done even if we didn't apply for the grant,” said Roads Superintendant Royce Rosenblath.

The deadline of the application is February 15, which makes the timelines too tight for the township to tender the design work, so Rosenblatrh was asked to approach Jewel Engineering, to see what they will charge for the work.

Rosenblath said the bridge will be expensive to replace, probably costing half a million dollars or more.

Addington Highlands received grant money for infrastructure last year, to help in the rebuilding of the Skootamata Lake/Hughes Landings Roads off Highway 41 near Cloyne.

Commercial permit holidays survive, for now- Addington Highlands Council has decided to maintain its policy of waiving building permit fees for commercial construction in 2008, although there may be some tweaking of the system when budget talks take place later this coming spring.

“Two people who are planning commercial work but did not get their permits before the new year have contacted me, wondering if the permit fee holiday will continue,” said Reeve Henry Hogg, “It likely will in some form but we need to look at a mechanism to cover our costs if extra visits are required”.

Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch proposed that the current policy, wihch has been in place for three years, be “kept in place as it stands at least until budget time.” This was accepted by council.

Cross Lake Road debacle nearing solution – Norene Traynor appeared before council to ask whether council had made any progess in the case of her road, the Cross Lake Road, which was closed up by an adjoining landowner, severely limiting her access to her own property.

Reeve Henry Hogg responded: “I have been in the process of negotiation with Mr. Shier [the adjacent landowner] over the last few weeks,” he said, “and I think a settlement is coming, I would hope shortly. I can't put out a time frame on it, but I hope perhaps this week.”

The Cross Lake Road was also discussed later, during the in camera portion of the meeting.

Policing woes – During his roads report, Royce Rosenblath commented on problems on County Road 30, where a group of people were parked on the side of the road for several days over Christmas, hindering road maintenance. He said that he contacted the County of Lennox and Addington, who lodged a complaint with the OPP.

“They told the county guy they would get to it when they could. I called the county in the first place becasue I knew there was no sense in me calling them, because they never answer,” said Rosenblath.

“They haven't been to council in a very long time,” said Reeve Hogg of the OPP, “maybe we should ask them to come to our next meeting.”

Council agreed.

Building Inspector Leaves – After a very short in camera meeting, Wayne Kivell, the township’s building inspector, left the council chamber and said he was no longer working for the township. He then left the building. No details were available on the circumstances of his departure or any of the events that led to it.

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