Sf_council_09-14

Jeff Green | Apr 09, 2009

Area rating ends quickly, after 11 years 

In a 5-4 vote Tuesday night, the Council of South Frontenac agreed to eliminate area rating effective January 1, 2010.

Councilors Fillion, Hicks, Robinson and York voted against the motion, but Deputy Mayor York stood and said that although he had "fought long and hard for Storrington", now that council had decided, "Let’s work together for the betterment of our township."

Bill Robinson agreed: "I don’t like it, but I will work for it...just stay away from my dump!"

The Mayor countered: "I think you’re chasing a ghost that’s not out there: I don’t see the dump trucks lining up."

Later in the meeting, Council approved purchase of property adjoining Loughborough waste site for $112,500. This opens up the potential for Loughborough landfill to greatly increase its capacity.

No new building official: Alan Revill, Chief Building Official, had asked permission to fill a vacant position for a building inspector, and at the Committee of the Whole, Council had recommended that the position be cut back to part-time, in anticipation of a slower development rate this year. However, Council voted 5/4 to not hire even a part-time building inspector this year. Mayor Davison reminded them that the position is revenue neutral, as it is paid for out of building fees.

Contract extended: Utilities Kingston’s three-year agreement for operating the Sydenham water treatment plant expired March 31: council agreed to extend it on a monthly basis, pending resolution of the current outstanding issues with regard to THM levels. Then, a new contract will be negotiated.

No special parking privileges: Councilor Fillion made a motion to amend the road by-law to allow parking for water skipping and bass fishing adjacent to Loughborough Lake bridge. Council defeated it, on the grounds that parking between the present lot and the bridge itself presented a hazard, and the shoulder of the road south of the parking lot had been widened to allow off-road parking. Mayor Davison noted that if a car parked with its tires on the road, it would be in violation of the Highways Act, and would become a matter for the OPP.