| Mar 07, 2018


Things were just a little bit different at the regular Addington Highlands Council meeting meeting in Flinton this week.

First of all, Council was missing Reeve Henry Hogg and Dep. Reeve Helen Yanch. So, at the insistence of Coun. Kirby Thompson and Bill Cox, Coun. Tony Fritsch took the chair.

“I’ve done it before, it’s good experience,” Cox to Fritsch.

Then, CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed had some news.

“We’re finding ourselves in a little bit of a new situation for us,” she said. “Normally, our building department has operated at a loss.

“But in 2017, we made some changes to policies and became more pro-active with building permits.”

The bottom line is that the building department took in $156,000 in revenues, she said.

After expenses, that left $54,748 to go into a new building department reserve.

“Of course, that can only be used by the building department,” she said.

Guido’s on the move
Stephanie Morrisett, who operated Guido’s Gourmet Grub, a chip wagon at the Shell station for several years, came to Council to ask if business licence fees could be waved or reduced.

“I had to move from the Shell and then the Kaladar Community Centre asked if I could set up there,” she said. “I have five employees and I know the Community Centre could use the rent.”

Morrisett originally asked if the $1,200 zoning change application fee could be reduced or waived. But CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said that it was likely the zoning wouldn’t have to be changed other than having add a site-specific change to allow the chip truck.

However, Reed wanted to check with the solicitor to ensure anything they intended to do wasn’t contrary to the Municipal Act.

Morrisett said she’d already contacted the MTO to make sure she’d be well back of the 40 feet from the roadway requirement.

Morrisett said she’s looking at opening at the beginning of May or “the long weekend at the latest.”

Sand supplies
Roads/bridges supervisor Brett Reavie told Council that while winter operations are continuing, they should have enough sand on hand.

“It could be touch and go but we can get more if we need it,” he said.

Reavie also received Council’s permission to remove some toppled trees in Kaladar Park.

“There are some toppled trees there that are really leaning,” he said. “One neighbour offered to cut them down but because they’re on our property, I think the Township should be the ones to cut them down.

“Toppled trees don’t typically last long and this is a good time to take them down when the ground’s still frozen because we won’t damage the park.”

Contaminated properties
Council voted to support the City of Cornwall’s resolution calling on the Ontario government to implement reforms that would encourage the remediation of abandoned contaminated properties.

“Our municipality has been stuck with contaminated properties before,” said Coun. Tony Fritsch. “You never know.”

“When people read all this in the paper, they’ll think we actually got something done today,” said Coun. Bill Cox.

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