Addington Highlands to process all fee waivers, grant requests at budget time

Craig Bakay | Jan 15, 2020

Addington Highlands Council reserved approval for fee waivers and grant requests until the budget is discussed later in the year at its regular meeting Tuesday in Flinton. And that’s likely to be the procedure for all such requests in the future.

The first request was for a waiver of rental fees was from Rob Heyman to hold a wild game dinner at the Flinton Hall to help pay expenses for his youth group to go to a youth convention.

The second request was from the Cloyne and District Historical Society for $500 to help preserve their archives.

While it’s likely both requests will be approved, (“we’ve waived these kinds of things before,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch) CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said she’d like to put all these requests along with departmental budgets together just before the actual budget process in something of a departure of how they’ve done things in the past.

“Traditionally, we’ve brought every little bit to Council piece by piece,” Reed said. “So, we’re proposing staff put all the requests together and present them all at one time so we can see the impact of all the requests.

“I’ll add it all together first.”

She said that a big part of their budget is the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department so its budget will have a big impact on the Township budget.

“There are no big ticket items on this year’s budget like the new truck last year,” said newly appointed Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department Board chair Coun. Kirby Thompson.

Reed said the Township budget needs to be passed by the first meeting in May according to the Township’s procedural bylaw.

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Under new business brought forth by Coun. Helen Yanch, Council increased the fee paid to trappers for trapping nuisance beavers to $75 from $50, effective Jan. 1.

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They’re be one more draft of the Township newsletter before it goes out in the tax bills.

“We’ve never had the information on dog tags before,” said CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed. “And there’s still a little bit of space left.”

Reeve Henry Hogg suggested putting in office hours for the CBO/Facilities Manager.

“He does have a pamphlet of his own with that on it,” said Reed. “And the office is open whether he’s there or not.

“He’s in the office more than most we’ve had but he does take the job of facilities manager quite seriously so if there’s something needs doing, he’s often out doing it.

“But we can put the office hours in there if you wish.”

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Reed also apologized for the state of the rink in Flinton but offered this by way of explanation: “It’s a struggle maintaining ice on an outdoor facility without a compressor when the temperature goes above freezing.

“The fact that we had ice for the Christmas holidays is remarkable to me and we’re hoping for colder weather so we can make up the ground we’ve lost.”