Craig Bakay | Feb 05, 2020


At its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon in Flinton, Addington Highlands Council passed a resolution to respond to Lennox & Addington County’s request regarding the upper tier’s involvement in physician recruitment in time for the County’s budget deliberations.

“Henry (Reeve Hogg) and I met with our Family Health Team for feedback,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “The main points were that they do currently have an attractive vacancy for another doctor.

“It would be very easy for a physician to slide into as it doesn’t require any approvals and the Team has all the administrative support functions like HR and scheduling.

“Plus, we have an initiative with North Frontenac that would make it financially attractive.”

But, he said, there is the “rural factor” in that some doctors don’t want to practise in the country, especially when there’s talk of a “satellite” operation in the sparsely populated north of the township.

“And when I was on County Council and this came up, housing was brought up as an issue,” said Coun. Helen Yanch.

“Often potential employment for a spouse is a factor too,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Newsletter

Council approved the content of its newsletter to be included in the tax bills, adding information about the Denbigh Community Food Bank and the Land O’Lakes Community Services Food Bank.

Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington

Bob Childs, executive director of the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington addressed Council to give them an idea of what his organization does in Addington Highlands.

“We’ve just produced a booklet called Vital Signs that is a report on the quality of life to share information with the public,” he said.

Childs said that they are a registered charity that this year will provide $125,000 in the area — half in bursaries and scholarships and half in community grants and endowments.

For example, their two biggest recipients last year were the Cloyne and District Historical Society and the Mazinaw Fund.

He said two of their most generous contributors are in Addington Highlands.

Seedlings

Council approved the purchase of 100 seedlings from the Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council to be planted on Township-owned lands.

“I think it’s a good idea, but you need somebody to get it done,” said Coun. Helen Yanch.

“Well, it’s not like we’d be ordering 5,000 trees,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “We can probably get community groups to plant them.”

Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie suggested that at least half the trees planted should be hardwoods to be planted at ball fields and parks for shade.

“Pines aren’t very good for shade,” he said.

Council decided on 50 evergreens at $0.85 each and 50 deciduous shade trees at $1.50 each.

Not, not quiet for roads crew

“I don’t want to say it’s not quiet but it has not not been quiet,” Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie told Council. “The guys have been going full bore.”

Reavie also told Council he’s completed a draft of the roads needs study.

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