Addington Highlands Council

Craig Bakay | Sep 15, 2021

Addington Highlands just got a $63,000 hit it wasn’t expecting. Roads and Waste Manager Brett Reavie told Council at its regular meeting Sept. 7 that “the big item on my update is replacing the transmission on our 2009 John Deere 872G grader, which went down in early August.

“In an effort to ensure our grader could be repaired I authorized the repair.”

Reavie said there would be an impact to future budgets and reserves.

“It turns out there was only one available transmission in the country and it had to be shipped from Regina,” Reavie said. “This was not an expected repair so it was not budgeted.”

He said that after discussing it with CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed, they decided if this pushes them over budget, they could plan on taking costs out of reserves.

“It’s for the Northbrook Yard and we should be getting our grader back any time now,” he said.

Cell tower lease approved

Council approved leasing 15m x15m patch of municipal land in Denbigh to Rogers Communications for a cell phone tower which is part of the EORN Cell Gaps Project. The site is at Hwy 28 and Lane Street.

“If they could get it up as soon as possible, that would good,” said Coun. Kirby Thompson.

Health care extended to 80 for Council members

Based on a report from CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed, Addington Highlands extended coverage for extended health care and dental for members of Council to age 80. Currently, coverage had terminated at age 70. There is no increase to the insurance rate for extending coverage.

New auditors

Council approved a staff suggestion to change auditors to KPMG LLP in Kingston from its current auditors Secker, Ross, and Perry LLP in Kingston. CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said that Secker had declined to respond in writing to an RFP because the company is “changing direction.” She said that KPMG will actually be cheaper.

Pigeons at the rink.

Responding to a question from Coun. Helen Yanch, CBO David Twiddy said he hadn’t had time to look further into the pigeon problem at the rink in Flinton.

“I’ve been so inundated with permits this summer,” he said. “Other than the two weeks where it was really hot but we’re well over 100 permits so far this year with 30 more in line.

“But we’re well on the way to having a record year.”

As far as a solution to the pigeons goes, he suggested: “Pigeons are migratory birds and can be hunted, but shooting a hole in the roof of the rink concerns me.”

Yanch said she will keep pushing for a solution.

“Lots of kids play basketball and ball hockey there in the summer,” she said. “Is the rink for the kids or for the pigeons?”

County takes credit

“Buckshot Lake Road looks really good,” Coun. Kirby Thompson told Manager of Roads and Waste Brett Reavie in reference to recent road improvements to the arterial road.

“Much of that was done by our guys (even though it was a County project),” Reavie said. “When we give them a project like that, they like to take ownership of it.”

Noise bylaw exemption

Council approved a noise bylaw exemption for Mazinaw Lakeside Resort to have a band from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 18 for a birthday party.

“I live far enough away from it so I won’t hear it,” said Reeve Henry Hogg. “But Sept. 18 isn’t likely to be a busy weekend at the cottages anyway.”

“How they manage it will factor into any further requests,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch.

Trunk or Treat is on

Council gave its approval for the annual Trunk or Treat event Sunday, Oct. 31 in the parking lot at the Flinton Hall. All Covid-19 guidelines and restrictions KFLA Public Health has in place at that time.