Addington Highlands Council

Jeff Green | Dec 04, 2014

Luck of the draw sends Helen Yanch to L&A County Council

In the run up to the municipal election, the probability that the deputy mayor/county representative position for the next four years would not be settled by the electorate was foreseen by the council.

The way it works in Addington Highlands, the councilor who receives the most votes in the ward where the reeve does not reside is offered the position of deputy reeve and joins the reeve as a member of the eight- member Lennox and Addington County Council. Since it was likely that Henry Hogg, who resides in ward 1, would be re-elected, and the two candidates in ward 2 (Bill Cox and Helen Yanch) were acclaimed, a vote among the five-member council was a likely scenario, and a secret ballot is not permissible under the municipal act.

Instead of subjecting themselves to a popularity contest to be played out in public, Bill Cox, who at that time was the deputy reeve, put forward a motion in early October that in the case of a tie, the matter be settled by lot.

Both Yanch and Cox said they wanted the position, so on Monday afternoon (December 1) at the township office in Flinton, that's exactly what was done, although a plastic tub was used in place of a hat.

Reeve Hogg pulled a piece of paper from the tub, unfolded it and read out the name, “Yanch”.

This is Helen Yanch's second term as deputy reeve and county representative. She served in that role between 2006 and 2010.

Kirby Thompson was also welcomed as a new representative from Ward 1, along with second term incumbent Tony Fritsch.

Committee appointments – Council is considering whether to alter the roles of the waste management, public works, and recreation facilities committees. They decided to defer appointments to either committee until the next meeting while they consider their options.

Other appointments were made – Kirby Thompson will sit on the Mississippi Valley Conservation Board; Henry Hogg will sit on the Quinte Region Conservation Board; and Bill Cox returns to the Pine Meadow Nursing Home Management Committee, which he now chairs. Helen Yanch and Kirby Thompson will sit as council representatives on the seven-member Addington Highlands Library Board; and Bill Cox, Henry Hogg and Kirby Thompson will sit on the Joint Fire Services Board with North Frontenac. Tony Fritsch remains the council-appointed manager of the Denbigh Community Centre (former schoolhouse). All members of council will sit on the Committee of Adjustment. Finally, Bill Cox was chosen to be the alternate to L&A County Council should the reeve or deputy reeve be unable to attend for any reason.

Zamboni to be resurrected – Community members Dave Miles and Ron St. Peters appeared before Council to talk about the Zamboni that is parked in a shed near the Flinton ice rink. With the support of the Flinton Recreation Club, the two are proposing to have the Zamboni looked at to see if it can be put back in service without too much cost, and are willing to arrange training for volunteer drivers as well.

“We are shy of taking ownership of the Zamboni,” said Councilor Bill Cox, but Council offered support for the initiative.

Paul Isaacs proposes committees – Denbigh resident Paul Isaacs also appeared before Council to propose the formation of two new council committees, one to concern itself with the future of the Denbigh ambulance service, and a second on social issues. Council did not take immediate action on either proposal.

Insurance premiums down - Paul Dorman from Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance Brokers (JLT), made his annual presentation about the township's insurance policy, which JLT is offering to renew for $$63,929, a slight decrease from last year’s premium $64,644.

Council decided to renew the contract with JLT, but next year they will undertake a tendering process for insurance, which is required under their procurement bylaw.

Township unhappy with proposed County Official Plan

“We need to ask the county to make changes to the Official Plan before it is approved,” said Reeve Hogg.

“I agree completely,” said Councilor Tony Fritsch. “My understanding was that it was not going to get into the detail that is covered in our Official Plan, but that's not what I see in the document.”

“They said they would not duplicate what we have here, and would make it general, but as time went on they kept adding and adding to it,” said Councilor Bill Cox.

One of the issues of concern to Addington Highlands is the plan’s insistence that development be concentrated within the boundaries of hamlets.

OMPF grant – OMPF (Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund) is an annual grant from the provincial government directly to municipalities. In rural Ontario it is designed to compensate for the lack of commercial assessment, and costs related to distance from population centres. This year, Addington Highlands will be receiving $1,602,500 being an increase of $76,000 over last year. (see article on OMPF funding for the allocations in other townships and counties)