Every year during Volunteer Appreciation Week, staff at Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) add welcoming people, serving food, and cleaning to their list of responsibilities.

This year, to mark the 30th Volunteer Appreciation event for the agency, which itself will be marking its 35th anniversary in June, the annual Volunteer Of The Year award went to two people who have a long history of volunteering, not only with NFCS, but for the community as a whole.

Su Leslie presented an award to Grace Wilby, who has done just about everything for the Child Centre in Sharbot Lake over the years; including filling in for the cook, helping to organize events, even going to the dump on occasion.

Marg DesRoche received her award for the work she has done at the foot clinic that NFCS offers, but her volunteer work at the Catholic Church, the Frontenac News, and for numerous other community groups was also referenced in an emotional tribute by Candace Bertrim.

The rest of the event had a decidedly lighter tone, as MC Mike Procter, who could not have been the MC of the first Volunteer Appreciation event because he has only been working for NFCS for 25 years (as of today), kept the jokes flowing throughout the presentation.

The joke was finally turned on Mike Procter when a representative from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), who was on hand to thank the three people who help 200 local residents fill out their tax forms each year, said that Mike had done such a good job that the CRA was going to give him a complimentary audit.

The Volunteer Appreciation brunch also marked two milestones for NFCS.

Sue Leslie, who has served as the Director for Children's Services for about 15 years, and Executive Director of the entire agency for the past year, is retiring this week. She introduced the new executive director, Don Amos, to the volunteers.

As well, NFCS is looking forward to celebrating its 35th anniversary this coming June 17, and a poster contest is being held to commemorate that event. Further details about the contest will be available in the coming weeks. 

Anne Prichard, and Harrowsmith Oddfellow and Rebekah members Brenda Taylor, Debbie Green, Howard Warner and Howard Fellows

Anne Prichard, executive director of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, presented a $10,000 cheque to the Oddfellows and Rebekkahs of Harrowsmith to use towards the installation of a ductless air conditioning system in the Golden Links Hall in Harrowsmith. The funding was provided by the FCFDC through their Local Initiative Program which is funded by the Eastern Ontario Development Program, and will allow the youth and other programs to run comfortably at the hall in the hot summer months.Rebekkah Brenda Taylor was thrilled to finally be able to put the system in and said that it will go along way in encouraging youth to continue to attend the regular bi-weekly dances that are held at the hall. Regular weekly lodge meetings and monthly dinners are also held at the Hall and Brenda is hoping that more people will rent the hall knowing that there is now air conditioning.At the presentation Anne Prichard said, “We’re always very happy to be able assist with these small capital projects and part of our strategic plan is to help with the vitality of the communities and this will certainly allow youth and others to continue to be engaged in their community through the summer months.”Anyone interested in renting the hall can contact Barb Garrison at 613-372-2315 Photo: Debbie Green

By Susan Irwin, Executive Director / Lawyer, Rural Legal Services

Ontarians will begin paying the new Harmonized Sales Tax on July 1st, 2010. It combines the existing sales taxes, the GST (a federal tax of 5%) and the PST (a provincial tax of 8%) into one 13% sales tax.

While politicians and accountants have already discussed, and will no doubt continue to discuss, the good and bad of this new tax, the focus of this column is to encourage low income individuals and families to file an income tax return this year in order to take advantage of the higher tax credits and lower tax rates intended to help offset the extra expense associated with this new tax.

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) extends to goods and services that we didn’t have to pay PST on in the past, such as heating fuels and certain kinds of services.

According to the provincial government, it is making changes to the tax system to help people deal with the extra expenses that will result from the implementation of the HST. The catch is that you cannot take advantage of the new tax credits unless you file an income tax return.

People on social assistance and other low-income earners who have not bothered to file a tax return in the past, simply because no tax was payable, will lose out unless they start filing. The HST will, quite simply, hurt people who do not file income tax returns to take advantage of the new tax credits and income tax reductions.

Without going into all the details of the new tax credits and reductions, there are two items that are probably of immediate importance to low-to middle income earners. Starting with the 2010 taxation year, Ontario’s combined Property and Sales Tax Credit will be replaced with two separate and enhanced credits for property and sales tax respectively. The new Ontario Sales Tax Credit is the first item of immediate importance for low-to middle income individuals and families as it will provide advance payments to these individuals and families starting in August 2010. To be eligible you must file a 2009 income tax return and apply for the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) credit in your return.

The credit will be a maximum of $260.00 per year, per adult and child, although the amount begins to be reduced once an individual’s net income exceeds $20,000.00, or $25,000.00 for families. This new credit will be paid four times a year and will be issued separately from the GST/HST credit payment. However, like the GST credit payment, Ontario’s Sales Tax Credit will be considered “exempt income” that is not deductible from Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program payments.

The second key reason to file is the “transitional benefit” that the provincial government will pay to people to help offset the immediate impact of the HST. The maximum benefit will be $300.00 for a single person or $1,000.00 for single parents or couples. This benefit will be paid in three installments, beginning in August 2010, and is a one time deal – it will not be a permanent benefit. Again, this benefit is also considered “exempt income” for people on social assistance.

If you are on social assistance, or a low-to middle income earner, and you have not filed tax returns in the past, this would be a good year to start! Most people on social assistance will qualify for the maximum amounts (or close to the maximum amounts) of the sales tax credit and the transitional benefit and the amount of money involved is significant.

Income tax forms are available at the Post Office or online at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/5006-r/README.html . If you require help in completing the forms, and your income is not more than $29,000.00, volunteers with Northern Frontenac Community Services will prepare your return without charge: call 613-279-3151. A similar program is available for residents of northern Lennox & Addington through Land o’ Lakes Community Services: call 613-336-8934.

Legalese is a column of general information and opinion on legal topics by the lawyers of Rural Legal Services, Box 359, Sharbot Lake, ON, K0H2P0, 613-279-3252, or 1-888-777-8916. This column is not intended to provide legal advice. You should contact a lawyer to determine your legal rights and obligations.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Purina Walk for Dog Guides. On September 18, at 1 P.M., Sharbot Lake will join people in over 180 locations across Canada who have already participated in this national fundraising event throughout the summer. There is no registration fee and the Walk is open to all ages and fitness levels. We encourage all participants to bring their four-legged friend along for the Walk, although you do not need a canine companion to walk in this event.

Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides does not receive any government support and relies on the support of fundraising events and donations from service clubs, corporations, foundations and individuals across the country.

The accommodations at the school in Oakville, extensive training and the dogs are provided to qualified applicants at no cost. It costs the Foundation approximately $20,000 to provide each Dog Guide to eligible Canadians.

After a dog completes the 6-8 month training program, a successful applicant stays at the Oakville training facility for 2-4 weeks, depending on the program, to work with the Dog Guide and establish the bond that is necessary for the team to succeed.

After graduation, follow-up visits and communication between the graduate and the training staff is maintained to ensure ongoing success.

A working Dog Guide is permitted in all public places. The dogs have been trained to travel on all forms of public transportation. The Dog Guide’s attention must be on its handler at all times therefore people are not permitted to pet a Dog Guide while it is in harness.

When you register to Walk, you are making a commitment to help thousands of Canadians that require the assistance of a Dog Guide. Last year, with your help, the Sharbot Lake Lions Club raised over $3500. This year’s goal is $5000. Thanks to our generous sponsors, 100% of the donations collected go directly towards Lions Foundation of Canada's Dog Guide programs. Please help continue to provide Dog Guides at no cost to Canadians with disabilities by participating in the Sharbot Lake Walk for Guide Dogs. Pledge forms can be found in local businesses throughout the village or from any Lions member. See you at the beach on September 18.

The Lions Club: We Serve!

Editorial by Jeff Green

Most people in Ontario had never heard of Stewardship Ontario until a couple of weeks ago, when the news about a dreaded new eco-tax began to surface.

The tax, which is really a fee, was supposed to be applied to all manufactured products that contain toxic materials and require a special, costly program in order to be disposed of safely. It has already been put in place rather successfully for tires and electronic equipment. On July 1, a botched attempt to extend it to a wide variety of products, ranging from soap to bleach to Portland cement and beyond, was rolled out.

As we all know it came back to haunt those who attempted it and turned into quite the black eye for the McGuinty Liberals, who are already facing a backlash over the HST. The eco-tax was hastily pulled and as of this week the whole thing has been frozen until it can be revamped.

It has also made people wonder about Stewardship Ontario, which is an odd duck indeed. The Board of Directors of Stewardship Ontario, which is a not-for-profit corporation, reads like a Who’s Who of the Ontario business elite. It includes VPs from McCains, Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Unilever, Sears and Apotex. Stakeholders that are listed include Waste Diversion Ontario and the Ministry of the Environment in addition to the stewards

Who are these stewards? Essentially they are the manufacturers of products that contain hazardous materials. Calling them stewards was a bit of a branding exercise. When we think of stewards we think of children planting trees or youth hauling rocks over for spawning beds. We think of landowners tending their woodlots. We think of Joe Purdon, who expanded a small number of orchids on his farm to a colony of 16,000.

These images are intentional. Stewardship Ontario was set up to engage the sources of household hazardous waste,- the producers and sellers of the products - into the goal of eliminating all the toxins in consumer products from the waste stream. Removing poisons from the land, from the watershed, is indeed an act of stewardship.

And Stewardship Ontario was, and still is, a good idea. Somehow producers and consumers must be the ones who carry out, and fund the reclamation of this kind of hazardous waste. Otherwise it would end up being charged to municipalities, which already have enough responsibilities.

The botched eco-tax introduction will have to be fixed, and sooner or later it will be. In the end, one way or another, if consumers continue to purchase products that contain poison, they will have to pay to safely deal with that poison once the product is thrown away.

But in addition to giving the McGuinty Liberals and some business people a black eye, the eco-tax debacle has damaged the branding of “stewardship” itself.

People believed the eco-tax was going to a bunch of tree huggers.

At least 10 years before someone got the idea of calling hazardous waste recycling “stewardship”, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources was facing budget cuts. The ministry could no longer afford to do education and land rehabilitation work. So they established stewardship councils in each rural county in southern Ontario. Local councils sought members, essentially among the “tree hugger” community, and the ministry provided $10,000 or $15,000 each year and funded a co-ordinator for each council.

The local stewardship councils are all affiliates of the Ontario Stewardship Council, but have nothing to do with Stewardship Ontario.

The councils meet regularly. They apply for funding from various sources, and they dole out money to habitat restoration project of various kinds, including tree planting, woodlot management, and spawning bed rehabilitation.

The Frontenac Stewardship Council, for example, includes about a dozen board members, from all four Frontenac townships. The council sponsors talks, such as the recent bear and eagle talks, is working on a school curriculum on water, and provides a few dollars for a number of local and regional projects. It has never, nor will it ever, receive money from the eco-tax, which can only be used for waste diversion.

Members of the Frontenac Stewardship Council (and I must disclose I am one of them) feel sort of like the Swiss watch-makers and financial management companies that bought into the Tiger Woods brand. One minute that brand meant integrity and efficiency and the next minute in meant cheating and a lack of self-control. Not exactly what watch-makers and financial management companies want.

It was easier for them to jettison Tiger Woods than it is for the Ontario Stewardship Councils to get rid of the stewardship moniker.

But maybe it’s worth a try.

Let’s see – what about the Frontenac Land and Water Council? Too academic sounding. Maybe Frontenac Tree Huggers? Too hippy-dippy. Frontenac Green Council? Too green. Frontenac Sustainability Council? Too unsustainable as a concept.

No, there is no solution to this problem.

We’ll have to just ride it out. Stewardship will eventually be rehabilitated as a brand.

Now, as for Tiger Woods …

Author Margaret Atwood attended  a Prison Farm protest in Ottawa in the month of June.

It was sometime in the spring of 2009 when the protest against closing the farms at Kingston prisons began to build strength.

A public meeting was held at St. Lawrence College. It featured politicians, officials from Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), as well as representatives from farming groups and people who work in the prisons.

The hall where the meeting was held was packed with opponents of the closure. Two things were immediately apparent. The opponents were full of conviction, and they were a diverse mix of rural and urban people. The prison farm issue had unified the regional membership of the National Farmers Union, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Frontenac Cattlemen's Assocation. But that was not all. Anti -poverty and other social activists from Kingston, the John Howard Society, prison workers and their union officials, and ex-convicts were also well represented in the audience.

A senior official from the CSC was peppered with questions, and it is fair to say he did not sway any minds with his answers. He did make it clear, however, that the decision to close the farms was not subject to review. The CSC and their political bosses in the federal government had made their decision and the only thing left to do was implement it.

The only role that seemed viable for the public, aside from trying to pressure the Harper government to reverse its decision, which from the start seemed unlikely at best, was to ensure that the farmland at the Pittsburgh and Frontenac prisons did not get turned into another Kingston subdivision. This involved keeping an eye not only on CSC but on Kingston City Council as well, because they are responsible for zoning. The land is classed as prime agricultural land, and the provincial policy statement says prime agricultural land cannot be developed for other purposes. If farmers in Frontenac County cannot sell their prime agricultural land for development, the federal government could be similarly restricted. The CSC has now said they have no intention of selling the lands.

Over the past 16 months several things have happened. The abattoir at the Pittsburgh Institution, which is a privately run, commercial operation, will remain open even if prisoners no longer work there. This satisfied one of the prime concerns of the farming organizations.

At the same time, the closure of the prison farms has proceeded at a measured but unwavering pace and the protesters have not gone away.

Not long after the meeting at St. Lawrence, the protest committee announced that they were taking their fight to the national level, by engaging federal opposition politicians, who are always happy to oppose government policy, as well as national farm organizations.

The goal of all of this has been to engage the national media, to try and create the kind of pressure that bends the will of federal governments.

The protest has shown itself to be as resilient as it has been inventive. Musicians and celebrities with national profile have been engaged, and the national media have been paying attention on an intermittent basis. The Kingston media, particularly the Whig Standard, have provided ongoing coverage.

Nonetheless, it seemed that the whole situation was winding down. In spite of a major public rally a couple of months ago, a court challenge failed and the date for the sale of the dairy herd at the Frontenac Institution has been fixed.

But protest organizers remain determined. A rally was held at the regional CSC headquarters in the early morning rain last Friday July 23. The entrance way to the parking lot off King Street was blocked by a small number of protesters while others held up placards on the nearby sidewalks. CSC had issued a warning on the previous evening that they would not tolerate any interference on their property, but in the end they did not press the issue. While the police insisted upon entering the parking lot, and protesters allowed them to pass after a short delay, CSC employees did not try to park in the lot. They parked on nearby streets and walked to their offices unimpeded by the protesters.

The rally was a demonstration of the resolve of the protesters. The Frontenac herd will be sold through an online auction, and will then be moved out a few animals at a time.

Protesters vow to block the passage of those trucks, and at last Friday’s protest organizers wanted to demonstrate their willingness to engage in civil disobedience. “We did not want to stop anyone from going to work today,” said Andrew McCann, one of the organizers, on Friday, “this was really about demonstrating what we can do.”

The chances of changing the course of CSC on this remains slim, but a few other things have happened over the past year and a quarter. Farm groups have worked together on the issue and the divisions between traditional farmers and newer smaller scale farmers have been bridged. As well, all of the social and economic connections that were being made through the local food movement in Kingston over the last couple of years, and the attempt to engage more than the middle class in that movement, have been strengthened by this common cause.

St. Lawrence College, and not Queen's University, has emerged as the force behind this intellectual and social movement.

The prison farm closures are underpinned by a claim by CSC, one of the major federal agencies, that farming is no longer a viable economic practice in Canada, and this is a particularly hard political message for a government that enjoys unwavering support in rural Canada to be sending out.

But the closures may not really be about re-tooling the training programs in prisons, but about saving money and cutting out training.

In terms of prison reform, the Harper government is facing criticism by one of its strongest ideological supporters. A few weeks ago, Conrad Black, who was then a prisoner in a US jail, wrote an article in the National Post in which he lambasted the Canadian government for its “prison roadmap”, which he said abandons any pretext of rehabilitation in Canadian prisons in favour of punishment and retribution.

Black’s position dovetails with the comments made by former prison guards back at that public meeting at St. Lawrence College in March of 2009. When the CSC official said the prison farms would be replaced by alternative programming that is more in tune with today’s job market, two of them muttered, “That will never happen; they will just be sitting in their cells.”

When the Frontenac herd is shipped out, a number of people may put their bodies on the line to block the trucks, and this will lead to arrests, in the tradition of anti-nuclear and anti-globalization protests from the past.

This was far from anyone's mind that evening back at St. Lawrence College. Who could imagine that people would feel the need to get arrested to support prison farms and the underlying idea that farming remains of value in a country that was originally built up by family farms.

It is both a testament to the commitment of those scrappy prison farm protesters, and a sign of how vulnerable the very concept of growing food for sale in this country has become.

(Note – The Whig Standard reported attendance at the rally at the CSC office as 200 people or so, and CBC radio reported that “hundreds of people” arrived at the location between 7:45 and 8:30 a.m. I arrived at 7:40 and remained on scene until about 8:25. The protesters were not gathered in a single location because only a small number were blocking the driveway and thus risking arrest, so it would be hard to get an accurate count, but my observation was that the attendance was in the dozens rather than the hundreds.)

Early morning line ups were avoided this year at the third annual one day only hazardous waste drop off in Sharbot lake thanks in large part to prior announcements asking people to stagger their visits.

The drop off is offered as a partnership between Central Frontenac Township and Drain All Limited of

Ottawa. Steve Tebworth, the household hazardous waste coordinator with Drain All said the majority of waste dropped off were paints, oil and miscellaneous organics like flammables.

Last year close to 300 people turned out filling almost two tractor trailers and this year likely more as people are consciously making efforts to keep hazardous waste out of local landfill sites. Stewardship Ontario recently mandated that 60% of all the different waste classes including paint, household batteries gases, oil, oil filters, propane cylinders, and many other items be recycled.

Various members of Central Frontenac Council along with members of the roads committee were out volunteering and helping to direct people through the drop off.

CAO of Central Frontenac John Duchene was pleased with the turn out and the steady flow. “We are trying to encourage people to keep toxic materials out of the landfill sites. We are surrounded by a natural environment area here so anything we can keep out of the aquifers and the water table is a good thing,” he said.

Councilor Frances Smith added, “It's also a great opportunity for home owners who want to tidy up their properties and get rid of this stuff safely.”

Anyone who missed the drop off is encouraged to keep their hazardous waste safely stored until next year's drop off.

Under the Micro-FIT program the Ontario Power Authority has signed contracts with about 16,000 operators of small solar power generating systems since September of 2009.

The power produced by these small systems, which produce 10 kw of power or less, is purchased by Ontario Power Generation at a price of 80 cents per kilo-watt hour, which is then sold to Ontario consumers for about 5 to 6 cents per kilowatt hour. The 80.2 cent price is guaranteed for 20 years

The Micro-FIT program, which was introduced amidst considerable fanfare just 10 months ago, was designed to be part of an energy solution that would allow the province to mothball coal-fired plants, which has been an elusive goal of the McGuinty government.

The provincial government knew that paying 80.2 cents to producers for a product that would be sold for a lot less would lead to an increase in electricity prices, but the idea was that Ontarians would be willing to pay a bit more because the increase was linked to greening energy production. Further, the impact would be mitigated because Micro-FIT systems would only be a minimal part of the overall electricity generating picture in the province.

Apart from its environmental cachet, it turned out that the Micro-FIT program made good business sense for individuals, with substantial profits available for the initial investment. As one investor told the News earlier this year, an initial investment of $65,000 for a 10 kw system, should yield $200,000 in revenue over 20 years.

The program has been a success thus far, but perhaps more of a success that was originally planned and the province now projects that the impact on the price of electricity could cost Ontarians up to a billion dollars more over 20 years.

This cost may have been apparent to the government early in the new year. The Micro-FIT program began to slow down early this spring. Demand was not the reason for the slowdown and a number of green energy businesses had already ramped up their capacity to put in solar systems and meet the demand. The slowdown has been bureaucratic.

In order for the 80.2 cent price to be guaranteed, an offer of contract needs to be secured from Ontario Power Generation, and the time lag between receiving applications and making the offer of contract has increased from a few weeks to several months.

Then on July 2 this year, Ontario Power Generation, acting on orders from the provincial cabinet, announced they were going to change the price. From now on, only systems mounted on the roofs of already existing buildings will be eligible for the 80.2 cents. Systems that are mounted on brackets sunk into the ground, which are known as ground-mounted systems, will only be offered 58.8 cents per kilowatt hour.

According to a release from the Ontario Power Authority, the change in price is reasonable because ground-mounted solar systems are cheaper to install.

“The proposed new price category will better reflect the lower costs to install a ground-mounted solar PV project versus a rooftop project. It will provide a price that enables future project owners to recover costs of the projects as well as earn a reasonable return on their investment over the long term,” said the release.

Ron Kortekaas, of Eco Alternative Energy in Sharbot Lake, disputes that claim. “At least in rural areas, ground-mounted systems are more expensive to install,” he said. “The cost of ground-mounted brackets is 3-4 times the cost of roof-mounted ones, and the labour costs are higher.”

The real reason that ground-mounted systems are being targeted, according to Kortekaas, is to put limits on the Micro-FIT program. “About 75% of our customers have applied for ground-mounted Micro-FIT, mostly due to not having enough usable roof space, wrong orientation, and shade trees around the house that they do not want to cut down” he said. “We have already lost four customers with this change, and we expect to lose more,” he said.

A number of individuals had gone ahead and ordered equipment or even had ground-mounted systems installed while waiting for their application for the 80.2 cent price to be processed.

With this announcement, those individuals will be faced with the lower offer, cutting the amount of money they can expect to receive over 20 years by 25%, and many are finding that the investment is no longer a good one.

Lanark Frontenac Lennox and Addington MPP Randy Hillier said he has received many calls from people in this position since the change was announced on July 2. “I've responded to over 100 people from the riding about this, many of whom feel the rug has been pulled out from under them,” Hillier said. “There are even people who have gone out and mortgaged their homes for this and are faced with hardship.”

Hillier said that back in March the “government people were pumping their chests about the 450 large scale projects that had come forward. Every one of those has been approved and a contract has been offered. But for the small scale rural projects there have been delays and delays and then the price was cut.”

He said he is encouraging people to file a class-action suit against the province. He also said that he would be rising on a point of privilege when the Ontario legislature reconvenes in the fall to ask the house “to admonish [Premier] McGuinty for his contempt of parliament. It brings democracy into disrepute when the government acts in this fashion.”

Political considerations aside, Ron Kortekaas is facing some immediate business issues. “We are finding it very difficult to maintain an eco-business and maintain full time staff. There have been a series of roadblocks put in place since the program was first announced, and with this latest change in the price it is lessening people's confidence in this program and our government.

“I thought the Green Energy Act was supposed to create Green jobs, shut down coal-fired plants and clean up the environment for the long term, not just a year or two,” he said.

Fire crews lead the way in medical emergencies

Central Frontenac Fire Chief Mark MacDonald, along with Deputy Fire Chiefs Art Cowdy and Bill Young, presented the long-anticipated Fire Master Plan for the township this week.

“There are many different avenues to take with a master plan,” said Mark MacDonald in presenting the document. “Some are very descriptive and are hundreds of pages long. Our plan gives everybody an idea of what is going on now and where we want to get to over the next few years. It should be looked at again after a few years.”

The 16-page plan, which includes 6 appendices, outlines the community, the makeup of the fire department, the stations and equipment, an equipment replacement schedule, and a description of the kinds of calls the department responds to.

It was the description of the calls that sparked the greatest amount of interest among members of Council. Over the past five years, the department has responded to about 1250 calls. The largest single category of calls is medical calls (31%), followed by fire calls (19%), motor vehicle collisions (14%), and grass and brush fires (4%). A variety of other calls, including complaints, odour investigations, false alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, ice/water rescues etc. account for a further 32% of calls.

In the majority of cases, the fire department is able to answer medical calls more quickly than the Frontenac land ambulance, and according to a tiered response agreement the fire department is called into all land ambulance calls that are of a more serious nature.

The number of medical calls is going up, according to MacDonald. “This year it is close to 40%, and last month, for example, half our calls were medical calls,” he said

“It's time the municipality started communicating with the Ministry of Health. They should be supporting some of our costs for medical calls since they subsidize the ambulance service that we support. I believe a lot of your training is medical,” said Councilor Frances Smith.

“The vast majority of our training is indeed medical,” said Mark MacDonald. “When the tiered response started the training was provided for free. But over time all of the costs have been transferred to the fire departments.”

“That's a pretty fundamental observation,” said Councilor Gary Smith. “Should we doing those medical assists or should it be done through the expansion of the ambulance service?”

“I see this as an important discussion,” said Councilor Norm Guntensperger, who is a former fire department member, “but I would hate to see any of the public put at risk. To me, and I may be biased, the most valuable part of our service is the medical part. Yes, the ministry needs to step up to the plate, and ambulance service should be improved, but we can't back off from medical services; we've saved a lot of lives. When the boys arrive a lot of people are very happy when their loved ones are ill.”

Mayor Janet Gutowski said she would raise the matter at the rural caucus of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario later this year.

The Fire Master Plan will be brought back to a meeting of Council on August 13 for adoption.

COMPREHENSIVE ZONING BYLAW:

Township Planning Consultant Glenn Tunnock made a preliminary presentation to council of the revised Central Frontenac comprehensive zoning bylaw.

With the township’s renewed Official Plan having been approved with the exception of one provision, the necessary update of the comprehensive zoning bylaw is under way.

Tunnock outlined a number of changes. For one thing, all of the minor variances to the bylaw that have been approved by the township since the bylaw took effect in 2003 are incorporated into the new bylaw, as are changes that result from new provisions in the revised Official Plan.

In discussing the proposed bylaw, Mayor Gutowski expressed the concern that when people approach the township with a proposal to develop a piece of property, they are faced with a set of rules that can be a hindrance to development. “We need good planning practices to be in place,” she said, “but we need to let people know how to navigate our system. We need to make it easier to develop property. We need to work with people more.”

Glenn Tunnock said he might be able to produce a document that outlines the steps that need to be taken by developers of all sizes. The comprehensive zoning bylaw will be considered at a dedicated Council session, but it will first be considered at an open house and a public meeting. The open house, and possibly the public meeting as well, will be scheduled for August in order to encourage summer residents to attend.

MOUNTAIN GROVE RECREATION PLAN – Plans to move the Mountain Grove ball field from its location next to the township dump and works yard to a location in between the public school and the fire hall have been proceeding through the work of an ad hoc public committee and the Olden Recreation Committee.

Township Public Works Manager Mike Richardson has been acting as a resource to the process and he brought a preliminary report to Council.

“This will have to go back to the ad hoc committee before it is considered by Council,” Richardson said.

Councilor Guntensperger asked if any work would be done on the project this year, and Richardson said some preparatory work for a new ballfield could be done.

The plan includes building washroom facilities at the new park. It also includes, with the backing of the fire chief, the relocation of the live fire training centre for the township to the dump site/works garage site. The fire training centre is currently located in the vicinity of the proposed recreation facility, across Highway 7.

Councilor Bill Snyder said the process was moving too quickly and people in Mountain Grove are bound to be disappointed when the township does not have enough money for all the plans they are making.

“It seems to me this is being pushed too far,” Snyder said. “It started with a ball field and then other stuff keeps getting added on. Where is the money going to come from?”

“We have not spent very much money here. There is only $10,000 aside for this,” Councilor Norm Guntensperger responded.

Guntensperger then made reference to money that has been spent on one of Bill Snyder's own pet projects, the Piccadilly hall. “$10,000 is not much compared to what was spent in your district, $75,000 for your old hall,” he said.

(The actual allocation in the 2010 budget to repairs to the Piccadilly hall was $52,000)

Mayor Gutowski said, “The process has been appropriate. The committee will have to make some decisions and then they will have to come back to us with a proposal. We will have the opportunity to consider their proposal at that time. Our hands are not tied by anything that has taken place thus far.”

SIGNS, SIGNS, WHERE ARE THE SIGNS?

Councilor Frances Smith asked the public works manager if steps were being taken to replace a number of road signs that have come down over the past year or so.

Richardson said he has not done enough thus far in his tenure (he has been working in the township for about year) to deal with replacing damaged or removed signs, but that he was proposing that a new position be created to cover that gap and others.

Central Frontenac Council- July 13 by Julie Druker

Central Frontenac to accept fridges, air conditioners for free – move to clear bags for waste

The Central Frontenac Waste Management Committee recommended that the township allow for the free disposal of white goods such as refrigerators and air conditioners with the municipality taking responsibility to remove freon from those items at no charge. The idea is to encourage the safe disposal of these items, with the added benefit that the township will make some money from the salvaged metal. Council accepted the recommendation.

A second recommendation made by Public Works Manager Mike Richardson was that the municipality stop using bag tags and start using clear plastic bags with township names printed on them as a way of better identifying waste derived from residents and businesses. This will also to provide one more level of inspection to identify recyclables that need to be diverted.

In his report, Richardson also recommended that the bags be sold at the municipal office and at waste sites. The bags would cost the township 17 cents as compared to 1 cent for the bag tags. They would be sold for $1, the same price that a bag tag is sold for.

After much discussion regarding enforcement, costs and other related issues, a motion was unanimously passed to adopt the change to clear bags, leaving the other details open for later discussion.

Green Energy Task Force: There was much discussion about a motion put forth for the township to investigate the installation of two rooftop solar Micro-FIT projects, one at the District #3 fire hall and the second at the community centre in Arden. Councilor Bill Snyder wondered what happened to the possibility of investigating a solar project at the Godfrey garage. Public Works manager Mike Richardson answered that the Godfrey roof only offers 6000 square feet of space and it is recommended that each project have 10,000 square feet to be feasible.

Councilor Gary Smith expressed a concern about the “fuzziness” of the financial implications to the township for these projects and wondered about the likelihood that the project will end up costing the township some money, at least in the short term.

“Yes there is a possibility, but this council would also receive the benefits of the revenues that would be generated,” said Mayor Gutowski.

CAO John Duchene clarified that “the key here is to just get on board to investigate these two locations and to bring those findings back to council.”

Councilor John Purdon wondered why Frontenac County just doesn't take full responsibility for the green energy projects, to which the mayor responded, “We think the best option is for townships to investigate their own projects and perhaps the county might end up taking them over.”

In the end a motion passed to investigate the two roof top locations.

Equipment Purchase

A motion was passed to purchase a like-new 740 grader for half the regular cost, totaling $130,000 plus tax.

Completion of work on the Arden bridge

A motion was passed to complete work on the Arden bridge using any surplus building funds that are left over this year.

New public works position

Mike Richardson recommended creating a new public works position with the title Public Works Coordinator who would be responsible for managing a number of things like bridges, quarries, waste sites, municipal drains, as well as producing and administering various contracts. After much discussion council passed a motion receiving the memo for information.

Livestock valuations

Two livestock valuations for F. Lloyd and B. Warren were each approved after each lost a cow, the first to a wolf, the second to a bear. They will be compensated in the amounts of $945 and $1000 respectively.

$95 for election audit committee members

Council also approved a motion to pay $95 per diem to members of the election compliance audit committee, a new joint committee to be formed in compliance with the election act.

Time is not easy to find on a summer morning at Smart's Marina. It is now, officially, the high season on Lake Mazinaw, but at first it did not seem to be that busy when I walked into Smart's Marina on Monday, July 5.

Steve Smart was standing next to a giant outboard motor in the small showroom, near the marina store, directing traffic as the staff were moving boats and serving customers at the store.

He ushered me into Pauline Smart's office. “We'll see if we can get some time to talk,” he said.

Steve Smart grew up spending summers at Mazinaw Lake, and in 1974 his parents bought the marina from the Lester family and re-named it Smart's Marina.

In the 1980s he was living in Peterborough, where he met his wife Pauline. Steve worked at a number of marinas and eventually at the Three Buoys houseboat business in Bobcaygeon on the Kawartha Lakes.

So when Steve and Pauline bought the marina from Steve's parents in 1990, it was the natural extension of their career paths.

While the number of marinas on local lakes has been diminishing, Smart's Marina has continued to thrive. “There is no such thing as a recession-proof business.” Steve said, “but we find that when boat sales drop back because money is tight, people spend more money on maintenance and repairs. Since we sell and repair boats and motors, we get some business either way.”

The marina also provides docking service for 70 water-access cottages, as well as boat storage service, etc.

But as Steve was explaining how the different parts of the business fit together, his eyes began to drift and he shifted in his chair. “Excuse me,” he finally said as he looked over to a young man standing at the door “I think I have to go. Someone is looking at a pontoon boat. I'll be back soon.”

Meanwhile, the phone rang and Pauline, who was sitting in front of a computer screen, snatched it up.

“I just got the message on email,” she said to the person on the other end of the line, “I'll get you that information in the next few minutes. Sorry for missing it. We've been busy.”

“The accountant,” she explained.

Just then, another employee came in the office.

“They want gas,” he said

“Give them just 20 litres, no more” Pauline said to the employee. “That'll get them to the upper lake.”

“Problems with gas?” I asked.

“There's been no fuel delivery since June 30,” Pauline explained. “Everybody wanted delivery before the HST came in, and the truckers had worked so many hours by then that they stopped delivering over the weekend. We have only a bit left. Great timing, isn't it?””

By now Steve was back.

His potential customer, who had come up to Smart's from Beaver Lake, near Tamworth, was still pondering whether to buy the $20,000 pontoon boat, but Steve wasn't pushing.

Boat sales are an important source of revenue for the marina, but they are tied in with service. That's how a small business can compete with the box-store type of selling that has had an impact on small marinas in recent years.

Steve explained some of the advantages he can offer.

“The trailer for that pontoon boat costs $4,000. If he buys the boat here we can deliver it to him, and in the fall we can come and get it and store it here. So he can save $4,000. And if he has any problem with it on a Saturday, we can help him out. Now if he buys a boat at Canadian Tire, what good would that do him on a Saturday?”

Smart's has a long-standing relationship with PrinceCraft boats and Mercury motors, which provides them with a range of boats and motors, and they have customers on all of the lakes in the region. Steve travels each year to the major cottage show in Toronto to keep in touch with customers and with the industry. “We've had a presence at that show, one way or another, since my father starting going to it in 1974,” Steve said.

It takes all the accumulated knowledge of over 30 years for a business that is located on a tiny spit of land between Highway 41 and Mazinaw Lake to be able to thrive in an economic climate that has changed so dramatically in recent years.

One example of that is boat technology. “Motors change as quickly as laptop computers, but one difference is that the motors are designed to they can be upgraded as new energy-efficient technology becomes available. With the four stroke engines that are available now, people can buy bigger boats that have less impact on the lake”, Steve said.

Both Steve and Pauline pointed out that the source of their business is one thing that has not changed - Mazinaw Lake itself.

“The health of the lake is the bedrock of this entire community. Because of the health of the lake Bon Echo draws 250,000 people each summer. The cottagers keep coming back. People come fishing. What would Cloyne be without Mazinaw Lake?” Steve said.

“We have a role to play in environmental education,” Pauline said. “Take that boater before to whom we sold 20 litres of gas. He wanted to fill a jerry can and carry it to his boat. We don't do that, because you can't pour gas into a tank with a jerry can without spilling some into the lake. We make them bring the boat around to the pumps. People need to know this kind of thing.”

Marinas are also at the forefront of the safe boating education and licensing system.

Smart's Marina compacts a lot of enterprise into a small location, and while there have been opportunities to pick up new property and divide up different parts of the business in recent years, they have resisted. Two years ago they put up a new building on the property instead.

It allows them to run the marina as it has always been run, as a family business.

Five years ago, Steve and Pauline summed up what their business is all about when they were promoting an event on National Marina Day in 2005. They wrote: “Local marinas do much more than just provide boating infrastructure. They provide a variety of services, such as friendly, helpful advice, education, assistance and instruction through their trained staff on a variety of issues including boating safety, boating regulations and environmentally safe products and practices. In short, marinas provide an unmatched combination of infrastructure, products, and services that help those seeking recreation on the water to maximize their precious leisure time safely and efficiently.”