Central Frontenac Council meets semi-electronically

Craig Bakay | Apr 01, 2020

Editor’s note: we weren’t physically present for Friday’s meeting. The following report was put together from the Township’s audio track of the meeting and its own written report (both available on the Township’s website).

It’s a sign of the times.

Central Frontenac Council met last Friday at noon, with some members of Council and staff connecting electronically.

Physically present in Oso Hall were Mayor Frances Smith, Coun. Victor Heese, Elwin Burke, Sherry Whan and Nicki Gowdy. Also present were CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn, Dep. Clerk Cindy Deachman, IT person Mel Shaw and Emergency Management Coordinator Jamie Riddell.

Connecting remotely were Dep. Mayor Tom Dewey, Coun. Brent Cameron, Bill MacDonald and Cindy Kelsey (who joined mid-way through the meeting) as well as Public Works Manager Tyson Myers, CBO Andy Dillon, Treasurer Michael McGovern and planner Megan Rueckwald.

“These are strange times,” said Smith. “The public health discussion takes place and we take our direction from them.

“Basically the state of emergency is an extra plea for people to pay attention and isolate.

“This could be drastic with our older population and the really sad thing is they would die alone because we won’t be able to go to hospital with them.”

“I just want to encourage everybody, we’ve been through something like this 20 years ago,” said MacDonald. “It’s not quite the same as it was (during the Ice Storm) but we worked together and cooperated and we got through it.

“I think we will this time too.”

After acknowledging the situation, they did manage to get some actual work done.

First up was amending the Township Procedural Bylaw to allow for electronic meetings.

Several councillors questioned just what constitutes an emergency and what powers the Mayor and Clerk have during one.

“Cathy and I have the authority to purchase things we need without the consent of Council,” Smith said. “But it’s (the authority to act alone) only for procurement.

“It doesn’t allow me to hire/fire or do something crazy, it’s mainly in case we need to spend money in a hurry.”

Perhaps the biggest bit of business conducted was to waive the $15,000 site plan security deposit for the new gas bar/convenience store/licensed beverage vehicle planned for Arden by Derek and Barbie Matson.

“I’m not against it (waiving the fee) but I’m wondering about what kind of precedent it might set,” said MacDonald. “What reasoning can we say on what grounds are we waiving the requirement?

“Is is because we know the people or is it because it would create some sort of financial burden given the environment we’re working in these days?”

Rueckwald said the security deposit is standard procedure but Council does have the authority to waive it should it see fit.

“The security deposit is there to ensure work is done in accordance with the agreement,” she said. “An example would be if the applicant went bankrupt during construction and there were gas tanks left on the property that the Township would have to clean up.”

Dewey said that he thought things should be approached on a case-by-case basis.

“There will be exceptions,” he said. “And I think we have to support new businesses, especially when this would be a valuable service to Arden.”

The decision to waive the security deposit passed unanimously.

Council also passed a bylaw to waive interest payments and penalty payments on unpaid taxes April 1 and May 1 due to the covid-19 pandemic to give taxpayers some financial relief.

Finally, on the advice of a consultant’s report, MacMunn’s title was changed to CAO/Clerk from Clerk-Administrator.