Central Frontenac To Keep Two Meetings Per Month

Craig Bakay | Dec 06, 2023

Central Frontenac Council will continue to have two meetings per month, at 6 p.m., despite a request from CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn to reduce meetings to one per month as well as numerous suggestions from various Council members.

Council reached this decision at its regular meeting Nov. 28 in Sharbot Lake.

Most area councils meet twice a month with the exceptions being North Frontenac (every three weeks) and Frontenac County Council (once per month).

In her report, MacMunn suggested changing the meeting schedule to the third Tuesday of each month from the current second and fourth Tuesdays.

“Currently, with two meetings a month, the clerks department is constantly working on Council packages,” she said in her report. “This entails creating the package, reviewing reports every two weeks, attending meetings, and then executing Council directions and completing the administrative tasks to properly record and confirm Council proceedings.

“One less Council meeting per month would allow the clerk’s department to move from a reactive position to a proactive position (once the back log of files is caught up).

“It will also allow the managers more time to complete research on items Council would like brought back in a timelier fashion.”

MacMunn also pointed out that meetings are only once a month in July, August and December.

“I realize one meeting a month will make for a longer meeting with all departments reporting and as such would like Council to consider changing the meeting time back to 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m.,” she said.

Some councillors were sympathetic to the concept.

“The clerk’s department is under a strain,” said Coun. Lynn Klages. “I’d like to suggest a compromise of going to one meeting a month for two or four months to let them catch up.”

Coun. Susan Irwin suggested going back to 4 p.m. meetings.

But other councillors suggested there would be too much material to digest if meetings were only one a month.

“The last meeting was three hours,” said Coun. Dan Meeks. “(Doubling that) would be too much.”

“Leave it as it is,” said Coun. Duncan McGregor. “One meeting would be too much (material).”

In a recorded vote, Mayor Frances Smith, Coun. Lynn Klages, Bill Everett and Susan Irwin voted against leaving things as they are.

“So, when staff works an extra three hours (at an evening meeting), they really need to take a half day off the next day,” said Mayor Frances Smith. “Normally, they go in at regular hours the next day.

“They have to stop doing that.”

Service Recognition

Council acknowledge long-term service awards for staff members Andy Dillon, Jonathan Gray and Joel Connelly (five years), Mike Tryan (15 years) and Rick Commodore (20 years).

PSFDH Foundation

Bruce Rigby, chair of the MRI Cabinet for the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation’s MRI Campaign addressed Council asking for a $30,000 donation each year for the next three years. That’s based on a Township population of 4,892 which works out to $2 per person per year.

Rigby said they’ve almost raised $1.9 million of a $6.1 million total cost (including $2 million in renovations to Smiths Falls Hospital).

Patients are already using the MRI facility.

Rigby said having an MRI in Smiths Falls will not only make trips to Ottawa or Kingston unnecessary for the procedure but is also one of the things potential physician recruits ask about.

Mayor Frances Smith told staff to add a $10,000 line item to the 2024 budget and it will be decided on during budget deliberations.

Speed Bylaw

Council once again deferred changes to the Speed Bylaw as staff has identified additional bylaws that will require amendments because of changes to the Speed Bylaw.

The changes should come back to Council at the Jan. 23 meeting.

Holiday Hours

The Central Frontenac Municipal Office will be open for regular hours Dec. 18- 21.

The office will be closed Dec. 22, 25, 26, 27-29, and Jan. 1, 2-24

Regular office hours will resume Jan. 2, 2024.