Central Frontenac Council - Mar 27/12

Mar 29, 2012

CF Council appoints new fire chief

Council passed a motion appointing long-time Deputy Fire Chief Bill Young as the township's new fire chief. He replaces outgoing Chief Mark MacDonald. Mayor Gutowski congratulated Chief Young following his monthly report to council.

“We're very pleased to be able to offer the position to an internal candidate who has the support of the volunteers and who we feel is very deserving of the position”, she said.

Vehicle tenders awarded

Public Works Manager Mike Richardson made a presentation to council outlining his recommendations for the purchase of two new vehicles for the township's fleet. The first was for the purchase of a tandem snow plow, which was approved in the 2012 budget.

Of the three bids received, council went with Richardson's recommendation to purchase the plow from Oakes Truck Sales in Perth. Their bid was the lowest, for a 2012 International at a cost of $192,310 plus taxes. The second vehicle approved by council for purchase, which was also budgeted for 2012, was a new 2012 Ford 150 Super cab 4x4 half ton truck. The tender was awarded to Revell Ford in Verona at a cost of $27,995 plus taxes.

Sharbot Lake CIP Report

Peter Young and Anne-Marie Young from Frontenac County updated council on the township's Community Improvement Plan, which gained input from area businesses at a meeting held earlier this month at Oso hall. Councilors reiterated some of the public suggestions for increased signage.

Councilor Norm Guntensperger asked, “How broad an area can it encompass?”

Peter Young answered that right now the Sharbot Lake area has been Council’s focus but that the plan could be broadened in the future.

Policing Costs

On the topic of increased policing costs to the municipality and in response to a letter received from OPP Commissioner Chris D. Lewis, Councilor Guntensperger suggested requesting a report from the OPP so Council can better understand the reasons for the increases.

Mayor Gutowski agreed. She will send a letter to the commissioner requesting a detailed report of OPP services and costs in the municipality.

Debate unfolds re: proposed meeting of public works managers

A heated discussion ensued regarding a proposed resolution forwarded by County Council to the four Frontenac townships. The resolution requested support for a meeting of public works managers to discuss the fiscal challenges highlighted in a report presented at the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus.

The resolution was put forward by Mayor Gutowski at a recent meeting of County Council and she opened the discussion, stating, “My hope is that there will be the political will to direct our public works managers to get together, brain storm and try to come up with some common and long term strategies about these major issues. My hope is that by the end of this year we find some common ground and utilize the County more effectively.”

Both Councilors Frances Smith and Bill Snyder strongly opposed the resolution, with Snyder calling the proposed meetings “a waste of time”.

Councilor Smith said, “We've done this before and it has never worked. What we will end up with is a county roads system and to me it is just another department of county council that cannot do the work more cheaply and more efficiently than we can.”

Councilor Purdon said he would support the resolution and made efforts to clarify the purpose of the proposed meetings.

“This is not just about regular road maintenance and winter roads operations; this is about the long term and bigger issues, like when Road 38 eventually needs paving again and there might not be the funds available for us to do it. It makes sense for us to get together and look at some of these bigger issues.”

Mayor Gutowski agreed.

“I think we need to have a long term strategy in place for the entire County in order to broaden the discussion and to encourage opportunities and grants that might be available on the county level. We need to utilize our local expertise at least in terms of conversation at this point.”

Mayor Gutowski requested a recorded vote on the resolution. It was passed 6-2, with Councilors Smith and Snyder voting against it.

Denied tenderer looks for answers

In a delegation to council, Dennis Scott, who put in two separate tender bids for cleaning and garbage pick up in the township and whose bids were both denied, was looking for an explanation.

“Considering the fact that both of my bids were low, I want to know what other factors were considered, for the sole purpose that I can know how better to approach the bidding in the future and also how to improve on the services that I am offering,” he said.

Scott added that he has had many contracts with the township in the past and had never received any negative feedback on the services that he has provided.

"It's a collective council decision that's made and it does not necessarily have to go to the lowest bid,” replied Mayor Gutowski. “There are also other factors that come into play such as services offered and performance reviews.”

CAO Shawn Trépanier, who has met with Scott a number of times on this subject, said that the township does not have to give reasons why tenders are not accepted since that would make for too many time consuming explanations.

“Fair enough but if I don't have any knowledge about what I am doing wrong and have never received any complaints, how do I know how to go about changing and improving what I do?” asked Scott.

Burn ban - A burn ban has been declared in Central Frontenac.