Central Frontenac Council - Jun 9/15

Julie Druker | Jun 10, 2015

Mountain Grove resident petitions council for permission to keep pigs

In a delegation to council, Amy-Lynn Hole brought council's attention to a complaint lodged by a resident against the smell from pigs she is raising in a barn that is located at 1026 Mountain Grove Road. The complaint has led to an investigation by by-law officer Ken Gilpin.

Hole’s presentation included a description of the barn where the pigs are fed, watered and cleaned daily and she explained how their waste is shipped outside of the hamlet. She stated that when the by-law officer arrived to investigate, he said he did not smell anything odious. Though she did not mention how many pigs are being housed in the barn, she did say that the pigs do not run free and that she believes she and her family should be able to keep them. She referred to a council decision earlier this year allowing miniature horses and goats to be kept at a residence that is also located in a hamlet. As a member of a low-income family, she cited her difficulties paying for food, medicine, and hydro for a family of five, which includes her father, who is in the throes of stage four brain, lung and spinal cord cancer. She said the meat from the pigs goes a long way in helping her to feed her family. Hole also presented a petition with 51 signatures supporting her request to be able to keep the pigs.

In a discussion following the presentation, CAO Jim Zimmerman said that he is waiting for legal advice regarding the matter and he advised council to defer making a decision until that advice has been received. Council agreed.

Gravel and road construction tenders

Council approved Jim Zimmerman's recommendation to accept bids from Crains' Construction to supply and place gravel on 12 township roads for $200,300, and to complete the rehabilitation of Frontenac and Mill Roads for $331,546. Both bids are under the amounts budgeted for the work involved; the gravel by $45,000 and the road work by $54,000. The total savings of almost $100,000 was called a "good news story" by Zimmerman. The savings will help to allviate the $225,000 in “budget pressure” identified by Treasurer Michael McGovern earlier this spring.

40km speed reduction approved in school zone on Road 38

Council passed a motion to approve the speed limit reduction on Road 38 in Sharbot Lake where the highway extends 150 meters in both directions from the limits of land used by the Granite Ridge Education Centre between the hours of 8 a.m. And 4:30 p.m. on school days.

May 2015 Construction details

Jeremy Nevens' report to council regarding construction values showed that although the May, 2015 numbers decreased to $270,000 from $935,000 at the same time period last year, 2015's year to date numbers are up by more than $750,000 – from $1.28 million last year to just over $2 million this year. Similarly, permit fees overall are up by $12,000 from last year. Permits for a total of six new residential units have been taken out so far this year as compared to just two at this same time in 2014.