Lakelands Family Health Team held an open house at the Denbigh Hall on February 6. The hall was packed with Denbigh and area residents eager to find out about services the Health Team would have available, both presently and in the future. Two Denbigh councilors, Adam Snider and Tony Fritsch, were also present at the meeting. Janice Powell, from Lakelands Family Health Team, headed the discussion and introduced the health care professionals who would be peopling the team. 

Lakelands Family Health Team (Denbigh site) will consist of Dr. Bernard Tobia; Janice Powell, ED; Susan Peters, Nurse Practitioner; Sue Tobia, Program Manager; Marg Schwager, Counsellor; Tammy Keller, Chiropodist; Brenda Madigan, receptionist/clerical staff; and a dietitian, (not yet hired).  Ms. Powell informed the attentive crowd that Dr. Tobia will be in Denbigh at the same time he has been in the past, but that Nurse Practitioner Susan Peters will be in Denbigh five days a week. As nurse practitioner, she can perform any duty a doctor can, except to give out narcotics. Other services the team offers are educational and working programs on illnesses and issues such as Diabetes, chronic pain, mental health, etc. These programs are currently under development, and once this process has been completed, they will be offered to all patients rostered to the Family Health Team.

In 2008, a Community Health Committee was formed to look at health care in our community and what could be done to ensure services for the future. The committee concluded that an application for a Family Health Team would be submitted when the Ministry of Health invited same. This was done in July of 2009 and approved in December the same year. Addington Highlands Township secured the abandoned public school in Denbigh for this project, and will look at the upgrades and renovations needed to upgrade the building to house the Health Team. Although many of the renovations are still in the planning, the first part of the health centre is now resident in one wing. The health team hopes to be able to offer more medical services in the near and far future, including the addition of a second doctor, who will come to the area in July 2012. To access the programs, one must be rostered to the Health Team. For after hours and weekend emergencies, a phone number will be available for people to call.

Lakelands Family Health Team will be an invaluable service to Denbigh and area, as it hosts a growing population of aging and retired residents. Except for services provided now by Dr. Tobia, residents must travel at least an hour to see a doctor and other services. Lakelands Family Health Team will make complete health care available in the immediate area.

Janice Powell opened the floor to questions and the Health Team answered them to everyone’s satisfaction. Several residents at the meeting thanked the Health Team, expressing their gratitude for the health services that are much needed and appreciated, both now and in future.

Finally, everyone enjoyed a light luncheon, consisting of some very tasty and healthy snacks, and had time to visit one on one with the health professionals present.

A similar open house will be presented in Northbrook on Sunday 13 February from 2 – 4 pm, as the Lakelands Family Health Team will provide services for both communities.

Photo: members of the Alzheimer Society KFLA team  Marcel Giroux,  Bob Fisher, Patti Dixon-Medora and Vicki Poffley 

Various members of the Alzheimer Society of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington attended the re-opening of the Sharbot Lake office. Bob Fisher will be manning the office three days a week and members of the community living with dementia and their caregivers should be pleased to know that they can again receive support services right here in their own community.

President of the Board of Directors of the KFLA Alzheimers Society Patti Dixon-Medora was in attendance and was thrilled to have this important community service resume.

”We're really pleased that the organization is now able to once again have public educator coordinators embedded in the communities that they serve. That's been a huge step for the society.”

As the new public education coordinator, Bob Fisher will be in the Sharbot Lake office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, providing information as well as one-on-one and group support to those in the community living with various types of dementia, and to their families and care partners. He will also be providing public education on Alzheimer’s and related dementias and will be heading up various awareness-raising activities.

Fisher is looking forward to his post. ”I've been doing a lot of learning and reading and have made a lot of contacts in the area. I am really looking forward to serving members of this community.”

Funds for the Sharbot Lake services were provided by a one-time grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, which will pay for the services for another year’s duration, at which point the service  will require support solely through community fundraising.

For more information about services call Bob Fisher at 613-279-3078 or visit www.alzking.com

The Adult Day programs that are offered in Sydenham and Harrowsmith by Southern Frontenac Community Services (SFCS), and in Parham and Sharbot Lake by Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS), all have spaces available right now and are looking for new participants.

“Adult Day Programs were created to support not only the care recipient but the caregiver as well,” said David Townsend of Southern Frontenac Community Services.  “While clients affected with any number of diseases related to aging will benefit from the program, the caregiver can find time to recharge their batteries, which at the end of the day, allows them to become better care providers.

While in the SFCS programs, clients can take part in exercise programs, music appreciation, crafts, games, brain stimulation, socialization, quiet moments and good food. 

“We strive to fulfill our clients’ physical, emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual needs in whichever fashion they derive the most benefit,” said Townsend. “As an added bonus, caregivers find themselves with an entire day to use for their own purposes. Some caregivers choose to use this day for a rest; some book regular hair appointments on this day; while others find time to socialize with friends who have gone by the wayside due to the struggles of providing care.”

There are two levels of programming offered by SFCS under the Adult Day program banner. On Tuesdays and Thursdays in Harrowsmith a program is offered for the frail elderly. Workers offer participants in this program physical support with transferring, help with toileting, feeding, medication administration and one-on-one guidance through activities. The goal of this program is to provide direct supervision and supports to those individuals who are more advanced in their aging – whether it be Alzheimers Disease or another physical ailment, such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke.

The Harrowsmith program, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, is for more self-sufficient and active seniors.

Northern Frontenac Community Services also offers two levels of Adult Day programs. The program in Parham is called the Day Away Program and is for more active seniors who participate in a number of craft and social activities. The Adult Day Program, which takes place at the Seniors’ Centre in Sharbot Lake, is designed for the frail elderly, and offers personal care including bathing as part of its program. NFCS also offers an in-home respite program for individuals who prefer socialization in the home.

Funding for both the NFCS and SFCS programs comes from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care through the Local Health Integration Network. Anyone interested in the programs should contact SFCS in Sydenham at 1-613-376-6477 or NFCS in Sharbot Lake at 613-279-3151.  There is a nominal cost to the programs.

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

There are many reasons why people fall behind in their payments, especially in recessionary times, but the debts remain outstanding however good the reason for non-payment. Collection agencies work on a very simple principle; for them to make money, they must collect money from debtors for their clients. To fulfill this need, some collection agencies have gone to great lengths, and caused a lot of grief by harassing the debtor, their families, friends, and even employers.

In an attempt to discourage such practices, the provincial government passed the Collection Agencies Act. Under the Act administered by the Ministry of Consumer Services, the rights of debtors are clearly laid out along with a set of rules governing what collection agents can do, as well as when, and how they can act, when attempting to recover debts. The effectiveness of the legislation may be questioned however, as complaints about collection agencies have topped the Ministry’s list of consumer complaints for the past five years.

If you or someone you know is in the unfortunate position of dealing with a collection agency, knowing the rights of the consumer/debtor is important. Don’t expect the voice on the telephone to explain them and it’s also not a bad idea to be more than a bit suspicious of the information provided by a seemingly “helpful” agent.

Not all of the rules can be summarized in a single column, but if you feel are dealing with an agent who uses profane, intimidating or threatening language, or who seems to be applying excessive or unreasonable pressure to pay (“forget your rent, pay us first, or else”), then it’s likely there has been a breach of the Collection Agencies Act. More specifically, you can’t be called more than three times a week and never on a Sunday or a Holiday, except between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. They can’t even begin to call until six days have passed since sending you written notice setting out the name of the person or business claiming that a debt exists, the amount owing, and identifying the collection agency.

The collection agency may not, except to obtain your address or telephone number, contact your spouse, any other member of your family or household, neighbours or your acquaintances. Collection agencies are also limited in their right to contact your employer, generally being limited to one call and that call must be simply to confirm your employment.

If you receive documents that appear to be issued by a Court as an enclosure with a letter from a collection agency demanding payment, it is often worthwhile to have such documents examined by a lawyer as soon as possible. No such claim may have been initiated and income from some sources, including Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, are protected from garnishment (seizure under a Court Order) by collection agencies and other creditors.

Of course, the real solution is to make arrangements to pay the money owing. If you are in financial difficulty, it is a good idea to seek out the assistance of a Credit Counseling Agency. A credit counselor can often help you deal with your financial problems and help you to arrange a payment scheme with your creditors. If you live in Northern Frontenac, some assistance in dealing with debt problems is available through Northern Frontenac Community Services at 613-279-3151.

If you need help in dealing with an overly aggressive collection agency, lawyers at Rural Legal Service can also provide information, advice and referrals. If you meet the financial eligibility requirements set out by Legal Aid Ontario, assistance in dealing directly with the collection agency can be available. Once a collection agency is advised that a lawyer is acting on your behalf, it is supposed to deal with you only through your lawyer and the calls are supposed to stop.

Information requests and complaints about collection agencies can also be directed to the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services at 1-877-665-0622.

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.

Photo: Anne Wilson (centre) flanked by North Frontenac Deputy Mayor Fred Perry (left) and Addington HighlandsReeve Henry Hogg (right) and staff from the family Health Team, family members and members of council.

Anne Wilson did not go in for rural family medicine in order to be in the limelight.

“I really don't like to have my picture taken,” said Wilson, who is currently a resident with the St. Michael's Family Health Team in Toronto, but was in Northbrook in December to sign a five-year contract with the Lakelands Family Health Team.

She was greeted by most of the members of North Frontenac and Addington Highlands Council, along with a number of newspaper reporters, who all witnessed as the townships each committed $15,000 per year for five years as an incentive for a new doctor to join the new Northbrook-based team. Wilson will begin practicing at the Lakelands Family Health Team on July 1, 2012, and is committed to remaining at least until July 1, 2017.

Wilson is no stranger to life in small town Ontario, and she has a local connection as well. She grew up in Havelock, and has relatives who have moved to the Cloyne area. She did a practicum at the Northbrook clinic last summer. “I really enjoyed my time here last summer, and family medicine in a rural practice is what I want to do. And I want to work in a group practice,” she said.

During her residency she has been involved in a large inner city group practice in Toronto, where she has been doing work in family medicine, as well as geriatrics, surgery and trauma.

“This is a great day for us,” said Doctor Tobia of the Lakelands Family Health Team, “it ensures medical services in our region for years to come.”

The announcement was the culmination of a process that began several years ago, when Doctor Tobia approached the neighbouring townships about setting up a doctor recruitment campaign. Eventually, a medical services committee was formed. The committee worked with Doctor Tobia in an application for a Family Health Team, which will bring funding for a basket of services in Northbrook. As part of that process, the Township of Addington Highlands purchased the Northbrook clinic from Doctor Tobia.

For Anne Wilson, the existence of the Health Team and the support it offers, seems to have been as important as the cash incentive. “The staff here were so helpful when I was here last summer. This will be a great place to work,” she said.

Anne Wilson will probably do another practicum in Northbrook this spring. She will start her practice when her residency in Toronto ends, in July of 2012.

Pam Musson is a director with the Ontario Ministry of Education who is playing a central role in developing funding models for childcare in the province in the coming years, and she delivered the keynote address to the Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) Annual General Meeting at the Bedford Hall on June 16.

“We know that northern, rural and remote circumstances are different from urban ones,” she said, as she began her remarks.

Musson was invited to the meeting by NFCS Executive Director Don Amos, after she headed a delegation from the Ministry of Education to the NFCS Child Centre in early May. The daycare, which has served children from the age of 6 months until they enter grade 1 on a not-for-profit basis for over 20 years, faced a cut in enrolment last September when all-day kindergarten was introduced to area schools. The change pulled all four and five-year-old children from costly daycare into the universally funded school environment.

The cut in numbers at the daycare has been difficult for the agency to address, and a further impact will be felt next fall when the next group of four-year-olds leaves for kindergarten.

Musson said, “Our fully funded, full day program for 4 and 5-year-olds, uses a child-centred, play-based approach. This is not the kindergarten you remember from years ago. It builds on children's assets and their strengths. And as education now has responsibility for daycare, we are starting to weave in the care for younger children. It's not about the Ministry of Education assuming that role and telling you what to do; it's about all of us learning together how to move forward.

“We need to have what I call courageous conversations, where we face the very real difficulties. Don and I have talked about the impact on this community and about how we must re-engineer that system for the 0 to 3.8-year-olds. We will be particularly looking directly at the day nurseries, and at the funding formula for daycare, and our policy direction will be done with consultation. From a northern, rural and remote perspective we have a working group to address the different circumstances”

The funding crunch faced in rural daycare centres across the province will not see much change in the short term, however. Any change in the funding policy will take months or years to implement, and Musson said that the fact there is a provincial election coming up in three months has shut down all work on policy at the ministry for the time being.

“This is something I'm not used to, since I don't come from a policy background,” she said.

Transitional year for NFCS

Earlier in the meeting Don Amos reported not only on the challenges facing the agency’s daycare services, which he said have been stabilized for the time being thanks some extraordinary efforts by Child Centre staff.

“We have also, along with our partners at Southern Frontenac Community Services and Frontenac County, been able to roll out Rural Routes Transportation Services as a county-wide service, an effort that started long before I came to the agency,” Amos said.

He also talked about the 35th anniversary celebrations the agency held last August, which was a picnic at Sharbot Lake beach that attracted over 200 people of all ages. The scope of the Northern Rural Youth partnership that is led by NFCS has increased over the past year, and a two-year Trillium grant has recently been approved for the program.

NFCS staff also stepped up their involvement in the United Way fundraising campaign this year, and were recognised by the United Way for that. The United Way funds the family counselling service of the agency.

In financial terms, Amos talked of the changes in financial systems that have been implemented to accommodate the Local Health Integration Network, which funds seniors' services offered by the agency. And also on a financial note, he pointed out that the agency has moved from a deficit to a surplus financial standing over the past year.

After Don Amos’s remarks, the role of NFCS in the lives of seniors came into focus with the awarding of an Honorary Life membership to Joan Wyatt, who has been a stalwart volunteer at the Day Away Program that NFCS runs for seniors each week.

Catherine Tysick, who runs the Day Away program and a host of programs for seniors with funding from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, presented a slide show that demonstrated not only the range of volunteer activities Joan does for the program, but her broad smile and enthusiasm as well.

Finally, Pat Denna provided a client’s eye view of NFCS’s services for seniors. Pat described a number of difficulties that she has faced as someone who lives alone in Central Frontenac, and how every time she thought she would have to move, NFCS has been able to help out. She has used counselling, transportation, help with housekeeping, meals on wheels and more.

“I don’t know what I’d do without NFCS,” she said,

Staff recognition awards were presented at the meeting to Claire Richer (5 years) Susan Wilby (20 years) and Joyce Lewis (25 years).

Seniors' housing report draws mixed reactions at county

At one point during a comprehensive report on the prospects for a county-sponsored seniors' housing pilot project in Frontenac County, Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle presaged the ultimate response from Council, when he interrupted the presentation briefly, saying, “Excuse me, but how much longer is this going to go on?”

When the presentation did end, Doyle was quick to condemn it for being focused on one part of the County. “We have a Highway 38-centric proposal in front of us. I'd suggest we've got a project here that South and Central Frontenac should get together and decide what to do with,” he said.

The final report by SHS and ReFact Consulting is the culmination of a 6-month-long study whose goal was to analyse the housing needs of seniors in Frontenac County, and to propose and provide costing for a pilot project that the county could bring to fruition.

Social housing in Frontenac County is administered by the housing department of the City of Kingston according to a local services realignment agreement that was reached at the time of municipal amalgamation in 1998.

A portion of municipal taxes are paid by the county to the city, and the city provides funding support to not-for profit corporations in the county, such as the Loughborough Housing Corporation (Sydenham) and North Frontenac Not-for-Profit Housing (Sharbot Lake).

This latest study was intended to add to the stock of lower cost housing for seniors in Frontenac County. Recent census information has again confirmed that the population of Frontenac County is ageing faster than the provincial average (the senior population was 15.6% in 2006 and is projected to reach 27.1% by 2036)

There is also a relatively large number of poorer seniors in Frontenac County. Fifteen percent of county residents who were 75 years or older and 10% of seniors between 65 and 75 had an income of under $18,200 per year.

These factors, and others related to ageing, have rendered the stock of housing in the county insufficient for the needs of many of the current and future seniors in the county.

When they were asked as part of the study, a large proportion of seniors expressed a desire to remain living in rural locations as they aged, rather than moving to an urban centre.

Before discussing models for a pilot project, the study concluded that for more remote areas of the county, such as North Frontenac and parts of Central and South Frontenac, “a bricks and mortar solution may not be sustainable at this time” and proposed instead that the county advocate for an expansion to homecare services and to home adaptation and retrofit programs “to assist in addressing the needs of seniors to age in place in more remote areas of the county.”

In presenting the study, the consultants acknowledged that ageing at home supports are provided by the Southeast Local Health Integration Network (LHINS) and the county can do no more than lobby for more services.

The study then provided costing information for three different kinds of housing pilot projects, identifying three communities as likely locations for such projects: Sydenham, Verona and Sharbot Lake.

Model One is a new 20-unit single-storey affordable rent project. The estimated up front costing for this proposal is $3.8 million.

Model Two is a 20-unit conversion or renovation of an existing building (i.e. a surplus school). The estimated cost for this model is $2.2 million.

Model Three is for an assisted living facility that provides independent living but also meals and housekeeping services for residents. For an 8-unit facility the estimated cost for construction is $1.4 million

The study proposes that the county form a task force or committee to explore what kind of project the county would like to bring to fruition, and what role the county would like to play.

The county role could range from providing waivers/reductions in building fees and development charges, reducing taxes, contributing municipal land or surplus buildings, providing low interest loans, or direct capital funding.

While Frontenac Islands Mayor Doyle was clearly unhappy with the report, saying it excluded Frontenac Islands and North Frontenac, Warden Gutowski called the study “extensive and complete” and said it “provided something for everyone”.

The report was received for information and a decision on future steps may come as part of budget deliberations for the 2013 county budget, which begin this month. 

Public Works Ten-Year Plan

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth presented his department’s 2013 Capital budget and ten-year Plan for Council’s consideration. Goals included: 1] ‘Vertical’ Facilities: to develop a good understanding of the conditions of township buildings, their energy use, accessibility and any asbestos issues, 2] Equipment replacement for 2013: two light trucks and two dump trucks, one of them a tri-axle, 3] Waste disposal site improvements: weigh scale, fencing, attendant booths, and partial capping, 4]Transportation: salt management plans for Hartington and Bedford, office renovations at Keeley, Hartington and Bedford, and village beautification, and 5] ‘Horizontal Facilities’: a proposed schedule of repairs and upgrades of roads and bridges for the next two years.

Noting that “we face a lot of challenges: traffic only gets heavier every year,” Segsworth said that his proposed roadwork schedule does not necessarily meet all the Township needs. Overall estimated budget of just over $7 million is up $800,000 from last year, and proposes drawing $500,000 more from reserves than last year. This information will form a substantial part of Council’s budget deliberations in the next few weeks.

Councillor Tindal asked: “What would you say if a group of private citizens offered to pay to resurface a public road?” “We’d be very, very interested,” said Segsworth, adding that resurfacing had to include a good base, and proper drainage.

Council Composition Up For Discussion

CAO Orr, referring to the strategic plan’s commitment “to improve governance and processes,” said that Council might wish to consider: increasing or decreasing the total number of positions on Council, changing the method of election from the present system of having two representatives from each of four districts, establishing a new position of deputy mayor, or altering or removing district boundaries. This led to lively discussion, and the conclusion that Orr should draw up a discussion framework and process, which would include public consultation, for Council’s consideration.

Municipal Pound Services

Each year, the Township impounds, at the Kingston Humane Society, approximately 75 - 80 untagged dogs caught running at large. At present, because of a mid-year fee adjustment by the KHS, Council pays $55 per animal, plus a new administrative billing fee of $25 for any month in which a dog is sheltered. The 2012 budget for pound services is $3300.

However, the Humane Society has announced they are looking to recover fully the cost of offering pound services, which would raise the Township’s contract to a minimum of $10,000,based on 2011 impound numbers. In order to cover this raise in fees and unknown costs such as veterinary fees, Orr proposed the Township raise its rates to $175 or the return of a lost animal, but expressed concern that fewer residents might claim lost animals as the cost increases. (currently, all but 10 or 12 South Frontenac animals are claimed or adopted out each year.) He also noted that there were few if any alternatives to the pound’s services, due to the required inspections and tighter regulations now governing private pounds. There was general Council agreement that the new fee be increased to $150.

The Point Park Lighting and Fundraising

In response to a recent query from Council, Treasurer Fragnito reported that in 2011, $66,865 was spent on the Point Park lighting project, of which $31,000 came from the fundraising efforts of the Point Park Improvement committee, and the remainder from the Township’s Parkland Fund. A further $66,506 was spent on the lights in 2012, all from the Parkland fund. The Point Park Improvement fund now has a balance of $831.21.

Unique boundary proposal would create Kingston-Frontenac L&A riding.

At the Frontenac County Council meeting on Oct. 17, CAO Liz Savill presented the submission she will be making to the electoral boundary commission for council's approval.

The submission makes a number of points that have been made by Hastings and Lennox and Addington County and others ever since the proposed boundaries were released in early September.

Among other features, those boundaries would split Frontenac County into three ridings.

As Savill’s submission acknowledges, all of the other proposals are similar to the current riding boundaries, in which Frontenac County is in a riding that includes Lanark County.

Arguing that Lanark County is more oriented to Ottawa and Frontenac County to Kingston, Savill proposes a Frontenac, Lennox and Addington riding that includes the former Kingston and Pittsburgh townships in rural Kingston. This would shrink the Kingston and the Islands riding but would create a riding anchored by the populations living within proximity to Highway 401, including the Town of Napanee and Loyalist Township, as well as parts of South Frontenac and Kingston.

In addition, it would create a riding of Hastings-Belleville and calls for a new riding of Lanark-Carleton, which would include the rural west end of Ottawa and all of Lanark County.

Savill points out that Frontenac County has only been coupled with Lanark for the past 10 years. Her proposal is similar to the way things were before that, with the exception of the alteration of Kingston and the Islands, which is an established riding, but one that has grown in population to the point that it is now 17.9% higher than the norm of 106,000. The proposed Kingston and the Islands riding would be closer to the norm, but the Kingston Frontenac riding would be well short of the quota at 90,000.

The presentation will form the Frontenac County submission to the public hearing on electoral boundaries on November 8 in Kingston. 

Members of Frontenac County Council took turns objecting to a number of late-year initiatives and relatively minor expenditures (relative to the $40 million county budget) at their penultimate regular meeting of 2012 on October 17.

These objections did not result in outright rejections of any proposed measures, with councillors opting only to defer considerations of the matters to future meetings.

Frontenac Islands Councilor David Jones started the ball rolling when he questioned a proposal from County Labour Relations Specialist Colleen Hickey that a Corporate Services Organisational review be undertaken at a cost of $40,000.

In a report, Hickey pointed out that there are now 21 corporate service positions at the county, serving both Council and its committees as well as the two front-line services offered by the County (Fairmount Home and Frontenac Paramedic Services).

Of those, seven were created after a 2006 organisational review of the county was completed. These positions include Hickey’s own position as well as an IT Specialist, Occupational Health Nurse (Fairmount), Manager of Sustainability Planning, GIS Specialist, Communications Specialist, and Community Planner.

Even with this increase, the report says that corporate services are facing “significant workload challenges and expectations placed on its services and activities. Primarily these increased challenges are attributable to increased provincial reporting and legislative requirements and to the six Council committees now fully operational.”

“I don’t understand why this is coming before us in the midst of a budget year. Why the rush?” asked Councilor David Jones.

County Chief Administrative Officer Liz Savill replied, “The urgency is that we have been living with problems for years. We want this done before the 2013 budget. That is the intent.”

Dennis Doyle, the Mayor of Frontenac Islands, suggested that the proposal be deferred until a strategic planning exercise is completed in November.

The motion to defer was passed.

Ambulance vehicle replacement

A report from Financial Services that touched on amortization of vehicles, funding models, replacement costs, the impact of emission standards and the lifespan of new gas-powered models as compared to diesel-powered models from the past, sparked another series of questions from Council.

Treasurer Marion Vanbruinessen recommended that ambulances be amortised over 4.5 years instead of 6 years, as they are currently. This, she said, would result in more provincial funding (the province pays for half the amortisation costs of vehicles) and better reflects that fact that newer ambulances, which are gas-powered, do not last as long as the old diesel models, which are out of production.

Members of Council wanted to know if the change would necessitate ambulances being replaced after 4.5 years, even if they are still running well.

Deputy Chief Gale Chevalier, sitting in at the meeting for the absent Chief of Paramedic Services, Paul Charbonneau, said, “Certainly if at the end of 4.5 years, the vehicle is running well, keeping it longer is something we could consider.”

“I think the way these things go, if we don’t spell out that the vehicles are not to be automatically replaced after four and a half years, that’s what will happen. I think we should put something in the motion about that,” said South Frontenac Mayor Gary Davison.

In the end, the matter was deferred to the County Finance committee for review.

Medical tiered response

A report regarding proposed changes to the kinds of ambulance calls that are extended to fire departments in both Kingston and Frontenac County received a brusque response from South Frontenac Mayor Gary Davison, as South Frontenac Fire Chief Rick Chesebrough looked on.

Davison referred to the fact that the report made use of a study completed in the Peterborough area which concluded that a number of non-urgent calls for ambulance service do not require fire fighters to provide first response,

“Most of our firefighters do more than first aid, they are trained first responders,” he said. “I would like to see more local information on this, not information from Peterborough.

A motion to receive the tiered response report was deferred until next month.

On October 12, a group of school bus operators serving students in the Limestone, Prince Edward Hastings, Catholic School Board of Eastern Ontario launched a suit against their employer, Tri-Board Transportation Services, in the Belleville Court.

The suit alleges that the RFP (Request for Proposal) process through which the bus routes in the region will be divided up for five years starting next fall, constitutes a “breach of contract, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of the duty of fairness”. The suit asks the court for an “interlocutory and permanent injunction” restraining the closing of the RFP, which is scheduled for October 31.

The plaintiffs in the case include a number of small and medium-sized bus companies that have been delivering children to schools in the region for many years for Tri-board and Tri-board’s predecessors, and part of the statement of claim is that the RFP process is skewed in favour of larger companies, many of whom have no history in the region.

They say that larger companies can bid on up to 20% of the routes that are available, and in so doing they can submit low bids, offsetting the low-profit rural routes with profits from urban routes.

Smaller companies, including three in Central and North Frontenac, are only interested in the routes they have already been serving, but they are finding it difficult to complete a number of the questions in the RFP pertaining to managing fleet size, garage space, and others.

The suit also alleges that as the only potential employer for their services, the Tri-Board is responsible for some of the costs that the existing operators incurred in recent years, as they upgraded and purchased new buses and routes when other operators retired.

The suit also points out that the RFP stipulates that Tri-Board has the right to disqualify any bidder who has levelled “any lawsuits against Tri-Board or the school board in the last five years,” a move that the plaintiffs say is “an unlawful and improper attempt of Tri-Board to insulate itself and its conduct from judicial oversight and to intimidate operators from seeking access to justice in the courts of Ontario.”

The suit also alleges that of the 55 current operators in the Tri-Board region, 27 have not even picked up the RFP papers because “the terms of process are prohibitive.”

The RFP process for school bus service has been coming into force throughout Ontario, and there are a number of jurisdictions where it is in place already. According to the plaintiffs, the result has been devastating to the local operators in those jurisdictions. Research done by the Independent School Bus Operators Association indicates that the move to fewer and fewer large operators across North America has led to increased costs to school boards, and ultimately taxpayers as well.

The suit also refers to a provincially appointed task force, headed by former Justice Coutler Osborne, which raised serious questions about the process and its implementation in particular circumstances. Even though the Ministry of Education did not cede to many of the chief recommendations of the task force, it did leave local boards and transportation corporations with leeway in the decision about how to change procurement policies for bussing services.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs point out that “The Ministry made it clear that school boards and transportation consortia are not required to procure student transportation contracts through an RFP process and that alternative methods are acceptable”. The suit says that therefore Tri-Board was not forced to use the RFP process they have chosen.

The lawsuit is before the court in Belleville, and it will need to be heard in short order if it is to achieve its primary purpose, which is to stop the RFP process before October 31, when the bids are due.