Addington Highlands delays Blue Box rule

In the face of concerns from marina operators and others, Addington Highlands Council has agreed to phase in a new Blue Box rule for recycled materials slowly.

But by December 1 the new rule will apply at all township dump sites.

The new rule, which was approved at the July 5 Council meeting and was originally set to come into effect on October 1, stipulates that recycled materials must be brought to the dump sites in Blue boxes; plastic bags containing recycling will no longer be accepted.

The new rule came about because the practice of bringing recycling in plastic bags led to non-recyclable materials being included with the recycling. This endangered the dump attendants on some occasions, and also led the township’s recycling contractor to reject loads on occasion as well.

The township is making Blue Boxes available to residents at cost, $10 a box. As of December 1.

“I have heard a lot of comments about this, and received a number of emails,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

“I think we can agree to phase this in after Thanksgiving to give seasonal residents until next summer to comply,” said Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch in proposing a delay until December 1.

“That won’t satisfy everyone, but we have to be concerned about the safety of our staff. There have been needles in bags, and all sorts of hazardous items,” said Hogg.

Skate park issues – The township received a letter from Jim Barnum from Spectrum Skatepark Creations Limited, the company that supplied the Lions Skatepark in Northbrook, suggesting some measures the township could take to improve the park. These included installing benches or boulders, a new gravel pathway, and planting trees or shrubs to give the area a more park-like feel.

Barnum also pointed out that there is a flaw in the installation of the park - missing epoxy in some of the joints on the ramps. This will affect the life span of the park, and Barnum suggested the township either fill the joints themselves, or seek to have the contractor that put up the park take care of it.

Council will try to contact the contractor to make the changes. The other suggestions were kept for future consideration.

Highway 7 Corridor study – On September 16, the Ministry of Transportation will be hosting a workshop at the Kaladar Community Centre to talk about the future of Highway 7 between Peterborough and Carleton Place.

Sydenham subdivision unpopular with neighbours

By Jeff Green

A proposal to build 20 new houses on one-acre lots, and an eight-unit seniors’ residence on the south side of Rutledge Road at the corner of Stage Coach Road within the village of Sydenham has been wending its way through the planning process in South Frontenac and Frontenac County, and this week it was the subject of a public meeting in Sydenham.

South Frontenac planner Lindsay Mills started the meeting by explaining that the township’s Official Plan calls for development to be centred in built-up areas, which favours the project, and the fact that is can be serviced by municipal water is another factor in its favour.

“Because we have the servicing issues worked out in Sydenham, I believe we can support one-acre lots,” Mills said.

He also outlined how the KFL&A Health Unit and the Cataraqui Conservation Authority, as well as the public works and chief building officers are all on side.

“The conservation authority has some issues, but no objections,” Mills said.

The members of the public who attended the public meeting took a different view, however.

Most of the people who commented would have their backyard view of the park-like 32-acre lot altered into a view of a subdivision, which they said would have a detrimental effect on their property values.

Lorna Knight, who lives on Stage Coach Road, said that although Lindsay Mills said that an environmental assessment by Reg Genge found the proposal to be acceptable, “If you compare the proposed plan with Genge’s sketch, you will find that the proposal does not meet with Genge’s recommendations.” Knight suggested that 10 of the 20 proposed lots are located within an area that has the potential of flooding (there is a wetland on the western portion of the property).

One member of the public asked if Council would reject the proposal if there were a sustained public outcry against it.

“We are obliged to follow the procedures that are laid out in our planning and approval process,” said Councilor Alan McPhail. “What you need to do is bring objections forward in detail, and council can decide whether they are reasonable or not.”

“If all the commenting agencies are in favour, and we reject it, the Ontario Municipal Board would likely overturn our decision,” added Councilor David Hahn.

Lorna Knight then reiterated that in her view the proposal “encroaches a wetland”.

Speaking for the developer, Doug Prince from AECOM Engineering said, “The lines that we have incorporated into our proposal do not encroach on the wetland. The development will have no impact on the wetland.”

After hearing all the submissions, the public meeting was closed. All of the information submitted orally or in writing will be forwarded to Frontenac County, which has the responsibility for subdivision approval.

Then proposal will also require a rezoning process before it can go ahead.

The developer is planning to build houses in the 1,500 to 2,000 square foot range on the lots.

Garbage pickup issue erupts again in South Frontenac

A proposal by Storrington councilor John Fillion to extend door-to-door garbage pickup to O’Neil Lane in Storrington District was rejected by the majority of South Frontenac Council on Tuesday night, September 7.

Although the laneway is located near the village of Inverary next to a meat shop, the more remote laneways in Bedford District were on Mayor Gary Davisons mind as he argued against the proposal.

“I was there at the meeting about garbage pickup in Bedford Hall when someone stuck their finger in my face and said, ‘If you go down one lane to pick up garbage you’d better be going down my lane’, and he had 64 members in his lane association. So this is about more than O’Neil Lane,” said Mayor Davison.

The debate at Council took place just two weeks before door-to-door garbage pickup is scheduled to be extended to Bedford District to bring its services into line with the other three districts in South Frontenac.

The service will not be extended to private laneways, however, and Bedford residents who live on private lanes will have to arrange for a central garbage pickup point where their lanes meet township roads.

A decision was made back in March to limit garbage pickup on private lanes to those lanes that have historically received the service. According to a township newsletter on garbage and recycling pickup that was published in August, these ‘grandfathered’ lanes total about 21 lanes, or 4% of the 575 private lanes in the township.

O’Neil Lane was not one of those 21. Storrington Councillor John Fillion, who is a member of the sustainability committee that worked out the details of the garbage pickup policy, claimed on Tuesday night that he never saw a list of the lanes that would receive pickup.

“Had I seen the document O’Neil Lane would have been added with no muss or fuss,” Fillion said.

According to Larry York, the other Storrington Councilor, a resident on O’Neil Lane approached him earlier this summer asking for door-to-door pickup, which had not been the practice.

“Let me refresh your memory,” York told Council. “Garbage was being dropped of on a major road; animals were getting into it. It was a dangerous spot. So I approached John and we worked something out with the contractor.”

Fillion and York took matters into their own hands in early July. They approached the contractor who picks up garbage in Inverary and asked him to extend the pickup to houses on O’Neil Lane, which he did.

When the township got wind of what was going on, the contractor was told not to do the pickup.

This does not sit well with Larry York. “We’re here to look after people. We are not here for the benefit of management. We are not here to have a big fight over going down a laneway,” said York.

“I don’t think you understand how the township works,” said Councilor David Hahn, “Council makes decisions, not individual members of Council. If you have a concern you bring it here, you don’t go ahead and make arrangements with a contractor. There are implications to this all through South Frontenac.”

The vote on John Fillion’s motion to extend garbage and recycling pickup to O’Neil Lane was defeated in a 5-4 vote. Mayor Davison cast the deciding vote.

 

South Frontenac Council

By Wilma Kenny

Deadly Intersections South of Sydenham

On the recommendation of Public Works Manager Segsworth, Council approved as an interim measure the installation of ‘signage advising of an intersection ahead’ on the approaches to the intersections of Stagecoach and both Railton and Forest Roads, and Murvale Road and Forest/Murton. Traffic volumes and speeds will be measured during September to establish appropriate (permanent) signage for these intersections, where there have been two fatal accidents this year.

Fire Chief’s vehicle to be unmarked

At the Central Fire Committee meeting in September 2009, all four committee members had supported the fire chief’s request to have his vehicle unmarked when it was replaced. As the vehicle is now in the process of being replaced, Councilor David Hahn brought a notice of motion to have the vehicle in question marked as township property. The motion was defeated.

Well-fed Coyotes

Council approved provincial payments totalling $4,332 to reimburse 13 livestock kills during the last month. Deputy Mayor Ron Vandewal noted that although this was a provincial program, the township was expected to pay for the valuator and his expenses. CAO Orr said the provincial government was looking into making changes to the administration of the program.

Parkland assessment levy stands

Council denied a request to waive the parkland levy on a severance in Storrington District. The request had been based on the fact that both the severed lot and the retained one already held residences, so there would be no new development on either property.

Emergency demolition ordered

CAO Orr reported that following recent inspection by township staff, the two former change buildings at the Portland Recreation Facility in Verona are to be demolished as soon as possible. They are in serious disrepair.

 

Current (roads) situation “not sustainable” - Gallivan

Joe Gallivan, Manager of Sustainability Planning for Frontenac County, attended a meeting of North Frontenac Council last week, September 9, to address council concerns about a county-wide roads management plan that is still in the early stages of development.

A consultant has been hired to come up with options for such a plan and will be reporting back to a meeting of Frontenac County Council in November.

Gallivan reiterated that at amalgamation 12 years ago, more than 400 km. of roads that were originally maintained by the province or the former Frontenac County were downloaded to four townships. These include roads on Howe and Wolfe Islands as well as mainland Frontenac County.

“The townships are now paying to maintain roads that were never meant to be paid for by township taxpayers.”

Gallivan continued: “We're in a situation now - and I want to make sure council knows that all four township public works managers agree - that the current system is not sustainable. The financial burden will get worse and worse as time goes by up and down the county and this is an attempt to find different ways to deal with it.

“In other words, if there is an agreement that this north /south spine is important to everyone living in Frontenac County then there should be an attempt to look at funding either throughout the county or looking at sources outside the county.”

While the roads plan has been focused on Roads 38, 506/509 and Perth Road, Mayor Maguire has been pushing at the county level for other arterial roads in the north end of the county to be included.

“The reason I lobbied to make sure that Harlowe and Ardoch Roads and Buckshot Lake Road were on there is because they are main entry points through North Frontenac from the north, west, east and south. I'm trying to stimulate discussion among councilors here who might be reluctant to lose control of our roads to the county or to the region,” Maguire said.

Gallivan pointed out that there is ”absolutely no proposal to create a new county road system. It's about looking at new ways to manage these important roads.”

Gallivan explained that the plan is to be broken down into two pieces. The first part is to have a consulting firm look at new and different financial models for maintaining the system and then present them to county council.

One possible model among several is the model of the Lennox and Addington County (L&A), where the county road system exists on an administrative level only. “All of the L&A County roads are maintained by the local townships but because they are designated as county roads the township is able to access additional funding by the province,” Gallivan said.

The second step will be the more important phase - to lay down a new system. That will be something that will be considered by the new county and township councils after the municipal election.

Councilor Fred Perry’s major concern was how the funds might be divided. “The people in the South have a tendency to forget those in the North and they have more leverage since they have more votes to decide where the money goes,” he said.

Joe Gallivan said that the financial model would define how funds would be divided and he referred again to the Lennox and Addington model, whose system has been in place for over 10 years.

“At least once a year all of the public works managers get together and decide what sections of roads need improvement and then go to council with those suggestions. It's a political decision in the end but the system seems to be working out fairly for all concerned,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Jim Beam pointed out that the idea of a county roads system was raised at a meeting 18 months ago in Sharbot Lake, which was chaired by then County Warden Janet Gutowski and attended by the CAOs, road superintendents and the majority of the members of all the member councils.

“A vision of a county roads system was discussed at that meeting and there was absolutely no appetite whatsoever at all for any kind of road network for the County of Frontenac,” Beam said.

“There is a big difference between the County of Frontenac road network and a 'regional' road network and those words are very important. This is not a county roads system that we are talking about,” Gallian responded

He stressed that the reason the issue came to county council this year was because it was listed as a priority in the Integrated Sustainability Plan that the county developed, and township council staff members from all of the townships have made note of these roads when doing their capital budgets

Gallivan summed up the issue this way: “The basis of this work is that if you look at the population base, then North Frontenac has some significant challenges ahead to keep this road system that was downloaded up and running. The attempt here is to try to say, 'All of these roads are important to the County and have to be looked at more than as just a part of North Frontenac ...These roads are an important part of the economy.’”

Mayor Maguire reiterated his request at the last meeting to see that part of the financial planning include a 10 and 20-year long-term plan.

Other issues at North Frontenac Council:

Speed limit at Shawenegog

Council received a letter from a resident of Shawenegog Lake Lane requesting that the proposed by-law enacting a 40 km speed limit on Shabomeka Lake Road be increased to 60 km/hour. The letter stated, “I believe if we can currently travel on loose gravel at 50km/hour, why do we need to travel at 40km/hour when the paving is complete?” Mayor Maguire said council would weigh all letters pertaining to the issue and after a public meeting to take place at the Clar-Mill Fire hall, Oct. 14 at 9:30 am, would make a final decision.

Heritage Recognition

Marg Axford of the Cloyne Historical Society was nominated by council to the Heritage Community Recognition Program.

Dishwasher for Clar-Mill Hall

Council approved the installation of a commercial dishwasher at the Clar-Mill hall, expenses to be covered by the Clar-Mill Hall committee.

No bylaw numbers on signs

Council decided against Councilor Fred Perry's suggestion that By-Law numbers be added to the bottom of all posted signage. Other council members said that it would a labour-intensive and expensive undertaking.

 

Is Sunday gun hunting coming to South Frontenac?

In 2007, South Frontenac Council rejected a suggestion by the Ministry of Natural Resources that Sunday gun hunting be permitted in the township.

Since then, South Frontenac has become increasingly isolated, as one jurisdiction after another has decided to extend hunting to Sundays.

The City of Kingston approved Sunday hunting earlier this year. In a presentation to a meeting of the South Frontenac Committee of the Whole, South Frontenac resident Ed Giffin made a number of arguments in favour of Sunday hunting. He also presented a map, which shows that the only other township from Lennox and Addington to the Quebec border that does not permit Sunday hunting, aside from South Frontenac, is Beckwith Township in Lanark County. Every jurisdiction bordering South Frontenac now permits the practice.

Giffin also pointed out that “Hunting is one of the few activities that require proof of training, resulting in a decline of accidents over the years to next to nil. If hunting is not dangerous on Monday to Saturday why is it dangerous on Sunday?”

Giffin also said that of the 140 municipalities that originally voted to approve Sunday gun hunting, none have reversed their decision, while those that originally rejected the idea had been reversing their positions “one by one over the years”.

He appears to have convinced at least one member of council who voted against Sunday gun hunting when it was last proposed in 2007.

“The last time it came to the table I voted no for personal reasons,” said Councilor Ron Vandewal, “but when I look back I realise that 50 years ago we couldn’t have a cattle truck on the road on Sundays. People do more things on Sunday than ever before. This time I will support it.”

Vandewal’s altered vote may be all that is needed when the matter comes back for a vote at Council next Tuesday. The vote in 2007 was defeated 5-4. At that time Councilors Fillion, York and Stowe and Mayor Davison voted in favour of Sunday hunting, while along with Vandewal, Councilors Robinson, Hicks, Hahn and McPhail voted against it.

Committees, committees, committees

Based on a nine-point discussion paper by Councilor Larry York, Council talked for half an hour about the way committees are formed, how they function, and how they should be changed.

In the end CAO Wayne Orr was charged with pulling together some of the threads of the conversation to set the stage for a further discussion later in October so that this Council can make a recommendation to the new Council about the optimal size, makeup and function of various different committees, ranging from recreation committees, cemetery boards, committees of Council, and the Committee of Adjustment

Central Frontenac Talks Zoning

by Julie Druker

The township’s planner, Glenn Tunnock, made a presentation to council regarding the Comprehensive Zoning By-Law, which highlighted a number of changes that have been made to the by-law and the reasons behind them. A public meeting followed and two members of the public raised their particular concerns. One of them, Derek Moodie, had purchased a piece of land that had an exception to the bylaw on it, which he requested that council reconsider.

After much discussion, council members weighed in with their own concerns.

Councilor Gary Smith requested clarification on just what kinds of buildings are allowed on waterfront lots. Tunnock responded that all buildings must be 30 meters back from the shore line, though viewing stands and gazebos can be built 15 meters back, and storage facilities might fall under either designation depending on the circumstances.

Councilor Guntensperger raised concerns about the development of docks on marsh land, the overall 60% increase in allowable dock size, and the increase in road frontage, all of which he said are “contrary to my beliefs as to what is appropriate for the protection of the waterfront in this area.”

Tunnock pointed out that the natural vegetative area along shorelines has been increased in this proposed bylaw to double what it was under the former 2002 bylaw, from 15 meters to 30 meters.

As far as the increase in the permitted size of docks, Tunnock pointed out that an increase allows people to access the water in certain circumstances and said, “When you look at the package of shoreline management tools that has been put in place, we will have achieved if not surpassed provincial regulations. This will go a long way in protecting the shoreline.”

Councilor Purdon questioned the time-line of the proposed Zoning Bylaw, which is slated to be approved at the next Council meeting on September 28.

This concern was reiterated by various members of council and Mayor Gutowski, who suggested that a task force be struck to iron out the details of the by-law. The task force would include councilors, members of the public, and the planner.

After further discussion, a motion was passed allowing council to set aside a special future meeting to work on the bylaw.

In the words of Councilor Gary Smith, “This will allow Council a final kick at the can before the new council takes over.”

Backfilling Wetlands?

Councilor John Purdon brought to council's attention a response written by the township’s CAO, John Duchene, to a letter received from the North Frontenac Non Profit Housing Corporation. The letter complained about the filling in of wetlands at 1068 Clement Road, the location of a garage owned by resident Roy Sepa.

Duchene’s response to the housing corporation said the township did not really have jurisdiction over Sepa’s actions.

Council felt that Duchene should have consulted the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority before responding to the letter, and after much discussion council passed a motion to seek the opinion of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority on the matter.

Parham fairgrounds and canteen

A motion was passed by council to support an application under the Eastern Ontario Development Program (of the Frontenac Community Services Development Corporation) for $10,000 to assist with the reconstruction of the Parham fairgrounds canteen building. A subsequent motion was also passed to grant $2000 to the Parham Fair Board with an additional amendment requiring that the fair board provide financial information to council.

A sad farewell to the Flyers

It was with uniform sadness and regret that council passed a motion to accept a letter from the Frontenac Flyers announcing they are folding, ending the tradition of Junior C hockey at the Frontenac Arena.

Works summary disappoints some on CF Council

by Jeff Green

At their first Committee of the Whole meeting taking place in the heat of an election campaign, a report by Treasurer Judy Gray about road and bridge construction that was contracted out over the past eight years did not show what some councilors wanted to see.

The report was prepared as part the township’s efforts to quantify their physical assets as part of a provincially mandated program called PSAB (Public Sector Accounting Board.)

It was only presented to Council as an information report, but what it showed was that the amount of contracted out construction was highest in Olden District ($1.69 million) and Hinchinbrooke District ($1.65 million) a bit lower in Kennebec District ($1.53 million) and substantially lower in Oso District ($1.04 million) over that time frame.

The results don’t jive with the opinion held by some councilors that Oso district receives the lion’s share of public works expenditures.

“This is sort of like throwing a hamburger at a pack of dogs,” said Councilor Norman Guntensperger, “it’s bound to start a fight. I don’t think reports like this, that only include partial information about road work, are very useful.”

“I think this is valuable,” countered Councilor Frances Smith, “it shows that we have a big township and we have spent a lot of dollars over eight years. I think we should feel good about what we’ve done.”

In addition to the money that was spent in the four districts, a large amount, $6.75 million was spent on downloaded roads, the bulk of that money being the $6.1 million that was spent on the rebuild of Road 38 in 2006.

Minor changes at dump site – A site visit by Sarah Dick, of the Ministry of the Environment, to the former Elbow Lake dump site, which is now being operated as a transfer station, resulted in a ruling that a new sign must be put up by the end of this year.

While this was not of great concern to Council, Mayor Gutowski pointed out that when she attended a waste management session at the recent Association of Ontario Municipalities conference, she learned that there are only 81 approved dumpsites in the province.

“This brought home to me how difficult it is to start up a waste site. We are lucky enough to have three approved sites, which is a lot when you consider how many municipalities there are in Ontario. We are going to have to make sure that we make an effort to reduce, re-use and recycle because when those sites are full they will not be replaced.”

To that end, Public Works Manager Mike Richardson recommended that the township’s waste management committee, which has met sporadically over the past four years, be encouraged to meet regularly when the new council starts up next year.

Mould issues surface at Mountain Grove Public Library

At a site visit on July 21 by staff and management from the Kingston Frontenac Public Library to the Mountain Grove branch, musty odours were identified. In the summary of the report prepared after that visit, it was also noted that “delaminating plaster finishes and staining in the common areas of the building” were identified.

An environmental assessment was done by Pinchin Environmental Ltd., which made nine recommendations, among which were the installation of a dehumidifier, which has already been initiated, as well as a number of further improvements.

CAO John Duchene said that the library staff “did not raise that many alarm bells, except that we need to do some further investigation, and because of the age of the building, asbestos is always a potential issue.”

Councilor Norm Guntensperger was less optimistic. “The endgame is what jumps to mind here. Mountain Grove needs a library and if in the end this is not a usable facility, I think the township needs to assure the public that we are committed to maintaining a library in Mountain Grove … the fire hall was constructed in such a way as to permit for renovation for a new library. We should look into that.”

“Council should proceed with caution until the future use of the existing building is determined,” said Mayor Gutowski.

Good year for construction – After an off year in 2009, 2010 is shaping up to be a better year for construction in Central Frontenac.

To date, permits for 26 new homes have been taken out, and the total value of construction, according to permits as of the end of August, is $5.357 million - over $2 million more than was the case at the same point in 2009, and about $200,000 more than 2008.

The total for August alone was $1.73 million, which according to Chief Building Official Ian Trickett was the most in any month in the history of the township.

“Did the August total include the seniors’ housing project?” asked Mayor Gutowski.

“I don’t know off-hand,” Trickett replied, “but even if it did, we are still more than holding our own this year.”

 

Council discussed a letter from the Lake Weslemkoon Conservation Association (LWCA), which raised several issues, mostly about the township’s new requirement that all recyclables must be brought to dumpsites in blue boxes, not bags. The requirement was originally scheduled to come into effect on October 1, 2010, but at its last meeting council decided to defer implementation until December 1.

However, the requirement will effectively eliminate marinas as “drop-off” points for cottagers for their waste and recyclables, and the LWCA wrote that extended hours at the waste sites would be necessary to accommodate cottagers as “the existing system will not likely be adequate.”

The letter also raised concerns about garbage being dumped illegally as a result of the changes, and asked that implementation be deferred without a set date, until the committee and council would have “had time to receive input from all interested parties and arrive at a more accommodating mechanism to address the issues and concerns..”

In discussing the letter, Reeve Henry Hogg reiterated that the township is bringing in the Blue Box requirement for two main reasons. The first is in the interest of the safety of its custodians, who currently have to rummage through bags. The second reason is the problem of contaminated loads of recyclables being rejected by the recycling company, which has happened occasionally. However, Hogg also said that council would be happy to consider alternate suggestions from the association.

Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch commented that it is the responsibility of individual householders to get their own garbage and recyclables to the dump.

Council decided to refer the waste management concerns to the next meeting of the waste management committee.

The LWCA’s letter also raised a concern about Otter Lake, which has been designated a Highly Sensitive Lake Trout Lake by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment but has not been changed in the township’s Official Plan. Reeve Hogg said that the provincial designation came about after the Official Plan was adopted. “It is a procedural matter,” he said, “the lake’s status will be changed in the amendments.”

There is a clause on the township’s certificate of approval for their waste sites that the licence plates of cars that enter the sites must be recorded. Previously the township had not been doing that, but the Ministry of the Environment informed the township that they must follow the requirements of their certificate more strictly. The attendants then started to record the plate numbers, but residents have become upset about the practice and it has become a contentious issue.Upon investigation, the township has found that they can have the certificate changed so the licence plates do not need to be recorded, only the number of vehicles that enter the sites. The matter will be discussed at the next waste management committee meeting.

A ratepayer, Mr. Ruth, came to the last council meeting requesting upgrades to his road, which is an un-maintained road. Roads Superintendent Royce Rosenblath looked into the matter, and wondered if the snowmobile club, which is a major user of the road, could be asked to contribute to the cost of repairs. Reeve Hogg found that the club presently does not have a president, so there is no one to ask.

Several residents have requested that the council minutes be more up to date on the township’s website. Presently the minutes only go to July 5. Clerk Jack Pauhl said that the township has changed internet servers recently and that the minutes have been sent to the webmaster.

South Frontenac Township endorses Sunday hunting

Over 70 onlookers packed the township hall in Sydenham to witness the Sunday hunt vote. Councilor McPhail said he would like a public meeting first, to allow a voice for “both sides – if there are two sides on this issue.” Deputy Mayor Vandewal noted that those who were opposed could have attended, but everyone present seemed in favour. Councilor Robinson asked whether the vote could go forward with one councilor (David Hahn) absent. Mayor Davison said Hahn, who had been strongly opposed to Sunday hunting, had chosen to attend a sub-committee meeting rather than Council. Council then voted to endorse Sunday hunting, and to inform the Ministry of Natural Resources of their stand on the issue. Councilor McPhail voted against the motion, and Councilor Hicks abstained.

Rural Reality vs. “The Toronto Solution?”

Planner Lindsay Mills presented a summary of the draft proposed changes to the township’s official plan, which have been recommended by the Planning Department and agreed to by Council. Mills detailed four areas of disagreement between Council and the ministry. 1) The ministry objects to allowing five severances from a parcel existing in 2000. Their policy is to restrict all development to the hamlet areas. Mills said that this seems to be based on the assumption that the hamlet areas have water and sewers, where in reality pockets of dense development would be likely to result in groundwater contamination. 2) The ministry objects to development on private lanes, citing health and safety issues. Mills thinks they are unaware that the township allows only waterfront development off public roads, and sets conditions re the construction and upkeep of the access lanes. Mills said he thinks there shouldn’t be much difficulty resolving these two issues, but the remaining two differences may need to be supported by studies before the ministry will accept them. The first is a proposal to extend the boundaries of the Sydenham Hamlet, and the second concerns the desire of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food to expand the areas designated Prime Agricultural to twice the present size in Storrington and four times the presently designated area in Portland. No future severances or development are permitted in prime agricultural areas.

Once Council has established a position on these last two issues, the proposed revisions will be brought to a public meeting, before the plan is approved and sent on to the ministry for final review and approval. 

 

Vicki Leakey of KPMG accounting of Kingston presented the 2009 audit report to council which was dicussed and accepted by council.

Setback for Central Frontenac Fire and Rescue

Deputy Fire chief Bill Young gave an activity and summary report report to council for the month of August and reported an unfortunate set back concerning Industry Canada issuing a request that all Central Frontenac Fire and R escue radio frequencies be reassigned with no explanations as to why. Young stated, “This will be a huge set back in that all our radios will have to be again reprogrammed and retested which has already been done once and was set to be completed by the first week of October which is no longer possible.

Mayor Janet Gutoswki requested that a motion be passed to send a letter to MP's and Industry Canada “expressing the townships serious concern with the continued delay in obtaining assigned raadio frequencies.

Septic Reinspection program

Council deferred the report by Eric Kohlsmit of the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority until Oct 12 since he was absent. The report notes that the program which commenced on August 16, 2010 has seen 20 inspections completed to date, 20 on Sharbot Lake and five on Eagle lake a number which councilor Purdon found fell surprisingly short of the 60 inspections that they had hoped for.

On the same topic CAO John Duchene brought to council’s attention a letter from Taro Alps president of the Greater Bobs and Crow Lakes Association informing council that their association had voted unanimously in favor of requesting each of

the townships in which their lakes lie including South Frontenac, Central Frontenac and Tay Valley institute a mandatory open tank septic re-inspection program noting that the success of the programs lies in making mandatory reinspections applicable to “all cottages and homeowners and must be extended to include all open tank

inspections”. The letter cited that of the 100 plus letters that were sent to cottage owners on Bob’s lake, only two responses were received and those were the only voluntary inspections to be completed completed.

Other Business

Mayor Janet Gutowski brought to council’s attention the still vacant position of postmaster in Godfrey since Shirley McGowan retired last November. “ I really think we need to make an effort to let the community know that there is still a potential opportunity to have this important service carry on in the community.”

ELPOA's State of the Lake Report

Kathleen White and Irv Dardick of the Eagle Lake Property Owners Association (ELPOA) presented the Associations State of the Lake Report

to council and highlighted their findings and concerns of the high levels of phosphorus in the lake which are negatively affecting young lake trout ( further details of the report will be discussed in detail in an upcoming article). Council accepted the report and thanked the presenters for their ongoing hard work.

A request by a Dr. Connor to rename Waller Lane to Connor Lane was deferred after much discussion with council in the end deciding to defer the motion with staff being directed to post amendments to the existing road renaming policy for consideration at the next regular meeting of the Committee of the Whole.

Tender awarded for Brock Road Bridge

Council awarded the tender for the Brock Road Bridge repair and replacement project to Crains Construction Limited who put forward the lowest bid for tender at $176, 735.23

Reserve for New Parham Fire Hall

Council unanimously passed a motion which resulted from recommendations of the Master Fire Plan of August 2010 to establish a reserve fund for a new Parham Fire Hall for consideration for the 2011 budget. Councilor Bill Snyder requested a recorded vote and Mayor Gutowski commented after the vote, “I think we're doing the right thing.”

A motion to reduce the the amount of parkland fee payable for the Wesley Haddock Severance to the family rate of $100 instead of the usual 5% was met with much discussion as council considered the implications such a motion might have. After much discussion council decided to amend the motion advising that council will pass it on the grounds that it is subject to review of the existing By Law.

Livestock Valuation

Council passed a motion to accept the livestock valuation submitted by F. Goodfellow for $137.90 for the loss of one 70 lb market lamb killed by wolves and valued at $1.97 per pound.

Municipal Election - October 25, 2010

Mayoral Candidates

Ward 1, Barrie

Ward 2, Clar-Mill

Ward 3, Palmerston-Canonto

Mayoral Candidates

Jim Beam – Ambition and a new approach to the County

Ever since Jim Beam was elected to Council four years ago, he has been pushing for a larger role. He started by seeking the deputy mayor’s position, a two-year renewable appointment, even though at that time he did not have any council experience.

He won the vote for deputy mayor, and in addition to serving in that job since 2006, he has been the North Frontenac representative to the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority and to the Frontenac County Trails Task force.

So, when the nomination period began for the 2010 municipal election at the beginning of the year, it was no surprise that Jim Beam's name appeared on the list as a candidate for mayor long before the snow melted.

“I believe I can provide a strong voice,” Jim Beam said when asked about his decision to run for mayor. “I’ve learned a fair bit about how the township and the county operate and I want to continue to move the township forward.”

With his wife Vicki, Jim has a history in the township that goes back to 1989, when the Beams purchased a property on Sunday Lake, located between Ompah and Snow Road in the eastern part of the township. They have lived there full time since 2001, when Jim retired from a career in National Defence. Prior to working for National Defence, he was an elementary school teacher, vice principal and principal in the Ottawa area. On Sunday Lake, Jim and Vicki built what Jim describes as their “dream home”.

One of the changes in direction that Jim Beam would like to see Council take in the near future concerns its relationship with Frontenac County.

He said that the positive experience he had working on the County Trails master plan with councilors from other Frontenac townships as well as the changes that have been made to the county structure make him a bit optimistic about the future of the County

“The hard work that we did to make changes at the County could pay off. I did not agree with the position that we took that led us to try and pull out of the County. That being said, I still think the County is southern oriented.”

One of the stress points between North Frontenac Council and Frontenac County has been over funding for an upgrade to the Pine Meadow Nursing Home, which is located in Northbrook, in Lennox and Addington County, but serves the population of North Frontenac.

North Frontenac has supported a request to the County for $250,000 over 10 years to help fund that upgrade. The County has refused that request each year for the past three years, and Jim said that, if elected, he would consider going to his own township council for that money if he cannot persuade his colleagues at the County.

“If the County does not step up, perhaps the township will have to,” Beam said.

Beam also advocates for North Frontenac to consider some mechanism for supporting road work on private lanes within the township. In recent years, a number of requests for help in grading and gravelling private lanes have come to Council.

“I'm not at all satisfied with the way things have been done in regards to private lanes. I think it is possible for a mechanism to be set up where we could provide some funding for private roads,” Beam said.

He said that he has developed a “tremendous working relationship” with township staff, and will continue to work on the broadband service issue, where there has been progress made, but not in the eastern portion of the township.

“Over the last four years I have been very visible in the community. I worked hard on the Clarendon School issue, attended meetings and events inside and outside the township, and becoming mayor would only be a continuation of that commitment.

 

Bud Clayton – launching a political comeback

Bud Clayton is no stranger to North Frontenac Council, or to the issues of concern to waterfront residents.

Since he retired from a management position in the Natural Gas industry in 1993, Clayton has been a year-round resident of North Frontenac, on a Mackie Lake property with no road access. “It's never a problem for me to get out. I use a boat or I can drive over the ice except for a few days of the year, when I can drive my ATV over a trail to get out.”

While Clayton has never had a problem getting out to meetings because of where he lives, it has given him an insight into the concerns of the seasonal residents in North Frontenac.

“It's the age old problem in cottage country that those who pay the most taxes use the least amount of services. There's never been a solution to that problem, but I think more dialogue with our seasonal residents needs to take place, more than a once a year meeting,” Bud Clayton said.

In terms of Council experience, Bud Clayton is the only candidate in North Frontenac, for mayor or council, who has served with two different mayors. He sat on Council between 2001 and 2003 under Stan Johnston, and between 2004 and 2006 under Ron Maguire. The last time that North Frontenac residents went to the polls in October of 2006, Bud Clayton was running for mayor against Maguire and Betty Hunter. Clayton finished second in that election, 400 votes behind Maguire.

While he was on Council, Bud Clayton was the North Frontenac Council appointee to the Management Board of the Pine Meadow Nursing Home. After the 2006 election, he became more involved with Pine Meadow and is currently the chair of that management board. “I've been pretty busy with Pine Meadow, as we have been working hard to secure a redevelopment plan, and haven’t been too involved in township politics,” Clayton said.

But as the days wound down before the nomination deadline in early September, and no one was stepping forward to contest Jim Beam for the mayor’s position, Bud Clayton decided to step forward. “Leadership roles are ones that I've taken my whole life. All of my jobs have been in leadership or leadership training roles so I am comfortable seeking this position. I also felt that acclamation is not the way to go for a position where someone has to lead Council and represent the township to other levels of government, and I was in a position to step up to the plate.”

In terms of policy, Bud Clayton thinks the budgeting process that North Frontenac has employed should be changed. “It's a bit of the tail wagging the dog. We get a budget document and then we tweak it here and there, but what we really need to do is work towards asset-based budgeting. We have to look at our roads, bridges, waste sites, and all of our buildings in terms of the long term. If we have a bridge or a road that will need replacing in 20 years we need to put money aside now so the money is there when we need it.

“I know we have more information about assets than we used to and we need to incorporate that information into the budget process.”

Although Clayton represented Ward 2 when he sat on Council, he is also sensitive to the fact that residents in Ward 1 tend to feel they do not get their share of attention and spending by the township. “Ward 3 always feels like they are the poor cousins. They feel the road work is not done in their district like it is elsewhere, and they do have reasons for feeling the way they do.”

Clayton also feels that the township has some fences to be mended with the County. “We always had issues with the County when I was on Council, and that hasn't changed, but saying we were planning to leave was not a reasonable proposal. You have to work within the family or you are not part of the family.”

Unlike his opponent Jim Beam, Bud Clayton is not sure that the way to deal with supporting the Pine Meadow building project is to go to the township if Frontenac County Council continues to say no, but says, “The township may have to look at that but I would not want to walk away from the County. I think if they understood Pine Meadow’s role in Frontenac County they might think differently, and as mayor I would be in a position to make them more aware.”

 

Ward 1, Barrie

WAYNE GOOD

Although Wayne Good has been sitting on North Frontenac Council for five years, this election will see him face the electorate for the first time. He was appointed to Council when Will Cybulski resigned late in 2005, and was acclaimed to his council seat in 2006.

He waited until the last minute before jumping into the current election race, only submitting his papers as the nomination period had almost run out.

“It is a time-consuming job, to be sure, and my wife and I have some plans to travel, but in the end she said that if I wanted to do another term she would stand behind me. And I feel there is some unfinished business with the township that I would like to be involved with,” Wayne Good said.

He thinks that the direction the township has been going in has been good, with a lot of work being done on the waste sites. Wayne Good supported the purchase of a trash compactor to extend the life of waste sites, and he opposes the extension of roads service to the roads that are currently un-maintained.

“It's a matter of cost in that case,” he said, “if we open the door by doing a road here or there we are going to start having to spend even more money on roads.”

Wayne Good has also been involved in the emergency preparedness committee of Council and is chair of the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Board, which involves working with members of the Addington Highlands Council as well as North Frontenac.

“I think we've come a long way with the fire board, and we have put an addition on to the Cloyne fire hall. The Barrie Hall is being developed as an operations centre for an emergency, and if we do get a pandemic, which was supposed to happen with the H1N1 virus last year, or if a wildfire goes through the area, or if any large-scale disaster happens, it will be a command post for the township,” he said.

 

SHAWN GRAY

Shawn Gray represents a new generation of political candidates in the North Frontenac election. He was raised in the area, and works for his father-in-law’s independent logging operation.

Shawn Gray is also married and is raising a young child, so he comes to his first political experience with the concerns of local business and young families at the forefront of his thinking, If elected, he plans to represent those interests on Council.

“I think it is time for younger people to get more involved. I feel it is my responsibility to have a say in what happens in our community and I am in a good position to do so,” he said.

Anything that the township can do, or that an individual councilor can do, “to help the small businesses in the area, even if it only means making a phone call, or trying to help in some manner, is better than standing on the sidelines.”

He is also concerned about the impact of provincial regulations. “I support property rights for private individuals on their land and want to protect private water supply,” he said.

In his election campaigning, there have been a number of concerns raised by the residents, including waste sites and spending, and he plans to bring them to Council.

 

LORRAINE GAREY -

Lorraine Garey was a member of Council in Barrie Township in the term before municipal amalgamation (1995-1997) and did not get elected when the number of councillors dropped from four to two in 1998.

Since then she has become involved in a number of other pursuits, including working part-time for Community-Living North Frontenac, volunteering at the North Addington Education Centre, and raising a total of seven children.

Lorraine and her husband have four children, all of whom are into their twenties now, and a few years ago the Gareys adopted three younger children, all from the same family. “The children are now all settled in school, and I have the time to think about getting back into municipal politics,” she said.

Lorraine came to the Harlowe area close to 30 years ago, and in addition to raising a family she has worked and volunteered in the social service environment in many capacities, including working at Pine Meadow Nursing Home and volunteering at Land O'Lakes Community Services.

“I bring that perspective to municipal politics as well, because there is a role for local government to play in supporting that work,” she said. “My background in human resources makes it easier for me to talk to people and understand what they need. I can help put the puzzle of municipal politics: the road system, waste sites and all that the township office is involved in, together for people.”

One of Lorraine's many concerns has to do with the future of the area. “I've raised four children in the area and only one has stayed here. You can see the cut in numbers in our schools. Councils need to do everything they can to bring opportunities for people to build lives here,” she said.

 

FRED PERRY

Fred Perry was appointed to North Frontenac Council in June of 2005 when Dick Hook resigned. He stood for election in 2006 and was acclaimed. So, he is in an unusual position, that of a veteran municipal politician facing the electorate for the first time.

Fred Perry was born in Myers Cave, but like many others he left the area for work. He worked at Nortel and Bell in management positions until he retired and eventually made his way back to North Frontenac.

Fred Perry has held a number of leadership positions on township committees, including the active waste management committee, the economic development committee, the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Board, and the Family Health Team Committee.

“We have worked pretty hard to bring Broadband service into the township, which has finally had some success in Barrie ward although we are still trying to extend the service further into the township,” he said.

He has also taken on a role with Frontenac County as a member of the Green Energy Committee, which is currently looking at solar micro-fit projects on municipal buildings, partly in order to stimulate the public into considering solar power projects as a viable investment.

Among the ideas that Fred Perry is bringing forward for the upcoming Council is improved relations with cottage/lake associations.

“I would like to see each lake association, or as many as are interested, appoint a contact person for Council, so they can receive updates or newsletters or surveys in a timely manner to share with the rest of the association. Permanent residents are able to get this information through the Frontenac News.

I would also like to encourage all residents to get involved joining township committees and task forces on new initiatives. Task Forces are time-limited commitments. We all know that waterfront ratepayers pay high taxes, and we need to work harder to bring their issues forward,” he said.

Ward 2, Clar-Mill

ELAINE GUNSINGER

Elaine Gunsinger has served as a councillor for two years after being appointed to replace Wayne Cole in August of 2008.

She has lived in the area since she moved to Flinton as a teenager, and after moving around with her husband, to Calabogie and back to Flinton, they settled on the North Road where they still live today.

Elaine ran a catering business and worked for a time at North of Seven Restaurant in Plevna.

She has enjoyed her two years on Council, and feels that she has spent a lot of that time “learning so much about how the council and the township operate that I think I would like to put that experience to use for the next four years on Council.”

She is supportive of many of the initiatives that the current Council has undertaken. “I think we've got to do a better job explaining to the residents why things are done the way they are done,” she said. “An example of that is the waste issue. People are concerned about the clear bag policy, but it is really all about keeping our waste sites open and keeping them within the guidelines from the province. If people know where the directives are coming from, they are better off.”

Another commitment she has made is to ensure feedback from ratepayers is responded to. “Many times when someone has phoned me, they are surprised when I phone them back, but it is important for people to know they have a voice.”

She is concerned about calls for increased road maintenance on un-maintained roads and private lanes, and uses an analogy from her catering days to illustrate the problem. “It's like when you are planning a wedding. When you invite one extra person you have to invite more and more people and things can get out of hand,” she said.

 

GERRY MARTIN:

Gerry Martin is a relatively recent retiree who lives in a year-round home on Malcolm Lake after a 35-year career with Bell Canada. Martin grew up in the Fernleigh area and attended Sharbot Lake High School in the 1960s before starting his career in Kingston. His final posting at Bell was in Smiths Falls as a section manager.

Since his retirement he has become a member of the Committee of Adjustment in North Frontenac, which has given him some of the flavour of how the township operates. He has also been a tour boat operator at Bon Echo Park in the summer time.

He has a couple of reasons for wanting to sit on Council.

He says that one of them is that, “We have government by bureaucracy instead of government by representatives. I think the Council has been unable to set out proper guidelines for the staff to work with, and that leads to all sorts of problems.”

Another reason he is running for Council is that he is “a little tired of being retired. I can only hunt and fish so much.”

What he can offer to Council, in addition to his management experience generally, has to do with his technical understanding of the telecommunications business. “I don't think the township has ever made a complete presentation to Bell or Telus about the needs and opportunities for cell phone and broadband service in this township. People are not going to move in here with young families unless we have that kind of service available,” he said.

Another issue that Gerry Martin has become acquainted with is the question of development on private roads, which in his view is necessary for the township to thrive, but is something that the Province of Ontario would like to put an end to. “Council needs to be strong on the private roads issue,” he said, “the province is completely out of touch on that issue.”

KARIN FERGUSON-REYNOLDS

Karin Ferguson-Reynolds said she is running for Council because, “I've always been drawn to professions where I can make a difference".

She grew up in North Frontenac, went away for a time, and then returned to raise a family. As a teenager she worked at a nearby summer resort, which gave her a sense of what a tourism-related business is all about.

She moved to Kingston to become a registered nurse after graduating from high school, and then worked in Brockville at Nortel, along with her husband Terry. When Nortel closed in Brockville, they moved back to North Frontenac and Terry took up teaching, eventually finding a job teaching the intermediate class at North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne.

Living on the Ardoch Road in Ward 2 of the township but near Ward 3, and with her husband working in Ward 1, Ferguson-Reynolds said she “has an interest in all of the wards. I don't have the framework of someone who only cares about their own ward; the entire township is important to me.”

With her children now well established in public school, she has the time to serve as a councilor.

In her dealings with the township, Karin Ferguson-Reynolds said that she is not as happy with the way Council has run. “People are frustrated with the format of the council meetings. It makes the whole municipality seem very formal and impersonal. Procedures have to be followed, but there should be an openness to hearing what people have to say,” she said. “I also think that decisions need to be more consistent, and the same set of rules should apply to everyone.”

PAUL THIEL

Paul Thiel is a relative newcomer to North Frontenac, having moved to the township just under two years ago from Kitchener.

“My wife and I were looking to get out of the city, and we had been looking in the Bancroft area but did not find anything,” he said. “I have hunted in the Denbigh area for 30 years, so we went to a realtor in Northbrook who showed us a property in the Fernleigh area and we took it.”

Paul had been involved with his neighbourhood association in Kitchener, so he joined the Clar/Mill volunteer group after moving to North Frontenac. He attended council meetings occasionally back in Kitchener and he started going to most of the North Frontenac meetings early this year.

“This summer I began to think about running for Council because I think that I could help the Council out if I were a member,” he said.

In his working life, Paul Thiel spent two years chairing a committee to help bring the automotive assembly plant where he was working up to the International Safety Organisation standards, and found that he had the necessary skills to steer a committee forward.

“I think there can be a little more done to organize council meetings better in North Frontenac,” he said. “There should be more consistency. The other week council discussed something for half an hour while a number of people were waiting for the bylaws to pass. It could have been done differently.”

Waste management, more ongoing communications with lake associations, and taxes are all issues that Paul thinks the new council will have to address.

 

LONNIE WATKINS:

Lonnie Watkins was born and raised in North Frontenac. He lives near the hamlet of Ardoch and runs a tree service business.

He is younger than most members of municipal government, and being a family man who runs a small business he represents a group of individuals that do not usually receive much representation on Council.

During his first term on Council, Lonnie was involved in a number of initiatives, and one of his responsibilities was to represent the township on the Program and Accommodation Review Committee of the Limestone District School Board, which had a positive outcome from the point of view of North Frontenac when Clarendon Central School was kept open.

One of his regrets coming out of his first term on Council had to do with the decision he feels Council was forced to take over the proposed Family Health Team Satellite clinic in Plevna.

“If we could have opened up the old MNR building in Plevna as a walk-in clinic that everyone could have used, it would have been a great thing for the people around here. But that was not going to happen,” he said.

With the knowledge and experience gained from his first term, Lonnie is running again to hopefully contribute to completion of some projects that are currently in mid-stream. 

"My viewpoint on many issues that cross the table in Council is that we are here to help the people, whether it be seniors, young families or businesses. If we can make a difference for the people, we should.

“After all, they pay the taxes" he said.

Ward 3, Palmerston-Canonto

BETTY HUNTER

Betty Hunter was a council member for Ward 2 (Clarendon and Miller) between 2004 and 2006,and she ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2007.

As a member of Council, she took a particular interest in economic development, and since 2006 she has become a board member with the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).

She has also become a board member of the Eastern Ontario CFDC and she has just been elected to the provincial board as well.

“Working with the CFDC, I see lots of opportunities for working on county-wide development projects, and in particular for North Frontenac the One Metre Initiative is particularly exciting even though it has a number of hurdles to overcome,” she said.

In the current campaign for Council, Betty Hunter said that her “main focus is on fiscal responsibility, economic development, roads, waste management and the environment.”

She has been a resident of North Frontenac since 1986, when she bought a business in the community with her husband. Although that initial business did not work out, the Hunters have continued to live and work in the region. Betty's husband Don is self-employed, and she has worked in various jobs over the years.

The Hunters live at the borderline between Wards 2 and 3, and this time around Betty is running in Ward 3 “mainly because it is the area where I first settled when I came to the area and because even when I represented Ward 2, I was doing some fighting for Ompah.”

Hunter is also not convinced that the ward system should be maintained in North Frontenac.

“North Frontenac has to start looking at itself as a whole. The ward system isn't the be all and end all of everything. We might think about our councilors representing the entire township.”

 

JOHN INGLIS

John Inglis was an engineer with Ontario Hydro when he moved to the Lothlorien co-operative near Ompah some 36 years ago. His original plan was to keep his job, but the distance could not be bridged in the days before faxes, email, and teleconferencing.

He learned how to make doors and windows by building them for his own house, and ended up opening Lothlorien Woodworking, a business that he continues to operate to this day. While Inglis is new to municipal politics, he has been involved in economic development initiatives in the region for many years.

He was involved with the Hwy. 7 Community Development Corporation in the 1990s, and was instrumental in the development of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, eventually sitting on the founding board of the corporation. “I've thought about running for Council before, but I've always been too busy,” he said. “I decided I could do it now. I have a couple of good people working for me, so I now have time to spend on township business.”

“I’ve come to this because I feel I have something positive to offer in meeting situations. I'm not afraid to express dissenting opinions,” he said.

He sees that roads are the major asset of the township, and by far the major cost factor. “I am concerned about some of the amortization in the township budget concerning roads,” he said, “and I am somewhat concerned about the size of our bureaucracy.”

Relations with lake associations should also be fostered, he said, noting that Canonto Lake, for example, is completing a lake plan that may impact the township’s Official Plan at some point.

John Inglis has also been involved with the initial planning for an upgrade to the tiny Ompah library once the building it is located in is vacated by the fire department. “I’d like to see us put a library space in and see if we can convince the Kingston Frontenac Public Library to fill it.”

 

BOB OLMSTEAD

Bob Olmstead wasted little time deciding to run for a second term on North Frontenac Council. He was the first person into the election race back in January.

In addition to serving on Council for the last four years, Olmstead was a member of Council for Palmerston-Canonto from 1983 to 1986. A life-long resident of Mississippi Station, Bob worked as mechanic until he retired from that profession in 1999. He continues to run a hobby farm.

As a member of Council he has sometimes been critical of the roads department. “I'm not always pleased with the way things are done, but there have been improvements,” he said. He also thinks it is sometimes necessary “to fight for more down in this end of the township because we are the last to get anything done.”

As well, Olmstead thinks the township should consider extending roads service, in a measured way, on un-maintained roads. “We are always talking about the economy and about people moving in here. A bit of gravel on an un-maintained road might be enough to bring someone in or keep someone here,” he said.

Whatever concerns he has about the roads department, Bob Olmstead is wary of any proposals to upload roads to Frontenac County.

“We pay a lot of money to the County and we don't get much, if anything, back. Now they are talking about Hwy. 506/509. I really don't think that's a good idea. It will blow up in our face. I feel that we are in a good position right now to take care of our own roads.”

He sees the Ompah fire hall project as the major project that he would like to see through to completion in the next Council term.

 

ROBIN RIDDELL

Robin Riddell has lived in the Robertsville area for over 30 years with her husband Steve, although she originally came from Madoc.

While she was caring for a young family, Robin ran a home business, Robertsville Upholstery, for 12 years. When her youngest child started school, she returned to school herself, graduating from Queen's as a Registered Practical Nurse in 2001, and eventually earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2006. She currently works in Kingston General Hospital for the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) but in October she will be transferring to a job with the CCAC at the Perth Hospital.

“When I knew I was going to be working closer to home in Perth, I made the decision to run for Council,” she said.

One of her reasons for seeking a council position is the fact that she is still in the work force and would represent a younger generation if elected. “I think it is time for a newer perspective, some newer ideas, to come forward to Council,” she said, “my main focus is the working people and the need to keep families living in the township.”

She points out that it took a community effort to keep Clarendon Central Public School open last year, “but unless we can encourage young families to live here we will eventually lose that school.”

She recalls that when her children were small, she received some support from the township to send her children to nursery school in Sharbot Lake, “which I really appreciated at the time.”

She would like to see the township act now in the interest of young families and local business. “Our local bus companies are under threat now with the new school bus contract. I'd like to see that sort of issue addressed by Council in some way.”

To Berm or Not to Berm?

Councillor Bill Robinson again asked that Council overturn their requirement that a buffer in the form of a treed berm should be erected on the north and west sides of the carwash on Road 38, just south of Hartington.

Planner Lindsay Mills said that at the last meeting, he had provided Council with copies of the original, legally binding site plan agreement. Robinson and Councillor Jim Hicks said the agreement was almost four years old: why should it be enforced now?

Councillor David Hahn said that at the time Council was asked to approve the car wash, area residents “took us at our word, when we agreed to draw up a site plan to address their concerns.” He reminded Council that recently, Inverary residents have also been promised that there would be a buffer along the commercial subdivision planned in that area.

Councillor Del Stowe asked if a contract could be negated just because it had not been fulfilled, warning that Council risked losing the trust of people who look to Council for protection.

Councillor Ron Vandewal asked whether the planner could meet with both parties in Hartington, to see whether a compromise could be worked out.

Mayor Gary Davison said he would be in favour of a compromise, but asked the CAO for his interpretation of the situation.

CAO Wayne Orr said that Council needed to consider the legal implications of stepping away from a legal contract, as this could set a precedent that could call into question every contract the Township has made.

In the end, staff was directed to meet with the parties concerned, to see whether a compromise could be reached.

Future of private lanes

John Fuller, a Storrington resident who lives on a private lane, made a presentation to Council on behalf of fellow lane residents.

“I am asking for thought, not action, at this time,” he said. He noted that while forty years ago most lanes had only cottages and hunting camps, now the township’s more than 500 lanes house a high proportion of full-time waterfront residents who pay high taxes for minimal services.

Councillor Del Stowe replied that the Township was beginning to make some progress, citing the funding available to assist residents’ associations with lane upgrades.