RFP for new office/fire hall complex: While they are not exactly at the groundbreaking stage just yet, Addington Highlands Council has taken the next step in a process that may lead to the construction of a township office and fire hall on a lot that the township has purchased on Hwy. 41 south of Northbrook (next to Addison’s Restaurant). The space requirements submitted by township and fire staff and council have been included in a Request For Proposal for a site drawing of the proposed building. Once a design is accepted, the project will be costed, and Council will then be tasked with finding the money for it.

$13,000 for Denbigh Community Centre – Council approved $13,000 in spending on the new community centre in Denbigh. Councilor Tony Fritsch said that the project has been progressing well thus far. Council appointed a two-member committee to oversee the Lakelands Family Health Team locations in Northbrook and Denbigh.

Joint Fire Board meeting cancelled, Reeve Hogg perturbed: “I was rather perturbed because they didn’t choose to consult with us,” said Reeve Henry Hogg about an email he received from North Frontenac Council last month cancelling a scheduled meeting this week of the Joint Fire Board, which oversees the Kaladar/Barrie Fire Department, which serves both townships.

“I am the chair of the Joint Fire Board, so I should be the one who cancels a meeting, but I guess we’ll have to re-schedule,” he added.

Fire department busy – Fire Chief Casey Cuddy reported that so far in 2011, his department has responded to 112 fire calls, up from 97 at the same point last year. “There have been number of brush fires this summer, but fortunately they have been small ones,” Cuddy said, adding, “we are looking forward to the cooler fall weather.”

Dumping request – The new owner of a property on Hwy 41, formerly owned by the late Winnie Gutsell, has requested that the township waive the dumping fees for 50 trailer loads of material that is lying out on the property.

“If you start doing this for one person, it will spread” said Public Works Manager Royce Rosenblath.

“The only thing is we want the property cleaned up,” said Councillor Adam Snider. “What if we waive the tipping fee for up to five loads, a $150 maximum.”

(One trailer costs $30 to dump)

Council accepted Snider’s proposal.

Photo: Billy Day at the Bill Day Memorial Grass Drags at his family farm in Harrowsmith

Close to 300 people gathered over the weekend at the Day farm in Harrowsmith for the Bill Day (Sr.) Memorial Grass Drags, which are put on by Bill's son, 24-year-old Billy Day. The event attracted racers and spectators from all over Ontario, Quebec, and New York and Michigan states and included races for riders of average, improved and custom stock sleds, as well as sport and utility ATVs.

Day described the event as “the longest running grass drag event in all of Ontario.” It has been taking place for 30 plus years on the property and Day said his dad began the event and was passionate about the sport. “I'm continuing on the tradition that he started. In the 1970s he raced Kawasaki Invaders and in the early years he used to announce as well.” Day is hoping to offer a regular motocross at the site and both engines and emotions at the two-day Grass Drag event were running high as Day and enthusiasts eagerly await the outcome of South Frontenac Council’s upcoming vote, which will determine if Day will be allowed to proceed with his plans to run motocross on the property adjacent to the grass drag site.

The proposed motocross event has caused some friction in the community, with some neighbours opposing it because of noise and dust. Billy Day hopes that council will grant him the votes he needs to put on the event, which is what he is most passionate about.

“Unfortunately a few neighbours are opposed, but it looks as though council will go ahead with the one-year trial so that they can have a chance to come out and see it for themselves,” he said.

Day also said that he has resolved the dust issue by purchasing a water truck that will dampen the track prior to and during the event. As far as the noise goes, Day said that is what has yet to be determined but that it should not be an issue. “The nearest neighbours are 1500 feet away and in fact the grass drags are louder than the motocross event by far.” Day has every intention of abiding by the Ontario noise standards at the event and there will be sound testing on site if and when it goes ahead. “The only real issue is the fact that motor vehicle racing now is not allowed in the township but I'm hoping that this area will made exempt from the by-law.” Day stressed that this is not a business for him and not a money maker, but more of a hobby that brings enthusiasts, their friends and families together. He said, “At the end of the day there is not a lot of money to be made. There is a lot of work involved for comparatively little return. This event is a good thing in that it gets kids off the streets, gets them together with their families and gives them a chance to race in a safe environment.”

Asked what he would say to the neighbours in opposition, he replied, “It's hard and a bit frustrating. Council has asked them if there is anything I can do to make the event more agreeable to them and there should be bit of leeway there, but they are unwilling to offer up any suggestions. That and the fact that racing has been going on here for 30 years. This is definitely not something new to the area.”

I asked Day what would happen if the vote does not go through and he said, “I'll definitely appeal the decision. I have put so much into this up to this point that I feel that I should not have to back down.”

Day was circulating a petition at the Grass Drags for enthusiasts to sign with the intention of presenting the signatures to council on Tuesday night. By Saturday afternoon a total of 200 local residents had already signed on their support.

Decision on Ompah ambulance base delayed again

A motion that would have kick-started the long-delayed Ompah ambulance base/fire hall project was deferred by Frontenac County Council last Wednesday, August 17.

The motion, which was proposed by North Frontenac township county representative John Inglis, included a significant amount of detail about how the cost sharing for the project between Frontenac County and North Frontenac Council would roll out. Central to the proposal is a 50/50 cost sharing split between the township and the county, which differs from the 60/40 split that had been on the table previously.

“The 50/50 split is justified by the fact that even though the fire hall is to be 2,500 square feet and the ambulance base 1,500, the fire hall is basically a shell and the ambulance base will be fully finished,” said John Inglis.

The detailed division of costs in the proposal for items such as water, hydro and repairs caused at least one county council member a lot of concern.

“I'm an elected representative,” said Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski, “and this reads like a contract. I’m uncomfortable even calling for a vote on this motion without directing staff to review the terms and conditions in this. I move we defer this.”

Warden Gary Davison said he is still concerned about what he called a “build it as you go” attitude he attributes to North Frontenac.

“If Paul [Chief of the Frontenac Paramedic Services, Paul Charbonneau] said he was ordering an ambulance, I would expect he had done his research and was ordering a vehicle that lived up to all the specs that we require. I'm nervous about this, I don't know where it is going to go. Honestly, what kind of product are we talking about?” Davison said.

“We are talking about a design-build project that will have to meet post-disaster standards, not some tin shack attached to an ambulance base,” said North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton. “We are here today to ask for an ambulance base in the North. Not only to ask but to plead and beg you. The population demands we do something about this, so we need to put a service in place. The key word is ‘service’.”

Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle said, “This certainly isn't a straightforward initiative. I've driven that area and the Ompah location is only 6-7 minutes from where the ambulance is located right now, sitting in a parking lot. I want to talk to the fact that the previous county council made the decision to proceed with this location, and it's a slippery slope if a new council starts to second guess every decision that a previous council has made. I think the people up there expect and deserve an ambulance service. If it costs $300,000 each for the County and the township, it looks pretty reasonable to me. I don't think we need to defer this. Let's put it to a vote now. Are we going to build this facility or not?”

Janet Gutowski weighed in one more time.

“Earlier I restricted my comments to why the motion should be deferred but if everyone is talking about the project itself, I must point out that I'm not in favour of an Ompah base, if that is what we are talking about. The numbers don't support it,” she said.

John Purdon, councilor from Central Frontenac, said he was in favour of an Ompah base and said he thinks it makes sense to combine the base with a fire hall because it will save money.

“But I have a problem with going forward without joint agreement on costs, and we need more information from staff before we can come to an agreement,” he said.

“The sticking point for me is the perception that the Parham base would move to Sharbot Lake. I believe this is a life or death matter for people in the Portland, Hinchinbrooke and Bedford Districts,” said Councilor John McDougall from South Frontenac. “I cannot support moving this ambulance base to the North.”

The original motion about the location of a northern ambulance base, which was passed by county council in February of 2010, called for a base in Ompah to be built as soon as possible, and for the closing of the Parham base and relocation of that service to a location in the Sharbot Lake area within 5 years.

The present motion to defer the proposal from John Inglis until the September 2011 council meeting was passed in a 5-4 recorded vote.

Warden Garry Davison, who carries two votes as mayor of South Frontenac, said that before casting his votes in favour of deferral, he “would like to see what the building will look like”.

“I'm a bit optimistic,” said North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton after the meeting, “I think the concept of a 50/50 cost split, with the county spending no more than $300,000, did not get rejected. That to me was the key sticking point. We are already looking at next spring now, but I think it can happen.”

Indeed when looking at the voting patterns in the various votes on the ambulance base issue that have taken place this year, it is clear there is a meeting of the minds on the ambulance base between North Frontenac and Frontenac Islands. While there are two council members, Janet Gutowski and John McDougall who oppose the plan, Warden Davison and Councilor John Purdon have both expressed support, although they are waiting for assurances that have not yet been forthcoming.

If either one of them can achieve a comfort level with the project, a Request For Proposal for a design-build ambulance base/fire hall in Ompah for $600,000 could be forthcoming as early as next month.

It still remains to be seen, however, if such a building, constructed to ambulance base and post disaster, fire hall standards, can really be built for $600,000.

Frontenac County Official Plan

At the August 17 Frontenac County Council meeting, Michael Elms from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) gave a presentation that outlined some of the advantages to the county that would come from adopting a county-wide Official Plan in addition to the Official Plans that each of the townships already has in place.

The county plan would have to be broad enough so that the variations in the township plans could be accommodated, and would have to be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement, which underpins all municipal rules and regulations. However, once a county plan is in place, planning decisions on a local level would only need to be confirmed by County Council, and would not need to be considered by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Only changes and updates to the county plan would require approval by the ministry. This would eliminate some delays and could also give the townships greater freedom to make decisions based on their own goals.

Elms showed a map of Eastern Ontario, which showed that most counties in the region either have a plan in place or are working on one. In one case, Peterborough County, an Official Plan has been in place for 15 years and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs is on the point of pulling right out of the planning process,

Even changes to the Peterborough County Official Plan will now be done without requiring approval by MMAH.

Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski said she would like the county to move forward with a plan in the near future.

“I think the way it is now is certainly challenging for economic opportunities because of the time frames that come from waiting for ministry approval. If we have an Official Plan it will be county council driving the bus - that’s us, all politicians elected in our own townships. I think it would be county council in control, not ‘the county’ as some kind of bureaucratic entity.”

As a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is about to start up in Verona, Frontenac County Council heard last week that Sharbot Lake is next in line for a bit of a boost to its economic viability.

Community Improvement Plans allow for shared investments between residential and commercial property owners and municipal councils. They have been used to give facelifts to main streets in Kingston and Brockville, and a pilot project for Frontenac County in Verona is at the point of being implemented by South Frontenac Township.

At a meeting of Frontenac County Council last week (August 17) a staff report by community planner Peter Young recommended supporting a plan for Sharbot Lake, subject to the support of Central Frontenac Council.

South Frontenac Council has allocated $10,000 this year for the Verona CIP, and Frontenac County Council has also allocated $70,000, creating a pool of money to be tapped into.

Among the incentives that have been approved for Verona are a facade improvement plan for commercial and residential properties along Main Street within the hamlet area, grants for accessibility improvements, and a separate fund for general commercial improvements. All grants are based on a 50% commitment from the applicant and are capped at $2,500.

Interest-free loans of up to $7,500 are also available for eligible projects, and in some cases municipal fees to a value of $2,000 can be waived.

The Verona plan also includes some initiative by the township in the way of road work and sidewalk initiatives and a number of potential community initiatives may also arise out of the public meetings that took place as the plan was being developed.

But before any decisions are made about what kinds of incentives will be put in place for Sharbot Lake, a number of steps need to be taken.

“Before we do anything further, we will be talking to Central Frontenac Council to see if they are interested,” said County Manager for Economic Development, Anne Marie Young, “We learned our lesson the last time around.”

Earlier this year, the county was chastised by South Frontenac Council for scheduling public meetings in Verona before the township were approached.

In addition to a financial commitment, Central Frontenac will need to amend their Official Plan to permit Community Improvement Plans in the township.

Once the Official Plan amendment is initiated, assuming Central Frontenac Council agrees, public meetings will be held to determine not only the scope of the plan, but geographic boundaries where it will be implemented.

The fact that Sharbot Lake has at least two separate pockets of commercial activity that are separated by residential areas, a function of the hamlet being located in a narrow band between the two basins of Sharbot Lake, was identified as a challenge by Fo-Tenn Consulting, a consulting company that evaluated all of the hamlets in Frontenac County in terms of their potential as CIP host communities.

However, noting that Sharbot Lake offers the best ratio of commercial properties to residential anywhere in the county, and is the third most populated hamlet in the county (behind Verona and Sydenham) Fo-Tenn identified Sharbot Lake as a community that would derive benefits from the program.

Marysville, on Wolfe Island, was also identified by Fo-Tenn as a likely site, and Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle asked why Marysville had not been considered for the second project by the County.

“I thought we were going to consider Marysville and Sharbot Lake,” he said.

County Chief Administrative Officer Liz Savill replied that Marysville is slated to be the next in line after Sharbot Lake.

“On behalf of Central Frontenac I would say, yes, you definitely need to be speaking to our council about this as soon as possible,” said county councilor and mayor of Central Frontenac, Janet Gutowski. “The timing for Sharbot Lake may be very good with the redevelopment of the school coming up, the potential that comes with the existing public school site being vacated, the interest in the railway multi-use centre, and the engineering around the redevelopment of Elizabeth Street. There are things within the community that are about to change so the timing for a CIP may be right.”

Once Central Frontenac Council signs on to the project county staff will be setting up community meetings, probably later this fall. The cost of developing the Sharbot Lake plan will be lower than it was for Verona, because instead if using outside consultants to run meetings and write up the plan, those jobs will done by county staff.

Expansion plans for Cloyne and District Museum

Ian Brummel and Marg Axford, of the Cloyne and District Historical Society, came to North Frontenac Council to talk about plans for the next phase of development of the society’s museum and archives, which is located on township property in Cloyne across from North Addington Education Centre and next to the Barrie Township Hall.

The plans include two new rooms, which would create about 1,200 feet of extra space and increase the museum's size by over 50%, creating more space for the ever-growing collection of artifacts and documents, and space to run educational programs.

In addition, they would like to construct a drive shed on the property to house machinery that is now exposed to the elements. They are also seeking to replace the current holding tank with a septic system so the museum can have a proper washroom.

As Marg Axford pointed out, “Our staff keeps getting younger and as they do they are becoming less tolerant of using an outhouse.”

“Essentially, we are asking for permission to build and put a septic system in, and for permission to use the water from the Barrie Hall and put in an underground water line from the hall to the museum,” said Ian Brummel. “The historical society will cover the costs with our own fund-raising. We are not asking for a donation from the township.”

“If council approves the request for water, it can be tied in to our own UV filter system, so the water testing we already do will apply to the museum,” said township Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson.

A motion was read out granting permission for all the components of the project.

“Oh,” said Ian Brummel before the vote, “could you also waive the township portion of the building permit fees.”

“So you are asking for a donation from the township after all,” said Councilor Betty Hunter.

Council approved the motion, including the waiving of permit fees.

Shabomeka Road woes – Council received a letter from Dany Tymchuk about the road to the Shabomeka Lake boat launch and beach. As Cheryl Robson explained, the road includes sections that are township-owned and sections that are privately owned. The township-owned portions are not maintained by the township and are in a state of disrepair.

“We, as cottagers, have tried to maintain the road, but enough is enough; you have had a free ride for 35 years,” Mr. Tymchuk said in his letter.

He was also present at the council meeting and addressed council briefly, delivering a warning. “If you get an emergency or if somebody drowns because an ambulance or fire crew can't get in there, you're going to be liable,” he said.

Far from disagreeing with Dan Tymchuk, Mayor Clayton pointed out that because of liability laws, private individuals can no longer do any work on township roads unless they have $2 million in liability insurance.

“To sum it up, we make it extremely difficult for private people to work on those kinds of roads, and we won't work on them ourselves. It's something we are going to have to work on, but it will take time,” Clayton said.

Approval sought for waste site expansion – Council approved a proposal to apply to the province to expand the footprint of the Highway 506 waste site. The township has been dumping beyond the legal footprint in the current Certificate of Approval and Council is hoping the province will make that dumping legal by altering the certificate for the site.

“If we get the approval, fine; if not we will have to spend the money to move the waste and cover the area with fill,” said Mayor Clayton.

$500 for Vision Awards – Council rejected a request from the Land O'Lakes Tourist Association for a $1,000 donation to support the 2011 Vision Awards, but later approved a $500 donation. The township will be nominating a local business as well.

$100 for Slave Lake, Alberta – Council received a letter from the Township of Meaford, requesting that Ontario municipalities donate $100 to Slave Lake, Alberta, a town that was devastated by fire earlier this year. North Frontenac will be donating $100.

EFR vehicle write off? - On July 16, an emergency first response vehicle was involved in an accident with another vehicle on a narrow Crown Land road. There were no injuries and no charges were laid, but the vehicle suffered $7,000 - $10,000 in damages. The township’s insurance policy carries a $5,000 deductible, and the vehicle had an estimated value before the accident of $8,884. Council decided not to make an insurance claim and is considering writing off the vehicle.

Insurance, damage deposit from AAFNA – The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation’s planned Manoomin Keesis Festival on Labour Day weekend at the Clarendon Miller Hall and grounds came under scrutiny by Council.

The hall has not yet been booked and the township will require a $200 damage deposit and proof of insurance in order to allow the hall and grounds to be used for the event, and for trailer camping that takes place as well.

Water Access only septic haulage

By Julie Druker

Gord Rodgers of GKR Consulting presented a report to council regarding a business case/feasibility study for septic haulage services to water-access only properties in Frontenac County. The study was contracted by the Frontenac Stewardship Council with the help of funding from the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation and it involved surveying local operators, lake associations, the Public Health Unit and townships of North, Central and South Frontenac.

The findings stated that there are operators out there to do the work and that the need is there, since between Sharbot, Eagle and Bobs lakes, there are over 200 existing lots. However the demand is unknown since operators have received few requests for the service. Similarly certain operators said that they would need minimums of anywhere from 15-40 serviceable lots to make it worth their while and they estimated the cost to property owners at anywhere from $600-$1200.

Rogers made the following recommendations to council based on the report: 1) that council together with lake associations and septic offices identify all the properties requiring the service; 2) that townships establish a re-inspection program under the auspices of the Ontario Building Code and set these properties as a priority; 3) that the Frontenac Stewardship Council host workshops on the subject and support education and awareness campaigns; and 4) to make a list of septic operators on a township basis to help property owners understand the ins and outs of the issues.

In the final summation of the report, Rogers then listed more recommendations in what he considered an “ideal world”. Namely, that regular inspections and pumping be required and undertaken by at least 3-4 operators with the necessary expertise, skills and equipment; that the township have a reliable and complete list of all water-access only properties and that a coordinated program be established in each township, with groups of lakes scheduled for service each year and rotating every 7-10 years. The report also recommended that servicing include inspection, pumping, repair and replacement where necessary and that permits for replacement be fast-tracked. He also hoped that the servicing would be subsidized if necessary through a tax rebate or reduction.

Mayor Gutowski said this issue could not be ignored. “The quality of our water is a big reason that most of are here,” she said.

A motion was unanimously passed by council to further investigate the information in the report and that staff prepare a report to be presented to council by the year’s end.

Central Frontenac continues the private lane dance with the province

By Jeff Green and Julie Druker

Central Frontenac Council received another report from their planning consultant, Glenn Tunnock, about creating new building lots on private lanes. The report represents an attempt to further define the township’s need to create a limited number of this kind of building lot in order to maintain a modest level of growth in the township. It also defines a set of rules about such lots and the requirements lot owners will have to live up to in maintaining the laneways into their property.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs has thus far resisted all attempts by the township to allow this kind of development to continue. The ministry prefers instead to see development on existing public roads, or through plans of subdivision, which create new roads that are then assumed as part of the public road system. Alternatively, the ministry would like to see private roads as part of plans of condominium, which entail the creation of a condominium corporation that can be held responsible for maintaining the private roads to a certain standard.

But, as Central Frontenac councilor Frances Smith pointed out, the problem with a plan of subdivision or condominium is that they only work for larger scale development because they are so expensive to set up. “We are trying to save the small-scale development by property owners who want to create one or two lots. That’s what happens in our township and without it we will run out of places where people can build new houses,” she said.

Councilor Norm Guntensperger asked if it might be wise to wait before making a new proposal to the ministry because of the upcoming election, which might produce a political shift in the ministry position.

“That is an astute point,” said Glenn Tunnock. “I would say that the ministry is being extremely cautious right now, but if we can submit this and invite the ministry to come to see us, which they have indicated they are willing to do, it would be worthwhile to receive them before the election. At least then we will know what they are thinking.”

Council decided to submit their latest proposal and ask for an in-person response from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The ministry has approved all other elements of the township’s renewed Official Plan.

Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw nears completion – The township plans to adopt a new comprehensive zoning bylaw in late September, after all members of council have had one further opportunity to consider all of the details in the document. The zoning bylaw presents a set of detailed rules and regulations for all commercial and residential development within the township in accordance with the policies outlined in the Official Plan.

“This is certainly the last time that this council will be preparing a comprehensive zoning bylaw, and a lot of work has gone into it. I think we should have one final look and make sure that the proper uses are identified for all the properties that are included in the mapping that comes with this, and that everything is in order, and then we should consider adopting it in the early fall,” said Mayor Janet Gutowski.

Council agreed to that schedule.

Before leaving the meeting, planning consultant Glenn Tunnock expressed his best wishes to township CAO John Duchene, who is retiring at the end of the week.

“I think he has done a tremendous job for this municipality and it has been sincere pleasure for me to work with John over the years,” Tunnock said.

Multi-use trail centre – Council accepted a report outlining how the committee that has been meeting to talk about a railway-themed building at the meeting point of the K&P and Trans Canada trails across from the township office could proceed.

The report suggests that funding be sought from Frontenac County through gas tax funds, and from the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation (FCFDC) to seek expertise in developing a business case for the facility, and outline possible ways it could be constructed. The possibility of private sector participation will also be considered. Issues such as the size and scale of the building, appropriate uses, building design and landscaping, etc, will all be considered.

The estimate cost of the work, $25,000, will not include a contribution from Central Frontenac Township beyond some staff time.

Township says no to rules about fishing and jumping off bridges

In response to some complaints about fishing and jumping at the bridge over the Kennebec Narrows on Henderson Road and its detrimental effect on boaters crossing under the bridge, Council resisted a proposal to ban fishing and jumping off township bridges.

“There is no sense passing a bylaw that cannot be enforced,” said Councilor Frances Smith.

“You can’t legislate intelligence or politeness,” said Councilor Norm Guntensperger, “I think we should leave this alone.”

Council referred the matter to staff to consider new signage and other improvements to the site.

Centre lines and roadside mowing – Public Works Manager Mike Richardson said that the roadside mowing is behind schedule this year, and said, “I haven’t managed the mowing as well as I should have this year so I have to say that in part the lateness is my fault.

He said the mowing should be completed by the end of next week.

Richardson also took some flak from Councilor Bill Snyder over the fact that no centre lines were painted onto the Westport Road this year.

“It is a major road,” Snyder said.

“It has been my practice in other municipalities to paint lines on some roads every second year as a cost-saving measure,” said Richardson. “If council directs I can try to get the Westport Road done without overspending my budget,” he said.

Council passed a motion to that effect in an 8-1 vote, with Councilor Jeff Matson casting the dissenting vote.

Richardson said he would get onto it right away.

“Touch a Truck” event - Councilor Matson initiated a motion supporting an event for youngsters that has been proposed by Northern Frontenac Community Services, which will take place at the Wagner Road station on Oct. 1, 2011, and will aim to familiarize youngsters with the various vehicles of the fire department.

Arena name change - A motion was passed by council supporting the official name change of North Frontenac Community Arena to the Frontenac Community Arena

Money Matters - Council passed a motion authorizing an $85,000 bank loan with RBC to help finance the District 3 Fire Hall solar panel project at 1020 Wagner Road. Council also passed a motion approving a By-Law authorizing a bank loan from RBC for the purchase of a new water tanker for the Fire and Rescue Service.

Northpoint Square in Northbrook is for sale, and owner Murry Northey attended the meeting in Denbigh to give council information about the complex, which contains several offices, since the township is looking to establish a new office/fire hall complex in or near Northbrook.

Council considered a request from two teachers from NAEC (North Addington Education Centre) for a $2000 grant to buy equipment for an Outdoor Learning Centre, which they are hoping to establish at the school. Councilor Helen Yanch said that while she thinks the proposal is a good one, she does not think that the township should be paying for it, but that the Limestone School Board has to step up to the plate. Deputy Reeve Bill Cox brought forward a motion to deny the request for the money, which was defeated in a 2-2 vote, with Yanch and Cox voting for and Councilors Tony Fritsch and Adam Snider voting against it. Reeve Henry Hogg did not vote in that round.

Councilor Fritsch then brought forward a motion to give $1,000 as a one-time grant to the project, and in a recorded vote, with Reeve Hogg and Councilors Fritsch and Snider voting for, and Yanch and Cox against, the motion passed.

Council denied a request for $1,000 from the Land O’Lakes Tourist Association to support their upcoming Vision awards.

Council discussed a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Northbrook municipal building/firehall project. Councilor Fritsch requested that plans for a covered parking area in the RFP be removed as an unjustifiable expenditure. Deputy Reeve Cox also asked if air-conditioning would be needed in the whole building, and Fire Chief Casey Cuddy, who was in attendance at the meeting, replied that it would not be needed in the truck bays. With those and some other amendments, council voted to proceed with the draft, which will come back to council for further consideration before being put out.

Two requests were received for the township to assist with maintenance on the Hunt Road and Cross Lake Road, which are unmaintained township roads. Councilor Snider suggested that if the property owners were willing to share half of the costs, “It would be hard to say no” to the requests. However, except for Councilor Yanch, the other councilors felt that the township should obtain cost estimates first. Helen Yanch said that up until the last few years the roads had been “reasonably maintained”. Roads Superintendent Royce Rosenblath confirmed that in the past work had been done on a case-by-case basis, but a few terms of council back, he had been instructed not to do any work on roads that were not in the roads system.

Council voted to obtain cost estimates for the requested roadwork.

Council acceded to a request to waive dump fees for a cleanup of Skootamatta Lake.

Royce Rosenblath said that some people are still bringing black garbage bags to the waste sites – 20 bags were brought in recently - and asked if council could write letters to the parties in question reminding them that the township only accepts clear garbage bags. Council agreed.

Council awarded a tender for a tanker replacement for the Denbigh fire station, for $183,739, to the Dependable Truck Company. The price includes ULC certification.

The contractor who is presently working on the Northbrook Fire Hall had also won the tender for repairs to the Denbigh Fire Hall; however, he has since doubled his quote for one of the items. Fire Chief Cuddy asked if the tender could be awarded to the next highest bidder; however, council decided that the only fair way to proceed would be to re-tender the project. The tender already has been put out twice, as there were no bidders the first time around.

Motocross Madness:

By Jeff Green

Both sides still disagree, but no decision on motocross track near Harrowsmith.

It was standing room only at a public meeting at the South Frontenac Council chambers on Tuesday night, August 2, as opponents and proponents of a motocross track on Bill Day’s farm squared off over a proposed arrangement that would allow for one motocross event this year and one next year, before the entire matter would come back to Council once again.

Before anyone had a chance to make their arguments, pro or con, planner Lindsay Mills informed Council that Council should delay any decision “until formal and legal access is established over the Cataraqui Trail into the subject area.”

Bill Day said that he has received an email from the Cataraqui Trail board confirming the access, and has a registration number for the approval, but Mayor Gary Davison said, “An email is not enough; we need the written confirmation, the actual paperwork that this has been approved and is registered on title before we can vote on this.”

“So why are we bothering with the public meeting if we are going to have to do this all over again anyway?” asked Councillor Bill Robinson.

“We have to do a public meeting and this is it,” said Davison. “We don’t have to have another one. When we get the legal documentation, we can put this to a vote.”

In his report on the proposal, Lindsay Mills recommended against Council approving it, as he had an earlier version of the proposal.

“From a planning perspective, the proposal cannot be accepted,” he wrote. “The use is prohibited outright by the Comprehensive Zoning By-Law and the Official Plan requires that in all cases it shall be demonstrated that the impact of a proposed use on adjacent land uses will be minimal.”

Based on the objections he has received, Mills concludes that the “impact on the community would not be minimal.”

Members of Council then waded into the debate.

“I specifically said I would support one event so I could see what happens. So that’s where I stand on it,” said Councillor Ron Vandewal.

A number of people living in neighbouring properties then spoke. They described the noise from motocross events that were held at the track last year, and said the noise is unbearable.

But another group spoke about the positive effects of racing on their children.

“I think Council should give Mr. Day something so that we can have this in our township for our kids, for our community and for recreation. It’s no different than your neighbour cutting his lawn for three hours,” said one person.

Others, including neighbouring property owners Eric Kirkman and Doug Pixley said the noise is unbearable and the proposal should be rejected outright.

Two other neighbours, Bill Hartwick and André Sauvé, said the noise is not that bad.

“I’m not complaining because I see kids being kids. I hear a small amount of noise. If you are going to get into noise, ban the jet skis on Sydenham Lake. Give Bill Day a chance. He’s trying to make a business. I have no problem with it. I live right there,” said André Sauvé.

Council is not scheduled to meet again until September 6, so unless council calls a special meeting there will be no motocross racing on the Day property this month.

The annual grass drag snowmobile and ATV races on the Day property will be allowed to go ahead on Labour Day weekend as normal, however, because they were established 30 years ago, before South Frontenac or any of its bylaws or Official Plan existed.

Fresh Eggs: Coming soon to a backyard near you?

by Wilma Kenny

Council had no problem passing an amendment to the zoning by-law that will permit township residents to keep up to 10 hens on rural lots that are between two and three acres in size. However, comments from the public meeting suggest that this may be only the beginning: several speakers argued that the township should follow the example of a number of other municipalities across Canada, and allow hens to be kept on smaller residential properties. One speaker commented that her neighbours’ hens made a lot less noise than the neighbours themselves, and another suggested that perhaps people could start keeping hens as pets, rather than agricultural birds. Speaking on behalf of the National Farmers Union, Jeff Peters said the new ruling was “too restrictive: one acre would be more reasonable.”

“We are approving hens on two acres, and now they’re asking for one - where will this stop?” asked Councillor Ron Vandewal.

“Let’s put this chicken thing to bed,” said Councillor Larry York.

“To roost,” corrected Vandewal.

Mayor Davison reminded council the issue could be reopened later, if necessary.

Livestock valuations top $2,500 in July

Predators killed six lambs, a heifer, a steer, and 21 poultry this last month. Ron Vandewal noted that livestock prices were slated to rise sharply, to come closer to actual stock values, and asked whether a bounty on predators might be less costly in the long run. Mayor Davison reminded him that this was a provincial, not a municipal jurisdiction.

The farmers’ reimbursements are paid by the province.

Public works contracts awarded

Council approved the bid of Hughson Barriers Inc. for the installation of steel beams on Westport Road at Wolfe Lake, and the installation of cable on Petworth and Buck Bay Roads, in the amount of $61,539.

Nedow Construction won the bid to supply winter sand to the Portland, Piccadilly and Bedford garages, and Keyes Sand and Stone will provide the Keeley Road garage sand.

Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth got Council’s approval to upgrade the Hartington parole yard by constructing a salt/sand storage facility with an attached drive-in/drive-out truck bay. This will allow the badly deteriorated and undersized Piccadilly facility to be closed next year. The original low bid from Storage Systems Construction was for $1,018,925, but deferral of some site works pared the cost down to $735,240, which will be covered from federal gas tax rebate funds.

Waste disposal site integration

Council approved AECOM’s proposal to undertake a review of the township’s waste disposal site operations for a maximum cost of $16,000.

One possible outcome of such a study could be the more efficient use of the township waste sites, by directing waste to sites that are nearing closure, and reducing operating hours at other sites, thus freeing up resources for purchases such as compaction equipment or weigh scales.

Councillor John McDougall asked whether this should go to tender. Mark Segsworth said that the price had been kept low, because AECOM was familiar with the township facilities, having done the annual reviews for several years.

Sports field lights approved in time for Bubba Bowl

Council approved the purchase, for $57,965, of lights and standards for the football field at The Point in Sydenham. This does not cover the costs and work of installation (trenching, cable, conduit, etc): it is hoped there will be some help from the community in this area.

Works Manager Mark Segsworth said that although it would be ideal to upgrade the watering system at the same time, it wasn’t possible. However, the lighting cables can be installed on the perimeter of the field without disrupting the field itself. The lights are designed to cast as little light as possible into the area outside the playing field.

Ashley Belanger, recreation director, got council’s approval of temporary road and boat ramp closure at the time of the Bubba Bowl game this fall, with the high school controlling the area that afternoon and evening. Public works will erect temporary fencing around the Point. The school board feels this should make it possible for the event to be kept alcohol-free.

Speed limits

In a 5-4 vote, Council approved the establishment of 60 km speed limits on Round Lake and Scanlon Roads.

Mark Segsworth’s suggestion that it might be a good idea to introduce a township-wide 60 km/hr speed limit on all township roads not presently posted with speed limit signs met with resistance from Council in spite of assurances that arterial roads presently posted at 80 would not be affected. This issue will be returned to the Public Works Committee for further discussion.

Segsworth reported that his office gets at least two requests a week for lower speed limits. Several councillors noted that this still represents a small proportion of residents.

North Frontenac zoning bylaw battle looms

Different players are taking different positions on issues related to a new comprehensive zoning bylaw in North Frontenac Township.

At a council meeting this week, the township heard from Ron Higgins and Jim Holton, representing the North Frontenac Lake Association Alliance.

They urged the township to go along with a recommended limited new lot size of 2.5 acres and minimum water frontage of 300 feet (the current standard is 0.9 acres and 150 feet). They also supported the idea of a 100 foot vegetative buffer between any construction and the shoreline.

These are the standards being urged on the township by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and they have been adopted in Central and South Frontenac, but some, including members of the North Frontenac Committee of Adjustment, are urging council to resist.

The township also received a report from their Chief Building Official, George Gorrie.

Gorrie's report is not concerned with the creation of new lots, and focuses instead on the ability of existing waterfront property owners to upgrade their cottages/homes.

The way Gorrie interprets the wording proposed for the bylaw by the township's planning consultant Glenn Tunnock, fully half of the building projects competed in the township last year, for a total construction value of $1.37 million, would not have been approved under the proposed new zoning bylaw.

One of the main sticking points would be in the ability of cottage owners to demolish existing old cottages and build new ones on the same footprint.

When those cottages were built the rules were less stringent, and until now it has been possible to rebuild on the same location provided the cottages are not increasing in size.

The new wording would only permit this if the old cottage has burned down “unintentionally”, and not if it is demolished.

“A significant number of cottage renovations, additions, and the building of new cottages would be prohibited under these new regulations. These projects would add assessment value, require the installation of new septic systems, employ local builders, labourers, plumbers, insulators and electricians and create a demand for products from local building supply stores,” Gorrie said at the end of his report.

Council has requested that Glenn Tunnock respond to Gorrie's report and has asked that a representative from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing attend a strategic planning session of Council on October 28.

North Frontenac supports outdoor centre 

There was a great deal of housekeeping-type business for North Frontenac Council to deal with at their only meeting this month, which was held at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne on Monday night, and the meeting was extended well beyond the normal three-hour maximum length.

Council wasted little time finding $2,000 for a municipal contribution to the proposed Outdoor Centre at the North Addington Education Centre. In late June, two teachers from the school made a presentation to council about the centre, which will make better use of the 88-acre site on which the school is located. North Frontenac will also provide free camping for school wilderness trips to the Frontenac Parklands network of lakes and camping sites.

Library gets support, no money needed: Last month, members of the Ompah Library Users Group came to Council asking for support, and some money, to help them set up a local library now that the Kingston Frontenac Public Library has pulled services from Ompah.

In the interim a partnership has been struck between the library group and Mazinaw Online, which will lead to the provision of public Internet service during branch hours on two new computers, and at others time via wifi.

All that the library group was asking for at this time was permission to install new tiles on the floor of the branch, and that a number of people be added to the volunteer list at the branch.

The written submission to Council from the library group included a new assertion: “The library volunteers plan to continue the Ompah Community Library for the long term”.

The volunteers did ask Council for permission to make a submission to the Kingston Frontenac Library Board in the fall seeking some sort of resumption of service now that the resilience and commitment of the Ompah users has been demonstrated.

Council passed a motion of support.

Ragged Chutes Road/Lane gets gravel

Ever since 2002 or 2003, the township has not performed any maintenance on a 0.8 kilometre stretch of the road between the property owned by the Sproule family and a property that Murray and Beverley Elliott purchased a couple of years later. Although the township put up a sign after the Sproule property re-naming the road Ragged Chutes Lane, it is still a township-owned road, not a private lane.

For five years, the Elliotts have been requesting a resumption of minimum maintenance on the 0.8 kilometre stretch that the township had ceased to work on, but Council has resisted, for fear that other people living on roads that that the township classes as “unmaintained township roads” would expect their roads to receive some attention as well.

On the urging of Mayor Clayton, and Councilor Lonnie Watkins, Council decided to provide one or two loads of gravel on the 0.8 kilometre stretch, to be spread with a backhoe and rake. No township grader will be used for fear of causing damage, and the entire effort is not to cost more than $1,000. The signage will be altered to indicate that the Elliotts live on Ragged Chutes Road, not Lane.

In a recorded vote, Councilor Wayne Good and Deputy Mayor Fred Perry voted against the proposal.

Halls for Sale? - In response to a number of informal queries to Council members from individuals about the potential for community groups to purchase one or more of the five township-owned community halls, staff made enquiries to the township solicitor.

The solicitor pointed out a few issues that would have to be overcome. The first was that if a hall were sold at less than market value to a community group, the township would need some assurance that it could not be re-sold at a profit. Secondly, if sold, the halls would be subject to property tax, which would add to the already significant expenses involved in the ownership of community halls.

The township set up a task force in 2008 to consider the viability of the halls, which are a major expense in terms of operating cost and major maintenance items.

“Until now, no one has approached the township directly about buying one of the halls,” said Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson, “but we should be prepared to provide all the detailed information about what they are taking on should one come forward.”

Clar-Mill Hall repairs – A repair job for the Clarendon and Mller Hall in Plevna has been awarded to Jim Boles Maintenance for $8,475. Boles' bid was not the lowest; Skelly General Contracting came in at $6,667, but the Boles bid won out because it “was the most detailed and provided favourable solutions when compared to the other proposal”. The Chief Building Officer recommended it be accepted and Council concurred.

Other tenders – The road surface treatment tender was awarded to Smith's Construction for $306,000. The job includes paving 1 kilometre of Canonto and Buckshot Lake Roads, 9 kilometres on 506/509 and 0.5 kilometres on Lodge Road. Additionally, about 1000 square metres will be paved in the works yard where the Barrie salt shed is located.

The 2011 gravel crushing contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, Gemmill Construction, for $66,105. Robert E. Young Construction came in at $69,495 and Danford Aggregates at $76,049.

The winter sand contract was also awarded to Gemmill's, for $52,756, which was better than the $61,020 bid submitted by Crains' Construction.

The bids were opened for the provision of a cab and chassis for a tandem truck. Pending consideration of the specifics of the bids by the Public Works Foreman Gregg Wise and CAO Cheryl Robson, the bid by Oakes Truck Sales of $120,820 was accepted.

Waste site fined – The township has received a small fine from Ministry of the Environment ($365) because of a missing well cap at the Fernleigh waste site. Township staff will be inspecting the test wells at all the sites, and replacing any missing caps they find. A new cap has been installed on the Fernleigh site test well.

Ompah fire hall/ambulance – A North Frontenac proposal for a 50/50 cost split with Frontenac County for the construction costs of a joint ambulance/fire hall is slated to be considered when Frontenac County meets on August 18.

Councilor John Inglis (who is a township representative to the County) suggested that North Frontenac needs a back up plan should the proposal be rejected at that meeting.

“I think there is one swing vote that will determine it and I don't know which way it will go,” said Inglis. “I do know that if the County waits until Lennox and Addington makes a decision about Denbigh and Northbrook we could be held up for two years, which is unacceptable. ”

Council is meeting on August 15, at which time Inglis and Mayor Clayton (the other township rep to the County) can take direction from Council about what they can do should the 50/50 cost sharing vote be lost.

Photo: Seven-year-old Gabriel Hull proudly displays his fourth fish of the day at the second annual Family Fishing Day in Verona on July 9. Nearly 50 kids, plus parents pre-registered for the event and enjoyed a free barbecue lunch and prizes. The event was organized by the Frontenac Stewardship Council and the Verona Community Association. by Meghan Balogh

Close to 50 children, many of them first-time anglers, attended Verona's second annual Family Fishing Day at McMullen beach at Verona Lake, a.k.a. Rock Lake. Co-hosted by the Frontenac Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Verona Community Association (VCA), the event is gaining in popularity since it began. Cam McCauley, coordinator with the FSC, was pleased with the turnout and said the goal of the event is to “Get families outside to enjoy the great outdoors and fishing in particular.” The free event is a favorite for children and adults, and it coincides with the MNR's family fishing week so anglers need no licenses to fish. The majority of fish caught were sunfish, perch, and bass. VCA member Linda Bates helped organize the event and said “It is a great event not just for the local economy, but also for the entire community. Those who came had a blast. The event provides an opportunity to those who might not otherwise get a chance to fish on the lake.” Rods were supplied for those without, and a free BBQ lunch was provided as well.