Feature Article - March 23, 2006

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Feature Article - March 23, 2006

Addington Highlands considers telephone and internet voting:AHCouncil,March 20, 2006

by Jule KochBrison

At the Denbigh meeting, Addington Highlands Council discussed the possibility of replacing mail-in voting with Intelivote, a system of voting by touch tone phone, Internet, or cell phone. Intelivote Systems Inc. is headquartered in Nova Scotia . With the system they provide, PIN numbers are mailed to electors to enable them to vote by phone or online. Township Clerk/CAO Jack Pauhl presented an 18 point list that compared Intelivote favourably with mail-in voting.

Some of the advantages are:

- With Intelivote the elector gets positive and immediate confirmation that he or she has voted; mail-in ballots, on the other hand, can get lost, and there is no confirmation that they have been processed.

- No lead time is required for receiving and mailing ballots in; ballots can be cast right up to the last minute on voting day.

- Intelivote would eliminate the labour of handling, opening, sorting, validating, counting, storing and destroying ballots. Also, the count is immediately available after voting ends.

- Visually impaired voters are given options, including telephone and internet screen recognition.

- Candidates are able to print out updated lists of the voters that have already cast their ballots (but not how they voted), thereby avoiding the nuisance of pitching their campaign to people who have already voted.

- Intelivote Systems Inc. would match the cost of mail-in voting.

Reeve Hook said that electronic voting would be a very good service for seasonal residents. Some councilors expressed concern about the security of the system, and Jack Pauhl said that Intelivote uses a number of protocols to ensure against fraud and misuse.

Councilor Bill Cox asked where the votes are stored; “In a computer somewhere”, Jack Pauhl replied.

Mail-in voting has already eliminated polling stations, so Intelivote would make no difference in that respect; however Pauhl noted that Intelivote would be a problem for people who don’t have touch tone phones. Councillor Louise Scott confirmed that she knows residents who still have rotary phones. Pauhl suggested that voters could use the township’s CAP sites.

No municipalities in Ontario have yet adopted Intelivote, but Pauhl said that South Frontenac and Madawaska Valley are considering the system. Pauhl is also investigating another alternate voting system, about which he will present a report at a future meeting. Council will have to make a decision no later than August.

WIND POWER: The engineering firm Conestoga Rovers has compiled a list of about 50 landowners in Addington Highlands whose properties are in higher wind areas and may be suitable for wind power generation. Conestoga Rovers will be contacting these people, and Council voted to draft a joint letter with Conestoga Rovers to mail to the landowners. An information package on wind power generation will accompany the letters. Jack Pauhl commented that an amendment to the Official Plan might be needed to establish wind farms.

AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL (APS): Work on the Northbrook stoplight is expected to begin after Labour Day. Addington Highlands asked the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to install an Audible Pedestrian Signal with the stoplight and the ministry agreed to do so - provided Addington Highlands meets one condition: the township must provide training for visually impaired residents in using the signal. MTO is concerned about pedestrians being injured if they don’t know how to use the APS. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) in Kingston is fully funded to provide training to people who are its clients; however the township would have to pay the CNIB to come up to Northbrook to train people who are not visually impaired enough to be CNIB clients, but who would nevertheless need to use the APS. The cost to the township would be about $425, and council voted to go ahead with the CNIB training.

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Feature Article - February 23, 2006

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Feature Article - March 16, 2006

Township to apply for approval to establish a transfer station

by JeffGreen

In line with a report from Golder and Associates and a recommendation from Public Works Manager Bill Nicol, Central Frontenac Council decided this week to proceed with a closure of the Hinchinbrooke landfill site at Elbow Lake .

The Golder report concludes by saying that, “It is understood that the Township would like to operate the Hinchinbrooke Waste Disposal Site as a waste transfer station after closure. This will require the submission of an application for approval of a waste transfer station to the Ministry of the Environment (MoE) following approval of the site closure amendment application.”

In debate before the motion to proceed with the closure was passed, Councillor Logan Murray expressed a concern that once the township informs the MoE that the site will be closed, it will slow down the process for establishing a transfer station.

“We should consider asking the MoE to amend our Certificate of Approval to read transfer station instead of going ahead with the closure,” Murray suggested.

“The report from Golder is quite clear, and there was a longer report back in the fall. The site is full and must be closed. We have no choice in the matter,” said Mayor Bill MacDonald.

“Just to be certain this is the best way to go, I think we should table this and wait for the Public Works Manager to come to a meeting,” said Murray .

“The Public Works Manager made a clear recommendation for closure in his report,” said Township CAO Heather Fox.

The motion to proceed with closure, seek a permit to operate the facility as a transfer station, and cost out a used dump truck for that purpose, passed in a 7-2 vote, with Councillors Murray and Snyder voting against it.

Other items from Council

Family Health Team In order to complete renovations to the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre for its new role as a Family Health Team, it will be necessary to obtain a legal survey of the property, which is owned by Central Frontenac. The cost is estimated at $1,500, and Council voted to pay for it.

January a record month for building Winter months are never busy for building permits, but this past January was something of a record. There were no building permits issued. In 2005, six permits were issued for $308,000 worth of construction, and in 2004, three permits were issued for $132,000 worth of construction.

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Feature Article - March 9, 2006

Feature Article

March 9, 2006

LOLCS expansion sparks controversy:Addington Highlands Council, March 6, 2006

by Jeff Green

Land o’ Lakes Community Services (LOLCS) is based in a small house in a subdivision in Northbrook , where it has been operating for ten years without raising much of a stir.

It was only when the agency realised it needs more room, and the owners of the building applied to council for a permit to put up a 12’ by 26’ extension, that a can of worms was opened up.

It seems the building never had the proper zoning for an office space in the first place. The plan of subdivision for the location, which was adopted in 1978, restricts the use of the lots in the subdivision to residential.

Item 1 of the plan states explicitly, “said lots shall be used solely for single family residential purposes only”, and Item 5 says, “no commercial trade or activity whatsoever is permitted.”

In order to renovate, the building’s owner, Ellery Thompson, who was also the person who developed the land and obtained the plan of subdivision in the first place, appeared at a public meeting last week seeking a zoning amendment to allow for the expansion of the office.

He was greeted by several residents who live in the subdivision and don’t want to see the door opened to commercial activity in their quiet neighbourhood.

Dale Northey, who lives next door to the LOLCS office, spoke for many when she said, “I don’t have a problem with Community Services, but I don’t want the property to be zoned commercial. If Community Services leaves some day, then any kind of business could come in there, and that is not why we purchased our homes in this subdivision.”

Deputy Reeve Lorraine Berger, who chaired the public meeting because Reeve Hook had declared a pecuniary interest in the matter and left the room, pointed out that there were restrictions in the proposed zoning amendment bylaw which would prohibit any use of the building for retail or commercial ventures.

Councillor Bill Cox proposed that the bylaw be amended to state that if Land o’ Lakes Community Services leave, only residential use would then be permitted.

Councillor Louise Scott proposed that an amendment be prepared, and that Council then have an opportunity to consider the matter again.

This was agreed to, and a second public meeting on the zoning amendment was scheduled for March 20 at 1 pm at the township office in Flinton.

Other Notes from Council

The township has finally received a Notice of Decision regarding its Official Plan from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The ministry amended the plan in several areas before giving its stamp of approval to it. Council decided to write back to the Ministry urging them to take measures that will enable a speedy consideration of the township’s comprehensive zoning Bylaw, which flows from the Official Plan.

“We would like to get the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw passed before the change of Council at the end of the year,” said Reeve Ken Hook.

Joint Fire Board budget Fire Chief Casey Cuddy reported that the Joint Fire Board has agreed to a budget calling for a modest 2.5% increase, to be submitted to Addington Highlands and North Frontenac Councils. Cuddy also said that council needs to consider the future of the Northbrook fire hall, which will either need to be renovated or rebuilt in the near future. He recommended that $25,000 be budgeted in 2006 for the fire hall.

Since the fire hall shares land with the township garage, an in camera discussion concerning a possible project involving both buildings took place at the end of the meeting. Township Clerk-Treasurer Jack Pauhl justified taking the discussion in camera by saying it was a property matter.

Feature Article - March 9, 2006

Feature Article

March 9, 2006

SouthFrontenacCouncil

by Wilma Kenny

Sunday HuntingA delegation led by Rodger Jones asked Council to approve Sunday hunting during deer season in the Township. Mayor Lake pointed out that a motion to approve Sunday hunting had been defeated in May of last year, with only Councillor Barr supporting it, and it would require a 2/3 majority to bring a defeated motion back to Council so soon.

Proposed Changes to Fishing RegulationsWade Leonard spoke for a delegation asking Council to write a letter to the Ministry of Natural Resources asking them to delay making proposed changes in the fishing regulations for at least 18 months, so the economic/social impacts of these changes could be examined. He noted several reasons: the proposed regulations on catch sizes threatened to destroy tourism related to walleye fishing, without substantially protecting the fish population, and suggested that better education and enforcement, combined with closing the walleye season before spring spawning in March, would be more benefit for both the fish and the fishers. Council agreed to draw up the letter as recommended.

Bottle-to-Bottle Glass Recycling Council moved a resolution in support of introducing a deposit return system on glass beverage bottles.

ATV’s Trespassing Off-roadIn a letter to Council, a local resident noted that ATVs are trespassing on the Cataraqui Trail, and on trails in Gould lake Conservation Area, causing damage to the trail surfaces. He expressed concern that the damage would become much greater, once the trails thawed this spring. (Although the writer didn’t say so, ATVs have permission to travel on all roads in the Township.)

Longer Council Terms?The Ministry of Municipal Affairs has informed Council that the provincial government plans to propose legislative changes to the Municipal Elections Act which, if passed, would extend the term of office for Municipal councils and school boards from three years to four. "A four-year term would provide municipal councils with more time to plan and implement their agendas, in a similar fashion to the federal and provincial governments." If passed, the legislation would make the change effective for the 2006 municipal elections, and bring Ontario into step with half the other provinces in Canada .

Feature Article - March 9, 2006

Feature Article

March 9, 2006

Letters to the Editor

True cost of country lifeHaving moved to Verona from Kingston over 3 years ago, I was well warned as to the real cost of life in the country. Friends were skeptical and asked why. Being a big city boy from Glasgow , Scotland , life in the country has been a breath of fresh air to say the least. But the cost? I just found out! As a result of the recent power outage, my fiancee and I were aghast to find we had no water once the power came back. Visions of the well having to be dug up etc., caused palpitations but I was fortunate enough to ask advice from our local realtor Bob Bertrim (who sold me the house) He couldn’t help personally and gave me the numbers of two local plumbers, but his best piece of advice was, ”Ask Andrew” (at our local hardware store in Verona) His confidence about Andrew was very apparent so off I went.On entering the store, Andrew was in the process of assembling a water pump just like mine. I then knew I wasn’t the only one with a problem. On asking his advice, he told me simply. Find the plug on the pump and pour water in to prime it. Home I went but couldn’t find the plug. Three digital camera pictures later off the hardware store again. Another employee looked at the pictures and pointed out the exact plug. Home again. Third visit to the hardware store was to find out how much water I needed to pour to fill the vacuum. The second, and a third employee were very considerate and helpful and put me straight.An hour later, running water we had. I had “fixed it” myself (courtesy of Verona Hardware) so now we could shower, have tea and use the facilities again and the total cost was….ZERO dollars.

The true price of having a local, helpful hardware store close by. Thanks guys and also to our good neighbors, Jerry and Christine, who supplied us with jugs and jugs of water during our crisis.

- Gordon McGaw

Re: new Walleye regulations (Feb 23, 2005).I am interested and would support any change that would ensure the pleasures of fishing are here tomorrow for my children and myself. However, I am quite concerned when reviewing the posted changes that interests either haven't been thought out clearly or are not really focused on improving the fish population, but rather management demands and costs.

Streamlining the zones so that regulations are no longer on a lake-by-lake basis seems to make no sense when you talk about protecting species. In order to protect the lakes low in a certain species you would have to place the same restrictions on all the lakes in the new zone. So what happens then when a lake with an abundance of that species over takes the lake and other species disappear, or worse the lake becomes dead since the food supply runs out from over population? I have seen fantastic fishing lakes change in one year to a dead lake from something such as a tornado overturning the vegetation, leaving the fish to starve.

MNR states that this would help control anglers moving from a tougher regulated lake causing distress on other lakes. Isn't that exactly what the regulations are there for, to take the stress off an under populated lake and direct it to the lakes that are capable of sustaining the demands?

The "Ecological Framework Summary" posted on the web talks about the old system having complex regulations, unclear boundaries and cost, cost, cost! It does not go into any real detail how this change will improve our fishing resources. They propose that improvements can be better accomplished if we focus on the entire zone rather than on individual lakes. Well, I'd say that's like me saying my cars brakes are on their way out but over all condition is good. Down the road I'll need those brakes and when they fail I won't have a car at all!

The summary even argues its own basis, saying "the Division wide regulations were not adequate to control exploitation on all lakes", yet the plan here is to combine the divisions into larger zones with zone wide regulations.

The method of a lake-by-lake regulation is the right way to protect our fishing future. Amalgamation is not the answer to everything!

- Rob Deruchie

Re:NorthFrontenac CouncilReport(February 2, 2006)

Concerning coverage of the North Frontenac Council meeting (Frontenac News, Feb. 2, 2006), I am emailing you on behalf of the Mazinaw Property Owners Association. Our goal is to improve the Mazinaw environment and to keep our members fully informed on environmental and other issues of interest. We have over 200 members. According to the article if Council maintains the 2005 tax rate in 2006, spending will increase by $685,000.In the last five years spending has increased dramatically.The Board of the Mazinaw Property Owners Association met on February 11 to review your article. In September we made four recommendations we made to the North Frontenac Council:

1. Complete by December 15 an operational review of all cost centres with particular attention to roads and administration: a summary to be provided and North Frontenac to incorporate best practices and new efficiencies in the 2006 budget. Based on our review we believe savings can be made in administration and roads, as both these cost centres appear quite high. 2. Produce a written multi-year capital plan including equipment priorities and defensible capital improvements consistent with area needs and affordability. Significant dollars are being spent on roads and equipment with operating cost implications without the benefit of an area-wide plan. Council with the urging of the Mayor is working through the eventual implementation of this recommendation. 3. Implement a 2006 "flatlining" strategy for all departments except for Roads and Administration where reductions are to occur. It appears North Frontenac has used the new property assessment program as an opportunity to greatly expand tax revenues, resulting in waterfront taxpayers providing substantially more revenues than non-waterfront residents, even though we use far fewer services. We feel all residents should be more aware of spending levels and that Council give ratepayers greater opportunities to have input into the development of budget priorities. 4. Develop a written reserve fund policy; unassigned reserves should have first call on new capital priorities rather than continuing to increase taxes year after year. Are residents aware that capital reserves in 2005 totalled almost $2 million? Unassigned reserves exceed $500,000. Road reserves are $1 million. We believe unassigned reserves should be used first for necessary capital priorities rather than to continue to tax residents for expanded needs year-after-year.

In December we got a thank-you from Council. We were hopeful all our recommendations would be addressed. Based on the article nothing has changed. Council may find a way to increase reserves yet again as well as administration and road repair costs, which is troubling since, based on a review of similar area municipalities, savings are available in these areas. In 2005 Central Frontenac reduced taxes while North Frontenac increased taxes.With new property assessments bringing in new monies and with additional funds assured from the Community Reinvestment Fund, why can't North Frontenac consider cost reductions and ultimately tax reductions? Hopefully, the Frontenac News will continue coverage of this issue impacting all residents as the 2006 Budget is developed. - Doug Piercey, Mazinaw Property Owners Association

Feature Article - March 9, 2006

Feature Article

March 9, 2006

County budget deliberations delayed

by Jeff Green

The latest draft Frontenac County budget envisions a 10.75% increase in taxation, but the promise of increased provincial funding for ambulance service, and some alterations to reserve fund allocations that are being promoted by the Frontenac mayors, could see that increase fall by several percentage points.

The draft budget was presented to a special meeting of county council on March 1. Although the budget was considered in some detail at that time, many of the figures are still tentative because information about actual expenditures in 2005 was not yet available.

“We had difficulty with our old accounting system and have installed a new one which is much better, but this has delayed us in finalising 2005,” County Treasurer Marion Vanbruinessen told Council.

The draft budget calls for an increase of $847,000 in taxation, which would still result in a 10% drop in the tax rate, from $330 per $100,000 in assessment to just under $300 per $100,000 in assessment, because of an unprecedented increase in tax assessment throughout the county.

This fact did not impress the county mayors, however. North Frontenac Mayor Ron Maguire said the $150,000 increase in the amount to be transferred from North Frontenac Township is “unacceptable”. Sounding much like South Frontenac Mayor Bill Lake (now County Warden ) did last year, Maguire said, “I can’t go back to my council with this kind of increase once again. I can’t do it.”

Maguire said the county should question even small increases in order to bring the budget under control.

“I see an increase in the office equipment budget of $7,000. Noting that the budget included the purchase of a new paper shredder, Maguire asked of County CAO Elizabeth Fulton, “Can you not make do with the shredder you have?”

Central Frontenac Mayor Bill MacDonald thought that it is still too early to worry about the final outcome of the budget. “We don’t have enough information to know how this will all end up,” he said.

The ambulance budget illustrates MacDonald’s point.

The draft budget calls for an increase of $214,959 in the county’s share of ambulance costs, a 19% increase over last year, but Paul Charbonneau, the County Manager of Emergency Services, told council that he has been in contact with officials at the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, who have told him that the impact of a new funding announcement by the province will be clarified by the end of March, and new funding could mitigate increases to this year’s ambulance budget.

The draft budget lists $238,000 as income from the Federal Gas Tax Allocation, which is money that may not remain in the county’s hands. Both North and South Frontenac Councils have passed motions requesting that that money be transferred to the townships.

Notwithstanding all the uncertainty that remains, Central Frontenac Mayor Bill MacDonald told the News that he expects the county budget will be reduced to an increase nearer to 5% than the 10.75% increase in the draft budget, and said this will put Central Frontenac in a good position when they consider their own budget.

It would also placate Ron Maguire, and might be low enough to enable the county office staff to get their new shredder.

Feature Article - March 2, 2006

Feature Article

March 2, 2006

Education taxes frozenby Jeff Green

At their meeting this week, Central Frontenac Council received some good news from the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Education taxes, which account for almost of the municipal budget, will not rise in 2006.

In fact, the education rate will be adjusted down to reflect property assessment increases.

“The government is again holding the line on education taxes, ensuring that, on average, homeowners and businesses will not see an increase in the education portion of their tax bills. The uniform residential education tax rate will be lowered to offset the average increase in assessed values across the province,” wrote Finance Minister Dwight Duncan.

Residents of Frontenac County may pay more than other parts of the province, however, because assessment increases in the county averaged 22% this year, higher than the provincial average.

Central Frontenac Mayor Bill MacDonald informed council that county taxes, which make up another of the municipal levy to taxpayers, “will have an increase under 10% this year, according to the preliminary budget.” County council meets this week to work through the budget. “I have my own ideas about where I would like to see the county budget end up,” said MacDonald, implying that the county budget increase can be lowered somewhat.

Central Frontenac Council will meet in late March to begin their own budgeting exercise.

Feature Article - March 2, 2006

Feature Article

March 2, 2006

Bids received forNFfire hallby Jeff Green

This time it really might happen.

A new fire hall for the Clarendon/Miller ward came one step closer to being built last week when council received bids from three contractors in response to a request for proposal for the project.

Three bids were received on the construction project, which is now slated to be located on the same site as the township offices and garage, just north of Ardoch. Ennis Carpentry of Perth made a bid of $357,294; Millenium Construction of Marysville bid $292,689; and Wemp and Smith of Kingston bid $378,983

Township staff will review the bids, and make a recommendation to Council on March 9. Township Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson will meet with the chief building officer and the fire chief this week to go over the bids and determine which one covers all of the projected needs of the project at the best price.

This project has been an active issue throughout the term of the current council, and has been talked about since North Frontenac came into being, and before. Now it seems to be on the verge of becoming a reality. However, it should be noted that council came this close to building a fire hall once before, at a location in the village of Plevna . That plan was scrapped about a year ago, as council decided to reconsider building the fire hall at the township office site.

However, the RFP that was set out at that time was more open ended and yielded a wide range of options, whereas the current RFP process more resembles a straightforward tendering process, with the township providing plans and drawings to the bidding contractors.

One of the main drawbacks at the township office site is a shortage of water. A new well was drilled last September, yielding another 3.5 gallons per minute in water supply for the office, garage, and the new fire hall. Council feels that this addresses water shortage issues.

This is also the final year of the current council. Municipal elections will be held in November.

“We will have the fire hall issue dealt with before summer comes and the municipal election begins in earnest,” Mayor Maguire assured the News late last year.

Council already has significant resources set aside for this project, having budgeted $150,000 in 2005 to go along with a commitment of $100,000 from the Clar/Mil Fire Ladies fundraising efforts over many years.

The only thing that could have put a stop to the project at this point, according to observers of council, would have been bids that were so high that it would cause budgeting problems for council. The three bids that were received, as divergent as they are, all fall within a price range that council was hoping to see.

Feature Article - March 2, 2006

Feature Article

March 2, 2006

Promoting theCrown Land Stewardship Programby Jeff Green

A marketing strategy for the roads and campsites that North Frontenac Township operates on Crown land under an arrangement with the Ministry of Natural Resources was presented to North Frontenac Council last week.

The report sees great potential for increasing use of the campsites through promotion and an online reservation system, but requires that Council act quickly to institute a marketing plan within weeks in order to increase the popularity of the program this year.

The program includes 184 campsites, scattered over nine lakes, and 58 kilometres of roads that are used either to access campsites, access lakes for fishing, hiking, and canoeing, or for ATV use.

Last year, only about 10% of the potential use of the campsites was achieved. However in July and August, some of the most popular lakes were busier, with about 27% of their capacity being achieved.

Larry Trenwith, from the Northbridge Group of Ottawa , completed the marketing strategy. Trenwith has a connection to North Frontenac himself, since he owns a cottage on Buckshot Lake .

He pointed out that the program has never been publicised, and that it offers a kind of camping and daytrip recreational opportunity that is not available elsewhere.

But it needs a bit of a hook.

He told council that the program should be re-named. Although he did not recommend a new name, he provided examples of possible names, such as: North Frontenac Highlands , Mississippi Watershed Highlands , Eastern Ontario Backcountry, and Land of Lakes Highlands.

As well, he argued that a blended price be developed for use of campsites and the crown land roads that lead to them; that a website be developed within the next month, both as a marketing tool and for online booking of sites; and that other promotional materials be developed this spring.

Although the township will be required to make some significant investments to undertake the recommendations of the report, Larry Trenwith expressed confidence that the increased use of the Crown Land Stewardship Program will keep North Frontenac taxpayers from footing the bill for the program, and said the local economy should receive the benefit of increased tourist traffic.

The presentation was warmly received, and a further meeting between the Crown Land Stewardship Committee and the Northbridge group is being scheduled.

The marketing strategy was completed without cost to the township. It was fully funded by the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, under the auspices of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation.

Feature Article - April 27, 2006

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Feature Article - April 27, 2006

Crumbling fire hall needs replacing

by JeffGreen

When Central Frontenac Council sat down to consider their budget this week, they found that the proposed fire budget included the building of a new fire hall. Although building a new fire hall had been discussed most recently in Olden district, this new hall is being contemplated in Oso district. This is because of a recent determination that the Oso Fire Hall is no longer a fit building for public use.

For years firefighters in Oso district have known there were problems with their fire hall, which is located on a low spot in the village of Sharbot Lake . Mould has been a perennial concern, and the runoff from nearby buildings has made water build up a concern.

This winter things took a nosedive, when persistent flooding caused cracking in and around the foundation. When township building inspector Ian Trickett looked at the building, he decided to bring in a consultant to determine what needed to be done to keep the building safe.

“Remediation of the building was not recommended by the consultant,” said Township Fire Chief Mark MacDonald.

Instead MacDonald’s budget request includes plans for a new building next to the Frontenac E-Waste Recovery Centre at the junction of Wagner Road and Road 38. The estimated cost of the project is $500,000, and Mark MacDonald hopes to see it completed this year, provided council gives budgetary approval.

While this will put the Olden Fire Hall back, Mark MacDonald said he hopes to see that project come forward as soon as this one is completed.

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