Feature Article - August 17, 2006

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Feature Article - August 17, 2006

Ardenites waqnt township to ban burn barrels

by JeffGreen

Arden residents Margaret Taylor, Brian Garnier, and Heather O’Reilly made pointed, sometimes emotional pleas to members of Central Frontenac Council this week regarding the environmental impacts of the common practice of burning garbage in barrels.

Their immediate concerns are for their own health, as residents of a village where burning takes place in close proximity to neighbouring properties.

Reading from a prepared text, Margaret Taylor said, “I will certainly be the first to admit, however, to the more immediate and selfish concern, that I personally experience when my home in Arden begins to fill with smoke and fumes from across the street as my neighbour burns garbage in their barrel after 7:00 and my asthma kicks into high gear. My air passages constrict, I struggle for breath and call quickly to my husband for help … We set up our emergency ventilator and hope the medication works soon.”

The broader concerns expressed by the delegation are for the long-term impacts of burning in barrels.

“Many common household materials can release toxic chemicals when they are burned, endangering human health. They create inefficient, low temperature fires that burn without much oxygen and this creates dense smoke, full of toxic substances. The only materials that can be burned without releasing unsafe substances are untreated wood, paper, and natural vegetation. Even something as seemingly harmless as bleached paper contains chlorine, which releases dioxin when burned. It’s the invisible pollutants released when trash is burned that are even more harmful,” said Heather O’Reilly.

O’Reilly, Garnier and Taylor included documentation from several sources with their presentation, citing scientific studies in the United States and Canada .

The Great Lakes Bi-National Toxics Strategy, a group that has been working to remediate the Great Lakes from industrial toxins, includes a burn barrel sub-group, made up of scientists from environmental protection agencies in several US states and the US federal government, as well as Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. The group has identified burn barrels as a major source of dioxins, claiming that they are responsible for 19% of the dioxins released in the Great Lakes region. In a report released in February of 2004, the burn barrel sub-group concluded, “There is no single activity, short of eliminating this practice of burning, that can significantly reduce the dioxin emissions by the magnitude that is required. At the same time, reducing the overall amount of garbage burned (i.e. by recycling) can reduce emissions.”

Council has looked at open air and incinerator (burn barrel) burning in villages this year. At their June 12 meeting, they received a report from Fire Chief Mark MacDonald. The report did not address burn barrels exclusively, but it did point out some of the concerns they raise.

“The problem lies in the design and use of the ‘burn barrel’”, MacDonald wrote. “Often it would be ironic to call a burn barrel an incinerator. There must be adequate oxygen flow at the base of the fire to create a chimney effect up the barrel, while retaining heat to burn off some of the smoke particulate. If the fire has to draw the oxygen supply from the top of the barrel it actually cools the rising heat column, slowing combustion.”

In terms of burn barrels, MacDonald’s report says council could consider extra restrictions in built up areas, or banning them entirely. But, the report cautions against a highly restrictive burn bylaw, saying, “We will simply force outdoor burning indoors, where people would use their wood heating appliances to burn items (which is not controlled by the burn by-law). This would not eliminate nuisance smoke, but rather change the location of the source by a few metres. In turn, the burning of green wood in a woodstove would lead to creosote build-up and an increase in chimney fires.”

Currently Central Frontenac does not stipulate what kinds of materials can be burned in burn barrels. Inappropriate items, such as plastics and old straw and hay, find their way into burn barrels and this is the source of much toxic smoke.

In response to the presentations this week, council committed to looking at “incinerators” once again when the current permits run out. Incinerator permits cost $2 and enable people to burn in burn barrels after 7 pm throughout the summer months.

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Feature Article - August 17, 2006

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Feature Article - August 17, 2006

Official Plan wording makes CFCouncil nervous

by Jeff Green

Two little words, “initiate” and “will” attracted most of the commentary when planning consultant Glenn Tunnock presented the draft amendments to the township’s Official Plan, which have resulted from an Official Plan review process that has been ongoing this year.

Both of these words occur in the draft amendment in reference to lake management plans. At one point, the draft amendment states “It is the intent of Council to initiate the preparation of lake management plans in partnership with stakeholder groups”, and elsewhere the amendment states, “Lake Management Plans will be prepared as a partnership initiative with preference on lakes and rivers experiencing development pressures.”

“Initiate lake management plans?” said a surprised Mayor Bill MacDonald.

Lake management plans have become popular throughout the region in recent years. In Central Frontenac, the Kennebec Lake Association is in the midst of preparing a comprehensive plan that includes a lake capacity study, an inventory of existing development and its impact, a resource inventory, an assessment of fish habitat, and more. The Kennebec study is, in some ways, a model for the type of studies recommended by Tunnock. The township is supportive of the Kennebec plan, and when it is completed it is expected to influence council decisions on future development on or around Kennebec Lake .

The Kennebec Lake plan, however, was wholly initiated by the Kennebec Lake Association, and the township has not been asked to fund it.

“I know how valuable these plans are, but I would like to put in a word of caution. It might be more than the township can handle, both in staff time and expense, to initiate plans like this,” said MacDonald.

“I don’t think I like the word “will” in regard to lake management plans,” said Deputy Mayor Frances Smith.

“What I suggest here is that council take the bull by the horns and ensure that lake management plans are developed, because lakes and their shorelines are our major assets,” replied Glenn Tunnock.

“You have to remember that lake management plans extend out to the entire sub-watershed in the case of Kennebec Lake , that includes all of Kennebec district north of Highway 7. For Sharbot Lake it would mean about half of Oso district and a huge part of Olden as well,” MacDonald said.

“This is your document,” Tunnock concluded, “You can massage the wording.”

Other changes called for in the draft amendment include further limitations on the development of private roads, and the establishment of a septic re-inspection program in the township (septic re-inspection programs are underway in North and South Frontenac and Tay Valley Townships)

A public meeting on the document will be held on Saturday, September 23rd at the Olden Hall in Mountain Grove at 10:00 am.

The Official Plan Amendment is available online at http://www.centralfrontenac.com/yc/township/council/agenda/scan1907.pdf/view.

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Feature Article - August 3, 2006

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Feature Article - August 3, 2006

SouthFrontenac Council

by Wilma Kenny

Bedford Bag Tags

Pat Feenstra of Bob’s Lake Co-op came to Council to protest the $20 waste disposal fee levied against each of the trailers in the Co-op. She had originally asked for a refund for the 300 bag tags the group had been issued, on the grounds that they seldom if ever took garbage to the Bedford landfills. However, once it became clear that 34 trailers were located on the five large lots that make up the Co-op, all the trailer owners were charged the same fee as cottages in Bedford . CAO Gord Burns admitted that the Co-op was a unique situation: it has been in existence for many years, and while the land is owned communally, each of the trailers is privately owned. Council’s general consensus, as expressed strongly by Councillor Stowe, was that $20 a year was an extremely cheap landfill fee, much lower than cottagers in other parts of the township were paying.

Acrimonious and noisy debate arose over the question of lowering the fee for additional bag tags in Bedford [to allow homeowners to put out more than 2 bags of garbage a week], on the grounds that there was no garbage pick-up service in that district. Underlying this seemed to be the lack of an arrangement with small businesses in Bedford , which would allow them to dispose of a household-equivalent amount of waste. The motion to change the additional bag tag fee was defeated, but one of the onlookers scolded Council for squabbling between districts and failing to work together as an amalgamated group.

Trailer Troubles

Petrus Van Vliet, a resident of Belgium , asked permission to store a trailer on his Bob’s Lake lot, so he could use it two weeks a year, while visiting his elderly parents in Kingston . He had purchased the property in November sight unseen: it had had a trailer which the former owner removed. Mr Van Vliet had bought another trailer, only to receive a letter from the township asking him to remove it, because the Township by-laws do not permit the use or storage of a trailer on vacant land. CAO Burns pointed out that this had been a controversial by-law, because a number of people had had to remove trailers from vacant properties. He said that making an exception as requested would be unfair to many other trailer owners.

Sydenham Lake Septic Re-inspection Program

The KFL&A Public Health Department is in the process of inventorying all the sewage disposal systems on Sydenham Lake which are over 10 years old, ranking them in terms of risk presented. Their mid-project report showed that 101 inspections have been completed out of a targeted 231. Of these, only 8 have been classified as high risk, and will be further investigated by the Health Unit. Inspections will continue throughout the summer.

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

Letters to the Editor: September 21 and 28 editions

Garbage and Recycling in South Frontenac

This letter is sent by a longtime reduce,reuse, recycle, and reclaim person. First and foremost, what is the off set benefit for a garbage recycler in our township? Our family of four practised great garbage reduction in 2005-2006 and as a result had many blue tags left over. Thinking that these tags were already paid for by our tax dollars, we thought that they would be honoured until the end of the year (at least). Well, no such thing. We had to dispose of these tags immediately and start with the new and improved labels that crease, split, and are, in general, a pain in the butt. When I went to put the extra blue plastic tags in the recycle, I found out that these tags had to go in our garbage bag as they were not recyclable. It got me to thinking, why are we having to put tags on the garbage anyway? We are allowed two bags per week. Why couldn't we just purchase extra tags at the end of the year, if we thought we would be over the limit? What genius thought of tagging these two bags in the first place? $$$$. Anyway…

Now on to the current new system of recycle pick-up. Most families have a few glass bottles and jars. I repeat, just a few. This was brought home to me as I toured the village and highway on the way to Kingston yesterday. Most people had no recycle containers out because that part being picked up is very small. Wait until two weeks, when we will need, more than one and less than four containers to put out for the truck full of the recycle stuff that is most recycled. Is the township going to give us another box as the city of Kingston has done to help recycle challenged individuals to distributethe glass and cardboard? These can be small containers for sure.

Does anyone know, now that we are recycling through KARC, if we have no pay access to the hazardous waste site? Do we have access to the leaf and wood chipping site recycle centre too?

Questions and questions. I have placed a call to the South Frontenac person in charge and am waiting for an answer to my voice mail. Probably there is a LONG list of call-back requests and I will have to be extra patient. Not! Is anybody out there listening? Does anybody have answers? Am I alone in my quest for reasonable replies?

And lastly, does anyone have a good, cheap, bee and wasp repellent as my recycle cans and plastic bottles, even though rinsed are a bee and wasp haven on my front porch?

- Brenda Crawford

Re: South Frontenac Recycling Services-September 14, 2006 Edition

Two attendants greeted me on September 08 at the Bradshaw Road refuse disposal site in Bedford : hardly cost efficient. Perplexing information was soon forthcoming. The sorting rules for recyclable material had been changed from four days previous; goods which are completely recyclable in any sane system could not be accepted. An example, plastic bags were causing a problem and should be put into the tagged bags! The attendants were doing their normal excellent job being helpful, while trying to enforce the dictates of a moron hallucinating the possession of managerial skills.

It was explained that Kingston , where the recyclables were going now, has a different set of rules. If the contents of the dumpsters do not meet them perfectly the entire load is returned and dumped into the pit. The impression received was that numerous loads of recycling had been returned over an extended period of time! Apparently some “enlightened” bureaucrat or council member finally got the message, and was trying to cover…….. (add your own words).

All of the recycling I brought in was disposed with bagged refuse; it was the rule of the day. Re-sorting was an exercise in futile frustration, which there were no volunteers for. Never was there any prior or has there been any post information of the changes provided by the township. The foregoing events could have been prophesized by a maggot. The attendants even appeared surprised and confused by the sudden change of orders.

Just how long has this scam been going on? Is this entire recycling/bag tag thing a shell game, a hoax, a further refinement in political smoke and mirrors? Now you see it, now you don’t? Is council just giving another demonstration of their propensity of sucking while blowing or are elements of the managerial staff just plain stupid?

Mr. Adams in his article rightly requests that our township treat us fairly. I personally do not believe that the word “fairly” is even in the vocabulary of our councillor despots; the record proves it. The citizens in Sydenham were not treated fairly, nor were the owners of trailers, nor the citizen hunters nor anyone now trying to recycle: just a few examples. - Paul M. WicherRe: Burglarized again

To Mrs. Teal and the District 4 Recreation Committee, my apologies. The last thing volunteers need is to be criticized for a job they do to the best of their ability. Volunteers donate their time, talents and money in local communities, across the country and around the world every day without compensation. If there is one thing a non-profit organization cannot afford to lose, it is good volunteers; another thing they cannot afford to lose is money.

I should not have implied negligence on the part of you and your volunteers. I simply think precautions could be taken. I volunteered with an organization for three years where we operated a food concession for part of two summers, and I did transport inventory back and forth in my car, two, sometimes three nights a week. Logistically it is difficult, but many hands make light work.

The monetary loss to your group saddens me, as it hurts the very community you serve.- Scott CoxMunicipal election time

It will soon be municipal election time in South Frontenac and many familiar names will be found on the ballot. Lake , Vandewal and Davidson, to name a few, are among those from this current council interested in extending their term. It is at this juncture that the question has to be asked are you happy with the current crop of councillors? Are you satisfied that they have appropriately represented the interests of the people that they purport to represent? Have they improved the state of affairs in South Frontenac in any measurable way?

Perhaps a quick recap of issues that have been brought before council over the past few years would help people reflect on their councillor’s performance. I will leave it up to the individual reader to decide whether these issues were well handled by their elected representative or not: Trailer issue, Sydenham Municipal Water System, ATVs on municipal roads, Mitchell Creek Bridge, Recycling, to name a few

If you think these issues could have been better handled, if there could have been more appropriate resolution, if the interests of the people could have been solicited and considered in determining their resolution, then now is the time to do something about it.

It is clear, from reports of council meetings, that all is not harmonious in the council chamber. Council continues to operate, split along district lines, with little evidence of an attempt by any councillor to take a broader perspective on any issues on the council table. Taking this into consideration, now is YOUR opportunity to make changes. Now is the time to use the democratic electoral process to bring in councillors who are capable of viewing issues from a broad perspective and who believe that they sit on council to represent the people rather than to further their own personal perspectives, goals and egos.- Alastair Lamb Lost in Sharbot Lake

Over the past year a group of 20 men and women gathered together at Sharbot Lake High School on Wednesday evenings to learn how to change their eating habits so they feel healthier. Weight Watchers has been in Sharbot Lake for 15 years. This year we celebrated with a member who lost 100 pounds. This journey took about a year and a half and lots of dedication on the part of that member, the encouragement of other members and the guidance of the trained Weight Watchers leader.

Weight Watchers is committed to helping you achieve a healthy, livable and sustainable weight loss. Recent research proves that people who choose to lose weight with Weight Watchers achieve significantly greater results than those who go it alone. - Dianne Lake, Weight Watchers Leader

Dawson College shootings

Well 19 more people were shot in Montreal . FOR WHAT?

The gun registry should not be cancelled, but it should be adjusted. No one except the police and military should be allowed to own any guns more deadly than a single shot. If a hunter can’t hunt well enough to get a close and clean shot, he or she should not hunt. Hunters should learn to shoot more accurately and less meat would be ruined, and fewer animals would suffer injuries that are not immediately fatal. Yes, it would take a year or two for the game to calm down and let anyone get close, but there would soon be more game. Don’t forget that millions of tourists like to see deer and bears in the wild. Tourism means $$$.

Hunters managed to feed their families for a couple million years with spears and archery and frankly archery would be easier and so popular that Canada would attract thousands of archers from other countries. (More $$$)

Most importantly, the next “sick people hunter” would probably get only one victim with his single shot gun. - Carmel Gowan

Addington Highlands Business Breakfast

The Addington Highlands Economic Advisors for Development (AHEAD) committee announces that there will be a business breakfast at the Kaladar Community Centre on Thursday, October 12 at 8 a.m.

The theme is "Meet the Candidates" who are running in the forthcoming municipal election. This will be a great opportunityfor Addington Highlands business people tomeet and listen to their candidates discuss their economic views for the township.

Tickets are $7 each and are available from AHEAD members, who will also be contactingAH business people. Call 613-336-2522(Pine Grove Motel) for further information, or for the committee member nearest you. - Larry Pealow, AHEADBag tags

The innovatively impoverished satraps of an ever increasing number of municipalities are deceitfully adopting and promoting “bag tags” plus volume quotes as an integral part of the solution to the unsolvable, at least to this point, garbage problem. The citizenry must realize they are already paying for refuse disposal through their inflated property taxes. Why bag tags? Bag tags are a tax scam, not included in our assessments or township budget. This is found slush money for the township. Regardless of what smarmy monikers extol the virtues of bag tags/quotes, they are rip-offs of the taxpayer in their present form.

Brenda Crawford, “Letters to the Editor”, The Frontenac News, 9/21/06, brings to our attention just how arrogantly insidious the system is. Her family unit is penalized because they are efficient recyclers! Their discretionary income/sending power is reduced because South Frontenac Township arbitrarily in their “unquestionable wisdom” pre-charges them for tags, which because of their conscientiousness they never use. Incredibly, there is no mechanism in place for a refund, a credit to be applied for next year’s tags, a reward for the extra effort--nothing but rules, procedures and threats of even more charges for non-conformity, typical South Frontenac Township mentality. The methodology put in place by the township is negative, convolutedly illogical, stifles any aggressive recycling incentive, poorly thought out, ill managed, bereft of meaningful insight and communication, counterproductive, actually absurd and a perfect study in folly. The system is defeating the purpose and will to recycle! Why go through the bother of recycling only to be shafted for your efforts? The tags themselves cannot be recycled and likely are not biodegradable either. Brilliant!

We are beset with the same problem as Mrs. Crawford. Our family are efficient recyclers, reusers and composters, raised not to waste hard-earned money. We are going to have numerous unused tags which we have already been ripped off for. We also have no intention of throwing them away. Therefore, two courses of action are open (1) we are prepared and happy to sell any of our extra tags (Bedford) to whoever should require them at a pleasant discount to township prices; or (2) if sales should be poor, we will stuff what we now recycle into garbage bags, tag them and deposit them in the refuse pit. I would suggest that similar action or even more inventive methods by the electorate might--though I would not put money on it--wake up the wooden heads on council and the managers taking up space in the township offices. - Paul M. Wicher

South Frontenac Recycling

I would like to offer a few suggestions with respect to the garbage collection and recycling process in South Frontenac Township . Firstly, the present bag tag system only rewards people for using no more than two bags per week. It does less for people who work harder to reduce their trash to one bag a week or less. Why not allow residents to return unused tags at the end of the year for a tax reduction, or continue to let people use up their bag tags from the previous year, and even apply them to larger items dropped off at the landfill site?

Secondly, we need a convenient way to recycle scrap metal. This is a valuable commodity which should not be going into the landfill.

Thirdly, we need a reliable and consistent way of dealing with household hazardous waste that doesn’t involve long waiting times or unrealistic costs. Perhaps a deal can be brokered with Kingston that doesn’t require residents to pay $30 each time they want to responsibly dispose of some old paint tins and batteries.

Finally, in spite of the work involved in recycling, a lot of people certainly seem to be doing their part. Since reducing, reusing and recycling are everyone’s responsibility, it would be useful to know how well we’re doing. Someone asked this question of Council in a letter to the editor back in the summer, and I was disappointed that no one in the township administration took the time to respond. Let’s have some feedback! - Stephen Dukoff

Liberal spending

A few months ago, I wrote a letter critical of our local MPP and Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky. I had pointed out that in the Ontario Budget document, funds for Agriculture were cut for the second year in a row. This brought forth a challenge from one of her staff that I was misleading readers, and that spending had gone up.

In my defence, I directed them to look at the budget numbers in the actual government publication and on the Finance Ministry’s website. I also made the observation that the McGuinty government’s tactic was to slash the department’s budget, then make flashy spending announcements in order to make it look like they were doing more for farmers and farm communities.

This week, Premier McGuinty showed up at the International Plowing Match in Peterborough to announce $185 million in “new” money. While any money directed to assist this vital industry is welcome, the complaints I made six months ago still stand.

First, the money the Liberals are putting back into Agriculture is still less than they took out in the spring. If someone borrows ten dollars from you and pays back only six, you may say thanks, but you would still ask what happened to the other four.

Second, farmers make their decisions on what to plant, how much to plant, and the size of herds they run in the spring. That is when they need to be certain about the money needed for seed, fertilizer, equipment and livestock - not now when most farmers have already taken the hay off their fields.

These announcements always seem to come in September which, coincidentally, occurs next year in the final days of a provincial general election. McGuinty and Dombrowsky will no doubt try to buy the votes of farmers and farm families. Unfortunately, Ontario ’s farmers are not inclined to be bought off so cheaply. - Brent Cameron

Re: Burglarized….Again.

Mr. Cox, ever heard the old saying “Don’t blame the victim?” Anyway, we would like to personally invite you to join our Recreation Committee. It seems your enthusiasm is quite impressive to be the one to load all of the stock from our canteen into your vehicle (which I hope is a Van!) after every ball game or other event that is taking place. Then the next night you would need to re-load the van and travel back to the canteen to unload the supplies, serve your customers who probably aren’t going to be very impressed that the freezies aren’t frozen, or their pop isn’t ice cold, on one of the hottest days of the summer. Only then to have to turn around and cart the stuff once more back to your van, then return home where you try to find a spot in your house to keep the items separate from your own household goods. Oh yeah, hopefully you don’t have children who once they spot all of the different kinds of pop, chips, chocolate bars, ring pops, bubble gum, lollipops and freezies won’t insist on having “just one!”. Did I mention how heavy those cases of pop are? Then you also have the hot dog wieners, hamburgers, buns and all the trimmings, the cases of bottled water, the coffee, sugar, milk and popcorn. Wow, it’s definitely a work out especially if you have ball games 3 nights in a row! On top of this is the fact, that we are volunteers, with full time jobs, family commitments etc….

But, you know what…it’s not just about the stuff that was taken, it’s also the vandalism that has occurred at the canteen and the bathrooms that are attached. It’s uncalled for. The point of our letter which some may have overlooked, was to make residents in and around the area aware of what was happening to us, just in case they may have had something that at the time seemed minor happen…like a “misplaced” gas can, the garage door being unlocked when they thought it was secure. Once all this information is combined it adds up considerably as well as leaving a detailed trace of events.

We didn’t just sit around and let our goods be stolen, we took preventative measures to protect our communities investment. This is a block building, with a steel door and steel frame with locks that may be more secure that a lot of people’s homes. Problem is, when a criminal wants in nothing will get in there way. Although chocolate bars seemed to be the easy target for these thieves, our last break-in resulted in a loss of over $700 plus property damages. Fortunately, we have some of the finest police officers in our area who are on this case!

I hope you’re not saying that for anyone who has had the misfortune of being burglarized that they should pack up their prize possessions every time they go out to risk them being stolen from their vehicle. Boy, Jeff Foxworthy would have a field day with this one! (Moving? No we just pack our stuff up once or twice a week!!!)

We appreciate and urge anyone with motivation and ideas to join our recreation committee, our commitment is to work to improve and provide for the people in our area. After all, it is your committee.

Christine Teal, Member of District #4 Recreation Committee

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

Fire hall gets go-ahead in CentralFrontenac

by Jeff Green

Central Frontenac Council has contracted Cornerstone Construction of Belleville to put up a pre-engineered, five-bay fire hall at the township yard at Wagner Road and Road 38 for $475,000.

Other costs, such as a $6,000 consulting fee, and the costs for well and septic, should push the price up to around $500,000, which is what the township budgeted for the hall back in May.

Township Public Works Manager Bill Nicol and Fire Chief Mark MacDonald recommended the Cornerstone bid, which was one of three responses to a tender call for the construction that closed on September 22.

Nicol told Council that “Cornerstone was very accommodating yesterday as we worked with them to bring the contract in within our budget.”

The new fire hall will include five 40-foot deep bays, two offices for dispatch and reporting, full access washrooms with showers, a good sized training room, which can hold 20-25 people, and a lunchroom/kitchenette. The building will be built to what is called an evacuation centre or post-disaster standard and will become a major part of the township’s emergency preparedness strategy.

“The building will be 5440 square feet, and to get it built for under $100 per square foot with all of the standards that are required for a fire hall is very good,” said Chief MacDonald.

Work is already being done on Wagner Road to improve access to the township yard so fire trucks will be able to enter and leave the yard quickly and safely.

Construction is set to begin immediately.

In a subsequent interview, Mark MacDonald said that Cornerstone Construction was made aware of the fact that the township has plans to build a slightly smaller fire hall in Mountain Grove next year and that “may be part of the reason that Cornerstone came in with such a good price.”

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

ATVs to be legal on CentralFrontenac roads

by Jeff Green

After a short debate, Central Frontenac Council passed a motion this week asking staff to prepare a bylaw that will make All Terrain Vehicle use on township roads legal.

Two weeks ago the township held a public meeting on the issue, with the vast majority of those in attendance appearing to support the idea of ATVs using township roadways.

Some of the people who attended the public meeting are members of the Frontenac ATV club, which is the group that had petitioned Central Frontenac Council to consider allowing the four wheelers to ride the roads legally.

Neighbouring townships, such as South and North Frontenac and Addington Highlands all have passed their so-called ATV bylaws in the last couple of years.

Councilors Logan Murray and Jack Nicolson both spoke against the motion, with Murray saying “I wouldn’t take the public meeting as an indication about how the public feels about this. The proper thing to do is to put it as a question on the ballot [in the upcoming municipal election]. In the States they are banning ATVs on what they call Public lands and we call Crown Land , because of environmental concerns.”

Other councilors argued that it is the job of council to make decisions.

“I think we should go ahead with it. I don’t think it’s fair to defer this to a new council,” said Deputy Mayor Frances Smith.

“I believe it was Logan who requested a Public meeting and we held one,” said Mayor Bill MacDonald. “As far as putting this on the ballot, I think it’s our duty to make decisions and take the consequences”.

Staff will prepare a bylaw for passage at a future meeting.

Bender Road Glenys Wright and Philip Bender attended the previous council meeting to present a petition regarding four dangerous curves on the Tryon Road . Public Works Manager Bill Nicol prepared a report for council which estimated the cost of remediation at $112,500, because it would require blasting to improve sight lines around the curves in question.

Before council voted to defer the matter to budget deliberations next year, Deputy Mayor Frances Smith asked if at that time, Nicol could “break down the costs so we could consider doing one or two of the curves one year, and the others the next year, or over several years.” Nicol nodded.

“They are also asking for some additional signage,” added Councilor Janet Gutowski.

“Signage would not be a problem,” Nicol replied.

Recycle bins Secure bins for placement at up to 14 public locations within the township, including halls and beaches, have been priced at $1,200 per bin, with an additional $300 cost to anchor the units to concrete slabs. The total cost to place bins at all of the locations would be $21,000. The matter was deferred until next year’s budget, with councilors mentioning that it might be possible to do some locations in the first year and others in subsequent years.

Arden Hall kitchen renovations Council accepted a tender of $7,600 from the Interior Zone for new cabinets for the Arden Hall, including installation and necessary plumbing. Councillor Murray voted against the motion, arguing that the cabinets will be made of melamine and will not be hefty enough for use in a public kitchen.

Economic Development Committee Jane Drew, Brent Tullis, Gary Smith, Rosemarie Bowick, Doug Steele, and Roy Cornohouse were appointed to the Economic Development Committee for a two-year term.

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Feature Article - September 21, 2006

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Feature Article - September 21, 2006

Addington Highlands Council

by Jeff Green

Roy Jackson appeared before an Addington Highlands Council meeting in Denbigh seeking to have his 900- metre seasonally maintained cottage road maintained year round.

There are certain obligations on property owners who seek to have this kind of change made in the AH official plan, one of which is that the property have a septic system in place, which Jackson does not have. Jackson will be investing in a septic system and the matter will come back to the roads committee. Meanwhile the roads superintendent will determine how much it will cost the township to offer him this service. The Official Plan states that the township cannot be brought into financial hardship by taking this kind of step.

Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw - Comments have been received from Quinte Conservation regarding the draft comprehensive zoning bylaw. Council had hoped to have the bylaw in place before the end of their term, but that is now unlikely to happen.

Business Breakfast the sixth Addington Highlands Business Breakfast is scheduled for October 12th at 8:00 am at the Kaladar Community Centre. The theme will be “Meet the candidates in this years’ election”, who will speak on overcoming barriers to economic development. CAO Addington Highlands will be hiring its first ever Chief Administrative Officer next month, in an attempt to cut down some of the workload for the two-person office staff that has been running the township. Salt shed The Denbigh salt containment structure is now 60% finished, and the township will shortly be full in compliance with provincial regulations that all salt be stored indoors.

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

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Feature Article - September 28, 2006

New recycling, garbage pickup schedule in SouthFrontenac

by Jeff Green

One week after acknowledging that the recycling system was inadequate and had to be fixed, South Frontenac Council has taken steps to fix it. But at least one councillor is concerned about how much the fix will end up costing.

Starting the week of October 10th, residents in Portland and Loughborough Districts will have weekly garbage and recycling pickup, the same frequency of service that Storrington District residents have and will continue to enjoy.

Recycling will still be split into streams, however. In Loughborough and Portland , for the week of October 10th; corrugated cardboard, aluminum & steel cans and plastic/styrofoam containers will be picked up. The following week, the week of October 17th; paper products (newspaper, boxboard (includes cereal boxes), polycoat & plastic bags) and glass bottles will be picked up. The cycle then repeats. (see ad on page 3)

This new schedule was hammered out at a meeting of the South Frontenac Sustainability committee last Friday, and was brought to a special council meeting for approval on Tuesday night, September 26.

Mayor Lake introduced the topic by delivering what he called a “little sermon”. He pointed out that he has received over a hundred phone calls since the pickup schedule was changed at the beginning of September. “I tried my very best to make sure there was weekly pickup in Loughborough and Portland in the first place,” he said, “but give the committee credit where credit is due that they have come up with some positive recommendations.”

“Lots of people were complaining, and we listened,” said Portland councilor Gary Davison. “It’s going to cost money, of course, and I hope the people will stay on track with this. We need recycling to work.”

Exactly how much this plan will cost was on the top of Portland councilor Don Smith’s mind. Smith, who normally sits on the sustainability committee, was away on vacation last week when this issue came to a head.

“Did the committee cost this out at all?” he asked. “It certainly isn’t in the budget.”

“It will have to come out of reserves this year,” said Deputy Mayor Ron Vandewal.

“How much is it going to cost?” Smith asked again.

“It’s going to affect our contracts,” said CAO Gord Burns, “so we will have to go in camera to discuss it.”

A motion was passed to bring in the new pickup schedule, and then Council went in camera to discuss costs.

In South Frontenac, each district levies its own waste management fee. In past years, Storrington residents have paid about $145 per household for weekly pick up, $20 more than Loughbourough and Portland residents have paid for bi-weekly pickup.

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Feature Article - September 21, 2006

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Feature Article - September 21, 2006

South Frontenac Council gets the message; recycling isn't working

by Jeff Green

The new recycling regimen that has been in place in Loughborough and Storrington Districts since Sepember 1st was the subject of much consternation at South Frontenac Council this week. Councillors from the two districts, as well as the mayor, have received numerous complaints and they fear that the entire recycling program is in jeopardy.

The way the program is now set up, recycling is picked up once every two weeks. But not all recyclables are picked up each time. On one recycling day each month glass and cardboard are picked up, and two weeks later plastic/cans and fibre are picked up.

“The way this new system is, it obviously isn’t working. Most people were satisfied with every other week, but the way this is split up only the avid recycler will do it. Those on the fringes will stop recycling. We have got to get it back to every other week, and it’s going to cost money” Deputy Mayor Ron Vandewal told council.

Recycling in the two districts was only set up a year ago, “and for the most part it has worked out really well,” said Councillor Gary Davison. But since the change the program has stalled. We need to make it work.”

“We’ve definitely got to do something,” said Mayor Bill Lake , “because my ears have been burning.”

A meeting of the township’s waste management committee is being hastily arranged for later this week, and Mayor Lake said that if the committee has something to propose, council will consider it as soon as possible, perhaps as soon as next Tuesday.

“If we need to call a special council meeting, we’ll do it,” Lake said.

Other items from Council sand shed woes

Council received a report from Jewell Engineering, which confirmed that the Storrington sand shed is “considered safe for the removal of material this winter”. The report then says that the building could be repaired so that it can be made safe for one more winter, but that it will cost $4,500 to determine what kind of repair is necessary and how much it will cost.

Deputy Mayor Vandewal said the building is not in danger of falling in, and is in the same shape it has been for three years. “Why should we spend $4,500 to find out it will cost $50,000 just to get through one winter. I don’t think we should spend money on this,” he said.

A chorus of councillors said that once the report has been received the township has no choice but to follow its recommendations or avoid the shed entirely.

“If that means getting sand from our Keeley Road site (near Sydenham) for all of Storrington’s needs, there will be added costs in terms of deadhead driving for our trucks,” pointed out Public Works Manager Bill Blum.

“We need to get the study done. If the repair costs too much, then we won’t do it; but we have to find out,” said Mayor Lake .

Council agreed.

Construction continues to drop As of the end of August, 407 building permits have been issued in the township this year, for a construction value of $14.4 million. The figures for the same period last year were 413 permits for $16.9 million in construction value, and 382 permits had been sold by the end of August in 2004 for a construction value of $19.6 million.

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Feature Article - September 21, 2006

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Election heats upHunter to contest Clayton for NFMayor; Bearance candidacy makes CFa three-way race; Davison to give Lakea run in South Frontenac; Henry Hogg trying to reclaim Reeve position in Addington Highlands

by Jeff Green

North Frontenac Councillor Betty Hunter has decided to run for mayor this time around, pitting her against Bud Clayton, a councillor from the same Clarendon and Miller district that she represents.

Hunter has taken on various roles as a councillor, and in her role as the Chair of the township’s Economic Development Committee, she has worked on marketing the wilderness campsites that the township runs on Crown land within the township.

This issue is one of the points where she differs from Bud Clayton, who has voiced opposition to the program on several occasions, saying that it costs North Frontenac ratepayers money each year even though it was intended to be revenue neutral.

Hunter has come into the race in the wake of a surprise decision by current Mayor Ron Maguire not to seek re-election.

Central Frontenac race gains another voice of experience What was already shaping up to be a interesting mayoralty race between incumbent Bill MacDonald and one-term councillor Janet Gutowski, has an added dimension now that current Stone Mills Reeve and Lennox & Addington Warden Doug Bearance has decided to run for Mayor of Central Frontenac. Although Bearance has served on Stone Mills Council for the past two terms (he was Deputy Reeve from 2002-2004), Bearance served under Bill MacDonald as Hinchinbrooke Councillor in the first term of Central Frontenac Council (1998-2001). He has a long history in municipal politics, having served as Deputy Reeve on the old Hinchinbrooke Council, and as a councillor in both Portland and Sheffield townships.

Bearance has lived all along on Wagarville Road in Central Frontenac, and recently sold the IGA store he owned in Tamworth , and had been planning to retire from municipal politics.

“But,” he told the News early this week, “people from around Central Frontenac have been phoning me and asking me to run. They thought that after nine years, they would like to see a change.”

Bearance said that he has always tried to work with people in his years in municipal governance.

“I know Bill’s a good guy, and he does a good job,” he said of incumbent candidate Bill MacDonald, and he said he is unfamiliar with Janet Gutowski. He considers himself an underdog candidate, and he said he won’t be saying anything against the other candidates.

“But I guess I’d say I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think I’d do a better job,” he offered.

Davison throws his hat in as well Loughborough District Councillor Gary Davison, who had indicated earlier this summer that he was not intending to run for re-election, has decided to contest incumbent Mayor Bill Lake , who is seeking a second term.

When contacted on Tuesday afternoon, Davison said he has been thinking of running for Mayor for some time. “I said I was not planning to run for Council,” Davison said when contacted on Tuesday of this week. On a more serious note, he said, “There are a few things up in the air that need a lot of attention in South Frontenac. Amalgamation is foremost in my mind. I think the whole township would benefit from a streamlined administration; there doesn’t seem to be much interest in pursuing that right now. Recycling, which has been such a boondoggle in Portland and Loughborough, must be addressed if we don’t want to be shipping our garbage out to the Richmond landfill.”

Gary spent 40 years as a volunteer firefighter. He resigned as Loughborough Fire Chief just in time to run for Council in 2003, and has served one term on Council.

Addington Highlands: Finally, just the News was about to go to press, we learned that Henry Hogg, the former Reeve of Addington Highlands, has decided to run for Reeve this year. Bill Cox, currently a councillor in Ward 2, had been the only declared candidate for Reeve in Addington Highlands.

Candidates filling out Council elections

With ten days to go before the close of nominations for this fall’s municipal election, some voters can expect to be faced with an array of names on their ballots, while some districts are still facing the prospect of acclamations.

It all depends where they live.

In Addington Highlands, Councillor Louise Scott is running for re-election in Ward 2, and Larry Pealow and Charles Snider are running as well. In Ward 1 (Denbigh) Eythel Grant is seeking re-election, and he will be running against Janice Kerr and Faye Mieske.

In North Frontenac, Councillors Fred Perry and Wayne Good, who were both appointed in Barrie Ward during the current term of council, are both running for election. In Clarendon and Miller Ward, Ken Cox is the only candidate registered thus far, and in Palmerston Canonto it looks like there will be a race as Jim Beam and Bob Olmstead have been joined this week by incumbent David Smith.

In Central Frontenac, Councillor Logan Murray is running for re-election in Kennebec , and Tom Dewey is also running.

In Olden, the field is more crowded. Councillor Bill Guigue is seeking re-election, and Justin Gray, Norman Guntensperger, and John Purdon are also running.

Oso has the two long-serving incumbents, Francis Smith and Bob Harvey, running again, as well as Ed Beattie.

Finally, Hinchinbrooke has no less than six candidates registered, including incumbent Bill Snyder, and Boyce Peters, Wayne Bush, Philip Smith, Dave Hoover, and Danka Brewer.

In South Frontenac, there are three candidates for the two Bedford positions: incumbents David Hahn and Del Stowe, along with Randy McConnell.

Portland district should be interesting, with incumbent Bill Robinson running, as well as Mike Cope, Tom Addison, Doug Lovegrove, Jim Hicks, and Ron Tapscott.

In Loughborough, Ron Vandewal is running for re-election, and Fran Willes, Tedd Hosler and Alan McPhail are running as well.

Finally, in Storrington, incumbent Peter Roos is running again, as are Larry York, John Fillion and Norm Roberts.

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