NF Council Will Not Assume Maintenance Of Roads, Bridge

Craig Bakay | Sep 27, 2023

North Frontenac Township won’t be assuming maintenance of a bridge and the roads in the Palmerston Highlands Subdivision, following solicitor’s advice outlined in a rise and report following a closed session of the regular Council meeting Sept. 22 in Plevna.

Representatives of the Palmerston Highlands Owners Association (PHOA) were at Council July 20 to request the Township take over maintenance, saying that the Land Titles Act specifies that where a condition, restriction or covenant has been established and no expiry was fixed, the covenant expires after 40 years.

That prompted Council to end the audience and ask staff to get advice from a solicitor before providing a response.

Said advice was obtained, presented to Council in closed session and when Council returned to the rise and report portion of the regular meeting, Clerk Tara Mieske read the following resolution:

“Council instructs the public works manager to update the PHOA confirming that the roads identified in the subdivision agreement are owned by the Township and not assumed for maintenance purposes.

“PHOA’s ongoing covenant to maintain the roads and bridge per the subdivision agreement remains as Section 119 of the Land Titles Act applies to restorative covenants only. The PHOA was granted tenure by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for the bridge and the Township does not own the bridge and that Council does not approve assuming the roads and bridge within the subdivision.”

That resolution passed.

Public Works Manager Darwyn Sproule estimated at the July 20 meeting maintenance costs would be in the $15,000 to $20,000 a year range, including snowplowing.

No EV purchase for township

Dep. Mayor John Inglis’ presented an administrative report on the possible purchase of an electric vehicle and recommended that the Public Works Manager consider a battery/electric sedan or SUV when a replacement is warranted.

In a recorded vote, Inglis and Coun. Roy Huetl voted for the resolution but Mayor Gerry Lichty, Coun. Stephanie Regent, Fred Fowler and Vernon Hermer voted no. Coun. Wayne Good was not at the meeting.

Inglis said the main reason for his resolution was “to make a small contribution to mitigate climate change.”

“I thought the Deputy Mayor did a good job on the report but I don’t we need this right now,” said Lichty. “(And) I have concerns if the vehicle is in an accident about the amount of electricity stored in it and if it’s not grounded. (Fire Chief Eric Korhonen said the currently the department doesn’t have the equipment or training to deal with an electric vehicle fire but has been informed that it will have to have both soon.)

Regent said that she has looked into adding a vehicle charging station at her store as it could be a potential source of revenue but deemed there wasn’t enough interest at this time.

“I fully expect you’ll bring back a revised version of this,” Lichty said to Inglis.

“I don’t know about that,” Inglis replied.

MOE with Quinte Conservation

Council received presentations from both the Quinte Conservation Authority and Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, and passed a bylaw entering into a memorandum of understanding with Mississippi Valley.

Meeting Schedule

Council passed its recommendations for the 2024 meeting schedule.

Council will have its regular meetings every three weeks at 9 a.m. on Fridays except for June, July and August where meetings will be held monthly. During June, July, and August meetings will be held at 5 p.m. on Thursdays. There will also be 5 p.m. Thursday meetings in May and September (five 5 p.m. Thursday meetings in total).

There was considerable discussion about making meetings more accessible to the public, hence the 5 p.m. start times in the summer (nobody liked the idea of having to drive home after evening meetings in the winter).

Mayor Gerry Lichty pointed out that there hadn’t been a noticeable increase in public attendance at summer evening meetings but Coun. Roy Heutl countered that “It’s not that people show up, it’s that they have the opportunity to show up.”

Coun. Fred Fowler was perhaps the most philosophical on the subject expressing a preference for daytime meetings but acknowledging that he could deal with evening meetings.

“I don’t mind (evening meetings), it’s just that I’m not used to it,” he said. “But luckily, I didn’t forget to come.”