Public Consultation for South Frontenac Heritage Committee

Wilma Kenny | May 10, 2017

Committee of the Whole has been discussing the creation of a new Heritage Committee to advise and assist with matters related to the community’s heritage. Prior to formalizing such a committee, Council has asked Forbes Symon, Manager of Development Services, to arrange for public consultation.

Symon has proposed that a notice be put in the township’s weekly newspaper banner outlining the proposed role and duties of such a committee, and directing residents to the township website where they could indicate whether or not they thought that a Heritage Committee would be a good idea. Results of this survey would then be passed to Council via the Development Services Committee and then Committee of the Whole.

McDougall and Barbeau both suggested that some form of public meeting might draw out broader feedback from the community. Barbeau also asked if a text box for comments might also be added to the simple yes/no question, and CAO Orr suggested a separate open house for further community information and response might be preferable to adding another agenda item to a summer COW meeting, which usually has a full agenda.

Mayor Vandewal said it will also be important to look at whether the community would be in favour of directing some financial resources to such a committee.

CFDC Proposed Project
In the 2017 budget, Council approved a $20,000 grant for the Frontenac CFDC (Community Futures Development Corporation) to undertake an economic development initiative for South Frontenac. It is anticipated that this grant could be leveraged to secure additional funds from other sources. Discussions have focussed on designing a project that would advance South Frontenac’s local food economy. A number of food processors in Southern Frontenac have identified gaps in the infrastructure and services they need to grow their businesses.

The Frontenac CFDC has drawn up a proposal to work with the Township to survey South Frontenac producers and processors for needs and resources, and look at ways connections could be made, and needs addressed.

Councillor Sleeth warned that the focus should be broad enough to include not only organic food producers, but also ‘ordinary farms’. Symon said that the term ‘local’ was very broad, and had many meanings. COW members agreed that this project should be sent on to Council for final approval.

Enforcement of Residential Tenancies Act
As of July 2018, the province’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) is handing down the enforcement of the Residential Tenancies Act to the local municipalities. Currently, South Frontenac budgets $2,000 to pay the costs of this work by the MMAH, and it’s estimated that this should be sufficient to cover purchasing enforcement services from our present municipal by-law enforcement service providers. The township will review the actual cost of enforcement for 12 months and adjust the annual budget accordingly.

Township Road Closures Due to Flooding: Not!
Mayor Vandewal and several Councillors agreed with Public Works Manager Segsworth’s recent comment that the phones had been “eerily quiet” this past week in regard to flooded roads and washouts. There was general agreement that this was a very positive result of the preventive maintenance that has been carried out in recent years by the Township’s Roads Department.

Committee of the Whole has been discussing
the creation of a new Heritage
Committee to advise and assist with matters
related to the community’s heritage.
Prior to formalizing such a committee,
Council has asked Forbes Symon, Manager
of Development Services, to arrange
for public consultation.
Symon has proposed that a notice be put
in the township’s weekly newspaper banner
outlining the proposed role and duties
of such a committee, and directing residents
to the township website where they
could indicate whether or not they thought
that a Heritage Committee would be a good
idea. Results of this survey would then be
passed to Council via the Development
Services Committee and then Committee
of the Whole.
McDougall and Barbeau both suggested
that some form of public meeting might
draw out broader feedback from the community.
Barbeau also asked if a text box for
comments might also be added to the simple
yes/no question, and CAO Orr suggested
a separate open house for further community
information and response might be
preferable to adding another agenda item
to a summer COW meeting, which usually
has a full agenda.
Mayor Vandewal said it will also be important
to look at whether the community
would be in favour of directing some financial
resources to such a committee.
CFDC Proposed Project
In the 2017 budget, Council approved
a $20,000 grant for the Frontenac CFDC
(Community Futures Development Corporation)
to undertake an economic development
initiative for South Frontenac.
It is anticipated that this grant could be
leveraged to secure additional funds from
other sources. Discussions have focussed
on designing a project that would advance
South Frontenac’s local food economy.
A number of food processors in Southern
Frontenac have identified gaps in the infrastructure
and services they need to grow
their businesses.
The Frontenac CFDC has drawn up a
proposal to work with the Township to survey
South Frontenac producers and processors
for needs and resources, and look
at ways connections could be made, and
needs addressed.
Councillor Sleeth warned that the focus
should be broad enough to include not only
organic food producers, but also ‘ordinary
farms’. Symon said that the term ‘local’ was
very broad, and had many meanings. COW
members agreed that this project should be
sent on to Council for final approval.
Enforcement of Residential Tenancies
Act
As of July 2018, the province’s Ministry
of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH)
is handing down the enforcement of the
Residential Tenancies Act to the local municipalities.
Currently, South Frontenac
budgets $2,000 to pay the costs of this
work by the MMAH, and it’s estimated that
this should be sufficient to cover purchasing
enforcement services from our present
municipal by-law enforcement service providers.
The township will review the actual
cost of enforcement for 12 months and adjust
the annual budget accordingly.
Township Road Closures Due to Flooding:
Not!
Mayor Vandewal and several Councillors
agreed with Public Works Manager Segsworth’s
recent comment that the phones
had been “eerily quiet” this past week in
regard to flooded roads and washouts.
There was general agreement that this
was a very positive result of the preventive
maintenance that has been carried out in
recent years by the Township’s Roads Department.