| Oct 03, 2018


Garbage Truck Woes
Council authorized staff to procure a new or demonstrator model garbage truck for a total net value of $250,000: $150,000 will be funded from equipment replacement reserves, the remainder from the working fund reserve.

The current vehicle, purchased in 2010, “has been undersized for some time, as indicated by the repairs it has needed.” Since 2015, these have included an engine and transmission, multiple repairs to dump body housing, hoist and side loader. Mayor Vandewal noted that a new truck had been removed from the 2018 budget because it was hoped that the expensive repairs already done would allow the current truck to last one more year.

This September, a cracked frame was welded after consultation with Ford Canada, and “it was at this time that a broken spring was noted and during the trip to Kingston to get the spring repaired the engine blew up…the cost of repair greatly exceeds the residual value of the truck.” Until a replacement is purchased, a private contractor has been hired to cover the route.

The new truck will have greater capacity, two-sided drive, and side loading, thus being better suited to the current and projected demands of the garbage routes.

Bellrock Road Closure
Bellrock Road will be closed for a km or so just west of Road 38 for 8 hours on October 26 (chosen because it is a school PD day, to minimize disruption). This will be to replace a disintegrating culvert prior to the winter.

New Communications Tower Lease
The Westport Telephone Company has approached the Township for the installation of a communications tower on an unopened municipal ROW for provision of high speed internet in the Battersea area. This may or may not also improve internet access at the new Perth Road fire hall: it is still possible the hall will need its own small tower.

The agreement will be for 20 years, with proposed $1.00 annual rent. On a potentially luicrative note, Mayor Vandewal said he has heard that one dollar lease agreements are now to be replaced by five dollar ones…

Sunbury Meeting
Councillor Sleeth reported that there was a very good turnout at a meeting to discuss upgrades for the Sunbury community. (There was one individual who asked why ‘they’ wanted to make Sunbury better?) Sleeth said that overall, they got some good input and suggestions.

Oct/Nov Council Meetings (or lack thereof)
The regular evening Oct 9 COW has been canceled, replaced by a special meeting on Oct 9 from 11:30 to 2:00 with Randy Hillier at the Perth Road Fire Hall.

There will be no Council meeting on Oct 16: voting runs from 8:00 am Oct 15 to 8:pm Oct 22.

The next scheduled Council meeting will be November 6.

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