Yourway
March 13, 2014
Vol. 14, No. 10
$1.00 incl. GST.
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International Women's Week - profiles in business see page 7
North Frontenac to consider replacing office by Jeff Green A report, which was commissioned and completed before a heating oil leak caused the North Frontenac office to be vacated a few weeks ago, was received by North Frontenac Council this week. The engineering group Greer Galloway prepared the report, which noted many deficiencies in the building, including a number of health and safety issues for the office staff. In the conclusion, the report said, “In its current state, it is our opinion that the building should only be used as a storage garage, as there are concerns of fire safety and the building envelope construction”. The estimated cost to bring the building up to an acceptable standard was pegged at $400,000. An alternative plan, constructing a new office building and council chamber, was given a rough cost estimate, excluding land and water/septic costs, of $1.9 million. Faced with the two options, Council opted to move towards putting up a new building instead of retrofitting the existing space. CAO Cheryl Robson said that the remediation of the present building in response to the oil leak will proceed regardless of the report by Greer Galloway and Council’s response to it. “The environmental factors need to be dealt with, and even if we go in a new direction we will need a building to work in until then,” she said. Ompah fire hall renovation woes continue New tenders for the long awaited renovation of the Ompah fire hall came in
this week. The lowest bid was $364,000. Although a financial report from township staff shows that there is over $250,000 in reserve for the project, and the Ompah Community Volunteers Association made a commitment of $97,000 towards the project on March 3, a council directive has put a $180,000 ceiling on the project’s costs. According to Rose Boivin, president of the association, “The council can complete this project without having to find any added funds from the budget.” The matter has been put over until April, when it will return to the council table. Budget discussion A rough draft of the 2014 township budget was presented this week. It calls for a 3.016% increase in the overall levy to ratepayers. Two percent of that increase is dedicated to putting money aside for long-term infrastructure replacement needs as was recommended by an asset management plan that was accepted by Council late last year. The remaining 1% increase was attributed by CAO Robson to fixed cost increases such as fuel and utility costs, as well as a lower budgetary surplus in 2013 than 2012. Council will look further at the budget in early April. Allocations made In advance of the budget, Council approved a number of allocations. They agreed to spend $15,000 a year for five years to recruit a doctor for the Lakelands Family Health Team. A previous campaign, which was a joint initiative with Addington Highlands Council, resulted in the recruitment of Dr. Anne Wilson, who is working at the clinic. The new campaign is aimed at finding a new doctor in the face of pending retirements. Land O’Lakes Community Services will receive $19,000 from North Frontenac this year, up from $15,000 last year. The money will be used to help subsidize the delivery of Meals on Wheels, the Adult Drop In, and transportation and homemaking services for the 1,500 residents who live in Barrie ward. Council also approved a $2,000 donation to the Outdoor Centre at North Addington Education Centre for the purchase of equipment.
North Frontenac Township office complex from above
A Cleaner, Safer & More Economical Heating Choice than ever before!
County Council balks at communications study but South Frontenac is keen by Jeff Green
A
t a Committee of the Whole meeting last week (March 5), members of Frontenac County Council took turns expressing concern about a report about emergency communications that they received from the fire chiefs of the four Frontenac townships in mid-February. The report, which was funded by Frontenac County on the request of the four local townships, was initiated in reaction to an upgrade to the communications system in both the City of Kingston and the County of Leeds Grenville. What Council found most objectionable was the price tag of $5-7 million for an upgraded system that would be compatible with the neighbouring systems. Frontenac Islands Mayor Dennis Doyle wanted to see the ambulance and police services involved in a cross-jurisdictional solution to the needs. Councilor John Purdon from Central Frontenac said the matter is the responsibility of the townships, and that’s where it should be discussed. Councilor John Inglis, from North Frontenac, wondered how this need for a new system had come about. “In all the time
I served on the fire department we never talked about this issue, and we have never talked about it at council, and now we are faced with this huge cost,” he said. North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton said, “It is all a matter of needs versus wants. We are only required to provide fire safety and education services as a municipality. Fire suppression is an optional service. This is another want, not a need.” Central Frontenac Mayor Janet Gutowski said the study and its presentation “are an example of how things shouldn’t be done. This report is real geek; it is a technical report, which I do not have the expertise to evaluate. We miss-stepped in funding the study in the first place. The advancement of this should have gone through a different chain of command. Our staff could have brought forward the study, and presented options for how to deal with it. I suggest we refer this to our staff and the fire chiefs can work with their CAOs to see how we can cost share on this.” South Frontenac Fire Chief Rick Cheseborough attended the meeting. He was given leave to speak after all the councilors had
Continued on page 2
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Mountain Grove Seed Company:
Seed producer Dawn Morden, above with her children Bayley and Sarah, is getting ready for the growing season. She will be one of the vendors at the Seedy Saturday event at the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market, which is coming up on Sat. March 22, 9am-1pm. See the story on page 12.
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1 Litre of Heating Oil
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As you can see, for the same quantity, heating with oil produces more thermal units (BTU) and therefore is hotter than any of the other heat sources. (Based on industry averages)
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