Central Frontenac Questions Ownership Streetlight

Craig Bakay | May 01, 2024

The ownership of, and therefore the responsibility to repair, the streetlight on the corner of Road 38 and White Lake Road took up much of Central Frontenac Council’s regular meeting April 23 in Sharbot Lake.

The light in question sits in the parking lot of the Cole Lake Free Methodist Church and it’s not working at the moment. In fact, it hasn’t worked for the past year.

Lloyd Lee, former Hinchinbrooke Township Reeve and Deputy Mayor of the newly amalgamated Central Frontenac Township between 1998 and 2003, told Council that the federal government has contacted the church about using the facility in the next election, and they’ll need a working streetlight.

“When someone called the Township to tell them about it, they were told it was a private street light,” Lee said. “It was always a township street light.

“I’d like to know when it became a private streetlight and who determined that . . . because it never has been.”

“Is it on township property?” said Mayor Frances Smith. “Because it doesn’t look like it is.”

That prompted Lee to launch into a history of the property from 1937 and how the highway department took some of the property for Highway 38 and then how bits of property were exchanged until it reached its current configuration.

“I’ve been involved with the church since I was a kid and it never has been private,” Lee said. “The power comes directly from a pole on township property whereas church power comes from the same pole that comes underground into the Church.

“There’s nothing that goes back to the streetlight. There’s no connection to that streetlight whatsoever. It’s my understanding that the streetlight is powered directly by Hydro and the Township pays by the number of streetlights they have.”

Lee said that if they (the Church) were to put a street light in their parking lot, they would have it aimed towards the church, not the roadways as it is now.

CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn said they have engaged surveyor Tom MacDonald to locate boundary pins to determine if the light is on township property and the township lawyer for legal advice.

“We’re not necessarily getting a survey,” MacMunn said. “Tom MacDonald did mention that he’s going to be in the area and that he’s done surveys in that area, so he’ll take a look at what he’s got.

“If a survey is required, we’ll bring that back to council.”

“I had a private streetlight and it showed up on my hydro bill,” said Coun. Duncan McGregor. “Does it show up on the church’s hydro bill?”

“Would Hydro not have a list of all of our street lights?” asked Smith.

A motion to defer the matter until ownership can be determined passed 5-4 and MacMunn said it will be brought back to the May 14 meeting.

Concerned Kennebec resident

Gabriel Chartier, a Kennebec resident since he retired from the military six years ago, wants the township to institute a gun bylaw that designates where firearms can be discharged.

“Last year, we had a fully automatic weapon shooting around us,” he said.

One of his duties during his 40-year military career was as a range safety officer.

He said he found “about 30” 5.56 mm round casings on the ground where the shooting took place.

Chartier told Council he contacted the OPP, who investigated, and determined the shooting was done by a 23-year-old visiting his mother’s property.

The OPP sergeant also told Chartier they didn’t find any 5.56 casings, only several spent shotgun shells.

“The sergeant did his job,” Chartier said. “They did find out who was shooting but then he told me ‘Gabe, he’s one of us. He’s police, military police, he’s SWAT and he’s a young kid, 23 years old.’

“Then he (the sergeant) told me there was nothing they could do because the Township has no bylaw so there’s nothing they could do.

“So, I decided we need a bylaw.”

Chartier presented a sample bylaw from King Township and said he’s found several other municipalities with similar bylaws.

“I’m a hunter,” he said. “I have nine weapons and I’ve been hunting since I was nine with my grandfather.

But safety when handling firearms is so important.”

Coun. Duncan McGregor said: “Thank you for your service but I have to say that I disagree with almost everything you’ve said.

“There are federal and provincial laws, an example of which is automatic weapons are illegal everywhere in Canada. I agree that firearm safety is important but I don’t think the municipality need to get involved to regulate it.”

The presentation was received as information and Mayor Frances Smith said: “the issue isn’t dead (but) we need to think about if we need a bylaw across the township or just in certain pockets.”