Jeff Green | Jul 23, 2014


If all goes well - NF Township office to re-open in the fall

North Frontenac Council approved a plan to bring the township office back to where it was on a cold day in January when an oil tank leaked, contaminating parts of the building and relegating township staff to portables and parts of the adjacent fire hall.

Council was faced with three options at their meeting this week: 1) hire ServiceMaster, the company that has been working with their insurance company to assess the damage; 2) accept a settlement of $91,000 for construction to hire their own contractor to do the work; or 3) accept the settlement and embark on a number of upgrades to the building that were identified as necessary by an unrelated report into the future viability of the office.

“The report estimated the cost of all necessary work at $400,000, but only $100,000 to bring the building into compliance with the building code by putting fire separations, etc. in place,” said Public Works Manager Jim Phillips.

“Since we are considering going another route by building a new office, I think we should do the quickest thing and get Service Master to bring the building back to where it was before the spill,” suggested Deputy Mayor Fred Perry. “The new Council will decide what to do from there, but I think our office staff will appreciate returning to their old office space.”

“We have been able to function, although it has been pretty hot this summer,” said CAO Cheryl Robson, “but even with its limitations we would be happy to be back in our old offices.”

Council approved the plan to let the insurance company hire Service Master to do the work. Robson said that it will take another week or two to finalise the estimates, and six weeks or so to do the work.

“But I can’t really say when it will be done; it’s still too early,” she said.

New furniture will be needed and there are many other costs to the small-scale disaster that came as the result of the oil leak, but all the costs will be covered by insurance, Robson said.

Osprey nests – not for everyone

The Conservationists of Frontenac Addington have put $1,200 aside for the installation of four poles to be fitted with platforms to attract Osprey nesting within the township.

“There is a gentleman who is willing to put the poles up. What we need to do is decide where we want to put them. I thought I would bring this forward, but so far I have had no response. There will be no cost to the township; it is free, gratis, if we want it,” Fred Perry said.

“It is for us to find a location. It has to be on township land, not Crown land, because that would require an agreement,” said Mayor Clatyon.

“Or we could seek permission from a landowner,” said Councilor John Inglis. “I would take one on my land. There are swamps nearby; it might be suitable.”

“I brought the idea up at our Malcolm Lake Association AGM,” said Councilor Gerry Martin. "We don’t want one. Ospreys eat too many fish.”

“We should be able to find spots for them, preferably in places that people can get to; they would be good for tourism,” said Clayton.

The township will look into finding locations, although not near Malcolm Lake or other lakes where the association objects.

Compactor needs repair – Council approved an expenditure of $34,200 to replace the radiator and engine of the trash compactor that was purchased in 2009 for $130,000. Maintenance costs since purchasing the compactor have been minimal, until now.

Province gives township the financial blues

With a number of members of the public in attendance, Mayor Clayton took the opportunity to point out that the provincial government's promise to eliminate its deficit without raising taxes is already resulting in a shift of costs to municipalities, “which means higher taxes or cuts in service.”

He said increased policing costs are part of this trend, as is a recent announcement that the province will no longer pay townships grants in lieu of taxes for hydro dams on Crown land with township jurisdiction.

“This will only cost us $8,000 but the policing will be another story,” he said “and there will be more coming.”

In terms of policing, Clayton said he has had informal talks about Frontenac County townships seeking a policing contract with the City of Kingston police force in the face of rising OPP costs.

“I have talked to the Mayor of South Frontenac about this, but not the Mayor of Central Frontenac.”

In order for a municipal police force to expand their service area, the new area they serve must be accessible. They cannot pass through an OPP-served jurisdiction to get to one that they serve. Central and South Frontenac would also have to contract with Kingston in order for North Frontenac to have an opportunity to do so.

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.