Ah_council_07-39

Jeff Green | Oct 04, 2007

Addington Highlands Council, Oct. 1by Jule Koch Brison

Norine Traynor, a resident of Cross Lake Road near Kaladar, accompanied by some neighbours, brought a petition to council to stop the impending closure of the part of the road that gives them access to Oliver Road. Traynor and her husband are the only year-round residents on Cross Lake Road and have lived there for 6 years. The closure would effectively leave them with no road access. The property is being sold and a sign has been posted that the road will be closed effective Oct. 16, but Traynor says, “The road has been open for 100 years”.

Hunters who would also be affected by the closure, recently bulldozed a trail on the old Addington Road to open up another access, but it is not a solution for Traynor and her husband, and council agreed they would be in a difficult situation if the road were closed. Reeve Henry Hogg said, “ It isn’t an acceptable way out.” Neither the Addington or Cross Lake Road is serviced by the township.

Hogg said that council needed to get a legal opinion on the status of the Cross Lake Road, and would contact the township’s lawyer. Reeve Hogg later said it wasn’t clear who owns the road. “If they say it belongs to Mr. Shier we’ll have to go to Plan B,” he said, without specifying what Plan B was.

In the meantime, Norine Traynor is asking council to pay $450 for a surveyor’s report on the road. Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch asked if it was an actual survey, or an opinion - a survey would cost several thousand dollars. Although it is a report, not an actual survey, Councilor Eythel Grant said he thought that council should spend the money to try to clarify the situation. The other members of council agreed, passing a motion to pay for the report.

Larry Pealow, Chair of the AHEAD Committee (Addington Highlands Economic Advisors for Development), recommended that council approach North Frontenac Township to set up a joint doctor attraction committee, as many people from North Frontenac use the medical services. Reeve Hogg said he has suggested a joint committee to Mayor Maguire, but there’s been no time in Maguire’s schedule yet to discuss the matter. Deputy Reeve Helen Yanch suggested that Addington Highlands should also ask North Frontenac about working together as a larger community on other things, such as economic development. Towsnhip Clerk Jack Pauhl said that historically that’s been tried but didn’t work. “A doctor attraction committee is one thing, but economic development’s another,” he said.

Larry Pealow also handed out nomination forms to council for the first annual Community Builders Award. Anyone in Addington Highlands can nominate anyone in Addington Highlands who “has made a real and positive difference in our Township”. Nomination forms are available at Addington Highlands businesses along Hwy. 41,the Land O' Lakes Tourist office and the township office, and the deadline is Oct 31.Council agreed to have a plaque made to go along with the award.

Fraser Haulage has offered the township a 3-year contract to provide the Kaladar waste site with three used, self-contained packer units and one power unit for cans, plastic and cardboard, and pick up all the recycling from the site for $2080 per month. At the end of the three-year term the township could purchase the equipment for “a nominal fee”. “A ‘nominal fee’ could be any amount,” commented Jack Pauhl.

Councilor Eythel Grant said that the cost for Kaladar this August, the busiest month of the year, was $2325. In the past, the township was investigating making an agreement with Renfrew for recycling, but nothing has come of that so far. Council decided to get more information from Fraser Haulage on exactly what the nominal fee would be.

Council passed a bylaw to appoint Brian Donaldson as the township’s Municipal Investigator of closed meetings.

Council was unclear about requests in a letter from the Skootamatta District Ratepayers Association that the township bring in a load of gravel for the boat launch area, and about plowing out a parking lot area in the winter. Council needs more information about exactly where the gravel and plowing is needed.