Sf_council_09-35

Jeff Green | Sep 03, 2009

Sydenham library plans proceeding

By Jeff Green

A Kingston-based construction management company will oversee the building of a new library in Sydenham.

Thompson Construction Management Services was awarded the contract in August and by mid-September an architect should be hired.

Three firms are on the short list and one will be selected in time for approval by South Frontenac Township Council at their meeting on September 15. Frontenac County Council will be asked to award the contract the following day.

The project received a funding boost when a Frontenac County application for infrastructure funding was approved earlier this year, but the county funding makes for an added layer of responsibility for the project as well.

At a South Frontenac Township meeting on August 4, councilors expressed anger that Frontenac County seemed to be taking control over the project, but South Frontenac was to be responsible for any cost overruns that might occur.

This led South Frontenac CAO Wayne Orr to prepare a report to council, which outlines a process whereby decisions about key matters, such as naming the architect, will not only go through the library expansion committee, which includes representatives from the library board, the local community, as well as township and county reps, but will also be vetted by South Frontenac Council before being passed to the county for final approval.

“Formally, the project is in the county’s name,” Orr said in an interview with the News early this week, “and by the terms of the Build Canada Grant they received [which covers 2/3 of the estimated cost of construction] the county will own the building for 10 years. There will be a leasing agreement to cover that, and the township will take ownership in 10 years.”

Orr said he understands the concerns expressed by members of council last month, and will be working to accommodate them. “Major decisions, such as hiring the architect, will come to the township for approval before going to the county,” he said, “which might make things a bit tight, but we will make it work.”

The architect’s drawings should be finalised later this fall, and Orr expects to be able to go to tender for construction of the library in late January. It is hoped that the library will be in operation by the fall of 2010.

The second part of the project, renovating the current library space for use by township staff, will be developed at the same time, although construction will not begin until the library has vacated the premises.

The township will be moving the treasury department from their Keeley Road site to George Street once the renovations to the township office are complete. Public works will stay at Keeley Road. 

SF Salt dome contract awarded

A key component in a two-year salt management improvement plan for South Frontenac Township's largest works yard, which is located at Keeley Road near Sydenham, has been the building of a new salt/sand storage dome, and at the council meeting this week the tender for the new building was awarded to Wemp and Smith for $683,446.30.

The new building will be a 100' by 130' structure and will enable all loading and mixing of salt and sand to occur under cover to minimise environmental impacts.

Wemp and Smith entered the lowest bid on the contract, almost $75,000 less than that of Storage Systems. Cover-All and Cruikshank also bid on the contract.

An additional $35,000 was paid to Jewell Engineering for building design and preparation of tender documents.

Jewell will also be conducting a two-year ground and surface water monitoring study at the site, which is being considered for a Household Hazardous Waste depot. 

Zoning Issues

There were no objections from the public or Council to the proposed rezoning from commercial to residential of a former veterinary clinic property on Road 38 in Verona.

Council passed a by-law authorizing a site plan agreement between the Township and Glenvale Industrial park to facilitate the proposed expansion of Harrowsmith Storage, which currently operates on the property.

Council also approved a by-law to amend the Official Plan to redesignate an area of land from Rural to Mineral Aggregate, in order to allow the extension of an aggregate area near Stars Corners, on the east side of

Wilton Road. This will be forwarded to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for their approval, prior to rezoning.

Bear Creek Road Property. Councillor Fillion brought a motion to reconsider an earlier resolution approving Council's purchase of a piece of waterfront land in Storrington.

The motion did not receive the two thirds majority required to reconsider a previous decision of Council.

Portland Parks and Recreation - Council approved Portland Recreation Committee's proposal to draw from their parkland reserves for several district projects. Although budget numbers weren't available, Mayor Davison confirmed the amount was almost double what had been budgeted for this year's capital expenses.

Councillors Stowe and Vandewal voted against the motion.

Livestock Kills High - Fourteen animal kills (goats, cattle, sheep) were recorded during the last

month, at a value of over $3,200. All are attributed to coyotes.

Abrams Brothers Concert - Council approved the temporary closure of the intersection of Williams &

Mill Streets in Sydenham on the afternoon of Saturday September19th, for the Abrams concert, annually sponsored by Trousdales General Store.