Addinton Highlands Council - Apr 2/12

Jeff Green | Apr 05, 2012

Township will pick up garbage

A messy issue that has been discussed at the Addington highlands Council several times now is about to be resolved.

Garbage has been dumped on the roadway and on private property on the Old Addington Highlands Road that leads into North Frontenac and the township has been considering what to do about.

Finally they decided to clean up the garbage that is on their property.

“We can’t do anything about the garbage on private property or North Frontenac property” said Reeve Hogg.

Garbage has been dumped at the same location in the past, and at one pint during his term of office former Reeve Ken Hook cleaned it up himself.

“Can we not at least put up a sign that says ‘No dumping’ said Councillor Helen Yanch. “I think it's disgusting to see all that garbage on the side of the road.”

“Until you fine somebody there will be no deterrent,” said Henry Hogg.

“I’d make a recommendation that we prepare a bylaw setting out the kinds of signage and fines we want to impose,” said Councilor Tony Fritsch.

Township Clerk Jack Pauhl said that it will take some time to prepare a bylaw so council decided to install a no dumping sign and begin enforcing the bylaw once it is enacted, which might be early this summer.

No interest holiday for lost cheque: Council received a letter from a Mr. Crone, whose family owns three cottages on Oborne Point on Skootamatta Lake. In the letter, Mr. Crone said that he received a notice about past due taxes on March 12, which surprised him because he had sent two cheques in one envelope at the end of July to cover the last two instalments of the 2011 taxes that were owing.

The cheques had never been cashed and in his letter Mr. Crone said that he has been informed by the township office that to their knowledge the envelope was never received at the township office.

Mr. Crone also invited Council to consider that in the 50 years that has family has owned property on Skoottamatta, they have never been late with a tax payment.

“For the record several years ago one of our post-dated cheques was misplaced by your office but was subsequently found in its original envelope, according to your staff at the time.

“Under the circumstances hopefully Council will agree that charging interest in this case is hard for us to swallow.” Mr. Crone wrote.

His letter came with a cheque for the outstanding taxes, plus a payment for the first 2012 instalment, but not the $138.60 in interest that has been charged to his account.

“He said in his letter our staff searched the office and did not turn up the cheque. I’d have to say that in the end the onus is still on the individual to prove that we received the cheque,” said Reeve Hogg.

Council decided not to act on Mr. Crone’s request, and a letter of explanation will be sent to him.

Busing concern in Denbigh

Councilor Adam Snider brought up an issue that does not directly affect Council, school bussing in the Denbigh area.

“Why are there extra busses coming down the same roads?” he asked.

Reeve Hogg, who owned a bussing company for many years, told Snider to contact Tri-Board Bussing in Napanee.