Central Frontenac Council Salt Dome In Time For Winter

The Central Frontenac Public Works Department found out last year that the salt/sand dome at the Hinchinbrooke Works Yard, which was built in 2009, had been constructed with concrete that was not designed to resist erosion, and the initial plan to replace the dome roof turned into a rebuild of the entire structure. This could not be done in time for the winter of 2025-2026, but it will be done in time for the coming winter season.

Crain's Construction's response to a tender for the project scored the highest among three who responded, and they will put the building up by November 1, in time to be loaded with sand before the snow flies and the roads freeze.

The Crain's bid was for $728,000. There was a lower bid, by a company called Britespan, $675,000, but that bid did not include all the requirements of the tender and was disqualified. A third bid, from Strong Brothers, was much higher, $1.44 million.

Sharbot Lake Revitalisation – Final Build

The final piece of the Sharbot Lake pavement project, which was mostly completed in the summer of 2021, will happen in the coming months. The project, which deals mainly with improving the intersection of Mathew St. and Medical Center Road, and includes paving the parking lot at the Sharbot Lake beach, will also be done by Crain's, at a cost of $453,000+hst. Crain's did the rest of the Sharbot Lake revitalisation project.

Draft Debt Policy

Manager of Financial Services Michael McGovern brought his long anticipated draft debt policy to Council. The policy sets out how the township should find financing for projects, looking to internal borrowing from reserves before going to financial institutions, and sets out a maximum borrowing limit of 50% of the township's “Annual Repayment Limit” (ARL) which is established by the province, with a target of 25% to 35% of the limit.

“Borrowing to a maximum of 50% of the Annual Repayment Limit, leaves the Municipality with flexibility to borrow up to an additional 50% of ARL if required, to respond to emergencies and/or to meet senior government funding opportunities,” said McGovern in his report.

He added that, “Under no circumstances will the annual debt (principal + interest) payments for the municipality’s indebtedness exceed the Annual Repayment Limit (ARL).”

Cooling Centres

During the monthly report from Fire Chief McDonough, Councillor Nicki Gowdy asked if it would be possible for the department to designate the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) branches in the township as cooling centres for residents, during operating hours for the branches.

She said that this is being done in Kingston, and she has been in touch with the chief librarian at KFPL, Laura Carter, who is supportive of the idea.

McDonough said he would follow up, after Gowdy pointed out there would be no additional cost, as the branches are already staffed.

Councillor Lynn Klages said that since library hours are extremely limited in some of the branches, the township could look at using its own halls as cooling centres when they are not rented out, with community volunteers staffing them.

“We would need to look at costs and liability before doing that,” said Mayor Smith.

Nuisance Beaver Bylaw

Council approved a revised nuisance beaver bylaw, which requires landowners to ensure beaver dams on their property do not impose a risk of flooding to neighbouring private or township property. It sets out how the township can order a landowner to remove a dam, and the circumstances where the township can intervene, including entering the property to remove the dam, at the landowners expense.

Community Radio Station

Councillor Bill Everett brought forward a proposal to explore the possibility of a community radio station serving North and Central Frontenac. He is planning to pull together a number of people to look into all that would be involved in setting this up, and was asking for a motion of support for the project at this time, but said if things do progress further he will likely be coming back to ask for the free use of the Harvey Building on Elizabeth Street for the stations operations.

'The building could also house some artifacts from the railway heritage park,” he said. “We don't need all that space.”

Since that ask is in the future and all he was asking for was an endorsement for the project, Council was happy to comply.

“Any time someone is asking for support, but no money, we are happy,” said Councillor Susan Irwin.

Refreshment Truck

The township has received a proposal for a seasonal refreshment Truck (i.e. chip truck) at Railway Heritage Park.

Council said that it is too late to make that happen this year, but they will look into the issues that the proposal raised in time for the summer of 2027. There was mixed support for the idea, because the location is a township park, and because there are food businesses in Sharbot Lake paying property tax that a refreshment truck, by virtu of being portable, does not have to pay.

Mayor to be away

Mayor Frances Smith said that she will be undergoing back surgery soon, and will not be able to run the August, and at least the first September meeting. Deputy Mayor Cindy Kelsey will step in to chair those meetings.