Jeff Green | Aug 26, 2010
Road, sidewalk work approved for Arden
Members of Central Frontenac Council were called in from their summer vacations this week for a special meeting to make two time-sensitive decisions. All members of council attended the meeting, with the exception of John Purdon, whose wife Maxine died last Thursday.
The meeting, which was held in the new addition to the township office in Sharbot Lake, took only about 30 minutes to complete, but it did feature a few angry blasts between members of Council.
The first issue on the agenda was the approval of the tender for improvements in the village of Arden. Kennebec Councilor Gary Smith championed this project in 2009, but it was cut from the budget at the last minute. In 2010, the project survived the budget process, and $327,000 was set aside for it. It includes the reconstruction of Queen and Bridge Streets as well as the sidewalks on both streets.
Of the two bids that were submitted, the Crains’ Construction bid of $278,280 was the lowest (North Key Construction bid $330,512).
Before approving a motion to accept the Crains’ bid, Councilor Bob Harvey asked why the Arden project was going ahead, whereas a project to rebuild Elizabeth Street in Sharbot Lake, which was also part of the 2010 budget, is being put off.
“It’s called fairness, Bob,” said Hinchinbrooke Councilor Bill Snyder.
“It’s not about fairness. It’s about priorities, we need to look at the priorities for the entire township,” Harvey responded. I resent you saying that.”
Public Works Manager Mike Richardson then explained that the Elizabeth Street project is not really ready to proceed, but that engineering will be initiated to prepare the way for work to be done at that location.
“As long as we do the engineering, then when one of those grant programs comes up, we will be ready. We haven’t been ready in the past,” Harvey said.
The motion to accept the tender passed.
Snowploughing contract – Contracts for ploughing smaller roads in the township had been granted for three years in 2007, and were scheduled to go to tender in 2010, but with Council likely headed for what is known as “lame duck” status once the election period begins on September 10, and with the odds of snow flying before the December 1 swearing-in date for a new council, the public works manager recommended that the current contracts be extended for another year at the same rate as was negotiated in 2007, which the three contractors have agreed to.
Councilor Jeff Matson excused himself from the discussion as soon as the item came forward, since G.E. Matson and sons is one of the contractors, along with Scott’s Snow Removal and Scott’s Lawn Maintenance.
Councilor Bill Snyder said, “The number of contracted roads goes up every year, and we are now contracting out 38 as well. Why do we maintain equipment and crews and then contract out so much of the work?”
Nonetheless the contract extension was approved.
ELECTION UPDATE – Councilor Jeff Matson is the latest entry into the 2010 election. He is the second candidate, along with Tom Dewey, vying for the two Kennebec councilor positions. Incumbent Gary Smith has indicated he is not running for re-election.
As of now, there are contests shaping up in Oso and Hinchinbrooke ward and in the race for mayor. There is only one candidate in Olden District, Justin Gray, but one of the incumbent Olden councilors, Norm Guntensperger, has indicated he will be running again.
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