Frontenac County Council inaugural meeting

Jeff Green | Jan 08, 2015

At the inaugural meeting of the new Frontenac County Council, Frontenac Islands mayor, Dennis Doyle, took on the job of warden for 2015, the first year of a new four-year term. The meeting took place on December 17, the day after the last 2014 edition of the Frontenac News went to press.

The ceremonial first meeting, which was attended by Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington MP Scott Reid and MPP Randy Hillier, MP Ted Hsu from Kingston and the Islands, and newly elected Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson, took place in the comfortable confines of the newly refurbished Rotary Club Fairmount Home auditorium, which is located on the same property as the Frontenac County Administrative Office.

Doyle, the only returning mayor in the County, was acclaimed to the post of warden, and Central Frontenac mayor, Frances Smith, herself a former warden from pre-amalgamation days, was also acclaimed to the post of deputy warden. It is expected that she will be the warden in 2016.

The process of choosing the warden this time around was reminiscent of the clubby atmosphere that prevailed among members of council before the increase to eight members in the most recent term of Council. Unlike in other counties, only the mayors from the four townships can become the warden. The second representatives from each township are not eligible.

Warden Doyle has been the acting warden since the death of the sitting warden, Bud Clayton, in September. After the election of officers, Doyle spoke. He urged his fellow councilors to “provide thoughtful instructions to staff, making sure every dollar we spend of our constituents’ money is used very well. We have to build a sustainable and resilient community to put up with whatever comes, including whatever the feds or the province download to us.”

He also said that he expects the new council will set a cordial tone in their dealings with each other and county staff.

“Let's be civil in these chambers. We must be respectful of staff, must respect the other levels of government. Finally we must have respect for the political process itself,” he said.

He stressed the three specific goals that were identified in the Strategic Plan that council completed last year.

“The plan calls for us to prepare for the ageing tsunami of seniors, address waste management going forward by seeking a regional solution with our partners from the City of Kingston and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, and look at other means of revenue through economic development. Once we have these three underway we can look at a fourth, but we found that the more items we try to address at once the less successful we were at any of them,” he said.

In response to Doyle's remarks, MP Ted Hsu said he was impressed by the specific nature of the goals identified by Dennis Doyle.

“We hear from a lot of experts in Ottawa and a lot about process and planning, but there is nothing that gives me more confidence than someone who knows what they want to accomplish in their own community ... this council has a good idea of what needs to be done, and we're in good hands,” he said.

MP Scott Reid talked about the changes in riding boundaries that are coming, and said he was happy to work with the county to create the new Frontenac Lanark riding that will be in place for the federal election next fall.

MPP Randy Hillier said, “It's a pleasure to be here welcoming the new council. Thanks and congratulations to Dennis and Fran. This term of council is a wonderful opportunity to really shine through co-operation and collaboration. A bit of harmony will also help us look forward when the province throws some curveballs at you. I don't mind helping you throw some back.”

Council also made appointments to various boards. Dennis Doyle will sit on the KFL&A Public Health Board for four years; John Inglis remains on the Municipal Advisory Committee for the Algonquin Land Claim for a second four years; Natalie Nossal will sit on the Youth Advisory Committee; Frances Smith on the Kingston Frontenac Housing Board; and John McDougall on the Rideau Corridor Parkland Board.

South Frontenac mayor, Ron Vandewal, will be the county rep on the Kingston Frontenac Library Board.

In the only contested selection, there were three candidates for two positions as public appointees to the Library Board. John Purdon received the most votes and there was a tie between Ann Peace-Fast and Wilma Kenny (the current vice-chair of the Board). By lot, Anne Peace-Fast was chosen as the second public appointee.