Lineup For Budget Asks At North Frontenac Council

Craig Bakay | Feb 08, 2023

You know it’s budget time when outside agencies and such show up at council meetings looking for money.

Such was the case Feb. 3 at the North Frontenac regular Council meeting in Plevna.

First up was Joe Gallivan, director of planning and economic development for the County of Frontenac who was looking for $25,000 as North’s contribution to a proposed Community Planning Permit System, which would be applied to all four member townships in Frontenac County.

“Protecting your lakes is its primary goal,” Gallivan said.

In his presentation, Gallivan said that existing zoning bylaws and official plans are outdated in their approach to waterfront development, with a focus on setbacks rather than waterfront protection.

“As a result, every application for waterfront development that requires a minor variance adjustment must go through the committee of adjustment process across the townships, regardless of complexity, structure or potential impact on the surrounding environment,” he said.

The resulting large volumes of applications for review by township and county planning staff, as well as the committee of adjustment, delays the issuance of building permits, and with the opportunity for appeal, applicants and staff can be stuck in the committee of adjustment process for more than three months for one application, he said.

He said staff estimate that they could cut down the amount of time it takes for minor variance approvals using a CPPS by two-thirds, which results in estimated savings of more than $180,000 in staff time annually once implemented.

Next came Sally McIntyre, general manager for Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, who presented the authority’s 2023 draft budget to Council.

While the North Frontenac levy represents less than 1 per cent of the total budget (Ottawa pays more than 90 per cent) which is increasing to $5,963,486 in 2023 from $5,595,735 in 2022, it still represents a sizeable chunk for a small rural municipal budget.

North Frontenac’s 2023 municipal levy for 2023 is $27,844 for operating and $5,891 for capital or $33,735 in total.

For this sum, MVCA looks after operation and maintenance of Shabomeka, Mazinaw, Mississagagon, Kashwakamak and Farm Lake dams, operation and maintenance of 16 water level and/or flow stations, monitors 53 surface water quality/health sites, an online access and notification system for water levels, the Kashwakamak Lake Dam Environmental Assessment for reconstruction (estimated at $100,00, provides stewardship support for lake associations and partnership on the Palmerston-Canoto Conservation Area.

And while there was no direct ask for funding, Deborah Krause, executive director of the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team did a presentation on what it’s going to take to recruit physicians to the area.

In a letter to CAO Corey Klatt, Krause said that they need about $5,000 for a booth and accommodations at the national Rural Physicians Conference in Niagara Falls in April and/or help with the $5,000 cost of the KEYS Dual Career program for physician partner employment.

North Frontenac has a Ministry of Health signing bonus of $92,000 plus additional incentives from the Township to apply to securing a physician. North also provides funding support to the Lakelands Family Health Clinic.

Donation Accepted

Council accepted the donation of a pulpit (lectern) from the Fernleigh Community Hall to the Clar-Mill Community Hall in memory of former Coun./Dep. Mayor Gerry Martin who died late in 2022. Martin was raised in Fernleigh and educated at the Fernleigh School (presently the Community Hall).

“I’d just like to comment that this was initiated by the father of our CAO,” said Dep. Mayor John Inglis. “And where did I hear that we name the park beside Clar-Mill Hall after Gerry?”

“I think we have to be careful that we’re fair and considerate (in naming things),” said CAO Corey Klatt. “When Mayor Bud Clayton passed, we named a tree after him.”

Summer Event

Council will consider a request for $5,000 to hold a North Frontenac Summer Event.

“It would be money well spent,” said Dep. Mayor John Inglis. “It’s a first, one-time event, likely to be held at the Clar-Mill site and it will probably have a musical component.”

Meetings on Youtube

Coun. Roy Huetl gave notice of motion that he intends to propose that Council meetings be recorded and posted to YouTube.

“We do have the ability to record,” said Treasurer Kelly Watkins.