Central and North Frontenac to merge building departments

Jeff Green | Mar 25, 2015

The idea of sharing services between North and Central Frontenac moved from theory to practice pretty quickly when the two councils met together last week.

At a first joint session of the councils in North Frontenac last week, the fact that North Frontenac is without a chief building officer was raised as a potential area of co-operation.

George Gorrie, the former chief building officer for North Frontenac, ceased to be a township employee after an in camera session at the February 20 meeting of North Frontenac Council.

“I can only say that he is no longer an employee of the township, nothing more,” said Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson when asked whether Gorrie had left voluntarily or been forced out.

As a result of the meeting on March 19, it was decided that the Central Frontenac Chief Building Official (CBO), Jeremy Nevens, would oversee operations in both townships. Instead of hiring a CBO, the two townships are getting together to hire a building inspector to report to Nevens.

“Each Council approved an individual resolution, approving in principle a Joint Services Agreement to the building departments of Central and North Frontenac Townships (i.e. one chief building official and one building inspector)” said a joint press release that came out on Monday, March 24.

The mayors of the two townships were also quoted in the press release about the potential for co-operation and general feeling of good-will between the two townships.

“This meeting is a great opportunity to look at reducing costs and promoting working together for the better good of service delivery, satisfaction of our residents and good fiscal responsibility,” said North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins

“I totally agree with Mayor Higgins. This is our first brainstorming session, looking at partnerships for our communities and there are no hidden agendas,” said Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith.

“Both councils feel that the townships cannot accomplish all that needs to be done without working together and agreed to meet again in May,” the release concluded.

The combining of building departments between the two townships comes on the heels of an agreement to sign a three-township contract (North, Central and South Frontenac) for environmental monitoring of waste sites in all three townships (see Frontenac County report).