Saved by the bears: waste site closures delayed

Wilma Kenny | Jul 22, 2020

Green Bay, Salem & Bradshaw Waste Disposal Sites were closed last winter to try to encourage residents to use the provided garbage and recycling collection. Public Works Manager Segsworth brought a recommendation that Council approve this closure be continued for the remainder of 2020, to be reviewed again during the 2021 Budget deliberations, because annual operating costs for these sites totals approximately $40,000/year. Councillor Revill asked whether it might be possible to open these sites for a short time each week.

There have been a lot of problems with bears breaking into garbage bins before pick-up. Segsworth asked whether a reduced level of service, such as opening Green Bay for a couple of hours on Sunday, would help, and Revill thought it might. A final decision was deferred pending a revised staff proposal.

Winter Road Maintenance

Public Works Director Segsworth brought back a motion to approve a one season contract extension with K. Mulroney Trucking (KMT) for arterial snow plow operations, despite a significant hourly rate increase plus an additional stand-by charge of $500/week for each tandem snow plow would apply in 2020/21. Stand-by was not a cost incurred by the Township in previous years and would represent the largest increased cost in 2020/21, but it is typical practice in other winter maintenance contracts. South Frontenac has had no price increase from this contractor for the past seven years.

Last meeting, Council had directed Segsworth to try to negotiate a lower price with KMT: the contractor proposed an alternative where standby charges would be increased to $100/day ($700/week), but would be waived on days when plows are called out for more than 6 hours. A review of last year’s history indicated this would not result in savings, and depending on the weather, could even increase costs.

“Are there no other options?” asked Councillor Sleeth. Segsworth replied that, given the increasingly erratic state of the weather, some of the possible options such as shortening the Nov 15 to March 31 season, were risky. Segsworth had been working with the treasurer to develop a new in-house model, but that had had to be set aside to meet the demands of Covid. He did suggest that two of the routes (Westport Road and Bedford/Desert Lake Roads) could be combined, to require one less plow on standby.

Deputy Mayor Sutherland agreed with Segsworth that a decision could not be postponed any longer; “As bad as this is, it’s the best we have.” Sleeth agreed on the need to move forward, saying he appreciated the work Segsworth has done to try to mitigate the increase.

Site Plans on Loughborough Lake

Site Plan Agreements were approved on two neighbouring lots: in both cases, a tertiary treatment septic system is to be located near the dwelling, (more than 90 metres from the high water mark,) with the septic bed located much further back (300 metres). These unusual setbacks are required because of the topography of the lots, and because the west basin of Loughborough Lake, where the lots are located, is a sensitive lake trout lake.

Closure of Northern Waste Sites Foiled by Bears?

Green Bay, Salem & Bradshaw Waste Disposal Sites were closed last winter to try to encourage residents to use the provided garbage and recycling collection. Public Works Manager Segsworth brought a recommendation that Council approve this closure be continued for the remainder of 2020, to be reviewed again during the 2021 Budget deliberations, because annual operating costs for these sites totals approximately $40,000/year. Councillor Revill asked whether it might be possible to open these sites for a short time each week.

There have been a lot of problems with bears breaking into garbage bins before pick-up. Segsworth asked whether a reduced level of service, such as opening Green Bay for a couple of hours on Sunday, would help, and Revill thought it might. A final decision was deferred pending a revised staff proposal.

Garbage and Recycling Collection Contract

A Request for Proposal was issued in February, seeking proposals for the collection of garbage and recyclable materials across the entire Township. In an effort to modernize and improve the service delivery, the RFP identified revised collection areas, minimum vehicle standards and four day, rather than three day collection schedules. The RFP closed on March, and the Township received three submissions. However, the lowest priced submission exceeded the approved budget by almost 60%. As a result, and following legal review, the RFP was cancelled and letters were sent to the three proponents.

Segsworth brought a recommendation to Council that the contracts of the current providers be extended for two years, (with the option of two further one-year extensions) at a 15% increase over current costs, no maximum vehicle age requirement, but including same day pickup for both garbage and recycling Monday to Thursday.

In-house collection may become the most cost-effective solution, and would allow greater flexibility of staff use. However, this cannot be implemented quickly: current delivery times for vehicles is 12-18 months minimum, and the future of recycling remains uncertain, due to ongoing Provincial intent to transition to Full Producer Responsibility for the Blue Box. Extending the current contracts would give the Township time to properly develop in-house alternatives (including acquisition of capital and other resources) and allow for better information about the future of recycling.

Sleeth recommended that extending the contract for 3 years, with a 1-year optional extension might be better, for two years could place Council in a lame-duck (election year) situation. The motion was carried with this amendment.

Township Facilities Update

In response to Sleeth’s query about reopening Township-owned community halls, CAO Carbone said that he anticipates these facilities will reopen in late Aug/early Sept. A meeting with the KFPL Health Unit is scheduled for later this week, to review details re bookings, and all Covid-related precautions.

There was some discussion about the “terrible behaviour of outsiders” crowding Gilmour beach: drinking, littering, broken glass, dogs in the water, etc. It seems that bylaw enforcement and the OPP are the only options.

Roadside Grass and Brush Cutting

Segsworth agreed with comments that there has been too little roadside cutting: there have been problems with equipment breakdown, and difficulty getting replacement parts in a timely fashion. Councillor Leonard noted that sight-lines were becoming poor at corners.

(The council meeting was held via teleconference and live broadcast to the Township’s Facebook page. In the absence of Mayor Vandewal, Deputy Mayor Sutherland chaired the meeting. Councillor Barr was absent due to illness)