South Frontenac Council May17/22

Wilma Kenny | May 25, 2022

Communal Services Governance: Business Case Study

Council agreed to support the publishing of the Draft Frontenac Municipal Services Corporation (MSC) Business Case Study by the County of Frontenac for public review and comment. This relates to the eventual development of communal water and sewage services for small housing developments.

Support for the business case does not bind the Township to ownership in an MSC but it is a required next step to move the process forward. Once the public review closes, a revised business case would be updated by the County’s Communal Services Committee and circulated to the Township for feedback and approval. Council has been consistent in the opinion that communal services should be affordable and profit dividends should not be charged. “This has been an eye-opener,’ said Councillor McDougall; “Why has it taken from last October until now to get this far? How much longer is this going to take?” CAO Fragnito said the process would not be complete until September/October.

Mayor Vandewal added: “The other municipalities saw no threat and approved it. South Frontenac had reservations and questions so it’s us that’s held it up. The County and the other municipalities want to move forward.”

Disconnecting from Work

Bill 27, passed by the Province in Dec ’21, adds new provisions to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), including requiring Ontario employers with 25 or more employees to have a written Disconnecting from Work policy by June 2, 2022. The goal is to help employees achieve a healthy balance of work, family and personal responsibilities. Agreeing there should be more clarity about the Township’s ‘on-call system,’ Council decided to defer a decision for now.

Office Expansion Feasibility Study

Council agreed to award the Office Expansion Feasibility Study to Colbourne & Kembel, Architects, Inc in the amount of $68,528 net of rebatable HST. AND that the additional required funding in the amount of $48,528 be funded from Facilities Reserve. This will include an engineering component.(The only other bid was from J.L. Richards, in the amount of $201,764.) The proposal provides for the review of the existing facility along with 3 satellite options within the hamlet of Sydenham. (Following a strong public reaction, the possibility of expanding into the library building has been removed.)

Sydenham Water System Management

Council approved the extension of the current contract with Utilities Kingston for 5 years, with the option for a further 5-year extension: the Township continues to be well pleased with this relationship and the quality of service provided.

Emergency Medical Response by SF Fire and Rescue

In response to a request for further information about the Fire Department’s role in responding to medical emergencies, Chief Darcy Knott brought a report which showed that in the past several years, medical incidents have accounted for almost half the Department’s calls. The fire service is notified as well as the ambulance for: all motor vehicle accidents, absence of vital signs, unconsciousness, airway obstruction, absence of breathing, and whenever it is anticipated that the ambulance response will be greater than 15 minutes. All SFFR firefighters are trained in emergency medical response.

In 2020 and as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic, Council supported a SFFR Capital Purchase to retrofit three existing pickup trucks to create new Rapid Response Units. These offer improved access for many types of emergency responses and are primarily used for all medical responses. 5 more units will come online in 2022, ensuring that each of the 8 fire stations will have a Rapid Response Unit by the end of this year. These units have provided significant cost savings with the decommissioning and sale of 3 of the 6 larger Squad/Rescue units.