South Frontenac Council - Aug. 6/11

Wilma Kenny | Sep 08, 2011

Day Motocross Application Denied

A 5/4 vote this week decided the fate of motocross racing on the Bill Day farm near Harrowsmith. Councillors McDougall, Stowe, and Vandewal, Deputy Mayor Tinlin and Mayor Davison all followed the advice of the township planner, and turned down Mr Day’s application for a temporary permit to hold motocross races on his property. Vandewal said he wasn’t prepared to sanction any more than one race, to see how it was managed, and Tinlin said strong objections showed the races would be incompatible with residential areas. McDougall reported that for an hour and a half of the two hours he spent at Sunday’s snowmobile grass drags on Day’s farm, motorbikes and atv’s, not snowmobiles, were racing. Although the noise “wasn’t anything like the Verona mud drags,” he expressed serious concerns about safety issues: only a rope separating spectators from high-speed machines, and smaller bikes darting randomly around among the crowd, some “doing wheelies close to children.” He also suggested the sale of hats and shirts with the phrase “Day Motocross Park” was premature.

Township Appoints New Treasurer

Further to the retirement of Debbie Bracken, long-time township treasurer, Council has appointed Louise Fragnito as the new treasurer. CAO Orr, who describes Ms Fragnito, CGA, as “a strong asset”, says she is currently deputy treasurer for the County of Frontenac, and thus already familiar with many aspects of the township’s finances.

Recreation Budget Changes

Ashley Belanger, recreation Coordinator, on behalf of the recreation committees, recommended that: 1) the $12,000 allocated for a stage and outdoor rink at Centennial park, Harrowsmith, be reallocated to the pouring of a multi-use concrete pad, and 2) deferral of the structural review and Old Canteen repairs at Bedford Hall in favour of reallocating the budgeted $30,000 toward assessing and addressing the issue of mould at the hall. Council agreed, although Vandewal asked whether it was appropriate to apply recreational budget funds to mould treatment.

Is That the Dog Catcher at the Door?

Council turned down a motion which would have directed staff to cease having the Animal Control Officers conduct a door-to-door review for unlicensed dogs, and to further direct the process back to the Corporate Services Committee to review the legality of the issue. Councillor Naish, who had initiated the motion, clarified his intent was not to stop the process, but to time-limit it to three months after the March cut-off for dog owners to purchase their tickets from the Township. Vandewal agreed, noting that the program is self-funding, costing the Township nothing. The program is intended to build a data base for future license notices.

George Street Renovations

Now that the library has moved out of its former location, Council has directed staff to proceed with tendering the renovations necessary to accommodate the relocation of treasury staff from Keeley road.

Other Business

Councillor Vandewal presented several procedural suggestions for further consideration: perhaps the ‘in camera’ portion of the meeting would be better placed at the beginning of a meeting, and should Council continue to meet two times a month throughout the summer? He also asked that the outdoor furnace issue be brought forward for discussion, noting that there is already one such furnace within the hamlet of Sydenham.

And the Chickens!

Councillor McDougall brought notice of motion to re-open the backyard chicken by-law, saying that he had received ‘dozens of phone calls’, many of them pointing out that other municipalities made allowances for lots much smaller than two acres.