South Frontenac Council - Feb. 7

Jeff Green | Feb 09, 2012

South Frontenac to consider Caterpillar boycott

Councilor Bill Robinson wanted South Frontenac Council to make a political statement when it discussed buying a vibratory roller for its road crew at a Council meeting on Tuesday night, February 7.

Robinson suggested that instead of accepting the lowest bid that met the tender criteria, $140,896.31 for a Caterpillar product, Council opt instead for a machine made by Bomag, a British company, for $1,724 more.

“I’m sure everybody is aware of what Caterpillar did in London - offer the workers a 50% pay cut and then leave the country, putting 460 families out of work. I think we should move to the next bidder, for that reason,” said Robinson.

“I sympathise with the people of London, my home town,” said Councilor Mark Tinlin, “but I don’t want to penalize the South Frontenac taxpayers to do this.”

“I’m not sure we can arbitrarily reject the lowest bid,” said Councilor Ron Vandewal. “If it’s for technical reasons, that’s fine, but for political reasons I’m not sure.”

“We don’t have to accept the lowest bid,” said Robinson. “It says right in all of our tenders that we will not necessarily accept the lowest bid.”

Mayor Davison suggested that the matter be referred to staff for advice on the legal implications of Bill Robinson’s proposal, and Council agreed.

“I’m not saying I disagree with your tack, Councilor Robinson,” said Mayor Gary Davison after the decision was deferred, “I have a lot of sympathy for your position on this.”

Earlier in the meeting Council decided to purchase a John Deere grader for $332,000, which was over $16,000 higher than the price for a Caterpillar grader. In that case, however, Council’s decision was based upon a recommendation by Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth. Segsworth said that the Caterpillar grader was not available with a steering wheel.

“Instead the steering is provided through joysticks on the arm rests. Our grader operators prefer the steering wheel, and that was what the tender specifications said so I don’t see why I should ignore the operators’ request,” said Segsworth.

“I think that some time or another all such vehicles will come only with joysticks,” said Councilor Tinlin, “and the operators might as well get used to them now, especially when it is going to cost us $16,000 more.”

Tinlin was the only one who held to that position, and in an 8-1 vote the purchase of the John Deere grader was approved.

Waste Management issues – Mark Segsworth informed Council that at the Keeley Road facility, southeast of Sydenham, waste management staff will be ready to recycle hay baler wrap within the next month or two. “We will contact some farmers directly when we are up and running to do some testing, and then it will be available for everyone,” he said.

Councilor Larry York, who has been pushing for a baler wrap recycling program for several years, said that the township should inform all local farmers “that recycling for baler wrap is coming within one to two months and they should store up their wrap instead of it going up in smoke.”

Mark Segwworth also informed Council that the Certificate of Approval for the Keeley Road Household Hazardous Waste Depot has been amended. It will now be possible for the township to open the depot year round, and the township is no longer restricted to taking hazardous waste from only South Frontenac residents.

But Segsworth is not planning to make any changes in the operation in the very near future.

“We will have to negotiate with other townships before we can accept any of their residents’ waste, and as far as opening the depot before April this year, I haven’t had time to work on that with all the attention that has been paid to other waste matters over the last month or so. I think 2012 will be a very interesting year when it comes to solid waste management in South Frontenac,” Segsworth said with a tinge of irony in his voice.

Speed limit changes – Council passed a bylaw setting new speed limits on four roads. Spooner Road east of Perth Road will have a 60 km/hr posting, while Dover Road east of Latimer Road will have a 50 km/hr limit. Horning Road, running west off Sydenham Road, will be a 60 km/hr road, while Orser Road from Sydenham Road to 3.8 kilometres west of Sydenham Road will have a 70 km/hr limit.

Black Rat Snake – Councilor John McDougall brought the potential Black Rat Snake regulations to Council’s attention. Mayor Davison said staff will look into the matter and Council will address it at an upcoming meeting.

“I remember when those snakes would come out of the limestone and we would just whack them with a crow bar,” said Davison, a mason by trade, “but I guess that’s not the way things are done anymore since they are on the endangered species list.”