Year: 2012

During the South Dundas council meeting on April 3rd, Chief Chris McDonough of South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services recommended the purchase of a SCBA compressor.

He recommended purchasing the SCBA compressor from D&L Fire Equipment of Ingleside.

“They are a specialized supplier for this type of equipment and lucky for us they’re in Ingleside.”

“Last year we purchased a ‘Scott re-fill station’ from D&L which was the first of a two part purchase to bring this piece of equipment up to current standards with our health and safety regulations.”

“I did sole source this,” said McDonough.

“This is a specialty item which takes approximately six to eight weeks for delivery and given the age and operating condition of our current compressor, given the condition of this piece of equipment, time will not permit for competitive bids.” 

He explained that the current SCBA compressor has “been limping along. It’s at the end of its life.”

Referring to the close proximity of the company and to the maintenance program, McDonough said, “I feel that it will save money.”

Councillor Archie Mellan said, “we need it. Get it done.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds was concerned with the sole sourcing component of the request, but agreed that McDonough “had good valid reasons.”

The recommendation was approved.

McDonough informed council that the lifespan for this project is at least 15 years. The cost, accounted for in the 2012 capital budget, is approximately $30,000.

[…]

“This year the township has decided or is unable to participate,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde at the April 3rd South Dundas council meeting.

The topic in question was the South Dundas Spring Home and Trade Show coming to the Morrisburg Arena this April 20th and 21st.

She told council that the South Dundas Chamber of Commerce “is wondering if there’s anything to be done to help the township participate.”

Chief administrative officer Stephen McDonald replied, “last year, the main purpose of going in was to promote the website. We certainly hadn’t planned for it to be a yearly ongoing thing.”

“We have numerous projects on the go and decided this was a project we couldn’t take on this year.”

“We’ve just gone through extensive public consultation.”

“Staff is also in the community. Staff works 35 plus hours per week. Whether we’re at the rink, the restaurant, the grocery store,” continued McDonald, “people don’t hesitate to bend our ear.”

He pointed out that “we have nothing against the Chamber.”

Delegarde made a final comment, pointing out that “the fire department is taking part in the trade show so…,” she paused, “maybe next year?”

The topic came to a close without a response.

[…]

 South Dundas treasurer Shannon Geraghty made two requests on behalf of the Galop Canal – Iroquois Landing Marina committee at the April 3rd council meeting in Williamsburg.

“The committee is looking for council’s approval to accept Rideau Docks and to increase the amount of loan to cover the difference,” he said.

“Last year the committee was looking at adding an additional 14 slips,” Geraghty reminded, “and council approved a loan of $33,000 contingent on them showing a payment schedule and RFP (request for proposal.)”

“We received about 15 submissions and provided the committee with a breakdown.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds expressed concern that Rideau Docks was not the lowest bid.

Chief administrative officer Stephen McDonald explained the use of a points system and suggested that there were “certainly points to be sufficient to accept something other than the lowest bid.”

The Marina committee report outlined the following factors as part of their overall decision:

• “The existing docks were supplied and installed by Rideau Docks four years ago and they have proven to be of good quality and durable.

• Rideau Docks is quick to respond to our calls and have proven to provide quality service and maintenance.

• The difference between the lowest tender and the Rideau Docks bid is approximately four per cent.

• Rideau Docks is located locally in Westport while Maylen Construction is located in Hawksbury.”

As per their report, the Marina committee requested that council approve an increase of $8,711.36 to their current approved loan amount, which they plan to use to “purchase the supply and installation of four more docks and four new slips.” 

Byvelds asked if “there’s enough potential profit to pay the loan” to which deputy-mayor Jim Locke offered the following: “There are 13 seasonal boaters. She has eight potential clients. She’s planning to do more advertising and updating the website.”

“It’s a great facility and I really do feel it’s an asset to the community,” said Locke. “The demand is there. I support it.”

Councillor Jim Graham added his support saying, “they are doing a good job.”

Support also came from both councillor Archie Mellan and councillor Evonne Delegarde.

With overall consensus from council, the requests were accepted and the Marina Committee is able to purchase 16 docks and 14 new slips from Rideau Docks for $41,700. 

According to committee treasurer Ron Cowalchuk’s written request, “the increased revenue from the slips will allow the marina to begin to pay down the loan in 2014 with a projected complete repayment of the entire loan including interest by 2024.”

[…]

 

At the April 3rd South Dundas council meeting, the topic of Dunbar Hall was raised once again.

According to clerk Brenda Brunt, “water samples were taken from the septic. They’ve dug around the foundation. It’s sloped.”

“Hopefully this week we’ll have it finished,” she said, referring to the RFP (request for proposal) package.

In addition to Dunbar Hall, questions arose as to how the Iroquois Wastewater Treatment Plant work was progressing. Manager for public works, Hugh Garlough, told council that “with a project that size you can’t expect everything to go perfectly. There’s a couple of hiccups that we’re dealing with.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds agreed that “it’s certainly a big project.”

[…]

Fiona Carr, program coordinator for the Ontario Early Years Centre in Iroquois and Morrisburg hosted her second annual Egg Hunt at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Ingleside on April 5th.

The event was free and open to all young children. 

Carr decided to run the event again this year after a request from a parent in one of her preschool groups. “We did this last year and it was really cute.”

The event took place during school hours to allow easier ‘egg hunting’ for the younger children. While the colourful plastic ‘eggs’ were empty, every child received “a yummy pack of fruit gummies after the fun of searching for ‘eggs’,” said Carr.

 This year’s Egg Hunt provided entertainment for 24 children as opposed to last year’s 40. Carr felt that the cold weather may have frightened a few families away this year, thus explaining the drop in the number of participants. 

The 13 families in attendance  for this year’s preschooler Egg Hunt came from all over Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

[…]

On April 7th,  fire broke out in fields just north of County Road 2 in Morrisburg.

According to South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services chief Chris McDonough, the “big grass fire started on Strader Road, just west of County Road 31 and went all the way down to the TWD building. It was coming up behind McHaffie’s Flea Market.”

McDonough reported that in addition to needing all three stations to battle the blaze, he “had to get South Stormont for mutual aid.” 

“The wind was taking the fire so fast, we could hardly keep up with it,” said McDonough.

He reported that there were about 40 people there trying to get the fire under control and to keep it from spreading.

Three hours and 20 acres later, the blaze was smothered.

“The guys did an excellent job,” said McDonough.

There is no indication of what or who may have started the fire. If he knew, McDonough said, “I’d send them the bill.”

On a positive note, April 9th brought much needed rain, putting an end to McDonough’s plans to declare a fire ban beginning April 10th… for now anyway.  

[…]

Shannon Geraghty, treasurer for South Dundas, made a recommendation to council at the April 3rd meeting on behalf of the Park Pals committee.

Geraghty recommended that council “authorize a transfer from the Parkland Reserve Fund in the amount of $2,000 contingent upon the committee, through fundraising efforts, raising the balance for the landscaping work at the Waterfront Dog Park.”

According to Geraghty’s report, “the scope of the work to commence at the dog park includes:

• An irrigation system that will over spray the heavy traffic areas of both the large and small dog park areas which will help to make the seeding and fertilizing efforts more successful.

• Excavation and installation of a gravel pad inside the entrance to the large park as a means to deal with the wear and tear incurred due to people/pets arriving, leaving, and congregating at the entry area.

• Installation and supply of electrical wiring including trenching, conduit, wire, sand, cement, etc. in order to allow for a light fixture to be installed between the two parks.”

During council’s discussion, deputy-mayor Jim Locke said, “I have no doubt that the group will fulfill their obligation. That’s good.”

“They do a good job,” agreed councillor Jim Graham.

Councillor Evonne Delegarde and mayor Steven Byvelds both expressed concern over the addition of the light fixture and how it may or may not fit into the plans of the Morrisburg Waterfront committee.

Byvelds had additional concerns as to the process for electrical hook-up and for ongoing payment of electricity charges at the dog park.

Geraghty pointed out that the current water and sewer charges for the dog park are being paid “from funds raised by the committee.”

The Park Pals committee is looking to SB & D Landscaping Co. of Iroquois to complete the work.

“The total cost including HST along with the rebate that municipalities currently receive,” reported Geraghty, “the cost that would be required to be financed through transfers and donations would amount to $6,989.97.”

“The committee currently has applied for a lottery license to conduct a Mother’s Day Draw for May 13th,” he reported. “They will be printing 1,200 tickets and selling them at a cost of $5 per ticket.”

He said the group hopes to make $5,000 in profit from the draw.

According to Tracey Veinotte, co-chair of the Park Pals committee, “we have some good prizes.”

The six prizes include: an ipad 3, a $200 Canadian Tire gift card in a Coach wristlet, a $100 gift card from Valumart in a Fossil wallet, a Swarovski pearl and crystal necklace, a manicure and pedicure from Pamper Me Esthetics, and a home visit from Mobile Hair and Make-Up Service.

The draw will take place on Mother’s Day, May13th at 1 p.m.  at the South Dundas Dog Park in Morrisburg. 

The fun part, according to Veinotte, is in the delivery. They plan to personally deliver the prizes to the door of each winner on Mother’s Day.

Once the Park Pals committee has secured their portion of the required funds, the township will transfer the $2,000 from the Parkland Reserve Fund and give it to the group.

[…]

The Iroquois Waterfront Advisory committee has begun the process of gathering information.

They requested council’s help in producing and distributing questionnaires to those people in the “Iroquois Ward.”

South Dundas council agreed to the request at the April 3rd council meeting in Williamsburg.

According to an email sent to the township from the Iroquois Waterfront committee’s Howard Kirkby, the group plans to use the responses to the questionnaire to create a detailed summary report.

In addition, “this report will then be provided to the public along with our upcoming interim report for public discussion in an open meeting to be scheduled. We plan to submit a final report to council by September.”

[…]

On April 3rd, South Dundas council approved clerk Brenda Brunt’s recommendation “that council authorize Bowfin Environmental Consulting to proceed with a species at risk assessment for the vacant land on County Road 8.”

The recommendation follows closely on the heels of the previous meeting when South Dundas council approved the recommendation to declare the 397.31 acres of land opposite the Williamsburg Disposal Site on Church Road as surplus land.

As previously reported, because the property is currently zoned as Rural Special Exception 22 & 27 as well as Wetlands, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has set out a list of conditions that must be met before the land can be sold. 

Included in this list of conditions is a species at risk inventory for which Brunt has already begun the process.

She told council last Tuesday, “I’d sent out the requests to three contractors and only received one back. I’m asking council for permission to sole source this.”

 “The time line is tight. MNR  thinks it’ll take between three to six months,” she continued.

Brunt reminded council that “Bowfin has been used previously in the township in the Industrial Park in Morrisburg.”

Deputy-mayor Jim Locke and councillor Jim Graham were both concerned with the cost of the project, but Brunt assured them that “we’ll try to save every cent that we can.”

She reported that “the upset limit of the project is $10,705 plus HST. The cost of the project will be expensed against the proceeds of the sale.”

[…]