Year: 2013

The Iroquois Golf Course Board is going to be eliminated.

Formed when the municipality was operating the Iroquois Golf Course, the board consists of the members of South Dundas council.

South Dundas and Seaway Golf have a lease agreement, but that lease is with South Dundas, represented by the council, and not the board.

“The bills are being paid, and it the golf course is not costing the municipality any money,” said South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald. “The board has served its purpose. There is no longer a need for the board.”

“I don’t think we’re going back in to the golfing business,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds. 

“Eliminating the board will just eliminate a layer of bureaucracy,” he added.

Staff was directed by council to bring a resolution to dissolve the board to council at their next meeting.

Following the elimination of that board, any issues regarding the lease agreement will go directly to council. 

[…]

Public washrooms for the Morrisburg plaza, are one step closer to becoming a reality.

At the November 19 South Dundas council meeting, the generous offer of the donation of 99 Main Street Morrisburg, made by Doug Grenkie in 2012 was accepted by council.

They passed a resolution agreeing that the municipality accept the conveyance of the property as a gift in kind and issue a charitable donation receipt of nearly $35,000.

With that acceptance, South Dundas municipal staff were directed to draft a long term lease agreement with the Morrisburg Business Improvement Area confirming that the property will be used for public washrooms and that the BIA will be responsible for all improvements and operational costs of the property.

That lease agreement will come back to council for approval once it is drafted.

“This has been five or six years coming. I’m glad to see it,” said South Dundas councillor Jim Graham. “This has been a long time coming,” said mayor Steven Byvelds. “I am glad that the BIA has taken this on as a project.”

“This is a great partnership with the BIA,” said councillor Evonne Delegarde. “We are needing washroom facilities in our malls. What a great opportunity to offer this to patrons.”

While offering public washrooms plaza patrons, the site will also provide the BIA with much needed office space. 

[…]

Not only is current deputy warden Eric Duncan the youngest deputy warden in SDG history, he will be the last.

An ad hoc committee of counties council was formed to review and make procedural recommendations. Those were recently reported to counties council.

“Council will eliminate the position of deputy warden,” reported South Dundas deputy mayor and county councillor Jim Locke at the November 19 South Dundas council meeting.

Traditionally, the person selected as deputy warden, moved into the warden’s seat after one year in the role.

Once these changes are ratified by counties council, the warden will be elected at the October meeting and sworn in to the seat at the head of the council table in December.

Duncan will be the last Deputy Warden to automatically move to the warden’s seat. His inauguration as warden is set for December 6.

Once the new rules come into effect, the sitting warden will also be given the opportunity to serve in the role for one year, or to serve, with council’s approval, for two years.

South Dundas mayor, counties councillor, and former SDG warden Steven Byvelds was on the committee that made these recommendations. 

He recognizes that some wardens are eager for the one year term to end, while others would like to have the opportunity to stay on a little longer to further advance their efforts on committees like the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus.

The deputy mayor often stands in for the warden during ceremonial events. 

In future, this will be handled by an acting warden. Council members will take turns at being acting warden, thus getting more of them involved with community events across SDG. This will be done on a monthly rotation.

Traditionally, though not an official rule, the warden has been rotated between the six municipalities. This change, may or may not impact that traditional rotation. That will be at the discretion of council, as they elect each warden.

The committee has also recommended that counties council adopt the use of a consent agenda. This is the type of agenda already being used here in South Dundas.

[…]

No major county roads projects are slated for South Dundas in 2014.

South Dundas’ counties council representatives South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds and South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, reported that to South Dundas council at the November 19 regular meeting of council.

Counties council will deliberate the counties budget in February 2014, but this month were presented with the preliminary roads budget.

While the almost $12 million budget includes the counties regular 50 km of resurfacing done annually, little of that resurfacing will take place on counties roads within South Dundas.

According to Byvelds, 1.9 km of County Road 18 between Williamsburg and Boucks Hill will be resurfaced, but the major projects will take place on County Road 19 and on County Road 31, from Winchester to the City of Ottawa boundary.

The counties roads budget includes $250,000 of counties money for the storm sewer reconstruction project in Morrisburg scheduled for spring 2014.

Deputy mayor Locke said he continues to lobby for something to be done to improve the state of the County Road 16 railway crossing.

[…]

While South Dundas council was interested in expanding the area leased from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, which owns the parkland at Iroquois Point – the landowners were not.

Earlier this month, when council was looking at some minor changes to a land lease they hold with the SLMC, the idea of leasing all of the parkland was suggested.

The thinking, for council was to eliminate a level of bureaucracy for those wanting to use the parkland for events. 

The SLMC was not interested in the proposal.

Instead the only changes will be to identify the Municipality of South Dundas, rather than the former Matilda Township, as the leaseholder. South Dundas will hold the lease only on the picnic shelter, band shell and monument areas of the Iroquois point parkland.

[…]

South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services is proactive when it comes to ensuring its residents are protected with a proper working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

SDFES runs a program, whereby its members go door-to-door visiting homes in South Dundas to test smoke detectors, to help homeowners/tenants ensure that they are properly located within the home, to provide new batteries, and if needed to provide homeowners, one time, with a free smoke alarm. 

They too inspect carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are installed properly in an optimum location, and are in working condition. These have been mandatory in South Dundas since 2011, in any home with a fuel fired appliance or an attached garage.

Fire chief Chris McDonough explained that this ongoing program has never been about fining people for non-compliance. It is about ensuing that they are properly alarmed, which is an essential, life-saving, first line of defence in an emergency.

So far this year, South Dundas firefighters have visited 170 homes. 

“It is a very successful program,” said McDonough, adding that the homeowners are very receptive to it and that the firefighters love helping out their friends and neighbours with important advice.

“This is a hugely important program,” said McDonough, adding that the winter and the holiday season is the highest risk time for fires, especially in single family dwellings. 

Since the inception of the alarm program, the number of residential fires in South Dundas has decreased.

Each year, Union Gas searches out worthy community programs and provides them with grants in support of their efforts.

They selected the SDFES Alarm Program as one of those worthy community initiatives, providing it with a $2,000 grant. 

“As a company, our focus on safety doesn’t end with the work day. We believe in investing in programs that will help make our communities safter 24/7,” said Jake Lapierre of Union Gas. 

“South Dundas Fire and Emergency Servicdes continues to actively promote fire safety throughout the community with the door-to-door campaign. We are very pleased to receive this generous donation from Union Gas,” said Chief McDonough.

[…]

This year’s Flash A Stache fundraising campaign culminates this Friday, November 29, with a special event at the Winchester Arena.

The evening starts with an Ottawa Senators Alumni vs. Winchester Hawks Alumni hockey game starting at 8 p.m. 

Following the game, there will be a reception upstairs for moustache judging. There the top fund raisers will be recognized.

As of press time, just over $26,000 has been raised for the 2013 edition of Dare to Flash A ‘Stache. 

Funds from this year’s event will be divided between the WDMH Foundation and the Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s support for Dr. Anthony Bella’s Men’s Health Research Project.

Dr. Bella himself will be participating in the hockey game with the Ottawa Senators Alumni.

The Ottawa Senator Alumni Team is also expected to include: Fred Barrett (Minnesota North Stars), John Barrett (Detroit Red Wings), Kevin Kemp (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jean Payette (Quebec Nordiques), Larry Skinner (Colorado Rockies), Shawn Rivers (Tampa Bay Lightning), Chris Valentine (Washington Capitals), Dan Frawley (Pittsburgh Penguins), Moe Robinson (Nova Scotia Voyageurs (AHL), Montreal Canadiens) Mark Cavallin-G (Canadian National Team), Mark Reed (Assistant Coach Senators), Jason Smith (Ottawa Senators).

The final roster and numbers for the Hawks are as follows: Coaches – Bill Hogaboam and Al VanBridger, Kevin Baldwin, Terry Carkner, Dolton Henry, Clinton Holmes, Travis Rowe, Marty Little, Terry Barkley, Todd Marcellus, Nik Paas, Robyn Sadler, Rob Raistrick, Shawn Smail, Colin Bowie, Warren Holmes, Dereck Holmes and Dave Summers.

[…]

SDG – Over $4,700 in monetary and gift card donations to area food banks were collected by the SD&G OPP Auxiliary in this year’s Stuff a Cruiser event.

That money for the food banks was in addition to the over 15,000 pounds of food items that are now on shelves at the Dundas County Food Bank, Naomi’s Family Resource Centre and Cornwall area food banks.

The seven events at grocery stores across SD&G were held to support each store’s food bank of choice.

The results of the annual food drive, organized and hosted by the SDG OPP Auxiliary, far exceeded expectations.

“This is just another example of the generosity that the communities of SD&G have by pulling together to help people in need,” said Auxiliary Staff Sgt. Al Jodoin.

The Dundas County Food Bank received over $1,400 in monetary and gift card donations and  approximately 4,000 pounds of food items.

Holiday food drives are essential to the food bank as it re-stocks its shelves for the winter. Winter is always a time of increased need. 

[…]