‘Tis the season, campgrounds open Friday

 In response to difficult fire situations, including out of control burns and nuisance smoke complaints, faced by the South Dundas fire officials over the summer, municipal staff drafted a bylaw to govern open air burning.

The main source of contention this summer surrounded agricultural burning for land clearing purposes.

The new draft bylaw sets out specific requirements including set backs, brush pile sizes, control measures and permits that will need to be in place for all types of burning, once the bylaw is approved by council. That approval will not come until council’s issues with the requirements and permit fees are addressed.

After a lengthy discussion of the draft bylaw, at a special council meeting November 27, staff was presented with a number of changes.

During the discussions it was indicated that there will be some areas of the municipality, such as the towns of Morrisburg and Iroquois where burning will be prohibited.

Those in areas where open air burning is permitted will have to obtain a permit and pay a small administration fee to offset costs.

The permits guarantee contact between landowners and the municipality, resulting in a record of where and when the burning is to occur, and ensures that there is not a burn ban in place at the time.

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The number of fatal crashes in the East Region of the Ontario Provincial Police jurisdiction is on the decline.

Fatal crashes in eastern Ontario were reduced by 27 per cent in 2013, compared to 2012. Last year, 50 people died in 45 fatal crashes. The year before 73 died in 62 crashes.

Also down are three of the contributing factors to a fatal crash; seatbelt infractions are down by 25 per cent, ejections are down by 50 per cent and alcohol related fatal crashes are down by 20 per cent.

“Although the OPP take this as a good sign, there is room for improvement,” says OPP Sgt. Kristine Rae.  

The OPP in East Region will continue to focus enforcement on: distracted driving, seatbelts, aggressive driving and impaired driving.

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The Moonlight Chapter #224 of the Eastern Star in Iroquois has a few things left on its to do list before it amalgamates with Prescott and last Thursday it took care of one of them with a donation to the Breakfast Program at Iroquois Public School.

Represented by Worthy Matron Gay Rust and Associate Matron Ruth Robertson, the Moonlight Chapter #224 dropped off a $400 donation to the school’s breakfast program which is organized by school secretary Phyllis Fisher and EA Christa St. Pierre. 

It is unfortunate, but “the Iroquois Chapter of the Eastern Star is closing, and we are consolidating with the Violet Chapter in Prescott,” explained Associate Matron, Ruth Robertson. 

“We have retired as a chapter and our consolidation will happen in July,” added Worthy Matron Gay Rust explaining that while the Iroquois chapter has a good sized membership, many of the members are elderly and unable to take an active role. 

As a result of their consolidation with Prescott, the Moonlight Chapter has found itself in a position of having some extra money. 

“We had a chance to give money, and I said let’s keep it here in Iroquois,” said Rust of the $400 to the school’s breakfast program. “Ruth thought that was a wonderful idea, so this is another good note that we are ending on.” 

Fisher and St. Pierre were extremely appreciative of the donation. “When I started the program several years ago, I didn’t want to single out any child,” said Fisher. “So every child has the availability of the food.” 

That means the program provides a nutritious starter to 270 kids daily.

“When I come in, I can see that the kids love it,” said Robertson, a retired Iroquois Public School teacher. “They love the veggies and dip. Some days they have fruit. It’s a lot of work, but it’s healthy and the kids like it.”

Iroquois Public School principal Kelty Grant also thanked the Moonlight chapter. Donations are welcome additions to the ministry funded Breakfast Program she said. 

Each year, in cooperation with the Friendly Brothers Iroquois Mason Lodge #143, the Eastern Star Chapter in Iroquois has been involved with ‘special projects’ selected by their Worthy Matron. This past April the Chapter donated $500 each to the Dundas County Hospice, the Winchester Hospital Heelers and the Mason Lodge #143 in memory of Master Mason Gary Richards.

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