British Home Child Event in Chesterville

Fire fighters with the South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services are ‘suiting up’.

South Dundas council approved chief Chris McDonough’s request to purchase uniform tunics and station wear from Carleton Uniforms.

McDonough chose to sole-source the purchase “to ensure consistency and compatibility with the existing uniforms.”

“Prior to my coming to South Dundas, they used Carleton Uniforms,” he said.

In addition, McDonough praised the quality and service provided by Carleton Uniforms in the past.

He outlined this year’s uniform needs in a report to council: “A majority of our uniforms in all three stations only require the new crest, however there are some that need to be replaced in addition to the fire fighters that have completed their one year probation.”

“There will also be new ‘station wear’ that will need to be purchased for staff.”

“For clarification, uniforms are worn for formal functions such as parades and funerals whereas the station wear is worn for school tours, local community events and our ‘Smoke Alarm Program’.”

McDonough assured council that the purchase would not exceed the already approved $20,000 budget allowance for uniforms.

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Voters in South Dundas should have received a copy of a pamphlet in the mail this week that explains how they vote in the upcoming municipal election.

In this election South Dundas voters will have the opportunity to vote by phone, internet or paper ballot.

This pamphlet is not the Voter Information Letter, that will be send out the second week in October.

Electors in South Dundas will personally and individually receive by first-class mail, a Voter Information Letter containing the following information;

1. The toll free telephone number to call and the website to visit to vote;

2. Your confidential and Personalized Identification Number (Voting PIN);

3. A list of the candidates nominated for each office and instructions on how to vote;

4. The telephone number of the Voter Help Center.

As an added security feature, voters will be required to add your date of birth before voting. Anyone unsure if their full date of birth is on the voter’s list, may have to come into the Voter Help Centre (Municipal office) to fill out a form and provide photo identification.

Voting will commence on October 22, 2014 at 9 a.m. and conclude on October 27, 2014 at 8 p.m. 

Voting access by telephone and internet will be available on a continuous six day, 24-hour basis during this voting period. The “vote by telephone” method requires use of a touch-tone telephone. The “vote by internet” method requires use of a computer with internet access.

As in the past no proxies are permitted with these alternate voting methods. Any individual, during the six day voting period, may request assistance at the Voter Help Centre (Municipal Office).

In addition, all County Libraries have established internet access centers for the use of the public at locations in the various communities in the United Counties of S.D.&G.

To accommodate all electors, the Municipal Office will be open extra hours. For further information call them at 613-543-2673.

[…]

The November 15th South Dundas council meeting saw a lot of discussion surrounding the Morrisburg Rink rental fees.

The issue was raised due to a letter received by the Township,  sent by Bruce Mullin about the “more-than-double” rate of the ice rental fee for Seaway District High School’s hockey team.

According to Mullin’s letter, last year the team paid $37 per hour for ice time, but this year the rate has gone up to $87 per hour.

The Morrisburg Rink’s rental fees are $125 per hour for adult prime time rental, $95 per hour for children’s prime time rental, and a universal $85 per hour for non-prime rental. All prices are before the addition of HST.

Manager for Recreation, Don Lewis, provided council with a breakdown of rink costs. It costs “$24 per hour for electricity when the compressors are running. When there’s no rental, it costs $8 per hour.”

“The hourly rate for one of our employees (with benefits calculated in) is $29.66 per hour.”

“It’s $53.67 in total. That does not include the natural gas we burn for heaters or the zamboni. These are just two of the key things,” he continued.

In checking with other arenas, Lewis found that Morrisburg’s prices are comparable.

“People think that when the rink’s not being used that it’s not costing us as if it was being used,” said Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald.

The main concern seemed to revolve around two points: what is fair and consistent for everyone; and, what can council do to help support the existence of a hockey team for the local high school.

Councillor Jim Graham pointed out: “They got a rate last year and they were expecting it this year. My suggestion is that we give them a reduced rate on their practice time. This year they got hit with something they weren’t expecting.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “one of the challenges I have is that we went through the budget. We felt they were fair. There’s no expectation to make money. It’d be nice to break even. There’s a lot of cost we haven’t accounted for.”

He pointed out the probability that “if we allow a break on this one” then minor hockey might ask “‘if the high school can get a break, then why can’t we?’”

He later said, “I just think it’s fair that we try to be consistent.”

He admitted that the hockey program for high school students “gets them out and gives them school spirit.”

He said, “we try to be fair and still run our business and try to keep deficits to a minimum.”

Council members each saw the need to be fair and the need to keep deficits to a minimum, but many also wanted to do something for the high school’s hockey team.

In the end, it was decided that for 2011/2012, ice rental fees for Seaway’s team will be $50 per hour for practice ice time and $85 per hour for tournament ice time.  The following years will see the team paying the same price as everyone else.

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