Free well water testing

The township of South Dundas has declared the 397.31 acres of land opposite the Williamsburg Disposal Site on County Road 8, more commonly know as Church Road, as surplus land.

At the March 20th council meeting, Clerk Brenda Brunt recommended that the land be declared surplus and subsequently sold. 

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

The most notable condition is a “species at risk” inventory which is expected to take between three to six months to complete.

Discussion arose in response to the cost of the inventory and how council might recoup the cost while waiting for a buyer. Brunt estimated the cost to be around $10,000 and, as Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald pointed out, “any sensible buyer is going to want to see that before they agree to buy.”

As for possible MNR restrictions on the land, Brunt said, “they’re hoping they won’t clear it for farmland.”

“The other concern is there’s an allowance for a possible building,” said Mayor Steven Byvelds. He wanted assurance that should the buyer erect a building on the land, they do so on Mackenzie Road, rather than on “old Fifth Concession” which is not maintained.

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Municipal Elections will be held on October 27, 2014 for the election of Municipal Councils and School Board Trustees. Persons interested in submitting their names as candidates, may now complete the necessary nomination forms and submit them to the Municipal Office by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 12, 2014.

The Municipality of South Dundas has adopted the alternate voting method of "Vote by Telephone, Internet or Paper Composite Ballot". VOTING WILL ONLY BE DONE BY TELEPHONE, INTERNET OR PAPER COMPOSITE BALLOT.

Should a municipal election occur as a result of having a greater number of candidates than required to fill the office(s) available, each eligible and registered elector on the List of Electors 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.

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As an added security feature, you will be required to add your date of birth before voting. If you are unsure that your full date of birth is on the voter’s list, you may contact the Voter Help Centre (Municipal Office) to have it added prior to voting. After September 22, 2014, you will be required to come into the Voter Help Centre to fill out a form and provide photo identification.

Voting will commence on October 22, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. and conclude on October 27, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. Voting access by telephone and internet will be available on a continuous 6 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 6 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. Please contact the Municipal Office for the hours or further information.

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The Upper Canada District School Board is opening four new TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education campuses next week in Williamsburg, Casselman, Hawkesbury, and Rockland.

“This is good training news for area residents,” says Diane Coombs, TR Leger manager of literacy and language services. 

“The campuses offer a doorway into a full range of training and services from grade 12, employment preparation, goal-setting workshops, and settlement services for newcomers to Canada.”

Coombs says staff members are frequently heard to say that the TR Leger system helps adults rediscover the learner inside. This is certainly true in the Adult Literacy and Employment Prep Program (ALEPP) which offers adults a chance to brush up on reading and writing skills, get hands-on with computers, and set realistic goals.

Besides goal-setting and entry to digital technology, this program offers preparation towards more than 16 jobs such as landscaping, clerical, service station attendant, daycare worker, and many more.

“For those with the Ontario Secondary School Diploma as a goal, the friendly environment allows for self-paced study with a supporting cast of adult educators – an expert team to help achieve the goal,” says Coombs.

Newcomers to Canada can make appointments with experienced Settlement Outreach Workers who will meet with clients on-site and help them with their settlement plans. 

In addition, Canadian Language Benchmark Certified English language assessors can help make language learning plans.

TR Leger Principal Geoff Trasuk says TR Leger graduates about 400 grade 12 students every year, sometimes with two or three generations of a family crossing the stage together.

“The TR Leger ALEPP, second language programs and settlement services assist well over a thousand additional adult clients each year,” Trasuk says.

To contact the TR Leger for registration and information, please call 1-877-875-3437. 

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