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“We’ve talked about being open and fair so much that we thought we should go back and look at our procurement policy,” said Clerk Brenda Brunt at the March 6th South Dundas council meeting.

Brunt presented council with a recommendation to amend the procurement policy in an effort to “change some of the wording to ensure it was an open, fair, and transparent process.” 

Council agreed. Councillor Archie Mellan said, “I think it’s a very good document.”

The submitted report stated that seven “principles will be upheld to ensure the process is objective, accountable and fair.”

The principles are as follows: 

• “The underlying concept of procurement shall be to obtain the best quality of goods or services at the lowest possible price;

• The process shall be fair and the policies shall apply equally to all bidders;

• Procurement decisions shall be made in an unbiased manner without influence of personal preferences, prejudices or interpretations;

• Purchasing ethics, or moral principles or code, shall be respected and followed by personnel who are responsible for buying goods or services;

• There shall be clarity and disclosure in arriving at procurement decisions;

• Environmentally friendly procurement shall be encouraged, as will group purchasing across departments, with other municipalities and/or organizations, when beneficial and practical;

• The lowest or any tender shall not necessarily be accepted due to non-compliance with criteria set in the tender document.”

[…]

South Dundas budget deliberations for 2012 are complete and grant allocations have been decided.

At the first meeting, March 5th, Treasurer Shannon Geraghty told South Dundas council that grant requests were “a little over $40,000” while only $20,000 had been allotted for that purpose.

Rather than alter the allotment, council decided to go through the requests first.

While almost all groups requesting grants received money, most didn’t receive their requested sum. In fact, two groups didn’t receive at all. 

Allocated grants are as follows:

• Canada Day Committee, Morrisburg – $2,000

• Santa Claus Parade – $300

• Williamsburg Community Association – $300

• Canada Day, Iroquois – $2,000

• Dundas County Hospice – $500

• Bluegrass Festival – $3,000

• Iroquois Lawn Bowling – $2,000

• St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage – $1,000

• Upper Canada Playhouse – $1,500

• Iroquois Festival Committee – $1,000

• Seaway District High School Graduation – $750

• Cruickshank Amphitheatre – $3,000

In total, council approved $17,350 in grants, leaving $2,650 in the original grant budget.

“Last year it was decided that was a one time thing,” said Councillor Jim Graham in reference to the Iroquois Festival Committee.

The debate centered around whether this was actually a ‘community’ festival benefitting the community or a ‘plaza’ festival benefitting the businesses.

Councillor Evonne Delegarde pointed out that this year the focus will be on the War of 1812.

Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “I do agree this is a fine line.”

This will be the last year for this particular grant. 

Another huge discussion was had over the Iroquois Lawn Bowling request. As Byvelds pointed out, “I see an issue of fairness. Compare it to the Morrisburg Curling Club.” 

It was suggested that this would be the last year the Iroquois Lawn Bowling would receive grant money.

As for the matter of how much to give to whom, this came down to an attempt at fairness. Both Morrisburg and Iroquois Canada Day celebrations received the same amount, to be fair. This raised an issue with the Bluegrass Festival receiving more than Canada Day festivities. In the end, it was decided that Bluegrass needed some help getting started.

Following grant deliberations, council discussed the new application format put into effect last fall, requiring groups to fill out forms and meet qualifications. The point of the new process is accountability. Byvelds suggested adding a component to the forms: “For next year, tell us exactly what they did with our money.”

As for the new application’s November deadline, Graham added, “it makes people plan ahead instead of doing things at the last minute.”

[…]

South Dundas Councillor Archie Mellan raised the issue of recycling needs in South Dundas at the March 6th council meeting.

“There’s no place in South Dundas for electronics recycling,” said Mellan. He said that Manager for Public Works, Hugh Garlough, told him that “a few years ago we had an agreement with the House of Lazarus.”

According to Mellan, the original agreement was terminated because of logistical issues. 

Mellan said the current issue is finding a safe location for drop-offs and ensuring that the items are not thrown around and damaged. The electronics are not recyclable if they’ve been damaged. There is a difference between ‘broken’ and ‘damaged.’

It was asked that staff “come back with something on this.”

[…]

Council was reminded, at the March 6th council meeting, that noise pollution will be an inevitable by-product of the construction upgrades taking place at the Iroquois Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Manager for Planning and Enforcement, Don Lewis, recommended that council “consider a noise exemption request to permit proposed construction activity that may occur from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday.”

Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke was assured that there was no one in close proximity.

Council agreed with the recommendation and granted the exemption.

Looking to the future, Mayor Steven Byvelds suggested that staff consider “amalgamating these noise by-laws into a South Dundas by-law.”

[…]

At the February 21st South Dundas council meeting, council passed a by-law prohibiting trucks on Dr. Miller Drive.

The by-law was passed after council agreed with a recommendation from the Manager of Public Works Hugh Garlough whereby he requested that there be “no truck traffic on Dr. Miller Drive for the duration of work done on the Iroquois Wastewater Treatment Plant.”

The reason for the recommendation was outlined in his report to council: “Dr. Miller Drive, 1.2 kilometres in length, was upgraded to a double surface treated road in 2007. The cost at that time was $53,000 per kilometre for a total cost of $63,600. This is an investment the township road department wishes to protect.”

Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke recognized Garlough’s request as a “proactive move.”

In agreement, Councillor Archie Mellan pointed out that “there’s no sense in building a plant and wrecking a road.”

Councillor Evonne Delegarde inquired to the policing of the rule, to which Garlough replied that AECOM would be on-site everyday to oversee things and, he added, “we’ll deal with that if anyone in that construction is caught.”

Mayor Steven Byvelds expressed his belief that “most truckers who see a sign up like that will respect it.”

[…]

On March 12th, the 1st Williamsburg BPSC (Scouts) hosted their fifth annual CHEO Carnival at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Williamsburg with proceeds benefitting the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Therapeutic Clown program.

Scouts of all ages were busy making sure that all young visitors to their carnival had fun. Activities included face painting, dress-up, lots of game choices, popcorn and other yummy snacks, balloon animals and more.

According to Bonnie Omond, Otter Leader, the event’s origins began about six years ago when a boy in her Otter group watched the movie Patch Adams and subsequently suggested the group do something to help CHEO clowns.

While they weren’t able to make the idea a reality that year, Omond said they followed through the following year and have been doing it ever since.

The 1st Williamsburg BPSC (Baden-Powell Scouts) has members from all around the area. These traditional scouts have four groups ranging from ages five to late teens: Otters, Timberwolves, Explorers, and Senior Explorers. They meet on Mondays in Williamsburg.

As for the CHEO clowns, according to CHEO’s website, the program has been underway since 2001 and “Mollypenny works as a Therapeutic Clown to assist children, youth and their families cope with the stress of illness, injury and having to stay in the hospital.”

Reasoning behind the intitiative is simple: “Laughter and play are important aspects of physical, social and emotional development and recovery.”

“Room to room, visits provide healing laughter, a caring attitude, respect, encouragement, comedy, a little magic and red nose transplants! It is not necessarily about the traditional tricks of the trade such as fancy magic tools, but rather the energies that we all possess inside us like listening, intuition, sensitivity, emotional creativity, and more.”

“In her previous career, Mollypenny was a nurse who worked in the operating room (OR). She now works as a Therapeutic Clown, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.”

[…]

On February 22, at a special ceremony in Toronto, Charlene Rose, the Continuous Improvement Manager at the Kraft Foods plant in Ingleside, was one of seven employees across Canada to receive a Canadian Leadership of Excellence Award.

The daughter of Ed and Estella Rose of Winchester, Charlene lives with her husband David (Conners) and their two children, Eilish and son Aidan north of Iroquois.

The Award is the highest Canadian award available and is given annually by the Kraft Canada Executive Team to honor those employees whose behavior, actions and results reflect Kraft’s core values and, ultimately, outstanding leadership.

 According to a profile presented at the banquet, Charlene “is a renowned Canadian expert in cheese. Charlene has taken Kraft’s focus on Lean Six Sigma to new heights. Her long term strategy and drive for record productivity, along with her ability to challenge our lean resources and build the culture it takes to implement work improvements has resulted in several big successes in 2011, which set us up for success in the future.”

In the company’s congratulatory release it is pointed out that “the strength of our company is the direct results of the strength of our people. And everyday, employees across Kraft Canada are quietly going about their day, doing what they need to do to help the business achieve incredible results and built their own success.”

“But year after year, there are a few individuals who seem to go the extra mile and continue to demonstrate outstanding leaders. And these individuals are this year’s Canadian Leader Excellence Award winners.”

[…]

Kindergartners at Morrisburg Public School (MPS) have been spending their days immersed in the many worlds of Dr. Seuss. 

With the release of The Lorax in theatres and with Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd, teacher Hannah Lunan, thought this was a great time to introduce the children to the classic books of Dr. Seuss. 

They  learned about rhyming with There’s a Wocket in my Pocket and other favourites. They learned a little math with the help of One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and some yummy Goldfish crackers. 

Reading Green Eggs and Ham inspired Lunan to bring breakfast to school one morning… you guessed it, green eggs and ham!  

“They loved it,” said Lunan, admitting that she did prepare them for the feast by explaining how it was made. Food colouring was the ‘magic’ ingredient.

“They’ve been having fun with rhyming. They really enjoy all of his books, especially the classic ones,” she said. 

In addition to reading many of the Dr. Seuss classics, the kindergartners also played Dr. Seuss inspired board games, participated in Dr. Seuss inspired activities, and made lots of Dr. Seuss inspired artwork. According to Hannah, “it encourages their imagination, which is so important at their age.” 

While reading is great, students were also treated to the movie adaptation of Horton Hears a Who!

And, for the grand finale, Lunan’s class, along with the other MPS kindergarten class, travelled to the theatre in Brockville on March 7th to see the Dr. Seuss book-turned-movie, The Lorax. 

[…]

The St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) was recently honoured with recognition of three special events being in the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario.  This honour is awarded annually by Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) to those festivals and events that excel within the industry.

For the SLPC, this isn’t the first time they have achieved such honours for these events.  Upper Canada Village’s Alight at Night event is recognized for the second time; while for Fort Fright it is the fifth award (including Best New Festival in 2008).  Fort Henry’s World Heritage Sunset Ceremonies has been awarded for an impressive seventh time.

Two of the events – Alight at Night and Fort Fright – take place during the shoulder season or what is traditionally considered to be the ‘off-season” for tourism.  Both events have made significant impact in the regional tourism market drawing over 40,000 visitors (Alight at Night) in December and 20,000 (Fort Fright) over the end of September and month of October.  

The World Heritage Sunset Ceremonies are an entertainment tradition in Kingston.  

[…]

The Morrisburg High School will retain its architectural character and, at the same time, it will be home to new-age enhancements.

Once South Dundas council made the decision to ‘recycle’ the old Morrisburg High School  building, things quickly got underway and Colbourne & Kembel Architects Inc. were hired in the fall of 2011 to draw up plans for the project.

In terms of a timeline for the project, on March 8th, Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald reported that “a tentative schedule is to have drawings complete by April 20th with the tender period commencing thereafter and running until June 5th. A recommendation will be made to council in June. The timeline to complete the renovations will be part of the tenders.”

The plan for the building is to keep as much of the original structure as possible, thus protecting a bit of South Dundas heritage.

At the same time, changes are being made inside and out to make the building safer, more user-friendly, and perhaps a bit more stylish.

As for the interior, according to McDonald, “the lower level (gym) is being filled in order to construct the main level that will house the medical clinic.”

“The main level currently exists on the north and south sides of the lower level. The main level will be extended across the existing gym to connect the existing north and south entrances.”

“The township offices are located on the second floor. Council chambers and municipal programming space is planned for the third floor.”

As for getting from the first floor to the third floor, McDonald has confirmed that “yes, an elevator is included in the plan. The brick portion in the centre  is the elevator.”

As for exterior additions, “the glass and spandrel panels (shown in the picture) are an addition,” he said.

The main front entrance of the Morrisburg Collegiate Institute will not actually be used as such when plans are completed. According to McDonald, “the existing entrance fronting on Ottawa Street is being maintained as an architectural feature to maintain the facade of the original building. The doors will be replaced by windows.”

The main entrance to the ‘new’ building will instead be located “under the canopy north of the elevator tower. This entrance will provide access to the entire building.”

Parking for the Institute will remain similar to what currently exists. “We plan on providing 75 parking spaces, mainly by utilizing existing asphalt areas. The existing parking area in front of the clinic and behind the high school will be utilized and the area that housed the outdoor rink will be used.”

The subject of what to call the new building came up during the March 5th, South Dundas budget meeting. It is most often referred to as simply ‘the old high school’ and, sometimes, by its original name, the Morrisburg Collegiate Institute. 

On March 8th, McDonald confirmed that the subject of building names hadn’t come up before the meeting and, at this point, there hasn’t been any indication, discussion, or decision made on what the building’s official name might be going forward.

[…]