News

Don Graham played a key part in resurrecting the hiking trails that are now owned by South Nation Conservation (SNC) and referred to as Two Creeks Trail.

At the November 15th South Dundas council meeting, Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “I think it would certainly be fitting if Don’s name be named on one of the trails.”

Byvelds had already approached Graham on the subject and reported that “he said he’d be honoured with that recognition.”

The mayor also “talked with Josée Brizard (Director of Conservation Programs at SNC) and she thought that would be a great thing to do.”

He told council that he was looking for their approval to pursue the request with SNC.

Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke saw the request as “very fitting” and later referred to Graham as a “very very dedicated man.”

Councillor Jim Graham agreed adding, “over the years Don’s done a lot for the community.”

Byvelds said, “I’d like to call it the Don Graham Trail.”

He pointed out that SNC has a trail in Russel named after James Reid so, “we’re not setting a precedent. It’s been done in the past.”

[…]

The Leader received a letter from Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, lawyers for Christie and Walther Communications on November 16, 2011 “with respect to the article ‘Enhanced response time for fire departments in South Dundas.’” 

The letter said: “the statements published in this article with respect to CWC’s quality of services are false.”

The letter requested: “an immediate retraction of same and a formal written apology to our client.”

On November 21, 2011 the Leader received the following media release from the Township of South Dundas: “Fire Chief Chris McDonough today issued the following statement retracting comments he made with regard to the transfer of the Townships’ Fire Dispatch from Christie and Walther Communications to the City of Brockville.”

“‘I would like to retract the comments attributed to me regarding the transfer of the Townships’ Fire Dispatch from Christie and Walther Communications to the City of Brockville. Christie and Walther Communications have provided the Township of South Dundas with quality dispatch services and my comments were in no way intended to be defamatory and/or damaging to them. I apologize for the comments and trust that the professionalism displayed by both parties will continue through the transition.’” 

The Leader offered all parties the opportunity to comment in response to the retraction.

Stephen McDonald, CEO for the Township of South Dundas: “I have no further comment.”

CWC responded via email through their counsel, Alexandra Logvin of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP: “CWC has been alarmed by the Fire Chief’s statements. CWC has proudly served South Dundas’ community and the municipal government for over the last 12 years. Its quality of service has never been questioned. CWC’s employees take great pride in their work, providing the best service to South Dundas’ community. The Fire Chief’s statements are false and damaging to CWC’s business and reputation. CWC finds the occurrence unfortunate, but is pleased to see that the municipality and its fire department took the message and publicly retracted its comments.”

 

OFFICIAL RETRACTION

Fire Chief Chris McDonough today issued the following statement retracting comments he made with regard to the transfer of the Townships’ Fire Dispatch from Christie and Walther Communications to the City of Brockville.

“I would like to retract the comments attributed to me regarding the transfer of the Townships’ Fire Dispatch from Christie and Walther Communications to the City of Brockville. Christie and Walther Communications have provided the Township of South Dundas with quality dispatch services and my comments were in no way intended to be defamatory and/or damaging to them. I apologize for the comments and trust that the professionalism displayed by both parties will continue through the transition.” 

[…]

 

Students at Seaway District High School in Iroquois are the big winners as River Rat Treasures, Sears and Scotiabank hand over $1,403 to the Seaway Parents Council, the proceeds from a Fashion Show fund raiser held on Sunday, November 6. Funds raised at the event were matched through the generosity of Scotiabank. The money will be put to good use for technology in the classroom. “A huge thank you to Scotiabank Morrisburg branch, and  the community support of Seaway,” said chair of the Parents Council Leslie Disheau. “Candy, Carol and Evonne did another amazing fashion show for us. We are very thankful.” Pictured at the cheque presentation are (l-r) Carol Merkley, Sears Travel, Evonne Delegarde, River Rat Treasures, Candace Menges, owner River Rat Treasures and Sears, Iroquois, Leslie Disheau, Carol Ann Sage, and Diana O’Neil of Scotiabank.  

[…]

At the November 15th South Dundas council meeting, Clerk Brenda Brunt recommended that council “authorize the transfer of the Care and Maintenance Funds from the Public Trustee and act as the Trustee of that fund for the Williamsburg Community Cemetery Board (WCCB).”

Councillor Archie Mellan who confirmed that he sits on the WCCB said, “it’s something they’ve been looking at for a number of years. They thought it would be beneficial to bring it home to the township.”

According to Brunt, “the principal and interest earned through investments are a separated entity of the Township and has no budget implications to the Township.”

“The Township is acting as a Public Trustee to the fund to maintain the requirements under the Cemetery Act and provide financial guidance to allow the fund to continually grow.”

[…]

“The Ministry of Environment has notified us that we need to wrap a fence around the Matilda Landfill Site so no other farming work is done on our landfill site,” Hugh Garlough, South Dundas Manager of Public Works, informed council members at the November 15th meeting.

He recommended that council hire Burchell Fencing. 

According to Garlough, “three local companies were notified and two submitted prices.”

Burchell Fencing’s quote amounted to $16,027.21 after taxes, while D&H Fencing’s quote came in at $19,741.45 after taxes.

Garlough explained “the biggest thing with this is to keep the landowners from spreading any manure or waste” on the landfill site, which might, in turn, result in negative test results.

In answer to council members inquiries into the amount of fencing required, Garlough replied, “I hope the ministry stands by their word and we only have to fence the agricultural land.”

The point is “to keep the agricultural community out of our property,” he reiterated.

As for a deadline date for the erection of the fence, Garlough told council that 2011 is the deadline, “but it’s been negotiated and deferred a little bit.”

If Burchell Fencing is able to complete the project this year, “a budget amendment to deficit finance the project would be required,” he continued.

Garlough told council that if Burchell is unable to complete the job before the end of 2011, “they’d get it done in the spring.”

Should that happen, “it will  be included in the 2012 budget.”

[…]

Going forward, grants approved in the $ for $ program will now require the recipient to acknowledge the township’s contribution.

At the November 15th South Dundas council meeting, Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald presented council with the amendment to the program’s guidelines.

The additional clause reads: “The recipient agrees to recognize the contribution of the Township of South Dundas through the installation of a plaque, signage or other suitable means satisfactory to the Township. Generally the nature of the project and the involvement of the Township and the recipient shall be identified.”

The issue was first raised at the November 1st council meeting by Councillor Evonne Delegarde.

[…]

The South Dundas Fireman Mutual Aid Meeting was held at the Iroquois Legion on August 15, 2011. During the meeting, Legion Branch #370 presented the local fire department with the first of two cheques totalling $5,000 from Poppy Funds. The donation is being made in memory of Comrade Jay Merkley. 

[…]

The student body at Iroquois Public School reaped the rewards of Mary Wilson’s grade 3-4 class reading skills last Wednesday, when, the Ottawa Senators Spartacat stopped in at the school for a visit.

Registered by their teacher in the Sens at School Program, the students read 10 minutes per night, and when they were done they had amassed 5,100 minutes of reading.

Their effort was rewarded when they were notified that they had won a school visit from Spartacat.

It was a big day at the school, with excitement running at fever pitch in anticipation of the special visitor who would first participate in a school assembly and then visit the grade 3-4s in their classroom.

In the gym, Sparty and Emily Knight who is the coordinator, Fan & Community Development for the Ottawa Senators and Scotiabank Place, led the students in a number of activities and games  all geared towards reading, with a  little hockey trivia thrown in.

“It was really fun,” said Wilson following the assembly “This has been a huge boost for these kids. Today they were really wired. They must have asked me 1,500 times ‘when is he coming’.”

It was an extra big day for the grade 3-4s when they were presented two tickets per student to the Sens’ Sunday night game against the Carolina Hurricanes, a reward given to only one (lucky) winning class per month.

[…]

The Iroquois Matilda Lions Club made a $500 donation to the Dundas County Food Bank on November 17th at the Morrisburg Food Bank location. The Food Bank services those in need in Dundas County all year long.  The Food Bank has locations in Morrisburg (613-543-0065) and Winchester (613-774-0188.)

[…]

The former Morrisburg Collegiate Institute will soon be getting a new lease on life.

South Dundas CAO Stephen McDonald put forth three recommendations in reference to the old high school at the November 15th council meeting.

He began, saying, “I’m actually quite pleased to be presenting this report tonight. The process has been quite long and at the same time it’s allowed for lots of time for input from the clinic and the public.”

He recommended that council approve “the intended uses as illustrated in the conceptual floor plans” for the clinic and for the municipality.

The second recommendation asked that “the Mayor and the Clerk be authorized to execute an agreement with Colbourne & Kembel, Architects Inc. (CKAI)for the provision of Architect’s Services.”

McDonald’s third and final recommendation asked that the “CAO be directed to investigate and report to Council on the options available for financing this project both during and after the construction.”

He told council that CKAI “were retained by the Project Managers earlier this year to provide design development including concept building elevations and preliminary floor plans. They  have submitted a proposal to provide architectural services for the remaining phases of the project, utilizing the services of Eastern Engineering Group Inc. for engineering services. Our experience with CKAI to date has been positive as has been our past experience with Eastern Engineering and we have no hesitation in recommending that they continue with this project.”

“The True North Group estimated the cost to renovate the existing building for the proposed uses to be $2,572,470,” he reported.

McDonald believes it may be possible to “bring that number down to somewhere between one and a half to two million dollars.”

He also told council, “the total cost of architectural work is eight per cent of the contract.”

He suggested that “completion and turnover” of the project is expected by the end of July.

Mayor Steven Byvelds said he “thinks the partnership we’re going to have with the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic makes it well worth it.”

He believes South Dundas will be “a more efficient municipality for it.”

“I’m looking forward to watching this project progress,” he said.

[…]