Arnprior Chronicle Guide EMC

Page 1

%)&. G%%&&(+''&'

J@CM<I A<8EJ EFN @E JKF:B

Where Chocolate Meets Fashion

%LGIN 3T 7EST $/7.4/7. !2.02)/2 s MYCHOCOLATEFACTORY CA s /PEN $AYS A WEEK

ARNPRIOR

Chronicle Guide Proudly serving Arnprior and surrounding area since 1879

132nd year, Issue 16

April 19, 2012 | 64 Pages

www.yourottawaregion.com

Impasse broken New offer appears to have averted town workers labour lockout/strike

The Arnprior Junior B Packers capped off a successful season during an awards banquet Friday, with many players winning special recognition, including Darrin Lehoux, above, receiving the Alex Staye Award for best playoff contributor. – Pages 20, 21

Derek Dunn

derek.dunn@metroland.com

EMC news – The lockout or strike deadline for Town of Arnprior unionized members has been extended to April 26, but according to both sides a deal could be reached well before then. CUPE 4960 national president Dan Pike said the 23 members of the local voted Monday in favour of a revised contract offer. He wouldn’t reveal the vote breakdown, but it’s a shift from a previous vote when the members were fairly united in their rejection of the original offer. At that time 77 per cent voted against. Mayor David Reid and council were briefed by the negotiating team Tuesday and were expected to vote in favour of the contract this morning, April 19. While he didn’t want to anticipate how the seven-member council would vote, Reid anticipates a work disruption has been avoided. “That is the expectation,� he said. Reid wouldn’t comment on issues that remain on the table be-

fore ratification. But did say any negotiation requires compromise on both sides, and that this “good deal� should restore morale to the municipal government. “Everybody’s doing it (negotiations) for good reasons,� he said. “We’re all working for the same cause.� The contentious issue of the introduction of temporary workers was settled, but not to Pike’s thorough satisfaction. The town will be allowed to employ temps if it is awarded a special grant for a specific project, but they can’t do union work. A letter of understanding to that effect that will require agreement on wording is a concern of Pike’s. On the town wanting the ability to call in unionized workers at any time, 24 hours a day, Pike said the hours per shift can not be arbitrarily increased or decreased. That means a water plant employee can’t work from, say, 2 to 5:30 a.m., or a snowplow operator work 12 hours or more. See COMPROMISES Page 2

Photo by Theresa Fritz

COMMUNITY BOOSTER

The best in local business was honoured during the eighth annual Business Achievements Awards and Gala Reception hosted by the Greater Arnprior Chamber of Commerce, Town of Arnprior and Township of McNab-Braeside last Thursday evening. Taking home the Chamber Member of the Year Award was Island View Suites marketing manager Kimberley O’Shaughnessy, right. She accepted the award from town councillor and Chamber director Lynn Grinstead. For more on the awards, see Pages 3 to 7.

Arnprior deal pondered by M-B The Arnprior Community Choir is gearing up for its annual spring concert, with a Broadway theme and guest soloist, thanks to a student placement at Arnprior District Memorial Hospital. – Page 33

EMC news - McNab-Braeside residents will have a chance to provide input on how the township should proceed with service agreements it has with the Town of Arnprior for recreation and library use. A public meeting set for May 7 comes after several months of negotiations between the municipalities and extensions of the existing contracts. “What it comes down to is how much is McNab-Braeside willing to pay for the services and how do we want to pay for it?� said Mayor Mary Campbell

when council met at a special meeting as part of budget deliberations April 4 to hammer out what options should be presented to the public. The three possibilities council will introduce at the Monday, May 7 meeting are: accept Arnprior’s proposal, a move that could see a significant increase in the overall tax base; reject the proposal outright and have users pay directly for using the library and the Nick Smith Centre facilities; or reject Arnprior’s offer and have users pay, but subsidize a portion of their fees.

Several area municipalities, including Admaston-Bromley and Horton, have used similar subsidy systems in the past. The rate Arnprior is suggesting is $60 per user for 2012-13 and $65 for 2014-16. As per a recommendation from Coun. Aldene Styles, a member of the negotiating team, a portion of that rate will be reimbursed when users bring their receipts to the township. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish hall on Dochart Street in Braeside.

EP zoning compromise worked out by M-B, MNR John Carter john.carter@metroland.com

EMC news – Not everyone’s happy, but at least it is better than it originally was. That seems to be the general feeling of McNabBraeside landowners affected by the Environmental Protection (EP) zone included in the township’s comprehensive zoning bylaw. About 20 people attended a public hearing in Braeside Monday to see the results of a compromise between the township and the province over what areas should have the EP designation. Former councillor Jim McGregor said most affected people are still not happy with the designation that restricts what landowners can do with their property. See MNR Page 2

613.623.0641 1.866.724.3353 24 McGonigal Street West, Arnprior

0419.R0011362226 1 R 2 6

The newspaper is going to the dogs this week, with lost dog and doggie-doo letters, a sad story about a dog killed on River Road, and updates on Arnprior Humane Society activities. – Pages 8, 60

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.