Vol.23 No.03

By Kelly McRobert 2

023 has started off with an abundance of diverse weather and we all managed to survive Blue Monday with our darkest day behind us. It was nice to have something to look forward to that could entertain the young, and the ‘young at heart’. Families in South Frontenac, and beyond, packed up the family in their winter woollies and headed off to Sydenham for a day filled with fun and adventure.

The weather was ‘mild’, relatively speaking, and there was no precipitation in the forecast to deter those that had to travel a distance. Parking was strategically planned out at various locations which kept foot traffic safe as parents, with kids in tow, shuffled down to the park eager to burn some energy. This event was hosted free by the Township of South Frontenac. A shuttle (Robert Hogan Bus Lines) was provided for those that wanted to partake and wagon rides (White’s Rides) also offered a scenic tour of the village and surrounding local businesses. As you entered, families were lined up ready for their turn on the wagon, and volunteers came and went rotating amongst the various activity stations lining the fields and large spacious grounds.

It was a tent village with a festive centre core that offered up warming fire pits, s’mores building stations, and music as you warmed up between activities.

Each venue had something to offer that was sponsored by various vendors. Kids could be seen tackling the Elements Fitness & Wellness obstacle course, laughing as they tumbled into the soft snow. Younger kids were playing kids games like jumbo darts hosted by the Not So Amateur Amateurs, while others kick sledded and snow shoed alongside the beautiful snow-covered lake. In between activities, children, and adults alike, could be found eagerly lining up for some fluffy pink cotton candy, staining faces for the remainder of the day. Others chose a salty treat of popcorn as they listened to the Indigenous teachings of Greg Loft around the warm fire pit, that crackled and popped, as the flames lulled you into a place of comfort and relaxation.

In the background, music drifted across the snowy field as musicians entertained from a welcoming tent that offered seating for those looking to eat a picnic lunch or savour the yummy beaver tails served up fresh nearby. Mellow Lily, Whiskey Smoke, and Kevin & the Kitchen Sink, kept fingers tapping and hearts warmed with fresh local tunes and bubbly personalities. Many were seen sampling the tasty hot chocolate and delicious baked goods that were on offer by the Sydenham High School Prom Committee, who continue to raise funds for the 150th celebration later this fall.

For those that tackled the tubing hill, multiple times, they could then head to the library branch, get their faces painted, listen to stories (classic Canadian tales), try their hand at a Frontenac Flyers & Frontenac Fury skills and drills clinic, watch an exhibition game or sip a hot drink by Patriam Coffee, Whew, what an itinerary, and we are only halfway there! Across the street, the groups hustled along with strollers, back packs, and toddlers, to grab a quick snack at Lenny’s Deli, who were hosting live music by Jake Unger, Dewy Roadkill, and Lucas Pell. Once the family was fuelled back up, they could venture outside and join the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network for an interactive walk identifying Scat and Tracks or meet up with Gaye to be guided through the trails to identify our local bird population.

Anyone that needed some ‘retail therapy’ headed to the Grace Centre who hosted a Vendors Market while the Sydenham Legion Branch 496 offered up their space for card games, shuffleboard, and pool table.

Back at the main village, as activities began to wind down, the damp chill was slowly seeping into wet mittens and saturated snow suits. A few of the younger kids started to nod off as they sat, exhausted, in the bright blue kids tubes. The hill had turned a bit shiny as the hundreds of tubes had perfectly prepared the surface for the final runs of the day.

Us volunteers, weary from manning the activity booths, climbed the hill, snow crunching under our boots, legs burning from the incline as we made the trek upwards. We lined up their tubes, took a seat, “bums in, legs out”, as was stated by rote for those that spent a few hours manning the hill.

Grab a handle, take a breath, one final shove, or perhaps a mischievous spin, and we are off. The thrill of gliding down the now slick slope is invigorating. My

mind is clear, the cold air rushes past and takes me back to my youth. Pure and joyous FUN. The bumps, the final launch after the ditch as you feel your stomach rise and fall with that brief hesitation (gasp) as you land on the ground, safe, sliding into the landing area. You lie there, taking in that moment of pure amusement, relief, and a rush of adrenaline that lasts for a few minutes.

I can see the appeal. I now understand how this location was one of the most popular as families of all shapes and sizes, came and went throughout the day. Each one unique. Each one enjoying a moment away from the hustle and bustle of life, a re-found playfulness, that we often lose as we get older. Men in jeans, women in fancy hats, all heading to the slopes to recapture a sense of folly, losing their inhibitions of societal expectations placed upon us as adults.

In my opinion, we need more snow days, so we can slide our worries away, if even for just a moment, and remember to really ‘enjoy the ride’. ■

Mayor Presses Staff & Council, To Minimize Budget Increases

by Jeff Green

“If you go to the bank because you want to buy a house and you don't have the credit to buy the house, you don't buy the house.” - Central Frontenac Mayor Frances Smith.

With that analogy, the longstanding township mayor set the tone for the meeting, preparing her council colleagues for some of the spending adjustments that were included in the capital budget that was presented to a special council meeting last

Thursday (January 19).

With preliminary numbers suggesting that inflationary pressures on operating costs were pushing the draft budget to an increase in the range of 7%, the mayor had already asked senior township staff to limit, or defer, capital spending in 2023.

This was reflected in the budget presentation by Public Works Manager Tysen Myers, with the most telling example being the construction project in the 4 km stretch of the Westport Road between Road 38 and

the border with South Frontenac.

The road is in disrepair and needs to be resurfaced as soon as possible. It is an arterial running from Central Frontenac to major lakes in South Frontenac, and is the main access road to Westport and the Township of Rideau Lakes.

As well, as Myers pointed out, there are several active gravel pits along both the Central and South Frontenac sections of the road, and on nearby side roads, as well as the South Frontenac Public Works

yard which is located very close to Central Frontenac.

“The heavy truck traffic on the road is significant, and it is recommended that Westport Road be paved with asphalt,” he said.

But the township is not in a position to pay close to a million dollars for one road project in a year when provincial road construction grants are hard to come by.

BeaverTails were hot and plentiful at the Snow Social.

The Poor Cousin & The Rich Cousin

scan of the numbers in the proposed South Frontenac capital budget reveals that staff are proposing to spend about $11 million this year on capital expenditures, including over $8 million on road projects.

The biggest ticket item, by far, is the Sunbury Road reconstruction project at $3.8 million. As Wilma Kenny reports this week (page10), the engineering for an upgrade to that road, which is a designated detour off the 401, was done in 2020 on the expectation/hope that provincial grant money was forthcoming for the project. That grant money did not arrive, so the Public Works department, with support from the Chief Administrative Officer, is proposing that the township take it on themselves.

The staff prepared draft capital budget has not been addressed, no less approved, by council, so it may change. But it is based on some long range planning that previous councils have approved and $8 million on roads and bridges is in line with previous years. As well, almost 40% of the cost of this budget will be covered by reserve funds, and only 26% will come from 2023 taxation. Those reserves will need to be replenished with property tax dollars, but capital reserves act as a buffer against external financial pressures on the township caused by things like runaway inflation, as we have seen this year.

Because the township is in a strong position as far as reserves go, it can lower the contribution to reserves in a given year if necessary, and make up for it when budget pressure eases.

last week to vet their own

capital budget, as I reported this week on page 1, and two things stood out.

The first is that Mayor Smith is going into what she has indicated will likely be her final term in office, with a lot of energy. She imposed her will on the capital budget process before and during the meeting, and her intention is to minimize tax increases and avoid further debt.

The second, and this is where the comparison with South Frontenac comes in, Central Frontenac is the poor cousin in the Frontenac County family, and the gap between rich and poor only widens every year. While its reserves are in reasonable shape, its debt load is stretched to the limit, and any projects that are approved in a given year are either supported by grants, or they are paid for through taxation, requiring tax increases.

There is no mystery as to why these two neighbouring townships are in such a different place financially. This has been well documented over the years. South Frontenac has about 50% more travelled roads than does Central Frontenac, but well over 300% (3 times) the amount property assessment.

Roads, bridges and culverts are by far the largest item in municipal budgets. With so much less or a tax base, there is no way that Central Frontenac can keep its roads at the same level of repair as South Frontenac without charging higher taxes to its property owners than South Frontenac does to theirs

And they do, 33% more, but as this year's budget process illustrates once again, they still struggle to maintain an acceptable level of service. Maintaining and improving roads is a priority for every rural municipality. In our economy, roads are everything. They get local residents to work, and they are the way tourists, and residents alike, access our local businesses.

The analogy that Frances Smith used during the Central Frontenac Capital budget meeting to illustrate where the township is financially is a good one. She compared the township to a homeowner. Townships are made up of homeowners after all.

Let me use another to illustrate how expensive it is to be poor.

Over 30 years ago, when my wife and I bought our home in what is now Central Frontenac, we were stretched financially.

So much so that we jumped at an offer to rent a water heater for about $20 a month because a new heater cost

over $300. It did not take a lot of advanced math to realise, as we did at the time, that this was not a good financial decision. Water heaters generally last 10 or more years, 5 in the worst-case scenario, and it only took 21/2 years for us to have paid the original $300 and we had to keep paying $25 a month (the rental went up) for years and years and years.

So why did we rent that water heater? We did not have $300 available to buy one, and we had no credit at all. And we wanted to have hot and cold running water. So, we did what we had to do, and it took many years to finally get out of that contract.

This is exactly what Central Frontenac is now facing when it comes to one of its road projects; the Westport Road rebuild.

They know it will cost more over a 15-year time frame to rebuild that road using surface treatment, than it would to pave it with asphalt, but they have neither the money on hand, nor the credit they need, to do it the right, and ultimately cheaper, way.

The gap between the financial position in Central and South Frontenac is widening as South Frontenac’s financial picture continues to improve, and this is a problem for both municipalities. Residential development is the engine of the local economy in both townships, and people are drawn to the region for its natural features, regardless of municipal boundaries. They should end up with the same level of service anywhere in Frontenac County at a similar cost, but they don’t.

So, it is time to look at a new municipal arrangement in Frontenac County.

Frontenac County politicians disagree about a lot of things, but they all agree they do not like the idea of amalgamating municipalities.

If formal amalgamation is off the table, fine, but something needs to be on the table sooner than later.

I am told that in 1997, when amalgamation was being forced on all rural municipalities in Ontario, no one knew what Bedford Township should do.

When it became part of South Frontenac, it was the poor cousin in that arrangement, and it took years before it had the same level of service as the rest of the township. In fact, during last fall's election, Bedford residents were still complaining about a lack of service compared to what residents in the more populated parts of the township receive.

But the roads and waste service in Bedford are demonstrably better than the roads and waste service in Central Frontenac.

And for the rest of the residents of South Frontenac, the property assessment from Bobs Lake, and other lakes in Bedford, has certainly made up for the cost of bringing the services in Bedford up to the standard of the other three districts.

All in all, it has been a winwin.

Central Frontenac is a great place to live, and the township road crews and office staff do what they can, but the under-resourced township finances are not getting any better over time.

Something has got to give.

■

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OP Ed: North Frontenac Council Climate Change Action

by John Inglis

North Frontenac Township Council passed a motion I brought forward in December, to state that it recognized that we are now in a climate emergency. It also agreed to receive recommendations from myself and Councillor Roy Huetl about what steps the township might take to reduce its carbon footprint in the future.

This is a major step for a small rural municipality to take- it will be meaningless if we do nothing, but it’s an opening for some innovative ideas and actions. We all recognize that atmospheric carbon dioxide is a global problem and that the few things we might do will not change anything noticeably. But the position I take is that this is not an excuse to forget about our collective responsibility, to continue blithely along as if there’s not a problem. A multitude of tiny actions creates a large action.

Roy and I are not experts.

It quickly becomes evident that we are surrounded by experts however, and we’re starting to use some of them. Rolly Montpellier is a former resident of Buckshot Lake, now living in Carp, who runs a blog

on climate issues. He had some specific ideas in a Zoom meeting last week. Noelle Reeve is the planner for Tay Valley township, who has just started a home energy retrofit plan locally, funded by the federal government. We could access some of those federal funds as well by signing on to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ ‘Green Municipal Fund’. Steve Lapp is a retired professor from St. Lawrence College who ran their renewable energy program. He is coming to our February 24 Council meeting to give a presentation on electric vehicles. The public is invited to this 9am event at the township office.

I learned that Lanark County is awarding rebates to its residents for electric car purchases, in addition to the $5000 federal rebate for ‘reasonably priced’ vehicles. Perhaps our County should consider something similar.

With each passing year we see more evidence of the destructive results of a world that is warming due to human activity releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This township has already recognized that weather events are becoming more severe and unpredictable,

lE tt E rs

Re: Bill 23 Editorial

I am presently of the opinion that you may have missed the mark by a little bit in the above mentioned editorial. You imply that the Council of the Township of North Frontenac would essentially be flying by their boot straps in making a decision on the proposed zoning bylaw amendment.

Development as it was defined and I think it still is defined, as a proposal that includes an application pursuant to the Planning Act. As a zoning bylaw amendment is an application pursuant to Section 34 of the Planning Act, the proposal would be defined as "development"

The Ministry of Environment has for probably for at least 30 years, has stated that any development that occurs within 300 meters (1000 feet) of a lakefront lake will have a negative impact on that lake and the fish that are within, and all such development should not be allowed.

As I am unable to confirm that the said development is within the 300 meters, although I strongly suspect that it is, as such, the decision of Council should not be as difficult as what is implied in your editorial.

Aside from the foregoing, these same restrictions are or were to be included in the policies of the relevant official plan, so as such, the decision of the conservation authority is only intended to support the decision Council has already made when they adopted their official plan.

What is missing from the equation as proposed by Bill 23 is the ability of the Council to pass on the responsibility for making the decision to some other body. Council Members have to make a lot of important decisions during their tenure on Council and for far too long, when it came to the Planning Act, Council decisions have often reflected the financial benefit to the municipality that could arise from a development and to a lesser amount the environmental impacts of same. As stated by CAO Kelly Pender and quoted in your paper, it will be quite some time before we realize the full impacts of Bill 23.

- Roger J. Hogan

and are due to a quickly changing climate. For example, our roads department and emergency services have both considered strategies for adapting to what is known to be coming- more severe and unpredictable weather events.

Other municipalities, including Ottawa and Kingston, have officially recognized that there is a climate emergency happening right now, and that they will attempt to introduce policies and practises to mitigate climate change by reducing CO2 production within their jurisdictions. Tay Valley Township has formed a climate change working group that is tasked with proposing real ideas to Council. We all recognize that mitigation is a global challenge that will not be solved by actions only at the municipal level. At the same time, seeing the recent completion of the COP 27 meeting in Egypt, the 27th such meeting in a world where global CO2 output is still rising, we witness that global action is simply not in place yet. As minimal as our local efforts may be, they are important in demonstrating to ourselves and to

Budget

Cont. from p1

So, reluctantly, Myers is recommending that the road be done using less expensive “double surface treatment” for the Westport Road.

“The treatment will not last,” said Myers, “and we will have to apply a micro-surface treatment within 3-5 years so it will last a bit longer.”

Myers noted that the life cycle cost is higher for surface treatment, as compared to asphalt, for a road that gets as much traffic as the Westport gets, because asphalt will last three times as long, and the ongoing maintenance is lower as well.

“Are you saying that asphalt is cheaper in the long run, but you are recommending the surface treatment anyway?" asked Councillor Susan Irwin.

“Yes, it is more cost effective over time, but the up-front cost is higher,” said Myers.

“And we have reached our borrowing limit,” pointed out Mayor Smith.

Myers said that when doing the engineering work for the construction project this spring, his staff will do it in such a way that the project can be switched from surface treatment to asphalt if grant money becomes available.

The township is also planning some other smaller road projects this year, but one project, which is a priority for the two

the tax-paying public that we all recognize the enormity of this looming crisis and are attempting to do something about it. It is Council’s role as leaders in the community to make a bold statement and to take whatever action we can.

(Editors note – the resolution passed by North Frontenac Council in December:

“That Council recognizes that the world is facing a climate emergency, where global average temperatures are rising due to continued burning of fossil fuels.

And that this temperature rise will have severe and devastating consequences for people everywhere, including in this township.

And that the township state its intention to consider climate change mitigation actions in future decision making processes.

And That Council will form a Task Force called ‘Climate Change Working Group’, with two Councillors as members plus at least two members of the public, to make recommendations to Council.” ■

Kennebec Ward Councillors, Cindy Kelsey and Lynn Klages, is being deferred again.

The Henderson Road resurfacing project, budgeted at $800,000, is not on the 2023 list.

“The Henderson Road project is listed here for 2024,” said Klages, referring to the 5 year road construction breakdown that was provided to members of council.

“It's been shifted forward every year for 8 years,” said third term councillor Kelsey, “why should we believe that it won't be shifted again in 2024, as well?”

“We did do $600,000 of work on Henderson Road in the last couple of years,” Myers said. “As you know, it's up to Council to decide what roads to do.”

“Again, it's money, and it's the taxpayer paying for this, so we do the best we can,” said Smith.

It was not different when it came to equipment. Instead of purchasing the wheel mounted excavator, that the township leased from Hartington Equipment in a successful trial last year, it will lease it for another year at a lower cost. As well, plans for a new smooth drum roller to help with grading gravel roads, is being put on hold for a year.

The capital budget for the fire department was trimmed as well, mostly before the meeting. Instead of beginning the process to find a new location and build a firehall to serve Arden, Fire Chief McDonough

SINCE 1970

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COMMUNITY REPORTERS (613)

Arden Wanda Harrison 335-3186

Battersea / Storrington Amanda Pantrey 353-6653

Cloyne / Northbrook Stepanie Regent

Denbigh Gail Fritsch 613-333-2224

Godfrey Kelli McRobert

Harrowsmith Gregg Hamelin 613-376-6665

Henderson Jean Brown 336-2516

Inverary Judy Borovskis 353-1768

Maberly-Bolingbroke Karen Prytula 325-1354

Mississippi Pearl Killingbeck 278-2127

Ompah Linda Rush 479-2570

Marily Seitz 479-2855

Parham-Tichborne ........Colleen Steele 375-6219 Christine Teal 375-6525

Perth Road Peter Bird 353-7303

Plevna Rhonda Watkins 613-264-5325

Sydenham Karen Brawley 376-9848

Verona Debbie Lingen

PLEVnA

rhonda Watkins

613-264-5325

rhonda139@gmail.com

Don’t forget to come out to the Clar-Mill Hall this Saturday, • January 28th at 1pm for the can't miss event hosted by the Bulgarian and Romanian General Consulates and our North Frontenac Township to celebrate our linkages with their countries based on the naming of our lovely town, Plevna! Did you know that Plevna was formerly known as Buckshot in 1877? Learn all about this and other interesting facts this Saturday! There will also be music and dancing, along with delicious food and drinks. You will also be welcome to peruse exhibits from our always interesting Archives Society. I hope to see you there!

Have you met Tammy Watson yet? She is the owner of Ca- • nadian Handywoman; a North Frontenac based company that takes care of all your home and cottage maintenance needs. She loves to share her passion for maintenance and repair with people. She has been invited by the Belleville Public Library & John M. Parrott Art Gallery to be their guest speaker on International Women’s Day, Wed March 8th at 6pm. She will be sharing her story on how she is using her skills, talent and passion to not only run her own business, but also share her knowledge to empower others. She'd love to see you there!

I would like to send a little shout out to Tammy for helping

• me at the dump last Sunday. I keep a heavy weight in my

recycling bin for glass and I was in such a hurry, I dumped my glass as well as the weight into the glass bin and unfortunately it was just emptied. Thanks to Tammy's quick thinking and handiness, she found a rake and shovel and the patience that I did not have at that moment to retrieve it! Thanks again, Tammy!!

Happy 70th be-lated birthday wishes to Ardoch resident

• Dan Weber!! He celebrated his big day on Saturday, January 14th!!

If you like to read and watch movies in this winter weather,

• stop by the Plevna Library on Tuesday and Thursdays from 2-4 and 5-7 and Friday and Saturdays from 10-1 to check out the great selection and learn about the new Libby app that has accessibility features that make reading easier, including large print and open dyslexic font. The most rewarding card you will ever get will be your library card!

After some weather issues, the Clar-Mill Rink is reopened

• and ready for skaters to enjoy!! Plevna resident Michael Falle dropped by our outdoor neighbourhood rink and he said the ice looks great and there are shovels there to remove any snow. The change house is warm and there are lights there that can be turned on by anyone when you visit. He wanted to send out a great big thank you to the Township staff that did such an amazing job getting the ice ready for us all to enjoy!

Sy DE n HA m

Karen Brawley

613-376-9848

and spa repair, and Bergeron Clifford injury lawyers). Several guided day trip fishing charters from Fin Addicts outfitters in tweed, some for raffle, some for kids' prizes. We have baskets of fishing gear, Norwex supplies, an ice auger from SFRC, ice fishing gear from Bronson and Bronson, food donated by local restaurants and Trousdales. It’s going to be a great event! Email at toomechanical@gmail.com for more info or to get those kiddos registered.

Did you grab fido their bling bling yet? 2023 dog tags are

• now available for purchase. Buy yours before February 28, 2023 and pay just $15 per tag. After that date, the fee increases to $30.

• proves over and over we’re not just a village, we’re family. We are one amazing community, Sydenham.

•

The one thing for certain in these changing times, Sydenham

VE r O n A

"Winter Warm-up Breakfast" is this Saturday, January 28 in

That was snow awesome... I think people will be talking

• about our first ever Snow Social for a while. Thanks to all those who made it possible. The community loved every minute of it, the pictures of smiling faces and families gathering says it all. A huge shout out to Mother Nature for bringing the snow... A mud social would’ve been fun as well, but snow is what it was all about.

Clint Lawrence has taken it upon himself to organize the

• 3rd kids' ice fishing derby.

This year we have a colouring contest planned for the kids. • Each seating will have their own prize. There will be one hour of jigging, food will be hotdogs and chili, until we sell out. This event is free for kids and all proceeds will be donated to the Sydenham food bank. So far, we’re planning 30 holes and 4 sittings, so 120 kids. We have about 45 kids registered already. Seats are still available at 9am, 11, 1, and 3. Bait, rods, and jigs are provided, and are property of the kids derby. Donations are still rolling in, so I can’t list everything, but we have a fishing kayak for raffle. Estimated msrp over $900!! Paid for by sponsors (Delta Waterfowl, Kayak Barn, EZ- flow pool

• Trinity United Church in Verona, from 8:30am to 11am. Back by popular demand: blueberry stuffed French toast, western omelets, scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, bacon, ham or sausage, toast, orange juice, apple juice or cranberry juice, tea, coffee or hot chocolate. This is the last warm up breakfast until next January. Admission is by donation. For take out orders, please call 343-422-4110 by 9am Saturday. To reserve your breakfast pick-up or email vca@xplornet.ca by Friday by 11am.

Style Revival will be open Saturday, January 28 from 10am

• to 1pm. It will also be open, as usual, Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm. Style Revival, which is located in the Verona Free Methodist Church at 6804 Hwy 38, offers free gently used clothing and footwear for all ages.

Join Senior's Diner Lunch on Thursday, February 2nd, for a hearty beef stew lunch with dessert and beverages at the Verona Free Methodist Church . After lunch, Wilma Kenny will be sharing some rarely heard stories about South Frontenac and the people who settled here. 55+ $10 per meal. To register, please call 613-376-6477 ext 303 or email joanne. silver@sfcsc.ca.

The Verona Free Methodist Church is hosting an inside • family movie night on Friday, February 3 at 6:30pm. This is a PA Day. They will be showing The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The canteen will be open until 7pm. There is no charge for admission but donations are always welcome.

Free Public Skating at Frontenac Arena! Wednesdays from 9am to 10:30am and Sundays from noon to 1:30pm. It's free all winter long, thanks to a Queen's Platinum Jubilee grant.

Debbie Lingen debbie@lingens.com

ArDEn

Wanda Harrison

GODFrEy

Kelli

Mcrobert

kattgrrrl@gmail.com

613-335-3186

wmharrison070@gmail.com

shipping with their sister church in Arden @ 10am. Coming up next Sun, Feb 5 that 10am service in Arden will be followed by a pot-luck lunch at 11am and everyone is welcome. If you are able, please bring some sandwiches and/or dessert to share.

• door rink, please remember that when the weather warms, the ice surface becomes slushy and unusable. Please heed the request of the attendant and do not skate or walk on the surface. It makes it soo much harder to bring the ice up to where is needs to be for skating/hockey. The “Arden Rink” has a Facebook page where you can follow the conditions, or see the advertising poster.

For all of you folks who are enjoying our beautiful new out-

The Sharbot Lake Lions will be hosting another “All You

• Can Eat Breakfast” Saturday, January 28, 8am to 1am at the Oso Hall. Proceeds will support the Special Olympics. Coffee hour continues Thursday mornings at the Arden

• United Church, with Bible study Wednesdays at 630pm, a board meeting January 24 at 1pm and a Trustee’s meeting February 8, at 2pm.

The Arden Church will be hosting a Pot Luck luncheon,

• February 2, 11am. Enjoy worship at 10am or just attend the luncheon. Bring what you can!

Early registration, along with a discount ends January 31,

• at Circle Square Ranch. Registering early allows you to pick your camp spot.

Have you thought of expanding your computer knowledge, • Connections Adult Learning may have a program for you. Just a few courses to chose from are a safe food handling course, preserving memories, QuickBooks and Excel to name just a few. Programs are outlined on info@ncalc.ca or by phoning 613-279-2499 Sharbot Lake or 613-336-0691 Northbrook.

Reminding Ardenites of the following… Euchre 7pm Tues- • day evening and Tai Chi 930 Wednesday morning at the Kennebec Community Centre, and Bingo at 6pm sharp and Euchre 730pm, Thursdays at the Arden Legion.

The Creek has more live music coming your way this week.

• Don’t miss Jake Unger from 7pm – 9pm on Wednesday, and Chris Jackson hits the stage on Thursday from 7pm – 9pm. The week rounds out with Scotty Owen playing 6pm – 8pm on Friday. Check ‘em out!

The Storrington Lions Club is collecting food and items for a • Community Food Drive from 1 to 5pm on Friday, Feb. 3 at the Lions Club Hall in Sunbury. Donations will support the food bank at Battersea United Church. In addition to food items, the club is asking for personal hygiene products for men and women. Thanks for your support!

Do you have an anniversary, birthday, or milestone you • want to celebrate? Why not put it in our Frontenac News column? Give me a call or shoot me an email to get your blurb in. I submit them every Monday morning to be published in Thursday’s paper.

• CLOynE - nO

What’s a snowman’s favorite drink? Iced tea.

• Snow event this past weekend.

Congratulations to South Frontenac on a very successful

Thanks to the Central Frontenac Roads & Grounds crew

• for sanding White Lake Road during the icy weather. I am disappointed that the feeder routes are not getting any attention when the 'roads budget' is being considered. The side roads are getting very dangerous with ruts, holes, and shoulder washouts that perhaps could be prevented with a more permanent solution.

January 28th - SFSC (Stocksport Club) 2023 Winter Tour-

• nament is planned at Salmon Lake Road on Elbow Lake Lane, 12pm. 5 team tournament. See their event on Facebook for more details.

January 28th there will be an all-you-can-eat breakfast

• at the Soldier's Memorial Hall (OSO) 1107 Garrett Street, Sharbot Lake from 8-11am. Cost $10.00 for adults, Kids 6-10 $6.00, and 5 and under are free. In support of the Special Olympics.

Thank you to Frontenac OPP Constable Dan Brooks for • reuniting a 15-yr old lab with his owners after he was found on the trails.

A reminder that Feb 18-20 is FREE Family Fishing in Ontar- • io. ontariofamilyfishing.com. But please use caution on frozen lakes, ponds, or waterways.

We look forward to the opening of the restaurant Belong in • Sharbot Lake, stay tuned for upcoming announcements.

The Rural Frontenac Community Services have opened the • snowshoe lending library for 2023. Various sizes. $15.00 refundable deposit per pair, to a max of $50.00 per family, and fee can be discussed if a barrier. Please call 613-279-3151 ext. 305 or email youth@rfcs.ca for more details.

Did you miss a spot at the Family Program Forest School, • well here is another chance: February 18th!! Looking for some snowy fun? Why not join us for a FREE family forest school adventure on Saturday, February 18th! Pre-registration is required so check out https://bit.ly/3knomqx to snag your space. Thanks to our friends at the Township of Rideau Lakes for making this program possible!

H A rr OWS m ITH

Gregg Hamelin

InVErAry

Judy Borovskis

borovskis@kingston.net

YGK Thrift located at 165 Princess Street. What a nice

• surprise! Clothing store with a vintage feel and fun to look around. I enjoyed my visit with Liz and staff, purchased a gift and supported Almost Home! If you have gently used apparel, and want to support out of town families, who have a hospitalized love one and are staying at Almost Home, just donate your items. Male clothing especially needed.

55 + Diners’ Lunch! On Thursday, February 2 join Southern • Frontenac Community Services for a hearty beef stew lunch with dessert and beverages at the Verona Free Methodist Church (6804 Road 38, Verona). After lunch, Wilma Kenny will share some rarely heard stories about South Frontenac and the people who settled here. This event is for people 55 and older. The cost is $10 per meal. To register, please call 613-376-6477 ext 303 or email joanne.silver@sfcsc.ca.

Food Bank Drive February 3rd. Drop off at the Storrington • Lions Hall between 1 and 5pm. Wish list includes hygiene products for men & women, cereal, crackers, bread, milk, cheese, eggs, butter, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and peanut free school snacks. Also welcomed are frozen & fresh vegetables, frozen meat, canned & fresh fruit. Whatever you can give is needed and appreciated! Eyeglasses & hearing aides can be dropped at the same time! Thank you.

613-376-6665 ghamelin3585@gmail.com

Saturday, January 28th, 2023 the Frontenac Women's • Chorus will be singing O'Canada at the Kingston Frontenac's hockey game at the Leon Centre. Come out and support your local choir and catch the game!!

Friday, February 3, 2023 there will be a Youth Dance at • the Golden Links Hall in Harrowsmith 7pm - 930pm for public school children. The cost is $6.00. For information, please call 613-372-2410.

Sunday, February 12, 2023 the Ole Tyme Fiddlers with Open • Mic will be hosted at the Golden Links Hall in Harrowsmith 15pm, followed by dinner. The cost is $12.00 and please bring a dessert to share. For info, call 613-372-2410.

r

THB r OO k stephanie regent stephanieregent@gmail.com

The LOL Lions Club will be holding an “Indoor” Yard Sale on • Saturday, February 4th from 9-noon. Drop off your unwanted treasures on Friday, January 27th or Friday, February 3rd between 2-4.

The LOL Lions are excited to be hosting a romantic dinner • on February 18th between 6 and 8pm, followed by a dance from 8:15-1am. Please check out our website on Facebook for more details.

Finally

The Vennachar Free Methodist Church’s ‘Open Mic’ eve-

• ning last Friday was well attended. Everyone enjoyed the music and fellowship. A reminder that the next ‘Open Mic’ at the Church is on Friday February 24th at 7pm. Everyone is invited to listen to some great local talent.

It was a busy weekend in our area with lots of local and • visiting Snowmobilers using the trails and supporting local businesses. And we also had a few people ice fishing on Denbigh Lake.

Sunday, February 19, 2023 there will be a TAKE OUT tur- • key dinner at the Golden Links Hall in Harrowsmith. Advance tickets only with a cut off date of Wednesday, February 15. The cost is $20.00 and tickets are available at the gas station in Sydenham, Harrowsmith, Hartington and Asselstine Hardware in Verona. For info, call 613-372-2410.

HEnDErSOn

Jean Brown 613-336-2516

January is moving along and our Pine Meadow people are • rocking it with a reading group who recently finished their first novel together! Some residents have completed crafts and art work on their own, some have learned to play cards again, while another moved up a size to an even more challenging puzzle and finished it! Another resident has been busy knitting baby hats that are soon to be delivered to a hospital nearby and the beautiful sounds of the piano being practised can be heard throughout the home most times of the day, as these folks show off their talents and get better and better each day.

Our Land O’Lakes Community services are offering grief • support groups for individuals and families anticipating a death or recovering from a death at their Northbook offices on the third Tues from 10 - 11am. As well, caregiver support group happens on the third Tues from 1- 230pm and it all happens in a safe and confidential atmosphere of hope.

Land O’ Lakes Community Services Denbigh Diners will be

• Monday February 6, 2023 at the Denbigh Hall. RSVP Betty 613-333-2366.

Please let me know if you have any news or events you

• would like to share.

If you’re planning your Valentine's surprises, be sure to think • local, where we have all kinds of folks who can create special baskets and items for your loved ones, plus of course special events. With the cost of gas it sure pays to shop in our area.

Henderson United Church has suspended Sunday morning • worship for Jan and Feb and for those two months are wor-

Pull Tabs are continually being collected by the Storrington

• Lions Club. Presently they have 36 lbs. collected. Drop off at the Food Bank Drive or leave your bagged tabs anytime at the Lions’ hall in Sunbury and they will be picked up.

Rotary Calendars displaying local photography and offering • 312 chances to win $15,000 in prizes are available at Inverary Pharmasave, Mrs Garrett's Bake Shop, Neil's Flowers, & Limestone Creamery. For info, call Darlene at 613-353-1142. Help Rotary to help others!

Blood is the gift of life! Donations of all types are need- • ed and very much appreciated. Age is not a barrier, google Canadian Blood Services Kingston and book your appointment. Last week was #14 for me and I automatically book for 3 months later when signing in. Well run, easy to do and the snacks are great!

Hall Rentals: Inverary Church Hall – contact Judy Borovskis 353-1768 or cell: 613-545-5017. Battersea Church hall – contact Roberta Smith 353-2846.

Save the Date – May 13th! Support the Storrington Lions • Club. Mark your calendar for the 3rd Annual High Tea! Plan this outing for Mothers’ Day Weekend.

mABE r Ly- B OLI n GB r O k E

Karen Prytula

613-325-1354 karenprytula33@gmail.com

ABC Hall Events – GENTLE FLOW YOGA with Alana

• Brankin. Gentle Yoga to rejuvenate the body and mind. Thursdays, January 12 to March 16, 9:30am to 10:30am. Cost is $15 for each class that you drop-in on. ALSO, GENTLE PILATES with Deborah Nordstrom. Low-impact exercise to improve core stability, flexibility and balance. Wednesdays, January 11 to March 1, 9am to 10am. Cost is $15 for each class that you drop-in on. ALSO, Introduction to Meditation with Deborah Nordstrom. Quiet practice to lower stress and enhance mood. Wednesdays, January 11 to February 1, 10:30am to 11:30am. Cost is $15 for each class that you drop-in on. ALSO, CPHC

Sharbot Lake Chiropractic & Wellness

Dr. Gian Kaillon

Sharbot Lake 613.279.2100

www.sharbotlakechiropractic.ca

six reasons Why Movement is Medicine: Did you know that regular physical activity is vital for staying healthy and optimistic? It represents a cornerstone in the primary prevention of at least 35 chronic conditions (here we explore only 6)!

1) Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints affecting 60–80% of all adults at least once during their lifetime. Exercise, especially core strengthening, is very useful in improving the function of your back.

2) Bone Health Improvement: Studies have shown that aerobic and resistance exercise consistently improves the daily functional ability of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Exercise can increase bone density and decrease falls and associated fractures in the elderly.

3) Mental Health Improvement: Feeling anxious, stressed or moody because of social isolation? Physical exercise positively affects the longterm management of psychological symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and chronic stress.

4) Diabetes (type 1 and 2) Management: Researchers worldwide have found that regular exercise, along with dietary changes, can help manage diabetes types 1 and 2.

5) Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Studies have shown that exercise lessens your risk of developing heart disease because it helps reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol in the body (both play a role in damaging your arteries). There is evidence that aerobic exercise in patients with stroke positively affects walking speed and function.

6) Obesity Prevention: Physical training reduces fat mass and counteracts muscle mass loss during dieting. Did you know that muscle tissue burns calories even when you’re at rest? Strong evidence exists that physical activity is essential for maintaining body weight after weight loss.

Doctor Road Show Goes To County Council

brought a plan to invest $30,000 into the existing hall to make it serviceable for another few years.

“The construction price for a 50 -foot side by 60 foot long building is at least $1.5 million,” said McDonough, without taking into account the cost of land and a septic bed. But we need to do something, because we cannot recruit firefighters to work in that station as it stands. $30,000 is a stop-gap.”

One of the items remaining in the budget is a $120,000 purchase of a fully automatic generator capable of running the Oso Fire Hall and fuelling station for township vehicles on Wagner Road south of Sharbot Lake, the emergency control centre for the township. Plans for other similar purchases for the township office, and other fire halls and works yard, were deferred.

Central Frontenac County is meeting on January 30 at 1pm, in person at the Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake, to review the draft operating budget and to make final adjustments to the capital budget. ■

1. requires students*

The Township is seeking resumes for students to assist with the following:

a) Crown Land Stewardship Program.

b) Waste/Recycling Department.

c) Public Works Department.

Please note Student positions will not be determined until after May 1st

*Students must have reached the age of 15 and not yet reached the age of 25 upon commencement of employment and must be able to provide proof of student enrolment in a secondary or post- secondary institution if required

2. requires Casual Employees

The Township may require assistance at any time throughout the year and is seeking resumes for casual employees to assist with the following:

a) Public Works Department – (Equipment Operators/ Plow Operators/Truck Drivers).

b) Alternate Waste/Recycling Site Attendant.

c) General Office Assistance – Administration Department.

3. Contracted Work**

The Township is seeking hourly, daily and monthly base rates from Contractors to provide services on an as needed basis. (Including, but not limited to, machinery/ equipment rentals; aggregate supply; qualified tradesperson – builders, electricians, plumbers, etc.).

4.

requires Catering**

The Township is seeking services and costs from local Catering Businesses for the provisions of food and beverage services required throughout the year for Township purposes on an as needed basis.

**Per Section 5.8 of the Township of North Frontenac’s Procurement Policy as amended, encourages Vendors to contact the Township to be given the opportunity to be added to the Vendor of Record list. This list will be referred to for certain purchase dollar thresholds and/or in the case of a non-competitive Procurement if applicable. Prices quoted shall be for 2023 projects. Contractors/Caterers shall provide proof of appropriate Insurance and WSIB Certificates, prior to actually commencing work for the Municipality. Lowest Contractor rates/Catering costs not necessarily awarded as based on timing, availability, location, complexity of specific projects, etc.

Information gathered with respect to this advertisement is done so in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will only be used for selection purposes.

We thank everyone for their interest. Only applicants selected for an interview or for projects/to provide services will be contacted. The Township is an equal opportunity employer. We would be pleased to provide accommodations, upon request, throughout the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities to ensure equal participation.

Please apply with a detailed resume clearly marked with the position you are applying for “Confidential – student - PositioN” or “Confidential – CasualPositioN”

OR – Please provide fixed rates clearly marked “Contracted Work” or “Catering” by Noon local time on tuesday February 23, 2023 to:

Corey Klatt, Dipl.M.A., CAO, Township of North Frontenac 6648 Road 506, Plevna, ON K0H 2M0

Phone: (613) 479-2231 Ext. 221 Fax: (613) 479-2352 E-mail: cao@northfrontenac.ca

by Jeff Green

Same venue, same presentation, different group

Dr Jeanette Dietrich of the Sydenham Medical Centre, who is also the lead physician of the Rural Kingston Family Health Organization, was joined by Deborah Krause, Executive Director of the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team, to make a presentation about doctor recruitment in Frontenac County, at the January Meeting of Frontenac County Council last week.

Because the Frontenac County offices are being renovated, council meetings are being held in the South Frontenac Council chambers in Sydenham, in 2023. The presenters, along with Dr. Sabra Gibbens from Verona Medical Centre, made a similar presentation in the same room, for South Frontenac Council, just over a week earlier.

While the presentation was essentially the same, and was the subject of an article in the Frontenac News on January 19 (see Frontenacnews.ca - “South Frontenac Will Look at Proposal ...) the request for support from Frontenac County was different.

Instead of asking for support for the establishment of an inventive fund, to recruit a new doctor for one of the clinics in Frontenac County (Sydenham, Verona, Sharbot Lake), the presenters were looking to the county to fund, or even hire, a part-time recruiter to help them compete in the tight market for family physicians. The estimated cost of the position is $20,000 per year.

“We do not have the time, nor the marketing expertise, to let potential recruits know what Frontenac County has to offer,” said Deborah Krause.

Ron Vandewal, in his capacity as Frontenac County Warden, said “while I hate to think about competing with other communities for doctors, that's the way it is. I think as far as the Doctor Recruitment position, I think that we could look at partnering with L&A [Lennox and Addington County] because they are in the same situation, we have a working relationship with them. Maybe one recruiter could service both areas. We can bring this potential position to budget, but I think working with L&A makes sense to us. What do you think?”

“As the lead physician of an organisation that straddles the border with L&A [The Rural Kingston Family Health Organization includes the clinics in Tamworth and Newburgh as well as the three in Frontenac County], that makes sense to me. A new physician in our region helps the entire region,” she said.

Frontenac Islands Mayor Judith Greenwood-Speers noted that in the presentation, personal networking was identified by graduating family physicians as the most effective recruitment tool, and wondered if incentives and recruiters are an effective tool.

“I’m playing devil's advocate here, but other jurisdictions can easily out-bid us,” she said.

“As far as the recruitment piece is concerned, it's partly about administration and knowing the landscape. It certainly is not efficient for me to prepare and present power-point presentations like this one, when I am better suited to seeing patients,” said Dr. Dietrich.

As if to illustrate that point, a few minutes later, after some final comments on the presentation by members of council and the warden, Dr. Dietrich excused herself.

“I hope you don't think I'm being rude, but I have run. I have a patient at 10:30,” she said, as she gathered her notes and put her coat on to return to her nearby clinic.

“No, I'm sure they're wondering where you are,” said Vandewal.

Communal Servicing

Although it was not on the agenda, the communal servicing project that the Frontenac County Planning Department has been working on for years, and is now entering the activation phase, was on the minds of council, and staff.

During his monthly briefing, [which this reporter watched in its entirety on the county Youtube feed, btw] CAO Kelly

Pender said that along with Warden Vandewal and South Frontenac Chief Administrator Louise Fragnito, he made a presentation to a meeting with provincial officials.

“As well,” he said, Louise is representing us at a pre-budget consultation in Napanee this morning, in the hope that we can convince the province to fund the start-up costs for the communal servicing corporation.

Later in the meeting, during a briefing about the impact of Bill 23 on planning processes in Frontenac County, community planner Dmitry Kurylovich said that one of the provisions of Bill 23 does not apply in Frontenac County because there are no communities with both sewer and water services.

“We need to seek clarity about whether the provision would apply in housing developments that have communal sewer and water services under a communal servicing corporation,” Kurylovich said.

Office reconstruction update

CAO Pender reported that the demolition work on the existing county offices is just about complete, as is the asbestos abatement aspect of the project, the concrete footings have been poured, and the electric and drywall work should be complete within a couple of weeks.”

“We are on track to have the building ready for us to occupy by the end of 2023,” he said.

EOWC agenda for 2023 mirrors issues of concern in FC CAO Pender reported on the inaugural meeting of the 2023 Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus (EOWC) which took place over two days in Kingston earlier in the month. Peter Emons, the reeve of the town of Renfrew and former mayor of Madawaska Township, a close neighbour of North Frontenac Township, was elected as chair of the EOWC for 2023.

He said that among the items on the EOWC agenda for 2023, are “long term care and the health care human resources crisis, issues that we are very familiar with in Frontenac County (FC). There are vacancies for 30-50 positions at Fairmount Home and Frontenac Paramedics on an ongoing basis,” he said.

More measures to deal with North Frontenac landowners along the K&P Trail

A long, in camera, session took late in the meeting, in addition to the session at the beginning, and while the reason was not specified, it appears that it had to do with the the K&P Trail project in the Mississippi Station/Snow Road vicinity, and the ability of the county to build out the trail through 5 privately owned properties in that area. The property owners have not come to terms with the County.

Early in the meeting, North Frontenac Mayor Gerry Lichty declared a conflict of interest regarding trail expansion plans, because, he said, of his relations to some of the five property owners along the trail. These properties are located between the properties that are already being expropriated by the county, and Road 509 at the top of Snow Road.

When the in camera session came to an end, Mayor Lichty walked back into the room.

There was no public report on the outcome of the in camera meeting. ■

49 Gore Street East Perth, Ont. K7H 1H6 613-267-3788 help@finneganinsurance.ca www.finneganinsurance.ca

591 Maberly Elphin Rd. Maberly ON K0H 2B0 613-268-2135 jonescbs.ca

CONTRACTING & BUILDING

OFFICE ADMIN/ BOOKKEEPER

Jones Contracting could be for you!

In this position, you will keep business licenses compliant maintain accounts payable, cashflows, online banking, bank reconciliations, HST & WSIB remittances and perform weekly payroll.

Knowledge of Quickbooks online is a must.

Must be flexible for a variety of duties in a growing company.

Email resume to info@jonescbs.ca Office 613-268-2135

591 Maberly-Elphin Road, Maberly, ON K0H 2B0

CONTRACTING & BUILDING

WE WANT CARPENTERS!

You could be building beautiful custom homes,barn and log house conversions, decks, additions, plus a variety of other renos! We specialize in Timberframes!

Work in Perth, Westport, Lanark, Carleton Place, Central & South Frontenac and surrounding areas!

Looking for skilled carpenters and labourers interested in becoming carpenters to join our team!

Full time, year-round projects.

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Email resume to info@jonescbs.ca Call us at 613-268-2135 Visit our website at www.jonecbs.ca

The Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) is pleased to announce the launch of a new regional event series to increase engagement with tourism operators and provide networking opportunities to connect and share ideas, successes, and inspiration.

Taking place in early 2023, this event series will rotate throughout Ontario’s Highlands’ region, providing access to all communities within the Ontario’s Highlands area, including Almonte, Sharbot Lake, Eagle Lake, Eganville, and Kaladar. Each event will offer light refreshments which will vary depending on venue and there are discount prices being offered for all attendees. The event program features round table introductions, information about OHTO funded programs, and attendees may share success stories and discuss challenges in the industry. Informal networking opportunities will be available to provide options and resources and assist operators in building connections in

the area.

OHTO on the Go events are scheduled to take place:

• January 27 – Kick & Push Brewing Company, Sharbot Lake, Frontenac County. Tickets www.eventbrite.ca/e/ohto-meetup-sharbot-lake-tickets-500300852317.

• February 22 – Addison’s Restaurant, Kaladar, Lennox & Addington. Tickets www.eventbrite.ca/e/ohto-meet-up-kaladar-tickets-500825611887.

Tourism operators are encouraged to register for one of the events taking place in their region to connect with other tourism businesses and stakeholders and learn more about resources and opportunities available through OHTO. “We are looking forward to getting together in person and forming valuable connections with industry in our region,” said Nicole Whiting, Executive Director for the OHTO. “By working together we can all move closer to full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and support one an-

Addington Highlands Meetings Remain On Youtube For One Year

by Craig Bakay

B eginning with the Jan. 17 meeting, Addington Highlands livestreams of Council and Committee of Adjustment meetings will remain up on YouTube for a period of one year, Council decided at its regular meeting Jan. 17 in Flinton.

Council also approved an overall live streaming of Council meetings policy.

With the advent of covid-19, in-person meetings of all types were banned and this was particularly problematic for elected municipal councils as they are mandated to meet on a regular basis. Meetings began using the Zoom platform with some municipalities simulcasting said meetings to YouTube (North Frontenac has never posted their meetings to YouTube).

After it became OK to meeting in person again, most municipalities decided it was a good idea to keep streaming meetings both to have a record (which does not replace meeting minutes) and to allow more people an opportunity to attend meetings, even if it’s only online. This is particularly applicable for part-time and seasonal residents who aren’t in a position to drive to where meetings are held.

The length of time the meetings remained on YouTube varied greatly as Townships like Central Frontenac leave their meetings up indefinitely. Addington Highlands meetings remained online for 24 hours.

When staff decided it was time to have an online meetings policy added into the Township procedure bylaw, Councillor Ken Hook suggested perhaps it would also be appropriate to decide how long meetings would be posted. He said some residents had asked him about it.

CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said that she too had had similar inquiries (including those from local media), but wanted to ensure the online meetings didn’t violate any accessibility guidelines.

After discussing this with County officials, they decided that since there is a closed captioning option on YouTube (however inaccurate it can be at times), leaving meetings up became an option.

“Closed captioning is available and we tried it,” Reed said. “About 80 per cent is accurate, I’d say.”

“Well, we won’t have anybody at meetings signing,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

Reed’s initial recommendation was two years but Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch said: “I think one year is plenty.

“It’s more of a close-term thing.”

Closed session portions of meetings will not be live streamed. requests deferred to budget

Council referred several requests for donations from community groups to budget deliberations.

These included the Land O’Lakes Horticultural Society ($500), the Cloyne and District Historical Society ($500) and the Lions Club of Land O’Lakes ($1,000 for the Santa Claus Parade).

No Sheep Behind Township Office

When it came time to pay the accounts, Councillor Hook was curious as to a $250 entry for “sheep.”

CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed explained that’s for livestock loss to wild predators that the municipality administers on behalf of the province.

“Oh, I wondered if we were keeping sheep out back,” Hook said.

“We’ll do a little tweaking on those entries, said Reed. dogs Need to Be leashed Council approved the 2023 Interim Newsletter, including a request from Councilor Helen Yanch.

“I’d like something that reminds people your dogs have to be on a leash or in their own yard,” Yanch said. “They can’t

be running around loose.

“It’s a simple thing.”

Grant application

Council approved applying for a Hydro One Energizing Life Community Grant in the amount of $25,000.

The grant, submitted in conjunction with the County, will include the purchase of a variety of recreational equipment to available for loan to use on the County Forest Trails in Flinton. Equipment would include a variety of bicycles, safety equipment, snowshoes, Nordic poles and a new secure storage building.

“How the equipment will be loaned out will have to be worked out,” said Ken Hook. “But first get the grant money.

Public Works report

There has been a lot of extra brushing going on in the Denbigh area, Roads and Waste Manager Brett Reavie told Council in his report.

“There was a lot of snow and ice on branches,” he said.

Reavie said the waste sites were especially busy over the holidays with lots of cardboard boxes being recycled.

“Things have slowed down considerably lately though,” he said.

“At the County Council meeting, it was noted how well our crews did during the significant weather event,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “So thanks for that.” ■

other along the way.” For more information or to reserve a spot please contact Elle MacQueen, or 613-629-6486 ext. 206. ■

Kick & Push Brewing Company will host an event January 27 – Tickets www.eventbrite.ca/e/ohtomeet-up-sharbot-lake-tickets-500300852317

April 22, 1993-Jan 16, 2023

we are very saddened to announce the sudden passing of our beloved abbey. she will be so lovingly remembered by her family and friends for her perseverance, empathy and her infectious laugh. abbey will be forever missed by her mom Kimberley (Mcdougall) and cory Sauve; grandparents Ann and John Mcdougall, and coza sauve; aunties and uncles, Janet Revell (Tom), Heather Mcdougall (tony), rob Mcdougall (Maria).

Her memory lives on in her cousins Jack and Alex Revell, Mani and Finlay cuza, Noah and Zac Mcdougall and also her stepbrothers Jake (Laney) and tom sauve.

we will be hosting a celebration of life on Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at trousdale funeral Home in sydenham, oN, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. it will begin with a brief ceremony starting at 12:00pm followed by a visitation until 2:00pm. we welcome all of those who were fortunate enough to have been part of Abbey’s life.

donations to covenant House at covenanthousetoronto.ca would be appreciated.

in the care of t rousda L e f u N era L Ho M e 4374 Mill st. sydenham oN (613)376-3022

www.trousdalefuneralhome.com

S PINGLE , Janis Elaine May nee shanks

May 1, 1949 - dec. 28, 2022

Janis passed away in the Perth Hospital on dec 28, 2022.

she is survived by her loving husband, Bill and stepdaughter, Jody.

Janis was predeceased by her parents, allen and stella shanks (nee sproule), her sister Marlene, and brother stanley (Joe).

she will be sadly missed by sister freda shanks and her nieces and nephews. Janis will be fondly remembered by her dear friends and extended family members.

a celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Gone but never forgotten.

K OPANSKY

On Friday January 13, 2023, Harold thomas (tom) Kopansky loving husband and father passed away peacefully at Lanark Lodge perth ontario. tom would have been 79 in just a few short weeks.

tom or “precious” as he was fondly referred to by his mother was born on february 17, 1944, in winnipeg. the family then moved to ottawa where tom attended elementary and senior school. after graduation tom worked as a draftsman. tom changed careers in 1966, joining the opp on february 28, and was posted to the Kenora Detachment. That same year, on June 18th, 1966, tom married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Heather Jean Walker. Together they raised a beautiful daughter christine. on august 1 1968 he was transferred to the Minaki detachment. on october 2, 1978 tom was transferred to sharbot Lake detachment and remained there until his retirement on January 31, 1995.

tom had a quick wit and will be remembered for his famous quotes and clever puns. those that were fortunate enough to hear it, may also remember him for his banjo playing. He had a passion for anything motorized, whether it be planes, boats or antique cars and loved spending time on the water boating or kayaking. His desire for one day sailing around the world is temporarily on hold until he is resurrected to the promised paradise earth. as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses he had complete faith and confidence that the fulfillment of prophesy found at revelation 21:3,4 will soon become a reality.

tom is predeceased by his parents Harold and elsie (Larsons) Kopansky. He is survived by his wife Heather and daughter christine together with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

cremation services provided by simpler times Kingston. there is a tribute wall for those wishing to share a memory or pictures of tom (stkingston. simplertimes.com). a memorial service will be held at the local Kingdom Hall 12797 road 38, sharbot Lake, ontario K0H 2p0, the date of which to be announced at a later time. donations can be made to the worldwide work of preaching and teaching of the good news to donate.jw.org.

MeMOriaM

G ENDRON , Russell Dec. 3, 1929 – Jan. 23, 2016

in loving memory of a dear husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, russel who left us seven years ago.

You presence we miss Your memory we treasure Loving you always Forgetting you never forever in our hearts wife freda and family

funeral

Seniors Exercise with Margaret Miller. Aer- • obic and strength training for active seniors. Mondays, January 9 to May 29 9:30am to 10:30am. There is NO COST for the Seniors Exercise class. The Seniors Exercise classes are FREE. ALSO, LINE DANCING with Rhonda Aisbitt. A fun workout. Motion is Lotion! Fridays, January 13 to March 17, 10am to 11am. Cost for the Line Dancing is $5 at the door which goes toward Hall maintenance. More info can be found on the ABC Hall website. https://abchall.ca/health-fitness/ More at the ABC Hall - MAHJONNG. It’s a • game like Rummy played with tiles instead of cards, typically with four players. Thursdays at noon. Cost is $5 at the door, which goes toward Hall maintenance. More info can be found at the ABC Hall website https://abchall.ca/fun-games/ Even More at the ABC Hall! – Musicians • Circle – Play, sing, learn, and network with

Obituary

W OLSEY, Sandra Elizabeth

December 11 1944 - January 22 2023

it is with great sadness that the family of sandra (sandy) wolsey announces her peaceful passing at trillium care community in Kingston ontario. predeceased by her husband of 56 years wayne wolsey, her parents david and alpha cockerham and sister sylvia. Sandy was one of five siblings (Eugene, sylvia, Linda, dawn)

sandy will be forever missed by her two sons, corey and colin (Laurie), her seven grandchildren, Harley, Kora, Jackson, Tie, Cole, Breana and arielle. sandy and wayne resided in Harrowsmith throughout their 56 years together. in the early years sandy worked at dupont canada, several car dealerships and weston Bakery. sandy was most proud of the fact that she could serve her Harrowsmith community as a daycare provider for 27 years. she was instrumental in helping to raise many children and she loved every minute of it. Her “babies” were very special to her. she will be remembered by many children, young adults and their parents for her caring ways and maternal nurturing.

she was very proud of her two boys corey and colin and will be remembered by her family as a strong and determined women. she kept her sense of humor and remained positive till the last days. she enjoyed being surrounded by her family and will be greatly missed by her sons and grandchildren. cremation has taken place as per sandys wishes. the family would like to thank her team of caregivers, Doctors, nurses and psw’s for the wonderful care that was provided. thanks to verona Medical center, Kaymar rehabilitation, cBi Healthcare, oMs, providence care, aLs society of ontario and trillium care community. in the care of t rousda L e f u N era L Ho M e 4374 Mill st. sydenham oN (613)376-3022

www.trousdalefuneralhome.com

fellow musicians without an audience present. Thursdays at 7pm. Cost is $5 at the door which goes toward Hall maintenance. More info can be found at the ABC Hall website https://abchall.ca/music-for-educationenjoyment/

OmPAH

linda rush lindarush@yahoo.com 613-479-2570

Marily seitz seitz@xplornet.ca 613-479-2855

Last Saturday, Stan Seitz, local Masters • athlete, attended his first track meet in three years. Despite the long layoff, he came home with a new Ontario high jump record in his age category (75-79). Congratulations, Stan.

There were no January birthdays to cele- • brate at the Birthday Bash. When Katie and

K ELLER, herbert (April 16, 1937 - January 10, 2023)

Herbert alex Herman Keller of denbigh, ontario passed away suddenly on tuesday, January 10, 2023 in his 86th year. Beloved husband of the late Lynda Keller (elsbury). dear father of Annette (Chris), Janet (Floyd), Sally (Gordie) and the late George Keller. survived by 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. pre-deceased by his parents annie & arnold and granddaughter adrienne. Herbert will be sadly missed by his brothers donald (Betty), Orville (Iola), James (late Lynn) and his sisters vivion (late fred) and ardean (dave). pre-deceased by his sister pauline and brother wesley.

cremation has taken place with Milestone funeral center, Northbrook. a celebration of Herbert's Life will be held in the spring. friends desiring may contribute in his memory to the charity of your choice. online memories, condolences and photos can be shared with the family at www.milestonefuneralcenter.com

in loving memory of a dear sister and brother

S MIT h, R AY - feb. 2, 2013 WARREN, D OREEN - Jan. 27, 2019

Within our hearts, the ones we love are never really gone. In spirit and in memory, their legacy live on. rest in peace.

Missed, loved and always dear.

dorothy (dot)

B ARKER, William John Arthur May 2, 1943 - January 27, 2021 in loving memory of a cherished husband, wonderful father and very proud papa and great grandpa (poppi). it has been 2 years now, since your passing, but there is not a day that goes by that we don’t think about you. you are an angel in Heaven looking out for us all.

Lovingly remembered and greatly missed by your wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren

Proudly

Abigail Mary Oakley

Heath Jeffrey Brock Eeuwes celebrated his 9th birthday on Jan. 23rd. son of proud parents ted & Lori eeuwes; grandson of Hans & Holly eeuwes and George Giles & the late Lynda Giles & Marlene Gedge. Little brother to dexter & Gwendolyn. We can’t believe you’re already 9!

APPLIAnCES

aPPliaNCE rEPair, 15 years experience. Call Mark, Verona Hardware, 6723 Main St., Verona. Ph. 613-374-2851

AuTOmOTIVE

Kaladar aUto rECYCliNG. Car & truck parts. Used cars, $600 & up. We take tradeins. We buy farm equipment, tractors, loaders for parts. 11520 Hwy 41; 613-336-9899; 613885-8644

KiNNEY aUto WrECKiNG Station Road, Kaladar. 4x4 trucks & parts for sale. Scrap cars, stoves, fridges wanted. 613-336-9272.

FOr SALE

CENtral BoilEr Classic OUTDOOR FURNACES can eliminate your high heating bill. Buy NOW and save up to $550! Call today 613539-9073. www.thefurnacebroker.com

CENtral BoilEr oUtdoor FUrNaCEs offer the Classic, the Maxim and the New Edge. Your local Dealer, Wood Heat Solutions, Frankford, ON, 613-398-1611; Bancroft, ON 613-332-1613. www.chesher.ca

ENGaGEMENt riNG, 9 diamonds, 1.21 total carat weight. Appraised $3450, asking $1600. Sharbot Lake. Call Dennis 613-449-8997

sHiPPiNG CoNtaiNErs: Seacans Storage Containers, 7ft 10ft 20ft 40ft 45ft Steel garden sheds call 613-354-8744 or online http://IngeniousStorage.com

HunTInG

FirEarMs & HUNtEr EdUCatioN CoUrsEs – Call 613-335-2786

SErVICES

adVaNCEd FootCarE – rN. “Let me take care of your feet” – in home foot-care. Diabetic care, fungus treatments, corns, callous, ingrown nails. Call 613-929-8956

Boarding,

HaNdYMaN sErViCE 40 years experience. Repairs, home construction/ renovation including window installation, tile, siding, plumbing etc. No job too small. Call Lloyd Hartwick 613 -539-2544.

PHotoCoPY sErViCEs available at The Frontenac News, 1095 Garrett St., rear building, Sharbot Lake. 613-279-3150.

rENoVatioNs, Framing, Drywall, painting, laminate & vinyl flooring, brush and tree removal, and more. Contact Todd Gursby for estimates, 613-278-1300

TOWInG

B’s radiCal ridEs Towing & Recovery. James Mills owner/operator. 613-335-5050; website: bsradicalrides.ca

WAnTED TO Buy

.410 GaUGE sHotGUN sHElls, Older 12 gauge shotgun shells. Please call Mike at 613483-4887

TOW n SHIP

Noti CE o F sPEC ial Co UNC il M EE ti NG

take Notice that the Council of The Corporation of the Township of Central Frontenac will be conducting an additional Special Meeting of Council on January 30th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing the draft budget. This meeting is in addition to the special meeting scheduled for January 31st, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted by January 26, on the Township website at centralfrontenac.com. These meetings will be held in person. The

Linda posed questions from the Canadian Geographic quiz, there was quite a bit of discussion and laughter when the correct answer was revealed. The next Birthday Bash will be held on Wednesday, February 15.

Remember to attend the Bulgaria/Ruma- • nia/North Frontenac reception at the ClarMill Hall on Saturday, January 28 from 1 to 2pm. How the history of Plevna connects with Bulgaria and Romania will be revealed. Food and wine will be available at no charge. See you there.

PArHAm-TICHBOrnE

Colleen steele 613-375-6219 Christine teal mrsteal2u@hotmail.com

Don't forget about the Lions Club Break- • fast this Saturday at the OSO Hall!!! Proceeds from this breakfast are ear marked to special Olympics - come out and support those that support others.

Special birthday greetings to Eileen Whan • - 97 years young!!! Love you, Mom (Gram, Great Grandma!!!). Hope you have a great day!!

District #4 Recreation Committees Chi- • nese Dinner and Quarter Auction tickets are sold out but we do have a waiting list. We are looking for donations to support our fundraising efforts so if you are a small business, local business or have items that you would like to donate, then please let any member of the committee know. Thanks, every donation helps!

Looking for something to do this week- • end? Be sure to stop into the Invista Centre in Kingston for the 2023 Kingston Ringette and Vendor Show! Runs Friday from 9am to

7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4pm. Lots of great vendors will be on hand!! Hope to see you there!!

P E r TH rOAD

Peter Bird 613-353-7303 p.bird@xplornet.ca

Tuesday Lunches have resumed at Perth

• Road Sunday School hall. Charge is $8 per person. Great value for home-made soup, sandwiches and desert.

LELAND HELPING HAND, Four Handed • Euchre has resumed on Thursdays at 1pm, $5, includes light refreshments at Harris Park, 5612 Perth Road Crescent, Perth Road Village.

Perth Road VILLAGE Crafters continue to • meet every Wednesday: 9:30am – 11:30am at Harris Park Hall, 5612 Perth Road Cres. If you’re a first timer, check us out for free. Please contact Cheryl Bird 613-353-7303.

activities Coordinator (Starts at: $41,300-$43,000)

Southern Frontenac Community Services is a rural based organization focused on working with others in the provision of health and social services that meet the needs of our community.

The Activities Coordinator provides seniors with a variety of social and recreation programs including health and wellness, social activities, lifelong learning and special events within the Grace Social & Activities Centre.

TOW n SHIP

OF A DDI n GTO n H IGHLA n DS P UB li C Noti CE sPEC ial Co UNC il M EE ti NG

The Council of the Corporation of the Township of Addington Highlands will be holding a Special Council Meeting on January 31, 2023 at 6:30 pm. in the Council Chambers.

The meeting will be for the purpose of discussing strategic priorities of the Township. Once available, the agenda for the meeting can be found on the Township’s website.

Members of the Public are invited to attend in person or can watch a livestream of the meeting using the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCLO7ewt7KGVJwxvj_iRvYHg/

Further information may be obtained by calling (613) 336-2286 ext. 204 during normal office hours, Mon-Fri or emailing to: clerk@addingtonhighlands.ca

TOW n SHIP OF A DDI n GTO n H IGHLA n DS

oFFiCE assistaNt – Part tiME

The Corporation of the Township of Addington Highlands seeks one (1) qualified individual to fill the above captioned position.

Resumes plus a covering letter must be received at the Township office, Flinton, ON, on or before 16:00 on Friday February 3rd, 2023.

Details may be obtained by contacting the Township Office, during normal office hours.

Information gathered relative to this position is done so in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will only be used for candidate selection purposes.

All applicants are thanked for their interest in applying for this position but only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Corporation of the Township of Addington Highlands P. O. Box 89, 72 Edward Street, Flinton, ON K0H 1P0

(613) 336-2286 ph; (613) 336-2847; clerk@addingtonhighlands.ca

Activities take place both on site and at locations within the community.

This is a full time (35 hours weekly), ongoing position, based in Sydenham, ON.

Primary duties:

• Develop plans and schedule all program activities both on and off-site

• Provide recruitment, training and direction to a team of volunteers

• Communicate with clients and support them to engage with activities

• Maintain and report all program budget and statistics

• Maintain and nurture community partnerships related to seniors’ recreation

Please reference our website for a more detailed job description: https://www. sfcsc.ca/career-opportunities

requirements:

- Experience coordinating and executing activities

- Energy and experience leading and mentoring

- Strong awareness of the challenges of aging well in a rural environment

- Post-Secondary education relevant to the role

- Strong computer skills, proficient with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and virtual meetings. Ability to learn new applications

- Ability to perform the physical aspects of the role which may include demonstrating and setting up for activities and lifting supplies.

- Own transportation to travel between activity locations. Mileage reimbursed.

The successful applicant will be asked to provide proof of eligibility to work with vulnerable persons by submitting a completed criminal record check with vulnerable sector check and proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

to apply: Email a resume with subject line Activities Coordinator. Include a cover letter clearly indicating how you meet the role requirements to chantal. tyrell@sfcsc.ca. Applications are due by February 8, 2023.

Any applicant may request assistance applying for this role by contacting Chantal Tyrell at the organization.

We thank all applicants, however, only those receiving an interview will be contacted.

Dry WALL S E rVICE

NORTHERN HAPPENINGS

NortHErN HaPPENiNGs listings are free for community groups, and will be published for two weeks. Donations to offset the costs of publication would be appreciated. Other listings are paid or are taken from paid ads elsewhere in the paper. The News makes every effort to be accurate but events should be independently verified by readers.

Friday January 27

sHarBot laKE - lEGioN sUPPEr 3pm. Sharbot Lake Legion. Chicken. $17 Supper at 5:30.

KiNGstoN - MENtal HEaltH traiNiNG

For FarMErs & aGriCUltUral CoMMUNitY 6-9pm. Glenburnie United Church. Free training program surrounding mental health. Register jenniferclement_14@ hotmail.com

Saturday January 28

sHarBot laKE - all YoU CaN Eat BrEaKFast 8-11am. Soldiers Memorial Hall (OSO Hall). Cost - $10 Presented by the Sharbot Lake and District Lions Club In support of Special Olympics

VEroNa - WiNtEr WarM-UP BrEaKFast 8:30-11am. Trinity United Church. Blueberry stuffed French Toast, Western Omelettes & more. Admission by donation. Take out orders 343-422-4110 by 9am Saturday pick-up or email vca@xplornet.ca Friday by 11am.

VEroNa - stYlE rEViVal 10am-1pm. Verona Free Methodist Church. Free gently used clothing and footwear for all ages.

PlEVNa - daY oF BUlGaria aNd roMaNia 1-2pm. Clar-Mill Hall. Join us to celebrate Canadian Diversity Free Bulgarian and Romanian Food and Wine

Thursday February 2

ardEN - Pot lUCK lUNCHEoN 11am. Arden United Church. Worship at 10am or just attend luncheon. Bring what you can!

VEroNa - 55+ diNErs’ lUNCH 12pm. Verona Free Methodist Church. Join SFCS for beef stew with dessert and drinks. $10 / meal. Register 613-376-6477 x 303 or joanne. silver@sfcs.ca

Friday February 3

iNVErarY - CoMMUNitY Food driVE 1-5pm. Storrington Lions Hall. Needed: food items, M/F personal hygiene products. sHarBot laKE - lEGioN sUPPEr 3pm. Sharbot Lake Legion. Roast Beef. $17 Supper at 5:30.

VEroNa - FaMilY MoViE NiGHt 6:30pm. Verona Free Methodist Church. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Canteen open until 7pm. Free event, donations welcome.

HarroWsMitH - YoUtH daNCE 7-9:30pm. Harrowsmith Golden Links Hall. For public school children, $6, info 613-372-2410

Saturday February 4

NortHBrooK - WiNtEr rail riP-First oFFiCial sHarBot laKE sNoWsHoE raCE 108 Addington Rd #2. sNoW road - sNoW road sNoWMoBilE ClUB BrEaKFast 8-11am. Snow Road

Snowmobile Clubhouse. Everybody welcome. NortHBrooK - “iNdoor” Yard salE 9am-12pm. Northbrook Lions Hall. Drop offs accepted Jan 27 or Feb 3 between 2-4pm.

Sunday February 5

ParHaM - 2023 ParHaM Fair aGM 2pm. 1858 Wagarville Rd. Info parhamfair@gmail. com

Monday February 6

dENBiGH - dENBiGH diNErs 12pm. Denbigh Community Hall. RSVP Betty 613-333-2366 RAILTON - MONTHLY BINGO 7pm First Monday of every month. St. Patrick’s Church. All benefits go to local charities

Wednesday February 8

GodFrEY - CoMMUNitY CaFÉ 11am. Piccadilly Hall. Topic: Wills and Power of Attorney. Soup and social to follow. Info Juana 613-279-3151 ext 106 or e-mail juanag@rfcs. ca

ardEN - trUstEE’s MEEtiNG 2pm. Arden United Church.

Regular Happenings

ardEN - BiBlE stUdY Wednesdays. Arden United Church.

CoFFEE & CoNVErsatioN — ARDEN 10am Thursdays. Arden United Church. All are welcome. ◾ SNOW ROAD 10am Fridays. Snow Road Community Centre. All welcome, get to know your neighbours.

dENBiGH - WEllNEss GroUP Tuesdays. Denbigh Community Hall. Drop-in any Tuesday! Info Gail 613-333-2224 to learn more.

GodFrEY - PUBliC sKatiNG 9-10:30am Wednesdays. Frontenac Community Arena.

FREE all season long! — 12-1:30pm Sundays. Frontenac Community Arena. FREE all season long!

MUsiCiaNs CirClE — BoliNGBroKE 7pm Thursdays. ABC Hall. Play, sing, learn, network $5 ◾ SNOW ROAD 7-10pm Last Tuesday of every month. Snow Road Community Centre. Join us for an evening of sharing, learning and enjoying music! Cost: $4 at the door toward hall rental Play and sing along with fellow musicians. All musicians and all genres of music (country, jazz, blues, folk, easy listening, blue grass) are welcome. Play along with others in a relaxed, supportive setting. Contact Mike Kennelly at (613) 278-1853 or kennmich4297@gmail.com

NortHBrooK - NortHBrooK ClotHiNG BoUtiQUE 10am-2pm Tuesdays & Thursdays. Northbrook United Church. $1 on selected items for the month of November.

oPEN MiC — GodFrEY 1-5pm Sundays, biweekly. Glendower Hall. Country/Bluegrass/ Gospel $2 cover charge. Info Roy/Joan Sheppard 613-374-5477 ◾ INVERARY 6pm Fridays. Inverary United Church. The Sunbury Music Association presents. Doors open @ 5PM. $2 cover charge. Call 613-653-4447 for further details

PlEVNa - soCial aNd CraFt tiME 10am Thursdays. Clar-Mill Hall. Bring your lunch, coffee and tea available. Info Carlie Rainville at 613-479-8023 or drop in.

sHarBot laKE - aa MEEtiNG 8pm Mondays. Soldiers Memorial Hall (OSO Hall). VEroNa - tHE tWistEd KNittErs GroUP 10am-12pm Wednesdays. Trinity United Church. All knitters and crocheters welcome.

South Frontenac Committee of the Whole - Jan. 17/23

By Wilma Kenny Plea for Backyard Chickens

Delegate Frances Broome came as a delegation to address the Zoning By-law in respect to livestock. She pointed out a ‘lack of clarity’ in regard to the keeping of chickens on a property zoned RLSW (residential limited service waterfront), regardless of size. Her lot is 2.5 acres, and she describes her 5 chickens as pets, rather than livestock. “My chickens are in no way a commercial operation, but as the law now stands, I could be called to court like a criminal for having them. The current zoning bylaw permits residential lots between 1 and 3 acres to keep up to 10 chickens, but does not specifically mention waterfront lots.” She added that her property had been severed from a neighbouring farm which also has shoreline, but is zoned as fully agricultural.

Council and staff had no questions for Ms Broome, so Mayor Vandewal assured her her question will be followed up, and she will have a reply to her submission. Benefits of Community Planning Permit System

In response to County staff’s report (See last week’s

News for Kelly Pender’s report on Provincial Bill 23), Director of Development Services Brad Wright prepared a report for Council describing the purposes and benefits of implementing a Community Planning Permit System (CPPS) as a planning tool which could provide several benefits, for example by streamlining the development application approval process while protecting shorelines. In 2015 Bill 73, the “Smart Growth for Our Communities” Act, gave municipalities the power to create a CPPS, which could, in turn, give them greater control over varying types of development that could negatively impact the environment, specifically shorelines and water resources. For example, a municipality could protect and preserve existing natural vegetation, and direct any site alteration/placement of fill.

In short, by collaborating with Frontenac County, a proposed CPPS for waterfront properties would provide a more streamlined development application process while providing shoreline protection benefits for applications that meet standards and guidelines.

Deputy Mayor Sleeth asked “Why not address all land use, not just waterfront?” The answer was that waterfront was the prime concern for the other County Townships, and it would give SF “a feel for this process before broadening it out.” Councillor Pegrum asked, “It says staff will have delegated authority when there are not ‘significant deviations’; how is this defined?” The answer was that this would be determined by Council.

Mayor Vandewal asked whether this change could be added to the current OP as an amendment: CAO Fragnito replied that a line item of $25,000 has been included in the proposed capital budget to facilitate developing a CPPS for waterfront properties within the Township, in collaboration with Frontenac County. 2023 Capital

Budget Presentation

The outstanding item in this budget is the $3,800,000 proposed for upgrading 4 km of Sunbury Road which are designated as part of the emergency alternate route for 401. It is currently much too narrow and too thinly paved to accommodate the heavy trucks and extra wide loads that would need to be directed over it in an emergency. Troy Dunlop said that most of the geotechnical study was already done in 2020, when there was the possibility of getting a grant to assist with the project.

In response to Mayor Vandewal’s questioning of $120,000 for Glendower Community Court, Tim Laprade said that they were the last courts in the Township to be upgraded, and were “in poor condition”. A query about Pickleball courts in Verona led to a discussion of problems locating pickleball in residential areas; there is a strong history of noise complaints from residents living near pickleball courts in other municipalities. Verona will be getting two stand-alone tennis courts.

Councillor Roberts asked about charging electric vehicles as they are added to the Township fleet: Mayor Vandewal said it shouldn’t be difficult to set up a charging station at the Township garages which could be available for public use too. CAO Fragnito said another charging station would be needed elsewhere in the township as backup.

Thursday Feb 16 has been set aside for an all-day Council budget debate. ■

Awareness of Wildlife in the Workplace

Teaching the community how to identify and respond to wildlife in distress

-Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee, has launched a new online course to equip members of the public with the skills needed to identify a wild animal in distress, and to safely secure and transport the animal to the centre for treatment. Without a dedicated rescue team, Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre relies on community members to bring the animals in themselves, which can be challenging for both the animal and the rescuer.

"We've had patients arrive at the centre in worse condition from harmful capturing and transportation methods than from the original injuries or illness the animal had. We hope this course will lead to safer rescues that cause minimal stress to the animal, so they have a fighting chance at making it through rehabilitation", says Leah Birmingham, Medical Director at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre.

The course, called 'Wildlife Aware: Workplace Training', focuses on emergency response to wildlife in a workplace setting, from an office to a vehicle (i.e., deliv-

lIVING HeRe

ery personnel) to a construction site. While the course is designed with workplace scenarios in mind, any member of the public can take the course.

"If we didn't have the public involved in wildlife rehabilitation, we wouldn't have any patients. They're our eyes and ears out there.", says Sue Meech, Director at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre. "It's a two-way street. They help the animal, we help the animal and we work together. It's a team effort."

Workplaces with participants in the course can apply for 'Wildlife Aware' certification to receive a digital award in bronze, silver, or gold to show their organization's commitment to the wellbeing of wildlife. As more community members gain knowledge and confidence in safely rescuing wildlife at their workplace, more animals will receive the time-sensitive medical care they need for successful rehabilitation and release.

Contact with Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre Email: sandypineswc@gmail.com website for information about registration

This project was made possible in part by the Commu-

Tranquilized Red Fox with mange, recieving and initial assessment

nity Foundation for Kingston & Area.

Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre is a charity that has been in operation since 1994. The mandate of the facility is to rehabilitate all ill, injured and orphaned wildlife and release them back to their home. ■

THINGS TO DO

For more information and to save your spot, email recsupport@southfrontenac.net or call 613-453-6846.

Apply for a 2023 Community Grant Applications for the Community Project Grant Program are now being accepted. Not for profit community organizations including charitable organizations and unincorporated groups who meet the project guidelines can apply until March 31, 2023. For more information see www.southfrontenac.net/grants/.

Food Producer Training Workshop

If you have plans to start or expand a food business in 2023, register to attend a one-day training session on Feb 10 called the “A to Z of Getting Your Food Products to Market”. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. Space is limited so register early using the link on the news post on our website.

Budget Survey Results

Thanks to everyone who took our budget survey. 589 people took the survey. 77.9% preferred a reasonable increase to property taxes to maintain or enhance services. You can find a summary of the results on our public engagement site, engagefrontenac.ca/2023-south-frontenac-budget.

Roads Study

In 2022, the Township hired WSP/Golder, an engineering firm to do a comprehensive roads needs study. The total project cost of $49,774 was fully funded by a grant from the Ontario Municipal Modernization Fund. The study assessed the state of the municipal-owned roads in the Township. Overall, the Township’s network average ratings for hard surfaced roads were “Good” due to our ongoing pavement preservation and maintenance programs, and “Fair” for gravel roads. You can find a summary of the key findings, an A-Z list of roads and their conditions and the full report at engagefrontenac.ca/roads-study. The study provides accurate data to help Council make informed decisions when deciding which roads to prioritize for road work in the short-term and long-term.

Public Meeting Notice

Take Notice that the Council of The Corporation of the Township of South Frontenac will host a public meeting on January 31, 2023, at 7:00 pm on proposed amendments to By-law 2017-76 which provides for the governing the proceedings of Council, the conduct of members and the calling of meetings. The amendments are related to the proposed implementation of the Committee By-law. Members of the public may review the agenda and register to participate in the meeting via Zoom at https://southfrontenac.civicweb.net/Portal/MeetingSchedule.aspx. Residents may contact the Clerk, James Thompson at jthompson@southfrontenac.net or by phone at 613-376-3027, x2222 for more information. Any written comments should be submitted to the Clerk by noon on January 31, 2023.

Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm • www.southfrontenac.net

Asselstine Hardware

6826 Road 38, verona On 613-374-3400

Open 7 Days a Week

Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm Sat: 8am-5pm. Sun: 9am-4pm

Phoenix Project at Wintergreen

On the morning of December 29, the straw bale sleeping cabin at Wintergreen Studios, nicknamed the Beach House, burned to the ground.

The firefighters labeled the cause as "indeterminate." Thankfully, no one was injured.

“We will hold dear the many memories associated with that special place,” Wintergreen posted on social media

Once the site is cleared, they plan to rebuild. The Beach House wasn't insured, so they are starting from the ground up.

Donations, in the form of cash and in-kind gifts, started coming in from supporters of the not-for profit Wintergreen Studios Retreat, as soon as word got out about the fire.

Wintergreen staff have gone over the site carefully to

find anything of value that can be re-used.

They found some broken pieces of granite that formed the windowsill and they also found a tiny tile of a salamander that was embedded in the cordwood in the corner of the building. “We find it extremely hopeful that the salamander symbolizes rebirth, passion, immortality, and the ability to withstand flames,” said Wintergreen staff in a post.

Through the Canada Helps web portal that helps raise funds for charitable corporations across Canada, a fundraising initiative for the Beach House rebuild has been launched. It can be accessed by pasting the following into web browser: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/ phoenix-project/

All donations will receive a charitable tax receipt. For

South Frontenac Council - Jan 10/23

Private lane Upgrade assistance: 2022 summary

In 2022, Council approved a total of $106,872 for a total of 25 private lane associations. These popular subsidies help associations to make lane improvements which improve access for emergency service vehicles.

In his year-end summary of the program, Manager of Technical Services Troy Dunlop reported that 22 of the 25 lane associations were able to complete their work requests and only 3 were unable to advance their projects due to financial considerations. This leaves a surplus of just over $30,000,

which will be carried over to this year’s program. Mayor Vandewal asked whether the program should be scaled back, but Dunlop said it seems well tailored to community needs, and suggested waiting until the spring applications come in before deciding to make any changes.

road Closure denied

An application to close and sell an unopened road allowance between Concessions 5 & 6, Loughborough was denied on the recommendation of planning staff: the road allowance in question provides access to Loughborough Lake from North Shore Road. Staff has indicated to the applicant

The original straw building during construction.

further information about Wintergreen Studios and the programming available on site and virtually, go to Wintergreenstudios.com ■

By-law 2023-001

By Wilma Kenny

that it is the common practice of Council to not sell unopened road allowances that lead directly from a public road to a waterbody. (The landowner had purchased the property recently at a time when the market was moving very quickly, and said that they had little time to properly research the property survey and title documents, and had assumed that they owned the lands over which the unopened road allowance runs.)

appointment of Public Members to

Committees

Four community members were chosen from a list of 12 applicants to be appointed to the Committee of Adjustment: Mike Howe, Kevin Fox, Brett Moreland, and Alan Revill.

David Herrington was appointed (from 10 applicants) to the Police Services Board.

Council members Norm Roberts and Randy Ruttan were assigned ‘in an observer capacity’ to the South Frontenac Community Services Board.

speed limits in Bellrock Village

Last summer, the Public Services Department met with a representative of the Bellrock Village Association to discuss speed concerns within the village. Traffic surveys on Main Street arrived at traffic counts of between 170 to 215 vehicles a day. Although the average speeds were 48 to 52 km/ hr, some were travelling at over 70 km/hr. The Township has no record of regulatory signage in the village for many years, but a search by the Clerk’s office located a bylaw passed in 1989 by the former township of Portland which prescribes a 40km/hr speed limit for the village, and having never been repealed, is therefore valid. Mayor Vandewal questioned a limit this low, but Dunlop confirmed that this is the common limit for densely populated areas, and is in force in Sydenham.

This report was brought to Council to inform them that reestablishing the 40km/hr speed limit will require approximately six speed limit signs to be installed within the village limits, at an estimated cost of approximately $1,800 to be covered under the operating budget.

The first By-law of 2023, to amend the Township of South Frontenac Official Plan in order to implement Provincial Bills 13 and 109, was passed with varying degrees of reluctance. Deputy Mayor Sleeth: “What we had didn’t seem to work, but (it looks like) we’re going to end up approving something we don’t want.” Mayor Vandewal: “I’m not sure how much choice we have.” Councillor Ruttan: “We really don’t have any choice in this: the Province is tying our hands.” (Eg, there will be no site control on developments of 10 units or less.)

CAO Fragnito reminded Council that the OP does need updating and there will be further discussion. (The full 4-page By-law can be found in the meeting agenda on the South Frontenac website.)

Budget survey Feedback

Response rate (589) was considered good, although some Councillors were disappointed it was not higher.

Some highlights:

• 77.9% of responses prefer a reasonable increase of property taxes to maintain or enhance current services.

• The three most important issues were: Climate Change (well out in front), followed by Economic Development and Affordable Housing. Commuter transit services were bottom of that list.

• Main current sources of information are Frontenac News and the Township website, with an emailed newsletter at the top of preferred means of increasing communication.

Councillor Morey noted that although climate change was the main stated concern, there seemed no interest in public transportation: “These two responses don’t seem to fit together: what do people mean by climate change? Or economic development?

” Vandewal said “We do look at climate change, but we don’t get credit for it.” (No one seemed to remember the proposal for a Climate Change Advisory Committee that was brought to Council last year.)

Fragnito said the survey results would be revisited again later this year. They’ll be available for examination on the Engage Frontenac site, or in the January 10 meeting agenda on the Township website. ■