Highlights from the March 7 Council meeting

by Brandon Mayer

Township of North Dundas Council met for a regularly scheduled meeting on March 7. A meeting has since taken place on March 21, for which readers will find an update in the April 6 issue of the Times. Here, you will find a summary of some key happenings from the March 7 meeting.

A new part time wage schedule was passed. Specifically, wages were increased for student positions which the Township seeks to fill in the summer. Last year, there were a few closures of the Winchester and Chesterville public pools due to the unavailability of sufficient lifeguard staff. The Township hopes that higher wages will attract more candidates to fill lifeguarding and other positions.

The Township can now pull driver abstracts for employees who drive Township vehicles. This new policy is based on a request from the Township’s insurance company. In addition, only

Township employees will be allowed to drive or be inside of Township vehicles. However, there are two exceptions: Township employees attending conferences will be allowed to take their spouse with them, and Council members will be allowed inside Township vehicles despite not being considered “employees” of the Township for insurance purposes.

A motion defining “Municipally Significant Events” has been deferred. Up for discussion were issues such as the amount of insurance required for event organizers, and whether for-profit events could be considered “Municipally Significant”.

Mayor Fraser suggested that clearer definitions are required, and his suggestion to defer was passed.

Winchester Meadows has gifted a portion of land to the Township. The land gifted had previously been owned by Winchester Meadows with an easement in place because of the requirement for access to the Henderson Drain.

A franchise agreement was passed covering an agreement with Enbridge Gas. The agreement will ensure continued service for the next 20 years.

A motion to revise the open air burning bylaw was deferred. The proposed revisions to the bylaw are mostly administrative in nature. However, these proposed changes have caused criticism from some North Dundas residents, some of which is based on misinformation circulating on social media. Some of the criticism is surrounding the ambiguity of fire chiefs having discretion to allow certain permits, which is why Councillor Lennox suggested a deferral so that Council can have more time to consider the motion. The deferral, which was agreed upon, will also allow a chance for members of the public to have their say about the proposed changes.

Recommended dates were approved for the 2023 Meet Me on Main Street events. The events will take place June 28 in Morewood, year is significant because it saw the creation of the Dundas Agricultural Hall of Fame. The combined results of 2017 and 2019 are eight of our leaders in the field being inducted into the Hall of Fame. We look forward to honouring new inductees on April 1 as we pay tribute to our leaders and colleagues for their exemplary work that impacted us within the County and beyond our borders. Organizations and individuals have been invited to submit nominations by March 15 explaining a nominee’s contributions to the agricultural community within and outside Dundas County, as well as their work for the community in general plus their personal development and home business development. For application forms and additional information on all the existing Hall of Fame inductees, check the Dundas Federation of Agriculture (DFA) website at www.dundasagriculture.com.

Finally, the year 2023 is special for DFA as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Dundas Federation of Agriculture. Yes, DFA was born in 1943 and today it is the largest general farm organization in Dundas County with over 400 members. In this capacity, our members are also connected directly with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture [OFA -- some 38,000 members] and with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture [CFA -- about 200,000 members]. At our Gala on April 1, we will be honoured by the participation of members from the OFA Board and Executive. Of course, everyone present will have an opportunity to interact with them.

In summary, we remind the public to “Save The Date”. The Gala evening includes dinner catered by Leatherworks Catering, followed by presentations of the 2023 inductees, as well as live and silent auctions to raise money for recipient charities. The April 1 event kicks off at 6 pm. Tickets are $45 per person, with tables of 10 available. Find more information at www. dundasagriculture.com.

Or contact Leslie Johnson, 613-448-1960 (h), 613229-1751, cljohnson@bell. net submitted by South Nation Conservation Authority

July 5 in Marionville, July 12 in South Mountain, July 19 in Hallville, July 26 in Chesterville, and August 2 in Winchester. It was confirmed that these events are expected to have a net zero expense, with no impact to taxpayers.

The final phase of the new Lafleur Road well may soon go ahead. Council heard a report that stage 5 of the project – which includes design and construction of the well project – can move forward after a 30-day period designated for members of the public to provide comments.

Council heard a municipal insurance update. This was in addition to other insurance discussions that took place as a result of other motions that were brought forward. Recommendations were made for Council’s consideration.

As always, the full Council meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/@townshipofnorthdundas3550.

Environmental Conditions: Precipitation and snowmelt will increase water levels and flows in rivers, potentially causing nuisance flooding in low-lying areas. Unstable ice conditions may also be present in systems.

Risks: As snow continues to melt, rivers and streams across the jurisdiction will result in higher water levels, fast flowing water and slippery or unstable banks.

Additionally, these conditions elevate the risk for ice breakup and ice jams at bridges, culverts and other areas producing localized flooding concerns in low lying areas.

ACTION: Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution when near rivers and waterbodies due to increasing river flows and slippery conditions. Parents are encouraged to explain these dangers to their children.

Residents in flood prone or low-lying areas, historically susceptible to flooding, should take the necessary precautions to protect their property. Please ensure:

• Sump pump is clear, in good working condition and has a backwater valve on it.

• Easy access to portable backup generator and pump.

• Downspouts are clear and the outlet is at least 3 m from the dwelling.

• Securing items that might float away as flows increase.

Duration: This water safety statement is in effect until March 31, 2023 at 5 PM or until an update has been issued.

SNC monitors the water levels and weather forecasts as part of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Program. Updates are provided as conditions change.

Please visit www.nation.on.ca for more information. To provide feedback with respect to changes in water related conditions please email waterwatch@nation.on.ca, post on our Facebook (/SouthNationConservation) or Twitter (@SouthNationCA).

Editorial