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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 43
Drayton, Ontario
Daily Interest 1.45%
638-3328
Friday, October 24, 2014
www.jackfinancial.ca
Township eliminates four positions, creates three new ones in public works
Council approves sound system for chamber by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Anyone attending Mapleton council meetings should be able to follow the proceedings more easily once a sound system is installed in the council chamber. On Oct. 14 council approved the purchase of a $14,717 sound system from London-based Dynamix. Seven companies submitted proposals for the project and staff narrowed the choice down to two for council, recommending the Dynamix proposal. Council approved a 2014 capital budget of $12,000 for the installation of an audio system to make the chambers “more accessible for people with disabilities,” states a report from finance director Yufang Du. The system will include seven microphones and can be upgraded to meet future needs, Du noted in her report. Council approved the report recommending the installation of the sound system and also an over-budget expenditure of $2,717 plus HST to be funded from administration future capital reserves.
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by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - A recently-completed organizational review of the township’s public works department has resulted in the elimination of four management positions and the creation of three new positions within the department. The review was initiated after former Mapleton public works director Larry Lynch was terminated by the municipality last December. In March, council approved the hiring of consultant Nigel Bellchamber to assist with the departmental restructuring and the search for Lynch’s replacement. Contacted by the Community News, CAO Patty Sinnamon said the review was completed with the hiring of new public works director Brad McRoberts in June, and recommendations were made to
council in September. Council accepted the recommendations in closed session as they regarded township personnel, Sinnamon stated in an Oct. 17 e-mail to the newspaper. As a result of the restructuring four positions were eliminated: fleet and safety manager, facilities maintenance manager, parks and cemeteries manager and public works operations manager. Those positions are being replaced with two new positions: manager of assets and infrastructure, and manager of public works. A non-management position - parks, facilities and cemeteries coordinator - is also being added. Three managers were terminated as a result of the restructuring. Sinnamon said Jim Grose, former parks and cemeteries
manager, is the new public works manager. The manager of assets and infrastructure and the parks, facilities and cemeteries coordinator positions will be advertised shortly. The manager of assets and infrastructure will oversee all capital assets, making recommendations to the director of public works on capital replacement, and also oversee infrastructure tenders and contracts such as the municipality’s agreement with the Ontario Clean Water Agency. The manager of public works will oversee day-to-day operations and strategic planning of public works department, including road construction and maintenance, bridges and culverts, and outdoor recreation facilities. The parks, facilities and Continued on page 2
Township provides use of theatre for Drayton Rotary Club talent show Pumpkin contest - Sawyer Rumph of Mapleton Township rose to the challenge for a pumpkin carving contest at the Community Christian School bazaar at the PMD Arena Complex on Oct. 18. His creation is a smaller pumpkin inside a larger one, with faces carved into both. photo by Caroline Sealey
by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON – Mapleton council has agreed to allow the Drayton Rotary Club use of the Drayton Festival Theatre for a talent show on Dec. 6. An agreement with Drayton Entertainment, which operates the municipally-owned theatre, includes as limited number of
dates for the township use of the facility. “The theatre has confirmed with township staff that the theatre is available for the Rotary Club’s use in December,” noted CAO Patty Sinnamon in a report to council at the Oct. 14 meeting. “Liability insurance coverage is required
naming Drayton Entertainment as an additional insured party. The Township of Mapleton will be named as well.” The Rotary Club is looking for area residents with creative and entertaining acts to participate in the show, which will be a fundraiser for the club’s proposed splash pad project.
Knetsch walks out on meeting as council confirms skate park location
by Patrick Raftis DRAYTON - Despite initially declaring a conflict of interest on the matter, councillor Andy Knetsch had his say then walked out of a meeting last week before Mapleton council confirmed its decision to locate a proposed skate park facility at the Kinsmen Park. After an extensive review process, on April 22 council approved a skate park location in the parking lot off John Street at Kinsmen Park. However, on May 13 council agreed to review the decision after realizing a skate park on the site, which drew objections from neighbouring residents, would also take up much of the parking lot. Council and staff have since considered two potential sites around the ball diamond at Kinsmen Park and have also revisited a Riverside Park location. However, the GRCA has stated it will not permit the facility at Riverside Park due to concerns about flooding and wetland preservation. In a report to council at
the Oct. 14 meeting, public works director Brad McRoberts and CAO P a t t y Sinnamon recommendCOUNCILLOR council ANDY KNETSCH ed proceed with locating the facility at Kinsmen Park in the area of the east parking lot off John Street, which would allow the municipality and the committee to go ahead with a plan to apply for funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. “It is clear that there is both community and council support to proceed with a skateboard park, however, no location has been confirmed and as such no Trillium funding application can be completed and submitted,” the report states. McRoberts told council the facility could be located somewhere within the roughly 200by-200 foot parking lot. However, councillor Neil Driscoll was concerned that wasn’t specific enough. Main St. W. Palmerston
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“For me to make this decision tonight I’d like to know where in the parking lot it will go,” said Driscoll, who asked McRoberts if he would like more time to prepare an actual layout. “Within the configuration of the parking lot now, it’s not defined per se,” explained McRoberts. “Parking can be picked up in other areas just by picking up a bit of that green space at the edge of the parking lot,” he added. “I think it’s probably best for council to commit on an actual location,” said McRoberts, who pointed out he could then consult with other park user groups to determine the best location within the parking lot. “I don’t think the Trillium group cares if it’s going to be 10 feet over here, or 10 feet over that way. I think we need to agree that there really is no other location in terms of the consultation.” After the presentation of the report by McRoberts, councillor Andy Knetsch, who had declared a conflict of interest
on the issue prior to the discussion due to the proximity of his residence to Kinsmen Park, interjected from the gallery that he wished to make a statement. “I’ve declared a conflict - I would like to make one point. My conflict of interest aside, I feel that … a very important point needs to be raised here…” Knetsch began, before Mayor Bruce Whale advised him he was out of order. “As a councillor it’s really important for me to talk about an issue that is essential to what we’re talking about here,” said Knetsch. “Then you have to come back to the table and indicate you do not have a conflict,” said Whale. “Okay I’ll make that statement. I’m removing my conflict,” said Knetsch. He continued, “I believe it is paramount that I advocate for 17 people who signed a petition, for whatever reason … but they said basically ‘thank you, but no thank you’ to that location. “Those people don’t live outside the area - they live
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close to or nearby this facility and they’re saying ‘no.’ During this whole discussion that I’ve been listening to, that’s not been raised once.” “That’s all been discussed,” at previous meetings, Whale pointed out. “Then why is that not important?” asked Knetsch, who questioned if the petitioners had been advised the topic would be raised at the meeting that evening. “The agenda’s on the website … if they were here they can’t speak unless they were here as a delegation,” the mayor pointed out. “We often have opposition to things that are proposed by council … you’re not going to ever satisfy everyone.” Knetsch responded, “I’m saying for this particular issue I don’t believe it’s fair. I’m speaking because these people need a voice.” “I’m going to rule you out of order if you don’t come to a point,” said Whale. “We’ve looked at that (the petitioners’ concerns), we’ve looked at several other loca-
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tions,” he added. “For me it’s a matter of principle and I’m going to leave the chamber again,” said Knetsch. “I think it’s rather an inappropriate reaction and I hope you’ll reconsider your decision,” Whale responded. Knetsch then left the chamber at around 8pm and did not return for the rest of the meeting, which continued until around 9:15pm. While conceding that by approving the report council would be committing to the Kinsmen park site, Driscoll asked if it would still be possible to reconsider if Wellington County offered use of the site of its current Drayton public works garage as a location for the skate park. “That gets it closer to another part of town … but we don’t own that land,” noted councillor Jim Curry. “Not yet,” replied Driscoll. “I think it’s pretty difficult at this point for us to hypothesize about that,” stated McRoberts. Continued on page 2
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