New Lake of the Woods Township council sworn in

By Ruth Brett
Contributor

The inaugural meeting and swearing in of the Lake of the Woods Municipal Council was held on Dec.7th in Bergland.
New Councillors Glenn Anderson and Bill Lundgren, along with returning Councillors Colleen Fadden and JoAnn Moen, were welcomed in by Mayor Val Pizey.
Clerk Pat Giles gave the Councillors a general memo on procedural by-laws, including a copy of the index for the Policy and Procedure Manual; the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act and other regulations, as well as mentioning the LoW Township website.
In discussion of the Nov. 2nd minutes, Councillor Moen asked if the dog situation at the Morson dump had been resolved. Ed Pearson noted that, according to the “Dump Geezer”, only a few have been seen there lately.
LoW Township bills in the total amount of 607,218.44 have been approved for payment.
Larry Gouliquer, having been asked to inspect the Morson Hall with regard to making it more handicap accessible, gave his findings and recommendations to Council.
Road Supt. Ed Pearson reported that the new plow truck has arrived and put into service.
There was no Fire Dept. report as the Fire Chief was not able to attend.
Clerk Giles reported that the laptop computers ordered for the council members have not yet arrived. Council is to be commended for doing their part in “going green” by using laptops instead of the reams of paper that have been necessary in the past. Also included in the Clerk’s report: an update by Tony Sepers on the RR Doctor Recruitment and Housing Committee; a letter by J. Rafferty to the Minister of Health requesting whatever assistance could be provided to help Rainy River with the doctor housing/recruiting; a copy of an agreement with R. Hallam for reviewing building plans; AMBIS statistics for Oct.& Nov.; the annual district Emergency Training and Excercise meeting was attended by Councillors Fadden & Moen and Fire Chief McNally; tax sale notices have gone out; discussion is ongoing with Rainy River and Dawson regarding a joint Fire Chief.
After some dicussion, the matter of an outstanding invoice for stumpage was settled.
By-Law #243, being the Larson Drain By-Law, was enacted giving LoW Township the authority to send out the bill.
The Ministry of Culture and Immigration is asking for nominations for Volunteer Service Awards and for Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers. Information is available online or from Clerk Pat Giles.
Lake of the Woods Township will support two resolutions: Alberton’s request to keep the Amethyst Sector Field Officer (emergency measures) position in Northwestern Ontario; Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry’s request that the farm tax rebate and managed forest tax incentive funding by the Province be increased to 100% of the costs.
Council received:
1. Provincial Offences Association (POA) meeting minutes along with LoW Twp. share of payment 2726.96.
2. notice of changes in Minimum Maintenance Standards for municipal highway regulatory and warning signs- all signs must be tested for reflectivity.
3. Update on Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) court case on a challenge to declare Minimum Maintenance Standards null and void.
4. RRDSSAB notice of Social Housing and Northern Home Repair Program applications being available on their website.
5. Request for funding for the study “Lake of the Woods Water Quality Improvement Program” - will be tabled until more information is available after further research by Clerk Giles.
6. Superior Safety report on the condition of the fire alarm panel at the Bergland Hall with recommendation for replacement. 7. Ontario Aggregate Resources (gravel pits) 2009 report. 8. News Release with NWHU concerns regarding 2011 reduction in municipal levies. 9. Rainycrest levy for 2011 is down to 39,819. 10. Update on Ministry of Energy and the Atikokan plant Wood-fiber Biomass Project.
Council appointments for district committees : AMBIS- Bill Lundgren; Recreation- Glenn Anderson; RR Doctor/Locum Housing- JoAnn Moen, Bill Lundgren; RRD Municipal Assoc.- Colleen Fadden; RRDSSAB- Val Pizey; Shared Services- Val Pizey, Coleen Fadden; RRFDC- Colleen Fadden; Cemetery- JoAnn Moen, Colleen Fadden.
Colleen Fadden is appointed Deputy-Mayor.
Clerk Giles gave a budget update. He reported the 2011 assessment notices have been mailed out, the appeal date is March 31st, 2011 and that there are no tax write-offs.
The LoW Twp. have renewed their insurance for 2011.
RRDMA executive meeting will be Dec.15th at the Alberton Municipal office; their annual meeting is in Stratton on January 29th,2011 and various offices are open for nomination.
The first meeting of 2011 will be held in Bergland Council Chambers on January 4th at 7pm.