There will be no new road surfaces in LoW Twp. this year

By Ruth Brett
Contributor

Township folks missed their chance to play an April Fool’s joke as Lake of the Woods Twp. Council held their regular meeting at Bergland on April 1. Present were the Mayor, all Councillors, the Clerk-Treasurer, Road Supt. Pearson, Fire Chief McNally and visitors M. Withers and S. Parsons.
Bills for the month of March in the total amount of $69,608.13 were approved for payment.
Road Supt. E. Pearson submitted a written report and answered questions about an accident between the plow truck and another vehicle.
It was decided that no surface treatment will be done this year on municipal roads.
The Road Supt. was asked to check on the Red Wing garbage cage and make the necessary repairs as animals were getting into it and making a big mess.
Council will look at putting a policy in place with regards to naming of roads in the Twp.
Road Patrol will be held on May 4th starting at 8am.
Fire Chief S. McNally reported that the budget is being prepared. He submitted a written report in which he stated the fire department’s priority needs; 1 is a water filling station which was to have been done last year and 2 is lockers for each fireman`s turnout gear. Council asked that he list those items in the Fire Dept. budget. The Fire Chief suggested that information on the required smoke alarms be included on the information sheet in the tax bills. He also gave Council an update on the training of fire personnel. He stated that generally only 4-5 people were attending the training sessions.
F. Sheppard (FFFD) is almost finished the review of the Twp’s fire department establishing and regulating by-laws. The Twp’s level of service will be reviewed and Council will consider budget funds within that scope of protection services.
The proposed amendment to the firemen’s point system had been given to the Fire Chief and input from his dept. had been requested. There was some discussion between council members regarding the points system.
As a result, HR Policy 24.1 Compensation and Benefits: Volunteer Fire Department: was updated to include a minimum number of points to participate. If the number of volunteers meeting the minimum points requirements is less than 20, then the fire points budget will be prorated.
The Fire Chief was reminded that the fire hall is a work place and no smoking is allowed.
Councillor Nancy Gate gave an update on the Rec. Committee’s planned events which include summer baseball for kids and a July 1st celebration.
They plan to plant 15 Silver Poplar trees in the playground at the Bergland hall.
The Rec. Committee submitted Janet Fisk’s name to Council as a proposed new member.
Councillor T. Sepers updated Council on the “Hwy. 600 Committee” meeting with other municipalities and First Nations. This Committee is wanting an extension of Hwy. 600 from Morson to Nestor Falls.
Clerk-Treasurer P. Giles submitted his written report and a draft budget which were both reviewed and discussed by Council. The annual budget will be amended to delete the allocation of $15,000 to the Dump Closure Reserve. There was sufficient interest earned on the investment to meet the required allocation balance in the reserve. In all fairness to the public (re: accountability), Council will require a financial report and progress report from the Morson Bass International.
Council discussed the zoning by-law and the matter of trailers (the pull type) and whether or not they should be allowed to be set up on properties in the Twp. Clerk Giles will attempt to get some information from others on this matter.
Council has amended HR Policy 28.0 Vacation: to include “Family Day” as one of ten paid public holidays.
“Family Day” is designated as the 3rd Monday of February each year.
Council will notify J. McBride that they are not prepared to accept his offer of $1500.00 as Parkland Tax payment for severance file 46B0701.
Mayor Pizey updated Council on the RRDSSAB. Clerk Giles will advise the RRDSSAB that the Council of the Twp. Lake of the Woods wishes to consider alterations to the current apportionment formula.
Mayor Pizey will attend the annual NOMA conference in Thunder Bay on April 16th to 19th
Clerk Giles will attend MDW training in Dryden on April 23rd and a planning review workshop in Fort Frances on May 21st.
The Twp. Of Lake of the Woods has received an allocation of $208,848 from the Ministry of Transportation for municipal road and bridge capital investment needs. The final payment of $65,032.58 was received from COMRIF. The Twp.’s OMPF funding phase in will increase by $35,200.
Clerk-Treasurer Giles advised that the application for Infrastructure funding was approved for the waterfront park and the $250,000 had already been received. Council will view the property during Road Patrol in May.
MTO advised Council, in regards to the Pentney severance, that the portion of the old Hwy.619, which the Twp. considered their municipal road, is actually under the provincial highway system and therefore is their responsibility.
The next Council meeting will be held in Morson