Assiginack awards Cardwell St. tender
During the April 1 Assiginack council meeting, council reviewed the seven tenders received for the work on Cardwell Street, naming InterPaving as the bidder for its tender of $2,126,348.62 (including tax)—the lowest of the seven bids.
“It’s nice to see where it came out,” Reeve Brad Ham noted, “and it will be nice to see it finished.”
“It will be nice to see it done,” Councillor Paul Moffat added.
Council also passed a motion following the recommendations of the project’s engineers, WSP Engineering, that the municipality: develop a new intersection at Arthur Street and Cardwell Street; change the grade to the roadway to cross section design and profile; and redesign the twin culverts being replaced under Cardwell Street to have square ends without concrete headwalls.
WSP Engineering also gave the figure of $57,000 for the contract administration budget which would have WSP oversee the initial outset and layout of the contract design to review culverts and entrances, the placement of the new twin culverts and delivery, placement of all granular products, and the final grading of the roadway and placement of hit mix asphalt, which council also agreed to.
“It would put extra pressure on Ron (Cooper, roads superintendent) if they weren’t here,” the reeve said.
Great events coming up
Assiginack council passed a motion, giving events coordinator Jackie White the go ahead for such events as the Pumpkin Festival, to be held October 26 and which will include a bake sale, weigh-off, baking contest, seed spitting contest, pumpkin rolling and a pumpkin chuckin’ catapult contest; pick-up ball hockey once a week in May and June at the ice surface; a Pay it Forward event which would encourage positive, random acts of kindness done discreetly to brighten one’s day; and a Spring Fling in May featuring fun foods from the 1960s kitchen.
“I think Jackie’s doing a wonderful job,” Councillor Brenda Reid said.
“Great job, Jackie,” the reeve added. “Keep up the good work. I expect the community spirit here will be even greater than it already is.”
MTA annual membership
Assiginack agreed to purchase a single enhanced membership from the Manitoulin Tourism Association (MTA) at a cost of $250.
Councillor Paul Moffat noted the confusing nature of the membership package, saying he “read it through three times and still didn’t understand it,” with Reeve Ham agreeing.
“Well you’ll just have to take it from me, I think this package is the best fit for us,” clerk/treasurer Alton Hobbs said.
Council supports Wollaston Township
Assiginack council received a motion from Wollaston Township dated March 17 regarding the province’s direction regarding development on private roads.
“Whereas Wollaston Township is a rural area with thousands of acres of undeveloped lands; and whereas the best potential for growth for the rural properties in Wollaston Township is tourism and recreational use; …and whereas the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has indicated that they may not support policies that will permit new development to occur on the extensions of private roads, on new private roads or unopened road allowances; therefore be it resolved that Wollaston Township requests that the MMAH reconsider their policy regarding development on private roads and unopened road allowances…”
“What they are talking about will affect all of Manitoulin with the new Official Plan,” Reeve Ham said. “If you have a cottage served by a private road, under the new Official Plan there are no new severances with private roads. Owners will have to put in their own road up to municipal standards.”
Reeve Ham asked his council whether they wanted to support Wollaston’s resolution or pen their own.
“Can’t we do both?” Councillor Moffat asked.
Council passed a motion of support for Wollaston’s motion, with staff to draft a version for Assiginack which will be presented at the April 15 council meeting.
Tax rates, ratios set for 2014
Council passed two bylaws at its last meeting, setting the tax ratios and rates for 2014.
Bylaw 14-12 set the tax ratios as follows (municipal and education rate combined): residential, 1.0; multi-residential, 1.0; commercial occupied, 0.95; commercial vacant, 0.665; industrial occupied, 0.77; industrial vacant, 0.5005; pipeline, 1.1215; farm, 0.25; and managed forest, 0.25.
Bylaw 14-13 was also passed, adopting the tax rates as follows: residential, 0.01624334; multi-residential, 0.1624334; commercial occupied, 0.02339857; commercial vacant, 0.1637900; industrial occupied, 0.1788503; industrial vacant, 0.01162527; pipelines, 0.01594026; farm, 0.00406134; and managed forest, 0.00406134.
