Burning is off-limits at landfill
A landfill site inspection performed by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) on November 26, 2013 determined that non-landfill staff were lighting the burn pits and that residents were placing non-burnable items in the pits. Accordingly, the MOE has declared that Assiginack must cease all burning activities at the site until the burn pits are free of waste and debris. “Prior to the commencement of burning activities, the township shall provide written notification to the Sudbury district office that the burn pits have been cleared of wastes and other debris,” the MOE report states.
Assiginack launches winter maintenance policy
At its February 4 meeting, Assiginack council passed bylaw 14-08 to amend bylaw 04-04 and establish a winter sidewalk maintenance policy.
Staff noted that while the township has a minimum highway maintenance standards policy that it follows, it does not maintain its complete inventory of sidewalks in Manitowaning.
“The township has a responsibility to keep sidewalks in a state of repair that is reasonable under the circumstances,” the report states. “Staff believes winter maintenance practice for sidewalks should be developed.”
Henceforth, public works staff will see winter maintenance limited to those sidewalks located in the commercial core of Manitowaning and the primary route to the Assiginack Public School. “All other sidewalks should be considered secondary and would not be plowed, maintained or inspected during winter months. They would be considered closed.”
Assiginack’s maintenance standard is: Following a winter storm event, plow equipment will be dispatched to sidewalk routes upon the accumulation of 10 centimetres of new snow. Plowing operations will remove snow down to a smooth, snowpacked surface. Sidewalks will be cleared within 12 hours of equipment being dispatched with a sand/salt mix added at the same time to increase traction for pedestrians.
Chief Building
Officer report
Chief Building Officer Gerry Strong submitted his 2013 building permit breakdown to Assiginack council. Thirty permits were issued with a total construction value of $1,043,750 and $10,247 in building permit revenue.
In the municipality, three homes, one cottage and four major cottage additions were built.
Police cost concerns
Upon receiving correspondence from clerk-treasurer Peggy Young-Lovelace of Baldwin Township regarding the January 20 meeting in Sudbury of Northern municipalities, including Assiginack, on the proposed Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) billing model and “the inequality around policing costs in general,” Assiginack council passed the following resolution:
“That whereas municipalities have been legislated to provide police services; and whereas municipalities have been paying inequitable costs for policing services; and whereas the Ontario Provincial Police have developed a model for billing their services to municipalities; and whereas there are a number of small municipalities who disagree with this funding model and do not believe that they will be beneficiaries of any proposed billing model; now therefore that the Province of Ontario take back responsibility for policing small municipalities with a population of 5,000 or less.”
