McLean’s Mountain Wind Farm Road Use Agreement donations
The McLean’s Mountain Wind Farm Road Use Agreement Fund has four lucky recipients this year. Little Current Howland Minor Hockey Association will be receiving $3,000 to help offset costs; Little Current Curling Club will see $2,000 for Little Rock equipment; the Rockville Hall will receive $4,000 for new windows; and $1,000 will go to the Little Current farmers’ market for replacement canopies.
Manitoulin Tourism Association delegation
At the beginning of the June 19 regular meeting of Northeast Town council, Lindsay Orr, representing the Manitoulin Tourism Association (MTA), gave a deputation, outlining how the newly-branded Tourism Manitoulin Island (TMI) supports the tourism economy, as well as their ongoing projects.
Lastly, Ms. Orr urged the Northeast Town to consider buying the ‘full branding package’ with TMI at a cost of $3,500. Council will discuss Ms. Orr’s request at its next regular meeting in July.
Green Bay Corner tender
Council received three tenders for work on the Green Bay Corners project. JI Enterprises, $189,967.75 plus HST; 2582826 Ontario Inc., $185,400 plus HST; and Belanger, $253,373 plus HST.
CAO Dave Williamson said the quotes go beyond what was budgeted for and it was his recommendation to cancel the tender and use their own resources to perform the work. He said using the municipality’s public works resources, it is likely the work can be done for less than $140,000. This would mean, though, that other capital projects would be on hold until this work is done.
It was asked if an engineer would be overseeing the project, with Mr. Williamson explaining that there would be, through the company C2S.
The first of the Bidwell Road, Indian Mountain Road and Green Bay Road intersection corners is slated to be done in the next two weeks.
Councillor Bill Koehler asked what projects would be on hold as a result. Mr. Williamson noted that a number of culvert changeouts would be affected, including ones on White’s Point Road, which could mean that those roads won’t get hard-topped.
Councillor Koehler suggested asking Pioneer to do the culverts while they’re in the White’s Point area.
Mr. Williamson explained that in the Green Bay Corners case, public works crews will be offered overtime of up to 12 hour days. The labour for those workers will be charged to the capital budget.
Councillor Melissa Peters, who said she would not support the project, said she would like to see some numbers for the project. Mr. Williamson said he’d be happy to have those numbers ready for her perusal.
Aggregate tender
Council received two tenders for Class II and HL3 aggregate: Calvin Pearson and Son, $23,206.40 including HST; and H&R Noble, $31,470.05, including HST. The tender was awarded to Calvin Pearson.
Landfill cover tender
Council received three tenders for landfill cover: Mike Varey, $10.43 per cubic metre; Don Eadie Construction, $13 per cubic metre; and Calvin Pearson and Son, $15.10 per cubic metre.
Mike Varey was awarded the tender.
Mr. Williamson explained that the municipality is expected to go through approximately 2,000 cubic metres.
Councillor Marcel Gauthier asked if the municipality was receiving the construction materials from the Highway 6 work to use as landfill cover. Mr. Williamson explained that, yes, they are and that the landfill cover from Mike Varey will only come into effect once the road materials and wood chips from the landfill are used up.
Tax capping bylaw exit
Council was presented with Bylaw 2018-29, a bylaw to exit the tax capping bylaw for the commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes for the year 2018 and for subsequent taxation years.
Mr. Williamson explained that no one is tax capping anymore, which gives them the perfect time to exit. Exiting, however, means council can’t enter back in, “but there’s no point (in entering back in).”
Councillor Erskine said it just makes sense to “tidy it up and make it tight.”
Mayor Al MacNevin said that in past years, when they had tax capping it was controversial for the councils of the time.
Requests of council
Council reviewed a request from the Little Current Business Improvement Area (BIA), requesting a Canada Day road closure. Council approved the request.
Councillor Erskine said the Canada Day events have proven highly successful in the past.
Council also received a letter from the Little Current Yacht Club asking for the donation of slips on the evening of July 26 as part of the North Channel Race Week Regatta as well as use of the Rendezvous Pavilion at various times throughout the sailing season.
Councillor Laurie Cook asked for a recorded vote. All councillors and the mayor voted in favour of the request. Councillor Cook voted against the request.
Northeast Town council also reviewed a letter from Kevin Eshkawkogan, on behalf of his children, to run a treat wagon in Little Current over the summer months which would sell freezies, pop, chips and candy.
Councillor Erskine asked how this goes over with the vendors that have to pay the municipality a fee to sell items. Mr. Williamson said it’s not been an issue and believes the current vendors would be supportive.
Landfill monitoring report
Council received some good news in its latest edition of the annual landfill monitoring and operations report.
“On the 40-year landfill that was started 18 years ago, we have 55 years left,” Mr. Williamson said. “This is as a direct result of your efforts,” he congratulated council.
It was also noted within the report that the landfill’s conditions are considered suitable for operations as a ‘natural attenuation site.’
“This has been the ultimate goal,” Mr. Williamson said.
When the landfill site was originally being planned, the idea was put forward that the fluids coming from the waste could flow slowly through the ground and naturally filter before ending up in the channel. But there was considerable pushback on that idea and the council of the day decided to go with a system that used a layer of clay to hold back those fluids.
The fluids, or leachate, would be collected in a series of wells around the site and then pumped back over the waste to allow evaporation to reduce the amount of contaminants flowing back down with the water.
In the meantime, engineering studies have indicated that the leachate coming from the landfill site is actually of higher quality than the ground water surrounding the landfill. This is believed to be due to a historic wrecking yard in the vicinity. By allowing the leachate to naturally filter through the ground and wetlands surrounding the landfill site, it is believed that the water eventually arriving at the channel will be an improvement on what currently arrives—with the added bonus of saving the municipality considerable amount of money by removing the need to truck leachate to the town’s lagoon system.
The report also states that the municipality will no longer have to monitor the water at the landfill wells after storm events.
Library minutes
Councillor Cook reviewed the NEMI Public Library minutes with council. She encouraged everyone to get their new library card to match the new system, which is now up and running.
She told of the many events that are happening at the library, including the library as a stop on the Manitoulin Art Tour.
