By Chad Ingram

Published April 13, 2017

The following are brief reports of items discussed during an April meeting of Algonquin Highlands council. 

Councillors approved a post-traumatic stress disorder prevention plan and anti-stigma policy for the township’s fire department. 

The Ministry of Labour has mandated that all municipalities employing first responders draw up such plans. 

“All of the county’s fire departments and municipalities are working together to support this and create a peer support team,” fire chief Mike Cavanagh told councillors. 

“Our municipality has been working on mental health initiatives for the past few years and has already run leadership and primary Road to Mental Health readiness courses which are the foundation of our training,” a report from Cavanagh read. “We are well on our way in our PTSD prevention programming and will continue to implement the plan as outlined.” 

Rezoning Club 35 

Council approved zoning changes for Club 35 property along Highway 35, from the community facility zoning to hamlet residential-exception. 

The township has a potential buyer for the property, which was used as a municipally owned hall for several years before council voted to close it in 2015. 

The building’s relatively low usage rate didn’t justify the costly upgrades that would have been required at the facility, council decided. 

While an initial proposal had been to rezone the property to highway commercial zoning, the Ministry of Transportation expressed several concerns. 

The potential buyer had plans including a restaurant and antique shop, in addition to a dwelling, for the property. 

Security deposits 

The township will transfer $30,000 in old security deposits into operating funds.

“The township has taken security/performance deposits from taxpayers over the years, usually in the amount of $5,000, which is returned when they have completed what is required of them,” read a report from chief administrative officer Angie Bird. “Often it involves the removal of one building, once the construction of a new building is completed.” 

The township has $10,000 from 2003, $10,000 from 2005 and $10,000 from 2009 set up as securities in its ledger. 

“These funds may very well have been paid back and charged to an expense account at the time the cheque was issued for the refund,” the report reads. 

“I would be surprised if somebody put up a performance bond and never came back for it,” said Reeve Carol Moffatt. 

The township’s auditor had recommended that the money could be transferred into operational funds through a resolution of council. 

Exactly where the money will end up will be decided after a recommendation from the treasurer later in the year. 

Truck purchase 

The township will purchase a 2017 crew cab 4X4 pickup truck for the park, rec and trails department.

Council approved the purchase from Curry Chevrolet, Buick, GMC at a cost of $38,800, including taxes. Curry’s tender was about $3,000 lower than another from Lindsay Buick GMC.