With only one meeting in November, Madawaska Valley Council met for a full day on November 17. After a public planning meeting, Council entertained two delegations before tackling the 291-page agenda.
Private Roads Grant: Council reviewed the 2021 Private Roads Grant Report and asked staff to bring forward the requests for the estimated $21,000 at budget time. As he lives on a private road, Councillor Mark Willmer sat this one out.
Algonquin Heights update: The previously-discussed access to Trout Lake across municipal land from the Mitchell Road development has been completed.
Fire Department Long Service Awards: Fire Chief Corwin Quade told Council that he has applied for nine long service medals from the Ontario Fire Marshal as follows:
- David Afelskie 35 years Fire Prevention Officer (retired in May), North Hall
- Kevin Chapeskie 34 years Deputy Chief, North Hall
- Daniel Drevniok 33 years Safety Officer, South Hall
- Basil Etmanskie 32 years Captain, North Hall
- Corwin Quade 31 years Chief, Both Halls
- Delmar Recoskie 30 years Captain, North Hall
- Jim O’Malley 27 years Captain, North Hall
- Jim Shalla 26 years Fire Fighter, North Hall
- Basil Brotton 26 years Fire Fighter, North Hall
These nine individuals have devoted a combined 274 years of service to their communities.
By-law reviews: As a result of numerous complaints received, Council directed staff to review by-laws with respect to trailers, sleep cabins and sea containers; and the keeping of livestock, e.g. chickens, in the village. These are in addition to the previously-reported staff review of noise and fireworks by-laws; and the instruction to outside lawyers to prepare an Interim Control By-Law regarding cannabis cultivation. Click HERE to read The Current’s previous report.
Physician recruitment: Council accepted as information a letter from Killaloe-Hagarty-Richards (KHR) that after payment of this year’s contribution they would be withdrawing from the Joint Municipal Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee (JMPRRC). Mayor Love told Council that KHR was not alone in such plans and that JMPRRC was developing an exit strategy in the hope that the new Ontario Health Team would fulfill the recruitment role in future.
