Bancroft warming room users increase

by KRISTENA SCHUTT-MOORE

Staff

Town of Bancroft general manager Andra Kauffedlt announced at the Tuesday, Feb. 8 meeting of the Town of Bancroft council that the warming room has seen an increase in users. The room moved from the North Hastings Community Centre on Jan. 31 when the centre was given the green light to reopen Ontario's Reopening Stage 2. This meant that the warming room for those in need of a warm place to sleep when temperatures drop dangerously low, had
to be moved. The town teamed up with the Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini Algonquin First Nation to host the warming room in their office, which is the old town office at 24 Flint Street.
Kauffeldt said that since the move to the new location the number of people coming to the warming room has increased from roughly two per night to six, to eight a night. She was unsure if the move made it possible for more people to access it or if it was because of temperatures falling farther at night.
The warm room will continue to operate throughout the month of February as the temperatures dictate need.
Kauffeldt continued her report announcing that the draft Administrative Monetary Penalty System Bylaw would be brought forward to council for consideration by the end of the month. The goal of this bylaw is to give staff the critical tools necessary to be able to regulate and enforce the town's bylaws. Once this bylaw is in place the town staff will be reviewing all of the associated bylaws and amendments will be made to allow the application of the AMPS bylaw.
The draft budget for 2022 is also being prepared for the end of February. Currently department managers are working with the town's treasury consultant Wendelin Lonergan about the Connecting Link Project planned for this year as well as the necessary day-to-day operations.
The town is also in the process of recruiting a new chief building official. Kauffeldt said that Matthew Aldom has moved on to other opportunities. The town has brought back Dale Shannick out of retirement to help temporarily until they are able to find another CBO.
During reports from the committees of council a request was brought forward by the Stewards of Eagles Nest Park for the town to cover the cost of insurance for 2022. This has been an annual request, as they have to have insurance to do work in the park and the cost of $1,362.74. is heavy for a group of volunteers.
Councillor Val Miles, who sits on the Stewards board for council, asked that the insurance be checked. This request has come to council before as it was unsure if there were two different insurances being paid for the same thing as the park is a property of the town so it is already covered by insurance.
Miles said that if it turned out that there were two different insurances covering the same thing, then it would be great if it could be changed and the town could save on insurance costs along the way.
Lonergan answered Miles, saying that she did believe that the town was double insured in this instance, and she will be looking into the situation with the insurance company so that town could possibly stop paying twice.