Hastings Highlands to purchase new loader

April 7, 2015

By Nate Smelle

The following are series of brief reports the meeting of Council in Hastings Highlands on Wednesday, April 1.

During the meeting Council approved the purchase of a 544-K John Deere loader from Nortrax Canada in Peterborough. The loader only has 102 hours of operation on it and will approximately costs $225,000. The new addition to the fleet will replace a 1993 case loader that is due to be replaced before 2016, however, operations consultant David Robb recommends that it be replaced in 2015.

“The 1993 Case loader has had the head gasket let go twice in the past six months,” said Robb.

“We think at this point that the head is warped and needs to be repaired. This repair along with our mechanics time will cost several thousand dollars.”

Quotes were acquired for three different loaders but the municipality decided that the 544-K model had the best dollar value. Another advantage to the specific machine is that it is the same unit as a municipal loader used in the Bangor patrol. This means a municipality will also save money in that it can use the same filters, hoses, fluids, lights etc. Nortrax sweetened the deal by including a 32-month extended warranty, valued at approximately $4,000, for no extra cost

Robb also suggested that the municipality purchase an 11-foot street sweeping broom attachment for the new loader. These attachments can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $21,000, but will bring savings to the municipality by reducing the need to contract out street sweeping.

“We would probably be able to do about 95 per cent of our own street sweeping next year with this broom,” said Robb.

“The sweeper will pay for itself in of couple years,” added Councillor Bert Cannon.

Before the motion had passed Council amended it to include that Robb also acquire quotes for the cost of the street sweeping broom. Citing concerns raised by members of the public last spring Councillor Nancy Matheson suggested that the sweeping and grading of the roads throughout the municipality should not be done when the turtles are laying their eggs. Robb said that this year they would be taking into consideration areas that are turtle sensitive and bypassing them when possible.

Municipality to take on maintenance of Grace Cemetery

Council accepted the donation of the Grace Cemetery located on Hwy. 127 by the members of St. Andrew’s United Church. Recognizing that the aging and declining membership at the church was making it no longer feasible to manage the property it was decided that the present committee looking after this property resign and relinquish their duties. The previous account for the cemetery was transferred to the municipality in 2013. In addition will also be a Scotia Bank gain account with the present balance of nearly $1,300.

Permits needed for pesticides in county

In response to a letter from the manager of environmental health at the health unit of Hastings and Prince Edward counties Dave Dodgson, the municipality agreed to write a letter of support for the West Nile Virus Preparedness and Prevention to obtain pesticide permits should there be a need to carry out mosquito larva citing activities within the county. The letter of support is part of an annual precautionary campaign by the health unit to ensure that the use of chemicals or biological larva sides will only be considered when there is clear evidence of West Nile virus in the vicinity where there is risk of human exposure.