HH looking to improve infrastructure

September 22, 2015

By Nate Smelle

The following are series of brief reports will be of Council in Hastings Highlands on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

As part of a strategy to improve local infrastructure the municipality announced that it would be submitting an application for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. If successful in his application the funding would be put towards the resurfacing of section of Hwy. 62 located between Maynooth and Maple Leaf.
“This particular grant program is the best for leveraging municipal dollars as well, because it’s 90 per cent funded by the provincial government up to $2 million,” said treasure David Stewart.
“It is the best for us because it has a minimal impact on municipalities who receive funding.
According to Stewart, Hastings Highlands also plans to apply for federal funding as part of its strategy to repair another seven kilometre section of Hwy. 62 located east of Maple Leaf through the Small Communities Fund.
“We are approaching these two grant programs this year with a strategy,” he said.
“We’ve proposed the sections, with the hopes that the municipality would be successful, and that the municipality can start the rehabilitation of the highway.”
In other news related to the municipality’s infrastructure newly hired operations, Adrian Tomasini, told Council that he has set the wheels in motion to have the 14 bridges located in Hastings Highlands inspected. The estimated cost of these inspections will fall somewhere between $5,600 and $8,400.

Curbside garbage/recyling discussion delayed

The Council chamber in Hastings Highlands was filled to capacity and then some with concerned citizens hoping to hear from David Moore of David N. Moore & Son Environmental regarding curbside pickup the garbage and recycling. To everyone’s disappointment in the standing room only crowd Mayor Vivian Bloom announced that Moore had been scratched from the agenda after he declined Council’s invitation at 4 o’clock on Friday, Sept. 4.
Councillor Nancy Matheson the forth the motion that direct staff report to Council at their next meeting on Oct. 7 regarding how much it will cost municipality to provide its residents with bi-weekly curbside pickup.

Fire chief’s report

In his report Fire Chief Pat Hoover told Council that the fire service has been working on creating better maps to help improve efficiency and public safety. Throughout August he said they began working with Hastings County GIS department on establishing a water source map.
“This map will identify water sources for fire operations for the supply of water to our tankers,” said Hoover.
“We requested information from all the stations supply possible source.”
Building on this list their team of mapmakers traveled to teach site with GIS techs and GPS points were documented along with a description of each location. From this information the GIS Department will add greater detail to the county map and produce one of the improved maps for each area to have in its tankers.
An updated base map is also being produced for each station to highlight: the MNR response area, 911 numbering, property lines, hydro corridors, major and minor roads, forced access and trails. Water access, lakes and island property names have also been included. Once completed, these maps will be placed at each hall providing the fire service with better reference material for responding.

Cultural Portal launch set for Oct. 6

Hastings Highlands Public Library’s CEO, Kim McMunn, recently attended a training session in Belleville regarding the Hastings County Cultural Portal. The portal is an online extension of the cultural plan, will provide residents and visitors with an improved ability to access the cultural resources and heritage of the County. McMunn said the training session was focused on learning the basics about the new cultural portal, as well as how to post to the community bulletin board, events calendar, stories section and cultural map. The portal will be launched on Oct. 6 at the Hastings County and country region cultural Summit; which is to be held in Belleville at the Maranatha Church. The keynote speaker for this event will be Noel O’Dea, the architect of Newfoundland’s cultural tourism campaign. Registration cost $20 and includes all speakers and lunch. For more information or to register visit www.culturalSummit.ca.

HH issues 279 building permits with an assessed value over $9.76 million

There was good news for Council and the municipality in this month’s the chief building officer’s report. CBO Frank Mills told Council that so far this year 279 building permits have already been issued. 27 of the 279 permits are for new dwellings. The assessed value stands at $9.76 million, and the fees that will also be received amount to $123,554. There’s also $14,791 in compliance letter fees.
“We are a lot busier than last year,” Mills said.

Deadline for public input in strategic planning extended

Hastings Highlands Council has decided to extend its deadline for the public to submit input regarding what they would like the future of the muicipality to look like.
The public is invited to share their input through a questionnaire found on www.hastingshighlands.ca, or a paper copy can be picked up from the Municipal office in Maynooth. The Draft Strategic Plan can also be viewed on the municipality’s website at www.hastingshighlands.ca.
The idea of the questionnaire is to provide an outlet for people to share their thoughts, opinions and knowledge regarding important municipal affairs such as infrastructure, economic development, good governance and effective administration, health, recreation, culture and lifestyle and the environment.
In hopes of attracting more input from the public the Municipality has extended the deadline for the questionnaire to be submitted from Aug. 28 to Sept. 25.