Highlands East council re-affirmed it does not intend to proceed with a short-term accommodation bylaw in response to a delegation opposing council action on the topic.

Cottager Ryan Bailey spoke to council during its Jan. 16 meeting. Bailey is opposed to council opting against proceeding with a short-term accommodations committee Dec. 6. The committee’s draft mandate was to guide council on the issue.

Deputy Mayor Cec Ryall said he had looked into many of the questions Bailey asked and found it was better to postpone the establishment of a bylaw.

“We have challenges with other bylaws at this point in time we need to address. Once those bylaws are addressed standalone and enforced effectively … I think at that point in time we’d be in a much better position to sit down and look at a bylaw for short-term accommodations,” Ryall said.

“Me as a voter in council would definitely not support the establishment of a short-term accommodation bylaw at this point,” he added.

In a statement Dec. 6, council said the majority of the 18 applicants for the committee had conflict-of-interest concerns and council would not proceed.

“Council as a whole feel that we need more information before we are in a position to decide what short-term accommodation approach best suits the Municipality of Highlands East,” the statement said.

However, Bailey said council should have communicated its intentions regarding the draft bylaw better.

“There’s been no closure,” Bailey said. “If you’re done with this, why not put out a more fulsome statement saying that?”

The draft bylaw was shelved by council at its Sept. 5 meeting, following a public meeting Aug. 29 in which the majority of speakers criticized the bylaw. Council voted to shelve it to gather more information and have staff prepare a draft terms of reference for a revised short-term accommodation task group.

In an email, chief administrative officer Shannon Hunter confirmed the bylaw was still shelved and addressed a previous June 2019 target to start licencing for short-term accommodation.

“Council is not considering passing a short-term accommodations licencing bylaw or amending the zoning bylaw at this time, therefore the June 2019 date is invalid,” Hunter said.

Bailey said council needs to take responsibility for its work on short-term accommodations since 2016.

“Council needs to take ownership of the sequence of events,” he said. “It caused lots of frustration and confusion and lack of trust.”

Challenge on conflict of interest

Bailey, who applied for the committee, also questioned the municipality’s assertion that the majority of applicants would be disallowed under conflict of interest legislation.

He argued a bylaw would affect electors in a common way and that any such conflict is insignificant enough to be unlikely to influence a member’s decisions, which are both exclusions under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Hunter responded during the meeting that a legal opinion was received by the municipal solicitor.

“Your reference to those sections of conflict of interest are incorrect,” she said.

Highlands East firefighters stood shore-bound as citizens and EMS gathered around a snowmobiler injured on the ice of Benoir Lake Jan. 12.

The firefighting service remains shore only and lacks ice rescue training, according to Highlands East acting fire
chief Chris Baughman. This is despite the municipality receiving approximately $18,562 in 2017 from a GoFundMe campaign to get ice rescue training in the wake of the death of cottager Bob Bell, who died after his snowmobile went through the ice on Dark Lake.

Baughman confirmed his department was on the scene Jan. 12 and said they would have taken the risk to intervene had EMS not arrived at the same time.

“At the time we didn’t feel it necessary to put any more people on the ice. We are shore-based only but with the fire service we will risk, not necessarily safety, but will extend the amount of risk we will take if necessary,” he said.

But the GoFundMe money remains set aside and unspent, Baughman said, because the province does not have a recognized ice-training rescue course.

“As soon as we have the option to use that money for what it was donated, then we would like to do so,” Baughman said. “I can’t change it. I would like to see it sooner rather than later, but without an approved course form the province, I have nothing to back us up as far as training and certification and documentation to prove that we have the training.”

The lack of courses is a result of a 2017 inquest into the deaths of Adam Brunt and Gary Kendall, two firefighters who died during ice-rescue training. The inquest recommended the province halt all regulated and unregulated ice/cold water training exercises in any “swift” currents. The Office of the Fire Marshall and Emergency Management subsequently put ice/cold water rescue programs on hiatus, according to Legislative Assembly of Ontario records.

Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services spokesperson Brent Ross said a curriculum for ice rescue training is under development.

“The Ontario Fire College is developing the curriculum for a revised ice rescue training course, which is can’t change it. I would like to see it sooner rather than later, but without an approved course form the province, I have nothing to back us up as far as training and certification and documentation to prove that we have the training.”

Baughman said he was not personally on scene Jan. 12 and could not provide details on what occurred with the injured person on the ice. County of Haliburton chief/director of community services Tim Waite said regulations prevented him from discussing specifics on a call.

The Highlands East fire department is not the only one lacking ice-rescue training due to the lack of courses. Dysart et al fire chief Mike Iles said it is an issue for all municipalities.

“Until this new course comes out and training begins, all municipalities will struggle with the do’s and don’ts of water rescue,” he said in an email. “Ultimately it comes down to the safety of the firefighter and the job they are performing.”

Highlands East firefighters stood shore-bound as citizens and EMS gathered around a snowmobiler injured on the ice of Benoir Lake Jan. 12.

The firefighting service remains shore only and lacks ice rescue training, according to Highlands East acting fire
chief Chris Baughman. This is despite the municipality receiving approximately $18,562 in 2017 from a GoFundMe campaign to get ice rescue training in the wake of the death of cottager Bob Bell, who died after his snowmobile went through the ice on Dark Lake.

Baughman confirmed his department was on the scene Jan. 12 and said they would have taken the risk to intervene had EMS not arrived at the same time.

“At the time we didn’t feel it necessary to put any more people on the ice. We are shore-based only but with the fire service we will risk, not necessarily safety, but will extend the amount of risk we will take if necessary,” he said.

But the GoFundMe money remains set aside and unspent, Baughman said, because the province does not have a recognized ice-training rescue course.

“As soon as we have the option to use that money for what it was donated, then we would like to do so,” Baughman said. “I can’t change it. I would like to see it sooner rather than later, but without an approved course form the province, I have nothing to back us up as far as training and certification and documentation to prove that we have the training.”

The lack of courses is a result of a 2017 inquest into the deaths of Adam Brunt and Gary Kendall, two firefighters who died during ice-rescue training. The inquest recommended the province halt all regulated and unregulated ice/cold water training exercises in any “swift” currents. The Office of the Fire Marshall and Emergency Management subsequently put ice/cold water rescue programs on hiatus, according to Legislative Assembly of Ontario records.

Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services spokesperson Brent Ross said a curriculum for ice rescue training is under development.

“The Ontario Fire College is developing the curriculum for a revised ice rescue training course, which is can’t change it. I would like to see it sooner rather than later, but without an approved course form the province, I have nothing to back us up as far as training and certification and documentation to prove that we have the training.”

Baughman said he was not personally on scene Jan. 12 and could not provide details on what occurred with the injured person on the ice. County of Haliburton chief/director of community services Tim Waite said regulations prevented him from discussing specifics on a call.

The Highlands East fire department is not the only one lacking ice-rescue training due to the lack of courses. Dysart et al fire chief Mike Iles said it is an issue for all municipalities.

“Until this new course comes out and training begins, all municipalities will struggle with the do’s and don’ts of water rescue,” he said in an email. “Ultimately it comes down to the safety of the firefighter and the job they are performing.”

Highlands East council re-affirmed it does not intend to proceed with a short-term accommodation bylaw in response to a delegation opposing council action on the topic.

Cottager Ryan Bailey spoke to council during its Jan. 16 meeting. Bailey is opposed to council opting against proceeding with a short-term accommodations committee Dec. 6. The committee’s draft mandate was to guide council on the issue.

Deputy Mayor Cec Ryall said he had looked into many of the questions Bailey asked and found it was better to postpone the establishment of a bylaw.

“We have challenges with other bylaws at this point in time we need to address. Once those bylaws are addressed standalone and enforced effectively … I think at that point in time we’d be in a much better position to sit down and look at a bylaw for short-term accommodations,” Ryall said.

“Me as a voter in council would definitely not support the establishment of a short-term accommodation bylaw at this point,” he added.

In a statement Dec. 6, council said the majority of the 18 applicants for the committee had conflict-of-interest concerns and council would not proceed.

“Council as a whole feel that we need more information before we are in a position to decide what short-term accommodation approach best suits the Municipality of Highlands East,” the statement said.

However, Bailey said council should have communicated its intentions regarding the draft bylaw better.

“There’s been no closure,” Bailey said. “If you’re done with this, why not put out a more fulsome statement saying that?”

The draft bylaw was shelved by council at its Sept. 5 meeting, following a public meeting Aug. 29 in which the majority of speakers criticized the bylaw. Council voted to shelve it to gather more information and have staff prepare a draft terms of reference for a revised short-term accommodation task group.

In an email, chief administrative officer Shannon Hunter confirmed the bylaw was still shelved and addressed a previous June 2019 target to start licencing for short-term accommodation.

“Council is not considering passing a short-term accommodations licencing bylaw or amending the zoning bylaw at this time, therefore the June 2019 date is invalid,” Hunter said.

Bailey said council needs to take responsibility for its work on short-term accommodations since 2016.

“Council needs to take ownership of the sequence of events,” he said. “It caused lots of frustration and confusion and lack of trust.”

Challenge on conflict of interest

Bailey, who applied for the committee, also questioned the municipality’s assertion that the majority of applicants would be disallowed under conflict of interest legislation.

He argued a bylaw would affect electors in a common way and that any such conflict is insignificant enough to be unlikely to influence a member’s decisions, which are both exclusions under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Hunter responded during the meeting that a legal opinion was received by the municipal solicitor.

“Your reference to those sections of conflict of interest are incorrect,” she said.

Ron Earle has earned plenty of nicknames as the elder statesman of seniors shinny groups in the Haliburton Highlands.

  “Speedy Ron,” “Dirty Ron,” “Sneaky Ron,” are just some of the names he’s earned from his fellows for his play on the ice, written onto placemats for his 80th birthday celebration Jan. 14.

  Earle’s ability and activity at his age has made him admired amongst local shinny players, his friend Neil Cutler said.

  “Everybody respects him. We know who he is and what he stands for,” Cutler said. “He is just an unbelievably cool guy and to top it all off, he’s a good hockey player. For 80-years-old, he’s a force to be reckoned with.”  

Age has not stopped Earle from leading an active lifestyle. On the ice, he skates with the rest of his 65 and over shinny group, who play in both Minden and Haliburton throughout the week. His skill was on display on his birthday, when he managed to pot a goal in front of the net during a game at the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. 

Earle retired in Minden in 1994, he said, after working as a lighting technician for CBC. Over time, he has taken up a variety of recreational activities besides hockey, including cycling and snowshoeing.

  “I like the competition when we’re playing hockey or just the camaraderie when we’re out cycling or kayaking,” Earle said. “I figure it’s better to have a good time whenever you can.” 

 Earle said he first joined the local shinny groups for fun and good exercise, despite having not played hockey for over 30 years before then. 

 “I seem to be able to go and be where the puck is going to be and little things like that,” Earle said. “Score really crazy goals sometimes.” 

 The group has been going for years, Cutler said. Earle also participated as part of the local team for five trips to the Ontario Seniors Games Association 55+ Winter Games, starting in 2007. 

 To mark Earle’s 80th birthday, Cutler said the shinny group wanted to do something special and worked to organize a celebration at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 636 Minden. The group invited his family for the occasion and presented Cutler with a handcrafted oak hockey stick, along with a plaque recognized Earle as an “ironman.” 

 “As a group we said we got to have something appropriate as a memento,” Cutler said.

“To me, the oak epitomized the quality that we got in this guy. He’s durable. He’s dependable. He’s strong.”

  Earle’s daughter, Liescha Earle, also attended her father’s birthday celebration.

  “It’s quite an honour that his community of friends have organized a lovely birthday party for his actual birthday,” she said. 

 Earle said being a part of shinny in the Highlands has made him a lot of friends. 

 “You become part of the community …there’s probably 60 guys that I got to know pretty well that otherwise, I wouldn’t know at all,” he said. “What have I gained? Just having a good time.”

The Pinestone Resort is relaunching a program to take damaged food shipments often bound for landfills and provide them to local non-profits.

The community food share program aims to help provide food shipments to food banks, community kitchens and other programs, according to a Dec. 13 press release. The program primarily acquires non-perishable food items that have been diverted because of package damage during transit, taking them instead to a storage depot in Minden, the press release said.

Pinestone general manager John Teljeur said the idea came from his two years on the board of directors of the Ontario Association of Food Banks, mimicking other food recovery programs.

“To me, it makes sense as a community member we use the power of the resort and our buying power to facilitate this thing,” Teljeur said.

The program originally started two years ago, but ended when Teljeur left Pinestone Resort for some time, he said. Now that he has returned to his position, the program is coming back with him.

Wilberforce Food Bank manager Ken Mott said his organization has gotten an SUV full of food from the program recently. He added the food bank used the program frequently while it was running two years ago.

“It’s a great program. We used it a lot. John had this a couple of years ago and we accessed it pretty much every month,” Mott said. “We kind of wish it would have stayed.”

Teljeur said the early days of the program have been “a little wonky,” as setting up scheduling and contacts takes time. He noted the availability of the food shipments is not consistent and there are logistical challenges with local, volunteer-run organizations.

“There are a few groups that have expressed interest. The challenge for a lot of these organizations is who has the time or the resources to pick this stuff up,” Teljeur said.

The food shipments the program can acquire can vary greatly and has included soup bases, crackers, coffee, sugar and more in the past, he said.

“The shame of the whole thing is that the food that’s there is still in good shape,” Teljeur said. “If you can find a way to divert that from landfill and bring it to somebody else, then everyone wins.”

Any non-profit organization or service club that is interested in getting involved can call John Teljeur at 705-457-1800 ext 4258 or email john.teljeur@gmail. com.