Councillors punch idea of counting garbage bags

May 20, 2020

Visitors to Minden Hills’ waste disposal sites won’t be getting a new landfill pass that tracks the number of garbage bags they drop.

Councillors rejected a recommendation from staff to make a change at the May 14 committee of the whole meeting. They are expected to formalize the decision when they next meet May 28.

Public works director Travis Wilson said it’s now a bit of an “honour system.” He said households are allowed three bags per week, but there is nothing stopping them going back, or to another landfill site, in the same week, thus dumping more than permitted.

“It is impossible for a site attendant to remember who has attended the site each week and there is no method of cross referencing who has attended each site,” Wilson said. He added that in order to ensure users stay within weekly bag limits, most have to go once a week, which is time consuming and an undesirable task for some.

Staff suggested a new waste pass be printed with numbers that would be hole punched by site staff to help track how many bags of garbage have been disposed of by the resident.

Wilson conceded it was difficult to determine what the reduction in waste transfer/landfilling costs would be or how much increased tipping fee revenue would be recovered from users paying for additional bags of waste. However, he said they could encourage residents to make fewer trips to the landfill.

“If every household in Minden reduced their trips to the landfill by just two visits per year, 23.27 tonnes of CO2 emissions could be prevented (the equivalent of taking six vehicles off the road for an entire year),” Wilson said.

Coun. Jean Neville said she saw a lot of problems with the proposal, particularly now when the township is trying to limit contact between landfill attendants and the public due to COVID-19.

She said she only generates one small grocery bag a week, while others are bringing theirs and their neighbours. “So, they’re going to being passing their cards back and forth.” She added she’d already had several emails about garbage being dumped on the side of the road, and new punch cards would exacerbate this. She also thought there’d be a backup of vehicles with the hole punch system.

She asked what other municipalities are doing, since “We seem to throw more obstacles in the way than anybody else and I don’t see that this is necessary myself.”

Coun. Bob Carter asked why they would change anything with no data to show savings or increased revenue. He added COVID-19 isn’t going away any time soon. As a visitor to Ingoldsby waste disposal site, he anticipates it would cause congestion. Nor does he want people storing garbage that could attract vermin.

“I applaud the effort but I see this as a solution looking for a problem.”

Deputy-Mayor Lisa Schell thought the timing was off with social distancing. She added, “has it (excessive dumping) really been that big of an issue?”

Minden Hills records large 2019 surplus

Lisa Gervais

May 20, 2020

Minden Hills has an estimated surplus of more than $900,000 at year end 2019, CAO and treasurer Lorrie Blanchard told the May 14 committee of the whole meeting.

She told council it was “a very significant number” and the largest one they’ve had. She added, “of note, every single department experienced a surplus in 2019.”

She said that more than half of it, or $503,480, is attributable to unspent wages and benefits.

“For various reasons, we were not able to either hire the staff that council had approved for us to hire, or vacancies that had occurred that we were not able to fill, or positions that we were successful in filling but they just didn’t happen in the timeframe that we had hoped and the timeframe we had budgeted for them to start,” Blanchard told councillors.

In addition, there was $86,700 from supplemental taxes, amounts retained from school boards and write-offs; $184,700 in additional gas tax top-up and legacy funding; and $137,600 in bank interest income, for the remaining surplus of $409,000.

Blanchard said the savings represented 10.72 per cent of the 2019 levy.

In her report, she also provided a summary of potential capital projects, mostly roads and landfills, but also water and sewer and property. For example, she said council could spend the money to remove or renovate the old fire hall in the downtown. She said another idea was reducing the amount of the Minden arena project loan, or apply to value-added items there.

Coun. Pam Sayne said she’d like to see compliance with accessibility prioritized. “I think we could do something with our downtown, which makes it accessible,” she said. She added they could help downtown businesses and look at what other downtowns are doing.

Coun. Bob Carter said he felt the township was going to be criticized for having a nearly 11 per cent surplus. He said he understood why it happened, including projects not proceeding, as well as hirings. He wanted to know if the projects would be done.

He added, “I think it’s very, very important for us to recognize that this isn’t found money. This is taxpayer money and putting it towards a list of projects that might be somebody’s favourite or might be ‘nice to haves’ or something like that, I don’t think that’s a valid thing to be doing.” He said the money would be better spent on emergencies or forecasting need into 2020 and 2021.

Coun. Ron Nesbitt agreed, saying, “it is taxpayer money. It should go to stuff that needs to get done, not happy projects.”

“How it affects our tax increases is also an important issue,” Sayne added. “Make sure we’re not increasing our taxes if we have this kind of reserve from the previous year. Make sure it goes to where we intend it.”

Deputy Mayor Lisa Schell said that “a lot of people in our community during this pandemic are without work. Money’s tighter. So, perhaps we can offset what would have to be a tax increase in 2021 with some of this money to try to help out.”

COVID-19 costly for Algonquin Highlands

Lisa Gervais

May 20, 2020

The Township of Algonquin Highlands could face considerable revenue losses due to COVID-19, particularly in the parks, recreation and trails department, treasurer Jean Hughes will tell a May 21 council meeting.

“At present, and based on the costs to date (April 30, 2020) the cumulative loss in revenue and additional expenses equates to approximately 1.3 per cent of the existing municipal tax levy or approximately $69,105,” her report to the regular council meeting says.

She added that should the closures continue throughout the summer months, losses could easily exceed this amount.

“The duration of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear, but we anticipate the economy will return to some normal activities in the coming months and we will head into recovery mode,” Hughes said. “The township will have to consider its options to fund the potential budget deficit which may be offset by drawing on reserves, reducing expenditures or deferring non-essential capital projects.”

The township stands to lose income from camping fees, trail permits, soccer and equipment rentals, as well as revenue from events, memberships and admissions.

Hughes also outlined expenditures incurred to date on the purchase of COVID-19 related supplies, plus costs to the township for overtime hours and self-isolation hours directly related to the pandemic.

Hughes said employee cumulative hours for tasks related to COVID-19 are not depicted on the chart she provided to council as they are performed during regular business hours, but are being tracked accordingly.

“These tasks include disinfection duties, public relations, health and safety meetings, EOC meetings, peer-to-peer meetings, virtual meeting setup and training, and setting up of signage and barricades as required for provincial and municipal closures,” she said.

She added in her report that other potential sources of lost revenue include: a drop in fire permits and inspections; licenses, permits and compliance reports; lease and fuel sales at the airport; tipping fees and planning application fees.

On a positive note, she said Algonquin Highlands’ taxes receivable is reduced in comparison to previous years and they continue to receive payments for the upcoming second installment.

She said penalty and interest charges in comparison to his time last year are down approximately 16 per cent, “which means property owners are continuing to pay their taxes at this time.”

Also at the May 21 meeting, fire chief Jonathan Wilker will table a report to summarize to council the procedures followed by the Emergency Control Group at Emergency Operation Center (EOC) meetings in response to the COVID-19 emergency since this is the first meeting of council since the pandemic struck. They did meet May 14 but only to pass a bylaw allowing virtual meetings.

He will also table a report to provide council with a Health and Safety Planning and Recovery Strategy relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report provides a framework for recovery operations in the township.

“Implementation of this framework will require flexibility to adhere to public health guidelines and directions being implemented at the local and provincial levels of government. The township will adhere to all public health in an effort to protect the health and safety of the public and its employees,” Wilker’s report states.

See next Thursday’s Highlander for more coverage of the May 21 meeting.

Some reopenings

The township has reopened the Stanhope tennis and basketball courts and sports field, hiking trails (except the Dorset Tower trail), and all municipal boat launches.

In addition, cemeteries have reopened. Gatherings are still limited to five people. For gravesite funeral services, there can be no more than 10 people, not counting funeral staff. Physical distancing is still encouraged.

Cottage kits are not available for purchase at this time.

The building department has begun to issue building permits, effective May 19. The fire ban has been lifted. However, daytime burning remains prohibited between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Daytime burn permits remain suspended.

There’ll also be a household hazardous waste date on June 6, in the afternoon, at the Maple Lake landfill site. Residents will not be permitted to exit their vehicles. Staff will retrieve materials directly from vehicles. Place hazardous materials in a distinct and easily accessed location in your vehicle. Be sure all containers are clearly labeled with their contents and securely sealed.

Minden’s pigeons may be running out of time

Lisa Gervais

May 20, 2020

Downtown Minden’s pigeons have been given a stay of execution – at least until council’s May 28 meeting.

Director of public works, Travis Wilson, tabled a report on the mitigation of pigeons at the May 14 committee of the whole meeting. The report stemmed from a letter of complaint by Stan Russell to the township on the March 12 council agenda.

Wilson said staff contacted two contractors, Eco-Choice Pest Control of Haliburton County and Rentokil, the township’s out-of-town current contractor for seagull mitigation.

He said both were knowledgeable in the field and had provided an extensive proposal.

“Both propose placing baited live traps on any flat roof occupied by the pigeons (subject to any requirements for owner permission),” Wilson’s report said. “The traps would be checked regularly, with the pigeons taken off site and euthanized.”

He added that in order to successfully trap pigeons, the birds will need to become accustomed to the traps. This would entail pre-feeding them without having a trap set, and contingent on others not feeding them. The traps would then be set with the essentials for life, shade, water, and feed. Pre-feeding could be conducted on the rooves currently inhabited, or baited on the municipal building, his report said.

Wilson said Eco-Choice has also recommended that if these measurers become ineffective, since pigeons will learn that food leads to traps, that they employ a form of birth control in the pigeon’s food. Wilson said it’s approved and endorsed by the humane society as a humane control option.

He recommended going with Eco-Choice, saying it had provided a price of $50 per visit for a weekly service, for 30 weeks, and a $1,500 contingency for equipment and or birth control feed.

Coun. Jean Neville said she’d only noticed a small number of pigeons and wondered if the issue had been dealt with or if the pigeons had moved on.

However, Mayor Brent Devolin said “there’s in excess of 100 and, no, they haven’t gone away.”

Neville said if they went with birth control feed, it might have to go on indefinitely but Wilson said only until the situation improves.

Coun. Bob Carter had a number of questions, including whether staff had talked to other municipalities with the same problem and received references from the companies about successful pigeon mitigation. Wilson said he had not talked to other townships but what was being proposed was a straightforward process.

Carter also said he’d heard people are feeding the pigeons and he knows of their roosting in abandoned buildings in town.

“Would it not make more sense to cut off their food and shelter and make it seem like they’re not welcome? I’m a little worried that this just seems like another open-ended contract that may go on forever and ever amen,” Carter said.

Coun. Pam Sayne agreed the township should “focus on feeding, and what’s drawing them to downtown at this point, than throwing more money … a better, conservative approach right now.”

Deputy Mayor Lisa Schell wondered about a two-pronged approach, what was being recommended and working with businesses to close off roosting sites. For example, she said the old theatre is a haven for pigeons.

Carter asked if owners could be held responsible.

There was talk of the former theatre changing hands with a possible demolition. Carter said he didn’t want to wait months. Coun. Ron Nesbitt agreed. “At least close it up. Educate people not to feed them. There is disease from the excrement.”

Former owner Rahim Lakhani said he had sold the building but did not know the new owners’ plans.

Council received the report as information and will vote on it at the May 28 meeting.

“They need to be gone,” Devolin said. “It’s getting increasingly worse. Just walk from the bridge by The Dominion every day and observe the excrement that’s there.”

Sweet soap helping community cooks

May 20, 2020

Treehouse Soap owner Lea Bartlett wanted to do something sweet to help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The handmade soap business made a new bar with local honey – “Bee 4 U” – and is donating all the proceeds to SIRCH Community Kitchen, which is providing free meals during the crisis. Bartlett is also offering free soap to interested community organizations, donating a batch to Community Living Trent Highlands May 8 to distribute to those in need.

“My initial thoughts were just to create a really healthy soap using local bee products and then it just evolved into, why not do this? This would just be good for everybody,” Bartlett said.

She added that soap and cleanliness are common topics due to COVID-19 and figured some organizations would be interested in her products.

“The donation goes to such a worthy cause,” she said, noting SIRCH is cooking 600-800 meals per week. “It’s an amazing number of people they help out.”

SIRCH food services co-ordinator Jay McIvor said the support the organization has gotten is fantastic.

“Just awesome. We are really overwhelmed with the community support. Kind of puts winds in our sails here,” McIvor said.

He noted other groups have also helped, including thousands of dollars worth of food donations from Sysco Canada and the Lakeside Baptist Church providing dessert for meals.

SIRCH has hired two full-time staff to manage the increased workload and McIvor said they expect to maintain a higher capacity throughout the pandemic, and likely beyond it, thanks to facility improvements such as freezers.

“We don’t expect the economy to jump right back into full gear. It’s probably going to go back slowly,” McIvor said. “I imagine there’s still going to be those food security issues we can meet.”

The soap was made with local ingredients, Bartlett said, adding bee products can make for quality soap. Each also features a stamp hand-carved by her 94-year-old father Joseph Gottfried.

“Honey is good for you, honey’s good for your skin,” she said. “Helps to keep the moisture at a good level.”

Bartlett said she hopes she can sell at least 200 of the new bars, valued at $9 each, to help SIRCH.

“That, to me, would be an amazing amount to contribute.”

“Bee 4 U” is available at treehousesoap.ca/products/bee-4-u-charity-soap.

Pandemic puts search for Heaven on hold

Lisa Gervais

May 20, 2020

Documentary filmmakers Mike (Heaven) Mildon and Jackson Rowe did not expect a twist like this when they set out to uncover an 86-year-old mystery.

Mildon, a Minden-native, and Rowe were filming throughout the township this winter for a documentary. They sought to find out what happened to Mildon’s great-greatuncle Harold Heaven, who disappeared in 1934.

They made progress, but their production hit an unexpected roadblock when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“We wanted to dig deeper into a lot of things but everything just kind of froze,” Rowe said. “Obviously, the only thing we can do now is wait.”

The planned spring portion of the production is on hold due to the crisis delaying the film’s completion.

“Winter was stopping us,” Mildon said. “We were planning to wait for spring anyways, early May to follow-up on some leads we’re pretty excited about. There doesn’t seem to be an end right now to when COVID is going to settle down.”

Whenever filming can resume, Mildon said they are unsure how people will respond given they are from the city. The community has welcomed them so far, he said, but he added concerns given the heated online debate between full-time and seasonal residents over cottage visits during the pandemic.

“People are very passionate. I don’t know if that will translate when everything does die down,” he said. “A little timid to see how everybody reacts to when things go back to slightly normal.”

Given the delay, Mildon said COVID-19 will be mentioned in the film, although probably only for a couple of minutes as a transition.

“Fortunately for us, there’s not too much storytelling we have to do because everybody knows what this is. Everybody knows what’s going on. As soon as you say the words COVID, it’s very relatable and I think people will understand,” Mildon said.

The filmmakers said they made good progress on leads during the winter filming. Heaven disappeared in 1934 and his body was never discovered. Police reports at the time said they suspected death by suicide, though the filmmakers believe there is more to it than that.

Mildon said they discovered more about someone who was in the original search party for Heaven, though he did not want to give away spoilers for the film.

The crew also used ground-penetrating radar on what they suspect could be Heaven’s burial site, which they plan to dig up after the pandemic.

“We’ve had tremendous help from the community, not breaking the case but filling in tons of blanks we didn’t know about,” Rowe said. “It was them that really allowed us to flesh it out and move everything forward.”

COVID-19 notwithstanding, Rowe said they are happy with how the production has gone so far.

“Feel very, very good, but not satisfied yet,” Rowe said. “It’s been a treat, it’s been exciting, it’s been great being in Minden.”

Grant helps food network extend tax filing service

Lisa Gervais

May 20, 2020

The Central Food Network is helping people file income taxes despite the pandemic.

The organization announced May 5 it would continue to aid modest-income households in filling out returns for free throughout the month. Although the typical clinics, held at local legions, cannot be offered, the network is offering support remotely.

Despite the challenges of social distancing due to COVID-19, operational and administrative director Tina Jackson said the group felt it needed to find a workaround.

“There are so many tax benefits and income support benefits that are linked to filing your taxes,” Jackson said.

“We know the government is giving some increases in those benefits and we want as many people as possible that are eligible to receive those. “We know now, more than ever, people are relying on every single dollar.”

The income tax filing deadline was extended from April 30 to June 1. Jackson said they were able to keep the program going for May with the help of a $5,000 grant through the federal New Horizons for Seniors program. It will be used both for income tax and food programming.

“We would not be able to be delivering this service without that support,” Jackson said.

The organization took on the service this year from Marlene Watson, a local 82-yearold who helps hundreds in the area file taxes every year. She opted to step back this year due to distance.

“Our agency felt very strongly this needed to continue. It’s a very valuable program that helps people to avoid accessing our services. If people have enough money to cover their rent, their hydro costs and purchase groceries, they’re less likely to have to rely on us,” Jackson said.

Watson said it was difficult driving to Wilberforce every year and said it is great the Central Food Network is filling in.

Meanwhile, she is still helping others in the area file taxes – about 200 this year in all. But being unable to hold more physical clinics due to COVID-19 has been challenging, she said.

“It’s a lot of people I’ve been doing them for over the years and I hate to say no to them, so I have them bring (the returns) to my house,” Watson said. “I’ve always enjoyed stuff like this and that’s why I’ve kept it up.”

To access the Central Food Network’s services in Highlands East, call 705-3060565 or email heatbankhc@gmail.com to make arrangements.

Community gardens open with new restrictions

Lisa Gervais

May 19, 2020

Community gardens are working to open under new social distancing restrictions after the province declared them essential April 25.

With the growing season approaching, local gardens are working to adhere to new health unit guidelines to operate this summer. Those include preventing the general public from accessing gardens, limiting to five people at a time, maintaining a two-metre distance from others and members using their own tools as much as possible. Groups are required to submit a checklist to the health unit about operations before opening.

The Eagle Lake Community Church garden is one of them. Pastor Garry Swagerman said the small group that runs it is preparing to start as scheduled June 1.

“It’s important that we do have gardens. This is one of the things that people are going to turn to in light of social distancing, in light of what might happen while grocery shopping,” Swagerman said.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit said in a press release gardens are required to notify them about their intentions to operate and confirm they are following guidelines.

“Community gardens are truly an essential service in allowing many local residents to grow, access and enjoy fresh food,” public health inspector Dharminder Kaler said. “We’re all in this together, so we encourage community gardens to put health and safety first as they go about their growing season.”

Other local gardens are also preparing to open, including the ones run by Community Living Trent Highlands (CLTH) in Haliburton.

“CLTH passionately believes in food security for Haliburton village and is committed to doing whatever we need to in order to keep our gardens open and safe for all,” executive director Teresa Jordan said.

Swagerman said there is a list of 22 restrictions to follow but expects his garden will be able to comply. The Eagle Lake Community Church garden is also adding a new plot this season to provide for food banks.

“Our hope this year is to start implementing food for the community. I think with COVID-19, that makes it even more important,” he said.

MP critiques government support programming

Lisa Gervais

May 18, 2020

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale fielded questions and discussed gaps he saw in COVID-19 support programming at a virtual town hall May 6.

The online event featured business leaders, chambers of commerce and business improvement associations from across his constituency. British Columbia MP Dan Albas, Shadow Minister for Employment, Workforce Development & Disability Inclusion was also present to field questions.

“We know times right now are very uncertain,” Schmale said. “We appreciate what you’re doing as business leaders bringing jobs, opportunities and wealth in our community.”

The MPs explained details about federal government supports available to people, including the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), income tax deferrals, loan programs and more.

However, both Schmale and Albas offered a critique of parts of the federal government’s approach. Albas said there should be a wider range of support programs to address different needs, versus larger, overarching ones.

“To have one single edict or one single program be the one-size-fits-all is very, very bad in a decentralized democracy like Canada. There are too many permutations and we believe a single, central planner just can’t anticipate all those things,” Albas said.

One of the gaps discussed was for smaller non-profits. When asked about support for them, Schmale spoke about horticultural and art groups with small budgets and no employees that are struggling.

“This is an area we’re looking to research,” Albas said. “We’re going to see a lot of small museums, small horticultural organizations that do not have the cash flows that will be challenged under this.”

Another audience member asked about accessing the Canada Emergency Business Account while using a personal chequing account for their business, which is currently disallowed. Albas said that is something the government should change.

“Many entrepreneurs utilize a personal chequing account. It’s very easy to separate from their own personal expenses,” he said. “We will continue to push the government on this until it happens.”

Albas also said the government needed to support new businesses, who may not have yet developed the books to show a decline in revenue due to COVID-19, which is needed to keep wage subsidy funding.

“We will continue to push the government to look at its programs to make sure we don’t miss out,” Albas said. “That we don’t see the next Canadian champion die on the vine because of COVID-19 and the government’s failure to address their concerns.”

“This will be a bit of a balancing act by government and we will make sure to give them due credit when they listen but to hold them to account when they don’t,” Albas concluded.

People can still hit up the Lapine Lap

Lisa Gervais

May 15, 2020

With just about all activities curtailed by COVID-19, there is one thing people can still do outside while practicing social distancing – and that’s the Lapine Lap in Minden.

“The Lapine Lap is a scavenger hunt for murals that are scattered around Minden featuring paintings by Andre Lapine,” said Emily Stonehouse, economic development, marketing and destination officer and supervisor of the Minden Hills Cultural Centre.

Stonehouse said Lapine took the art world by storm in the early 1900s with his lifelike depictions of animals and landscapes. He is internationally-renowned for his use of vivid colour, plein air style, and layers of depth to each composition, she added. Stonehouse said the stories and details of Lapine’s life can be heard and read if you download the PocketSights App to your phone: pocketsights.com/tours/tour/MindenThe-Lapine-Lap-3319. She said that all you have to do is download the app, follow the map, and you can explore all six murals, which will eventually lead you towards the Cultural Centre.

The only downside of this, she said, is that normally you could go into the Cultural Centre to visit the real Lapine paintings, but the cultural centre is closed right now. For future reference, she said the Cultural Centre houses more than 100 of Lapine’s works. Many paintings are depictions of Minden, and there are some familiar sights of the community seen through the eyes of an artist in the early 1900s. “The app also gives you a pretty cool opportunity to type in anywhere else in the world, and do a virtual tour from the comfort of your home,” she said. “It’s a good little adventure to get people outside on a gloomy day.”

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