(Photo: Quinte News / File)
Rinaldi requested to speak on healthcare
Brighton Council would like the local MPP to answer some healthcare-related questions that it can’t.
Councillors are continuing to deal with a doctor shortage in town, which has led to lots of questions from concerned residents, most of which need to be dealt with at the provincial level.
Councillor John Martinello spoke to Quinte News last night, after making a motion to invite Northumberland-Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi to an upcoming public meeting on doctor recruitment.
Martinello says even though Rinaldi is scheduled to visit council for his regular Queen’s Park Update next month, it’s important that he take some time to visit with residents before the end of the month, as the motion states.
A date for the meeting hasn’t been set, but it will likely be held at the Prince Edward Community Centre.
Council did have some in camera discussion about doctor recruitment last night as well.
Council gives unanimous approval to holiday shopping
Businesses in Brighton now officially have the option to stay open on statutory holidays.
Council passed a by-law last night, after some local business owners asked for clarification on when they could and couldn’t open their doors.
Mayor Mark Walas tells Quinte News, having businesses open on holidays is only good news for the town, so it was an easy decision to make.
He added the move is also beneficial to employees, hoping to make a little extra cash, by picking up holiday shifts.
Even with the new rules in effect most businesses will still close on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
But the by-law does say that it’s up to the business owner to make that decision.
Seven-month clean run for Brighton’s sewage plant
It looks like the sewage treatment facility in Brighton is doing its job and material leaving the plant is meeting government toxicity standards.
Council was updated by engineer Jeff Graham last night, who says effluent collected from the system and tested in Guelph each quarter, has all been non-toxic to most wildlife.
He says that’s led to a seven month clean record for the system, the longest since it had ammonia problems in 2010/11.
He noted measures are now in place to control ammonia levels, which have all come back normal in recent testing .
Local company to handle sidewalk repairs
A Brighton-based company has been chosen to do some various sidewalk repair work around the municipality.
At last night’s meeting Jeffery G. Wallans Construction Limited was awarded a contract, after a tender offer of $172, 845, which was the lowest of four bids received.
New sidewalks will be installed on the east side of Terry Fox Drive, from Elizabeth Street to East Northumberland Secondary School, on the east side of Pinnacle Street North, from Dundas Street to Singleton Street and on the north side of Harbour Street, from Cedar Street to Mills Road.
A start date for that work hasn’t been determined.
Meanwhile, council also approved a joint-contract with Northumberland County, to fix the roofs of some public works maintenance silos.
New public works pick-up on order
Brighton public works crews are getting a new pick-up truck, keeping up with ongoing fleet maintenance and replacement guidelines.
The municipality will buy a new half-ton 2016 Chevy Silverado, from Drummond Motors of Campbellford, to replace an older truck which will be auctioned off.
Total cost for the new truck is about $28,000, which is slightly over the expected budget, but a report from Parks Director Jim Millar says the auction will likely offset some of that overage.
The municipality says it tries to replace its fleet vehicles every 12-to-15 years.
Summer council schedule approved
Brighton councillors, staff and council-watchers can plan their summers accordingly, now that the 2016 summer schedule has been approved.
The summer schedule reduces meetings to one Monday a month instead of two, starting in July and continuing through August.
New this year is the addition of planning meetings to the summer calendar, which will take place on the Wednesday following the full council meeting.
The first summer meetings will be council on Monday July 18 and planning on Wednesday July 20.
August meetings will be held on August 15 and August 17.
