Brighton Mayor Mark Walas (left) congratulates Parks and Rec Director Jim Millar on his 25 years of service to the town, on December 19, 2016. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Ostrander still won’t back the “Beacon”
At least one Brighton councillor says he still won’t back the church-supported Beacon Youth Centre’s recent funding request, based on one of the organization’s conservative policies.
Beacon Director Rene Schmidt spoke to council Monday night, trying to clarify the centre’s position on some hot-button issues like abortion and gay marriage, after Councillor Brian Ostrander refused to support a $6,000 grant request in October.
Ostrander’s main concern is a contract the organization makes volunteer adults sign before they can help out, even though the centre would never turn away any youth in need.
Schmidt countered that some volunteers sign the contract, even though they don’t believe in all of the centre’s values, as long as they don’t openly counter them while working there.
He added there have been LGBTQ youth attend the centre in the past and invited Ostrander and other councillors to stop by any time and see what goes on there.
The request comes back up during budget deliberations in the new year.
Millar and Hutchinson honoured for 20+ years service
A pair of Brighton staffers were honoured for long-time service to the municipality last night.
At the regular council meeting, Parks and Rec Director Jim Millar was recognized for his 25 years of service to the town.
He told council he’s proud of how far Brighton has come in that time.
Councillors also honoured firefighter Mark Hutchinson for his 20 years of service at Brighton’s Fire Hall No. 2.
Mark Hutchinson is the younger brother of Brighton’s Fire Chief Lloyd Hutchinson, who told council he was proud, not only because Mark is his brother, but because he’s a great firefighter as well.
What’s wrong with the water pollution control plant?
There are still more questions than answers about what’s causing high levels of ammonia in Brighton’s wastewater lagoon, but we might know more in the new year.
The town’s water pollution control plant has been dealing with higher than acceptable, but not dangerous, levels of ammonia in the plant’s effluent for about five years, but numerous consultants can’t figure out why.
CAO Bill Watson says a consultant’s report, approved as information on Monday night, will be presented to the Ministry of Environment soon and will hopefully lead to a solution.
The E.A. process is intended to help guide the WPCP’s development over the next 20 years.
Councillor John Martinello had pushed to have JL Richards’ reps update council on the situation as well, citing a waste in taxpayer money, but council decided to let the E.A. process play out first.
Concrete work contract awarded
A Brighton-based company has been selected to do some needed work to a runoff tank at the town’s water treatment plant.
Council awarded a contract to Jeffery G. Wallans Construction on Monday night, to do some work on a concrete containment tank, which is needed if there’s ever a chemical leak.
The contract is worth $45,580 and was the lowest of four bids, but is still about $10,000 higher than the original estimate for the job.
To avoid doing the work through the winter, Wallans Construction will have staff on site in the early spring and plan to be finished by May.
Reserve funds pushed to 2017 budget
Brighton Councillors agreed to move almost $130,000 into various reserve funds for 2017.
Council approved the carry-over of unspent money from various departments on Monday night, including $50,000 each from the sidewalk maintenance and brushing and ditching budgets, as well as almost $8,000 left over from Applefest.
The extra cash also includes another $20,000 or so in sidewalk dollars and about $1,100 in heritage donations.
Director of Finance Linda Widdifield says the leftover money will help take some of the burden off next year’s tax rate come budget time.
United Way would like staff donations
The United Way of Northumberland is hoping some Brighton staff members will consider making regular donations to its cause.
Representatives made a presentation at the regular council meeting Monday night, outlining some of the organization’s many programs and asking for support towards its 2017 campaign goal of $1,010,000.
Spokesperson Joan Macklin suggested the municipality implement a payroll deduction program, for any staff or councillors who want make donations and council decided to ask staff to come back with a report on that at an upcoming meeting.
Brighton Firefighter Mark Hutchinson (centre) is congratulated for his 20 years of service at Brighton Fire Hall No. 2, on December 19, 2016. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
