This is a brief note to HIRA members and other residents of Howe Island about the Township of Frontenac Islands regular council meeting held on Monday, November 14, 2022 and other items of interest. The public was provided with Zoom access to the meeting and a couple of our HIRA directors called into the meeting. Only matters of particular interest to Howe Island residents are highlighted here.
Auditor’s Report re 2021 Financial Statements:
Township council received the report, compiled by KPMG, on the 2021 financial statements. The report has been archived on the website for the Township of Frontenac Islands at:
Municipal Government > Budget & Finance > Budgets and Financial Statements > Financial Statements > 2021
Miscellaneous Road Issues:
issues for the 2023 budget process has been delayed to allow the incoming township council to participate. The incoming council was sworn-in on November 15, 2022.
HIRA hopes to receive more information on scheduling for the 2022 (?) facilities tour shortly.
2022 Municipal Election Results:
We are certain you are aware the recently concluded municipal election has delivered a completely new slate of representatives for township council. Contact information for the new Howe Island representatives follows:
Mayor: Judy Greenwood-Speers
Tel: (613) 876-9015
Email: JGreenwoodspeers@frontenacislands.ca
Councillor and Deputy Mayor: Bill Saunders
Tel: (613)661-4597
Email: BSaunders@frontenacislands.ca
Councillor: Bob Ackley
Tel: (613) 893-3489
Email: BAckley@frontenacislands.ca
The new council for the Township of Frontenac Islands was sworn-in on November 15, 2022.
Farewell to the Outgoing Council Members:
To retiring Mayor Dennis Doyle, departing Deputy Mayor Bruce Higgs and departing Councillor Noreen MacDougall, HIRA would like to thank each of you for the outstanding service you provided to the residents of Howe Island over the last four years.
Our board members have witnessed you in action over your term of office.
We can assure the residents of Howe Island they were very well served by your intelligent, energetic and ethical representation. So, thank you!
Howe Island Town Hall Meeting re Ferry Issues:
HIRA sponsored a town hall meeting on Saturday November 26, 2022 at St Philomena Church hall. The meeting was staged to allow residents of Howe Island to discuss the future of the ferry service and to impress upon government representatives and officials that a reliable, efficient ferry service is an absolute priority for island residents.
Attendance by Howe Island residents was excellent and the hall was filled to capacity. Questions posed, as well as suggestions submitted, by residents were thoughtful and thought-provoking.
The meeting was attended by MP Mark Gerretsen and Councillor Bill Saunders as panel members. Mayor Judy Greenwood-Speers attended as an observer.
MPP Ted Hsu was invited but he was not able to attend. He had a prior engagement scheduled. MPP Hsu did provide HIRA with a letter in which he acknowledged the importance of an efficient, reliable ferry service and he pledged to work with the Minister of Transportation, Caroline Mulroney, the township council and the County of Frontenac to deliver solutions to our ferry issues (capacity and mechanical deficiencies).
An invitation was extended to MTO, Marine Services division but management representatives for MTO declined to attend.
The meeting was recorded and it can be accessed on-line, in its entirety, at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCtSMrH8yQqOHRHd0-2J5GA
HIRA would like to extend gratitude to the panel members who did attend and who contributed very thoughtful, credible input to the event.
HIRA would also like to extend a special thank-you to Howe Island resident Joanne Forsythe. Joanne volunteered to act as moderator for the meeting. She did an admirable job in all respects. Joanne was also instrumental in arranging the media coverage that appeared on Global TV (CKWS) News on November 23, 2022.
We would also like to thank local freelance multimedia journalist Lorraine Payette for reporting on the meeting. Ms. Payette can be contacted through her website:
Lorraine’s coverage should appear in the Gananoque Reporter in due course.
END of BRIEFING NOTE
PLEASE NOTE: If you are a member of HIRA, thank you for your support. If you are not a member, please consider joining at $10 per year. Yearly membership dues are due on January 1 of each year. If you have paid, thank you.
If you have not paid, please send or deliver a cheque payable to HIRA to one of our Directors or place a cheque into the HIRA mailbox at the roadside at the Township Office. You can also pay by e-transfer to memberservices@howeisland.org.