Non-resident trash causing concern in Emo

The unneighbourly activities of some individuals have become a matter of concern for the Township of Emo.
At its regular meeting last Thursday, Emo council addressed the issue of non-residents bringing trash to town and, in some cases, placing it in commercial receptacles belonging to local businesses.
Reeve Russ Fortier told council the practice is putting a burden on businesses that pay to have their trash removed, as well as on the township’s landfill site, which has a limited life expectancy.
Clerk Brenda Cooke reminded council the township has not enforced dumping fees for non-residents for some time, so it is considering issuing a directive to the landfill supervisor to begin doing so in the future.
Meanwhile, roads superintendent Dan Wilson reported to council last Thursday that things were pretty quiet over Christmas.
Wilson said he and his crew have been doing a lot of plowing of late. And there was one broken watermain due to the cold weather, but it was repaired with minimal damage and disruption of service.
Wilson also noted routine equipment maintenance has been going on and there have been no unexpected problems.
Emo council then passed several annual bylaws, including those covering appointments and recurring accounts. It also passed a bylaw authorizing the borrowing of up to $150,000 to cover unexpected shortfalls.
A bylaw establishing a policy pertaining to water and sewer billing was tabled until a future date.
Council also officially ratified a new contract in which the OPP will provide emergency 9-1-1 service for the township. In addition, council also passed a bylaw authorizing payment of the monthly billing invoice for November, 2004 in the amount of $10,170.
With Emo now part of the district plan, only Watten Township has yet to sign on to the new 9-1-1 contract.
In other business, Emo council:
•passed a resolution authorizing Reeve Fortier and Clerk Cooke to attend the 14th-annual general meeting of the Rainy River District Municipal Association in Barwick on Jan. 29;
•authorized a payment for January, 2005 to the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board in the amount of $17,187.83;
•supported a private member’s bill put forward by MPP Jerry J. Ouellette regarding the Elected Officials Immunity Act, 2004, which would extend immunity to municipal politicians;
•supported a resolution from the City of North Bay asking the provincial government to designate the North Bay Jack Garland Airport as an international cargo and freight receiving and distribution centre for Ontario;
•supported a resolution from the City of Cornwall, which advocates establishing a lottery to promote recruiting doctors to set up practices in under-serviced areas, such as Rainy River District;
•endorsed a petition from the County of Northumberland opposing the practice of having the new health insurance premiums included in some collective bargaining agreements. (“This should not be a negotiated benefit,” stressed Reeve Fortier. “It should be a tax”); and
•supported a resolution from the Town of Halton Hills recommending citizens not be required to change their addresses as a result of amalgamations brought about by provincial legislation.
The next regular meeting of Emo council is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. at the municipal office.