City council has amended its 2024 capital budget to pave the way for a fibre-optic connection to the Gerry O’Connor Water Treatment Plant at the foot of Sidney Street. Council made the amendment Monday during a regular meeting at city hall. It earmarks for the project $250,000 from the water capital reserves.
It’s a project years in the making.
City officials’ exploration of the potential for fibre service at the plant began in 2019.
A fibre-optic conduit lies beneath the CKPC rail line adjacent to the plant.
City staff had hoped to use the conduit to connect to Bell communications infrastructure, DeCola wrote. City staff thought Bell had secured a nearby easement and installed a conduit there – but they later found there was no registered easement and no Bell equipment.
DeCola’s report estimated the new project will cost $250,000 and “include the surveying, appraisal, acquisition, legal, design and construction costs.”
No further details were immediately available.
Council approved the budget amendment without discussion.
In other council news:
As environmental services manager Perry DeCola explained in a written report, the current system is failing. There have been 12 weeks of communications downtime between the plant and pumping stations in the last three years, he wrote, and there are limited options for support for the system. When problems arise, DeCola added, staff have had to be stationed at the pumping sites “to ensure compliance and operational controls.”
Accessibility awards
Nominations for Belleville’s awards for excellence in accessibility will be open from March to May 9.
People may nominate themselves or others. The awards recognize people or groups, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses for improving accessibility beyond what is required by law, Coun. Barbara Enright-Miller said. The nomination form is at belleville.ca under the “accessibility” tab (in the top left corner of the website’s front page).
The categories recognize improvements in indoor and outdoor spaces, education, and customer service.
“Everywhere needs to be more accessible to all peoples,” said the councillor.
Support for PEC resolution
Council supported a Prince Edward County resolution asking Ontario to consider redistributing a portion of land transfer tax revenue from property transactions and the federal government to allocate a percentage of goods-and-services tax on property sales. The resolution is intended to provide predictable and sustainable funding to municipalities, something for which they have long lobbied. Municipal officials say such funding would allow them to create better long-term plans and to invest in infrastructure.
“Any type of funding from upper governments is always welcome, so … if we could get any part of the GST or land transfer tax, we’d take it,” Mayor Neil Ellis said.
New clerk is in
Doug Irwin is officially Belleville’s new clerk.
Council passed a bylaw Monday to formalize his employment. Hired away from Trent Hills in December, Irwin replaces Matt MacDonald, now the chief administrative officer.
Mayor Ellis congratulated Irwin and thanked deputy clerk Katy Macpherson for her “fantastic” service in the interim.
“You kept me in order a few days, I know, and all council,” Ellis told Macpherson. “Your knowledge of the process on that was perfect.”
Warming centre stats
Hastings County statistics show the Belleville warming centre at 240 Bridge St. W. has an nightly average of 29 overnight guests, with about 10 more people who do not stay for the evening night. The county oversees the centre.
The centres in Belleville, Bancroft and Trenton opened Dec. 1 as scheduled, county documents show.
City director Joseph Reid, serving as acting chief administrative officer, said the centre has an overnight capacity of 163 people.
Thurlow meeting
Couns. Paul Carr and Kathryn Brown will hold a town-hall meeting for Thurlow Ward residents at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Thurlow Community Centre on Harmony Road, west of Highway 37.
“We’ll talk about the draft operating budget,” Carr said. He said there will be time to answer public questions and gather their feedback.
Harry has left the courthouse
Belleville Police Special Const. Harry Burley has retired.
“Many will know the name of this person who spent his career keeping people of Belleville safe,” said Coun. Barbara Enright-Miller, who is vice-chair of the Belleville Police Service Board.
In his 36 year of service, Burley was an ever-present face around courthouses in the city. His first 13 years of work were spent in the role of auxiliary constable; he became a special constable in 2001.
Burley was often seen escorting prisoners and, as a result, appearing on The Intelligencer’s front page and in other news media during coverage of high-profile cases.
“We thank Harry for his many years of service to this community,” said Enright-Miller.
Transit stats
Coun. Kathryn Brown said mobility transit ridership has increased by 13 per cent, or 2,265 riders, in 2024 versus 2023, according to preliminary data.
Transit staff report increased usage in Ward 2 (Thurlow), including from riders near the ward’s northern boundary, “which is great news,” Brown said.
Conventional transit saw a “bit of a slow start” in 2024, with the first five months attracting 85,000 fewer riders than a year earlier, she said. That preceded the start of new routes.
Staff and the transit advisory committee resolved to meet or exceed 2023’s ridership by year’s end, with the city-wide transit system then in place.
The year ended with 1.6 million riders – 54 riders – 0.003 per cent – more than in 2023.
“Coun. Brown, did I see you on the bus 55 times the other day?” quipped the mayor.
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