Rideau Lakes Township will be hosting two town halls in Elgin and Newboro as the villages are being considered for a new municipal office.
Councillor Linda Carr feels they’re jumping the gun by holding these sessions.
Council’s considering new offices on Harry Seeley Drive in Elgin and Memorial Park in Newboro. The sites may or may not also include waste services, depending on council discussion and resident feedback.
The ranking of the locations was made public through a report, but the discussion leading up to council putting these specific sites forth took placed in a closed session.
Mayor Arie Hoogenboom says this is a necessary step in the process, and it’s not too early.
Council’s considering new offices on Harry Seeley Drive in Elgin and Memorial Park in Newbro.
Hoogenboom was asked by Deputy Mayor Deborah Hutchings if he’ll issue a veto through strong mayor powers if the public shows favour of retrofitting the Chantry office or building at a different site.
The date and format of the sessions will be determined later but the meetings will include all background information regarding the potential sites and ask residents their opinion on renovating Chantry. If they support none of the listed options, residents will be able to write in their preferred locale.
The meeting will also include a financial assessment of selling the Chantry office, and provide an estimated costing for new offices in Chantry, and the cost of a potential conversion of the site into an accessible public works garage and archive.
Story by Grant Deme