Municipal

At their last regular meeting, Kawartha Lakes councillors approved unanimously and without debate or questions eight different city contracts covering spending on items as diverse as emergency equipment, renovations to city owned buildings, road services and the creation of compost at various landfill sites.

Residents of Thurstonia Park, near Dunsford, received some good news midday yesterday when the source of the fuel oil leak that is polluting their soil and waterfront was finally discovered.

Kawartha Lakes council agreed to move forward on a program of registering and licensing short-term rentals (STRs), but until a council task force reports back sometime before June 30, residents of the city will have little idea what this new bylaw will look and operate like.

Jim Riches, treasurer of the North Taylor Road Cottagers Association and a candidate for Kawartha Lakes mayor last October, lives right next door to a short-term rental (STR).

Kawartha Lakes newly proposed short-term rental (STR) bylaw came in for a rough ride at the last Committee of the Whole meeting.

As Kawartha Lakes council debates the merits of a new short-term rental (STR) by-law that could be in place as early as this May, councillors Charlie McDonald and Emmett Yeo believe the Ontario Provincial Police need to play a far larger role than they currently are in keeping the peace and enforcing nuisance laws that are part of the Ontario criminal code.

In a report presented to the Committee of the Whole on April 4, David Kerr, manager for environmental services, recommended council approve a permanent bulky plastic recycling program (BPRP) for Kawartha Lakes.