Conservation Review Board Issues Report on the October 3rd Pre-Hearing Conference

by Brian Coggins

On Friday, the Conservation Review Board released its report on the October 3rd Pre-Conference Hearing held at the Port Hope Town Park Centre with regards to the objections raised to Port Hope Council's resolution to designate the site of the municipality's second hospital located at 65 Ward St in Port Hope. 

Dates have now been set for a full hearing to hear the objections to the proposed site designation.   The dates set aside are February 11, 12 and 13. 2019 in the Council Chambers at the Port Hope Town Hall, 56 Queen St in Port Hope.  Proceedings will commence at 10 am each day.   Those on the list may attend a tour of the facility prior to the first day.

The notice issued contains the names of 95 objectors plus other interested parties who attended the October 3rd meeting

County seeks input on Early Years system

By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland residents with an interest in local child-care services and the EarlyON Centre programming offered throughout the county are invited to complete a survey about the system's strengths and needs.

Northumberland County has set a Dec. 10 deadline for the return of the surveys, whose feedback will be used to create a five-year plan for the local Early Years system that will support the evolving needs of local children and families.

“Our Early Years services are designed to engage children and families in stimulating, nurturing environments that cultivate healthy child development,” Northumberland community and social services director Lisa Horne said in the county's press release.

“Through this survey, we hope to learn more about what services families and care givers are currently using, and also what we can do to strengthen the existing system of programs and supports to best position Northumberland children to grow and flourish.”

The county is also hosting an on-line forum where people can connect to share and explore ideas and priorities for the local Early Years system.

For more information on both the survey and the online forum, visit NorthumberlandCounty.ca/EarlyYears.

Cobourg prepares for new council term

By Cecilia Nasmith

A new mayor, a new deputy mayor, and new (and returning) Cobourg councillors are gearing up for a new term soon to begin.

The news was announced in a press release from the town listing the official council meeting schedule for 2019, with all the year's committee-of-the-whole and regular council meetings. They will be presided over by new mayor John Henderson and new deputy mayor Suzanne Seguin, with council being a mixture of incumbent (Aaron Burchat, Brian Darling) and newly elected (Nicole Beatty, Adam Bureau, Emily Chorley) members.

The 4 p.m. starting time will remain the same for these meetings, which will take place in council chambers (located on the third floor east at Victoria Hall, 55 King St. W., Cobourg). Public meetings, as required, will be scheduled for 6 p.m.

This term of council is also keeping with the rotation begun by with the last council term - a committee-of-the-whole meeting, followed a week later by a regular meeting, followed by a third week with no meeting. Exceptions will be made in the case of holidays – and also in July and August, when a combined committee-of-the-whole and regular meeting will be held July 22 and Aug. 12.

Otherwise, 2019 committee-of-the-whole dates are Jan. 7, Jan. 28, Feb. 19 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Family Day holiday Feb. 18), March 11, April 1, April 23 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Easter Monday holiday April 22), May 13, June 3, June 24, Sept. 3 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Labour Day holiday Sept. 2), Sept. 23, Oct. 15 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Thanksgiving holiday Oct. 14), Nov 4 and Nov. 25.

Regular council meetings are scheduled on Jan. 14, Feb. 4, Feb. 25, March 18, April 8, April 29, May 21 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Victoria Day holiday May 20), June 10, July 2 (a Tuesday in consideration of the Canada Day holiday July 1), Sept. 9, Sept. 30, Oct. 21, Nov. 11 and Dec. 2.

The press release reminds everyone that all open public meetings in the council chambers will be videotaped by town staff and made available on the Town of Cobourg's YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/TownCobourg. All video broadcasts will be archived for a duration of three months.

For more information, contact municipal clerk Brent Larmer at 905-372-4301 ext. 4207 or at blarmer@cobourg.ca.

100 Mile Diet reports another success

By Cecilia Nasmith

The cheque presentation at a recent Sunday service at Grafton's St. Andrew's United Church made it official – the 10th annual 100 Mile Diet event in September was a resounding success.

The 100-Mile Diet Event committee of St. Andrew's made the presentation of $1,053.25 to Northumberland Food For Thought coordinator Beth Kolisnyk, representing proceeds from the event – admission is free, but those attending are invited to make a donation at the door.

Held each September at the arena in Grafton, this event showcases food producers of all kinds who operate within a 100-mile area. It is named after a book written some years back exploring why it is important to support one's local producers, and the St. Andrew's committee has been spreading the word for a decade now.

Bev Silk, who has been involved with the event since its inception, reported that a typical year's gate brings in about $1,000 for Food For Thought to use in its school-nutrition programming (breakfast programs, snack bins and the like).

In recent years, these proceeds have been used to purchase apples from Moore's Orchards. Moore's owner Heidi Behan – a long-time exhibitor at the event – said this amount purchases between three and four bins of apples, and they always donate a little more on their own.

Cobourg's waterfront operations move inland for the winter

By Cecilia Nasmith

The Town of Cobourg announces that the waterfront-operations staff will be relocating to the Cobourg Community Centre for the winter, starting Nov. 15.

The centre is located at 750 D'Arcy St., and this is the place to go to for any in-person business (such as making payments for contracts or reservations, which will be accepted by personnel at the front reception desk).

Otherwise, contact information for all marina and campground services remains unchanged.

Reach marina services at 905-372-2397 or cobourgmarina@cobourg.ca, and reach campground services at 905-372-7321 orcampgroundinfo@cobourg.ca.

Ask five questions to ensure medication safety

By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland Hills Hospital is joining forces with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute in recognizing Oct. 29 to Nov. 2 as Canadian Patient Safety Week.

This year's theme is Not All Meds Get Along, and the public-awareness campaign behind it is designed to prompt patients and health-care professionals alike to ask questions – and, if required, initiate medication reviews (especially in those cases where someone takes five or more medications).

The NHH press release reminds everyone that medication errors can result in severe harm, disability and even death.

“While multiple measures are in place to minimize the risk of medication errors in hospitals for patients who require multiple medications, or who may be transitioning between treatments or treatment locations, safety is a heightened concern,” the bulletin said.

“Everyone – including patients themselves, their caregivers and the health providers who care for them – can play a role in ensuring medication safety.”

This concern has led to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute teaming up with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada, Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the Canadian Society for Hospital Pharmacists to create a simple five-question checklist to help patients and their caregivers have a conversation about medications with their healthcare provider.

1 – Changes? Have any medications been added, stopped or changed, and why?

2 – Continue? What medications do I need to keep taking, and why?

3 – Proper use? How do I take my medications, and for how long?

4 – Monitor? How will I know if my medication is working, and what side effects do I watch for?

5 – Follow up? Do I need any tests, and when do I book my next visit?

The CPSI recommends posing these five questions when attending a doctor's appointment, when interacting with a community pharmacist, when leaving the hospital upon discharge, and when receiving a visit by home-care services. A downloadable copy of these questions, as well as further information, can be found at www.safemedicationuse.ca,

Northumberland Hills Hospital director of quality Rohan Gonsalves said they are proud to be part of the five-questions initiative.

“As part of our on-going commitment to high quality, safe care, we’re recommending that everyone learn these five questions, and help spread awareness by sharing them with their loved ones,” he added.

Patients and their care givers are further reminded to keep medication records complete and up-to-date, including information on any drug allergies, as well as information on any non-prescription products (including vitamins and minerals and herbal or natural products). A current list of any medications taken on a regular basis, (or the medications themselves) and any other important medical information such as allergies should be taken to all NHH appointments, including (when possible) emergency-department visits.

Get your parking permit on-line

By Cecilia Nasmith

The Town of Cobourg reminds citizens, business owners and visitors that parking permits for the downtown area can be conveniently purchased on-line through the municipal website.

“Recent parking-enforcement technology enhancements have better enabled us to monitor parking, issue parking permits and provide additional parking-payment options in the Town of Cobourg,” director of public works Laurie Wills said in the town's press release.

Daily or monthly parking permits can be purchased on-line from a smart phone or computer by visiting www.cobourg.ca and clicking I'd Like To and Pay And Learn in the top right-hand corner.

Daily parking permits are $5, and monthly permits are $15 (and can be purchased for up to two months at a time). There is a $2 convenience fee per transaction.

County plans information session on upcoming ash tree removals and replacements

By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland County will host a Nov. 5 public information session on work that will begin this fall to remove ash trees from county roads.

This work will begin in the Town of Cobourg and the Township of Hamilton as part of a 10-year hazard-removal, replacement and tree-diversification plan in response to the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer in Northumberland, the press release stated.

The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees by feeding on the inner bark and disrupting the flow of nutrients and water throughout the tree. There is no known method to eradicate this invasive species.

As a result, county forest manager Todd Farrell said in the press release, there are pockets of ash trees throughout the county that are dead or declining.

“Once infected, these trees are more susceptible to weather-related stress or native tree pests,” Farrell said.

“This plan is about removing these hazards before they can fall and cause any damage or injury, and also quarantining the wood so that EAB is not transported to another region.”

The Emerald Ash Borer originated in Asia. It is believed to have spread via untreated-wood shipping packaging. It has caused the decline and death of many ash trees throughout southern Ontario, and its presence in Northumberland was confirmed in June 2013.

The county's Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan calls for the removal of ash trees with a diameter greater than 10 cm. that stand on county roads. Following work in Cobourg and Hamilton Township, the effort will continue throughout the remaining five Northumberland municipalities over the next 10 years.

The 10-year plan also focuses on tree diversity, Farrell added.

“Downed ash trees will be replaced with a variety of tree species native to this area to minimize climate- and invasive species-related risks to the overall tree population,” he said.

“To this end, the county has partnered with the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority on a program to make saplings available to Northumberland residents to plant on their properties free of charge.”

Funding will subsidize 60,000 saplings (12,000 annually for five years), or roughly 10 replacement trees for every one tree being removed. Applications for the trees will be on the GRCA website by year's end, and the trees will be distributed in the spring.

To learn more about this initiative, everyone is invited to the Nov. 5 public information session which runs from 4 to 7 p.m. in council chambers at the county building, located at 555 Courthouse Rd., Cobourg – or visit www.NorthumberlandCounty.ca/EABplan.