by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — The public works committee isn’t even waiting for a motion it passed to be agreed to by council.
Effective immediately, township employees will no longer be allowed to park their vehicles in township garages or work on their own personal vehicles in township garages.
Councillor Dave Mackay was the only council member to oppose the motion that was discussed at last night’s public works committee meeting.
Treasurer Marsha Hawthorne spoke to the township’s insurance company, as well as Bruce Beakley, human resources manager at the County of Renfrew, about this issue and was told a definite no, that should not be allowed.
“You are opening the door to liability,” she said. “There are risks involved. It’s easy for someone to get injured.”
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin agreed, noting a recent incident of a person dying after working alone on a van in a garage in nearby Laurentian Valley. A tragic accident happened and the man was found dead, he said.
“If that happens in our garage, we’re in big trouble,” he said. “This needs to be stopped immediately.”
He admitted to working on his vehicle in the township garage, noting how “nice and warm” it is.
Mayor Hal Johnson said, “This is very sad not to allow this.
“How times have changed.”
However, he did admit, there’s really no choice since the courts are full of law suits against everybody.
“We have no choice,” the mayor said.
Public works manager Bill Misener admitted, “A lot of folks do use it.”
He questioned if the employees would be able to park their vehicles inside the garages while out snowplowing the roads, and again, was told no.
Mayor Johnson said if the employees can park in township parking lots, why would they not be able to park in the garage.
Ms. Hawthorne said the insurance company didn’t say they couldn’t, it was just a recommendation that it not happen.
Reeve Terry Millar agreed with the decision.
“I believe those are recommendations we should all follow to a T,” he said.
What if vehicles are parked inside and there’s a fire, he questioned, adding, there is no one around the garages.
“Just because you work at Whitewater, shouldn’t entitle you to that,” Reeve Millar said. “As much as we’d like to do it, I don’t think we should give in on it.”
Councillor Chris Olmstead wasn’t opposed to the employees parking their vehicles inside while they are doing late-night snowplowing. It’s not right they return to their vehicles at three and four in the morning only to find they have to clean them off prior to going home, he said.
“I wouldn’t mind allowing them to park in there, but no mechanical work,” he said.
