Minto wants more to maintain county roads

The Town of Minto wants more cash for looking after winter maintenance on two county roads in the municipality.

In a report at the Nov. 6 meeting, Mike McIsaac of the Minto public works department told council the county is offering compensation of $5,000/km for the maintenance of 14.4 km on Wellington Roads 2 and 3. Minto has provided plowing, sanding and patrol service on the roads for several years on a contract basis.

McIsaac said the county generally offers an increase of $200 per year on the contract.

Last year, McIsaac said it cost Minto an estimated $75,500 to maintain the roads while compensation, at $4,800/km, totalled only $69,120, leaving Minto with a shortfall of $6,380.

McIsaac suggested $5,400/km “seems reasonable as the winter of 2011/12 was light and the town still incurred costs of $75,500.”

Councillor Mary Lou Colwell wondered why the town would even consider entering into a contract on which it is likely to “have a shortfall.”

McIsaac explained that this is the first time the town has done a cost analysis on the contract job, but it’s difficult to predict actual costs in advance.

“We can have an easy year and make money at it, or we might have a hard year and be in the hole again,” he explained.

Deputy Mayor Terry Fisk asked “what happens if the county says no,” to the request for higher compensation.

“I guess they might have to look after the roads themselves,” said McIsaac.

“They can’t expect the Town of Minto to lose money on the maintenance of their roads,” said Councillor David Turton.

Council accepted the recommendation from public works to request compensation of $5,400/km for the 2012/13 season.