A Wellington North man has received partial relief from a $10,660 invoice he received after the fire department was called to extinguish a large burn on his property.
Council decided at the July 13 meeting to reduce Aaron Weber’s invoice to $6,396 plus HST.
“I think we definitely need to communicate the message that we have a bylaw for a reason,” said Mayor Andy Lennox.
Councillor Dan Yake added, “This is the first invoice, I think as a municipality, of this size that I can ever remember us issuing,”
Yake and councillor Steve McCabe supported the reduction of the invoice, however councillor Sherry Burke wanted to see the full invoice paid.
“We have bylaws and rules and regulations in effect for a reason. If you apply for a burn permit you should know what’s in that pile … I support the full invoice being paid,” said Burke.
Weber initially asked that the charges be waived entirely at the June 22 meeting, stating in a letter, “I had a burn permit plus permission from the fire chief himself … I would never have started the fire if I wouldn’t have had permission.” Weber told council he did not think the fire was out of control.
Council deferred the decision last month in order to discuss the incident further with Fire Chief Dave Guilbault.
At the July 13 meeting, council received a report from Guilbault explaining the fire department responded to a call for a possible structure fire just south of Mount Forest on May 22. However, upon arrival, firefighters discovered it was actually a brush fire.
In his report, Guilbault stated fire department officials made the decision to extinguish the blaze because there was heavy smoke blowing across Highway 6, the pile was well over 100 feet long and it contained items such as remains of rubber tires, steel belts from tires, old farm equipment and garbage.
In his letter to council, Weber said he was not aware tires were in the burn pile.
Guilbault also noted the fire department received a vital signs absent call around the same time, and its arrival at that call was delayed due to the burn call.
