Township council has authorized the purchase of a generator to provide backup power for the Mapleton Health Centre.
At the Jan. 27 meeting, council accepted a recommendation from CAO Patty Sinnamon to accept a quote from C. Deen Electric for $9,125 plus HST and additional costs for gas line piping, likely between $500 and $750, Sinnamon estimated in a report to council.
Council gave pre-budget approval for the purchase and directed the funds be drawn from the medical centre reserves.
Sinnamon advised council that as of Dec. 31, the balance in the medical centre facility reserve account was $114,199 and it was anticipated that once all year-end transfers for 2014 are completed, the balance will be $125,550.
The generator is needed to provide back-up power in the pharmacy in the event of a power outage.
“It is staff’s understanding that it is imperative that back-up power be provided so that any drugs that need to be refrigerated do not spoil. This concern was raised by the staff at the medical centre during the numerous power outages in 2014,” Sinnamon stated in her report.
Councillor Marlene Ottens asked if the generator would start working automatically in the event of an off-hours power outage, or if someone would need to start it.
Mayor Neil Driscoll explained the generator, which will run on natural gas, kicks in automatically when needed.
Driscoll explained the previous council had set money aside to obtain a generator, “but didn’t hand it on to staff to get it done.”
Council also gave approval for a second reception window to be constructed at the Drayton medical clinic.
The additional window will assist with the flow of patients entering and leaving the clinic and will be paid for by physicians working out of the centre, stated clinic manager Rosie Landman in a letter to council.
