Town of Deseronto COVID-19 Planning and Communications Update

MEDIA RELEASE

March 17, 2020

Town of Deseronto COVID-19 Planning and Communications Update

Deseronto, ON – The Town of Deseronto continues to monitor the Novel Coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic as issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Council and Staff are working together to implement measures to protect the general population and do our part to slow the spread of this virus. We have an opportunity to support each other during this time of crisis.

Town Council held a special meeting on the evening of March 16, 2020 to discuss next steps. The Hastings and Prince Edward County Health Unit has advised that they are in full response emergency measures mode. The Town of Deseronto wishes to release the following information to the community:

Due to the concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Deseronto Town Hall will be closed to the public from Tuesday, March 17th to Sunday, April 5th, as a precautionary measure to limit public contact. Although our facilities are closed, staff will continue to work to ensure the operation of the municipality during this time.  We will be monitoring the situation and will provide frequent updates to the municipal website and Facebook page.

Municipal staff are available by calling the municipal office at (613) 396-2440 during business hours.  In-person business will only be conducted by appointment as deemed necessary. Staff will continue to respond to calls, emails and to carry on the business of the Municipality to the best of their ability. We encourage residents to use our online resources.

Tax bill and Water bill payments can be made through telephone or internet banking as well as being dropped through the mail slot by the Town Hall door. Please note that all regularly scheduled pre-authorized payments will be processed as usual.

Waste and Recycling services will continue as per the regular schedule. In light of the decision to close the Town Hall to the public, Council made the decision to allow one untagged bag of garbage per residence, per week, from March 17 to April 3, 2020. Please note tags will still be available at the local stores that provide them.

All Council and Committee meetings during the time period Monday, March 17th to Sunday, April 5th will be postponed.

All gatherings at Town facilities will be postponed until further notice

All events and rentals scheduled between March 17th and April 5th at the Deseronto Community Centre are cancelled at this time. If you have prepaid for an event please contact Town Hall to arrange for a refund.

The Deseronto Fitness Centre will be closed until April 6th, 2020.  Any current and active memberships will be extended for an additional month.

The Deseronto Library Board has directed that a closure be put in place effective immediately. They hope to re-open Monday, April 6, 2020. Please follow the Deseronto Library Facebook page as they monitor the situation.

Deseronto Transit

As of March 16, 2020 Town Council has made the decision to suspend Transit services effective midnight of Wednesday, March 18th in order to allow users to find alternate arrangements.

Conclusion

Deseronto encourages social distancing measures as a way to minimize COVID-19 transmission in the community. This means minimizing close contact with others during the peak of this outbreak.

We recognize that this may cause inconveniences for some, but please be assured that Council is making the best decisions, based on the information that we are receiving, to stop the spread of this virus.

QUINTE CONSERVATION ISSUES A FLOOD OUTLOOK STATEMENT FOR LAKE ONTARIO AND THE BAY OF QUINTE

Lake Ontario is expected to continue to rise into the spring. The International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Board has forecasted that if the weather conditions continue within normal ranges for this time of year, the water levels are predicted to reach 75.3 m by the week of April 10 and reach peak levels in mid-May around 75.45 metres. This is well below the peak of 75.88 metres seen in 2017 and 75.92 metres observed in 2019.


Higher than normal water levels have continued throughout the fall and winter. Unprecedented inflows from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario have kept these water levels elevated over the past few months. The average Lake Ontario water level was recorded to be 75.17 metres on Wednesday, which is 51 cm above average and only 14 cm below the record high for this time of year.


Residents are advised to check local weather and wave forecasts for warnings as high wind and waves can cause shoreline erosion and wave up rush. For information on flooding or for resources on Lake Ontario water levels, visit: QuinteConservation.ca


Staff will continue to monitor conditions and will provide an update if forecasts and conditions change.


A FLOOD OUTLOOK STATEMENT gives early notice of the potential for flooding based on weather forecasts calling for heavy rain, snow melt, high wind or other conditions that could lead to high runoff, cause ice jams, lake shore flooding or erosion.


This message will be in effect until (or updated before) April 11, 2020

More information about Quinte Conservation is available at

www.quinteconservation.ca. 

For more information:

Christine McClure
Water Resources Manager

cmcclure@quinteconservation.ca

(613) 968-3434 or (613) 354-3312 ext. 130

Deseronto Secures funds from Trenval for Event Based Tourism Strategy

Pictured (l-r) Mr. Patrick Connor, Town of Deseronto, Mr. Dan Johnston, Mayor, Mr. Dave Wilson, Trenval; and Ms. Amber Dale Hudson, Councillor.

Pictured (l-r) Mr. Patrick Connor, Town of Deseronto, Mr. Dan Johnston, Mayor, Mr. Dave Wilson, Trenval; and Ms. Amber Dale Hudson, Councillor.

The Town of Deseronto was pleased to host Mr. Dave Wilson, Trenval Board Member at the March 11, 2020 Town Council Meeting.

Mr. Wilson expressed his regards on behalf of the Board and Staff of Trenval in providing the Town of Deseronto with a $10,000.00 contribution towards the completion of a Town of Deseronto Event Based Tourism Strategy.

Trenval Business Development Corporation is a federally supported, not-for-profit Community Futures Development Corporation, administered by a volunteer Board of Directors in partnership with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario committed to helping to develop and diversify the local economy through community strategic planning, business information, counselling and investment in small business.

For more information on the project please see:

Deseronto Secures Funds

Employment Opportunities

Trenval

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Request for Proposals - Event Based Tourism Strategy

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The Town of Deseronto seeks Proposals for the preparation and authoring of an Event Based Tourism Strategy.

The Town of Deseronto is transitioning from a primary, secondary and service-based business centre - to a tourism, culture and event-based community. Currently, our residential and family-based tourism products are in development, and our regional partners are loosely engaged in our development process.

In order to provide guidance, the Town of Deseronto wishes to utilize a consultant to facilitate key regional stakeholder meetings to produce an event-based tourism strategy report that reinforces this tourism/community event-based theme as a driver of community development.

DOWNLOAD THE R.F.P.

See the Deseronto Employment Opportunities Page

Interested applicants are invited to submit 3 copies of a confidential R.F.P submission, clearly marked “Deseronto Event Based Tourism Strategy” by Friday, April 3rd at 4:00 p.m., to 

ATTN. Christine Martin – CAO/Clerk-Treasurer

Town of Deseronto

331 Main Street

P.O. Box 310

Deseronto, Ontario. K0K 1X0

Student Summer Employment Opportunities - Ontario Public Service.

The Summer Employment Opportunities (SEO) program provides up to 5,000 students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through supervised summer employment in the Ontario Public Service.

These positions enable students across the province to gain valuable work experience and develop skills which are transferable to the labour market.

For more information contact -

https://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/ContactUs.aspx

Deseronto Transit - supporting your participation in Family Day!

Deseronto Transit is offering free transit to and from the Deseronto Community Recreation Centre on Family Day! The bus will start departing every 45 minutes from the Deseronto Community Recreation Centre at 06:45 am. We offer accessible transportation for those in need. Seating is on a first come first serve basis. Capacity is driver managed. Service is local to the Town of Deseronto only.

Family Day Transit Route Map

Map FAQ -

All passengers can access the bus at any street corner. Please just wave down the driver, they are prepped to watch for you! There are only three set stops, identified by the green dot on the map.

Departures from the Deseronto Community Recreation Centre - green dot at 51 Mechanic St.

Turnaround - green dot at Karen Brown’s Antiques, 501 Dundas St.

Fire Hall Stop on Edmon St. - green dot, for seniors, 316 Edmon St.

Deseronto Medical Clinic Ribbon Cutting

Ribbon cutting with (l-r) Dr. Nathaniel Hart, Warden Rick Phillips, Mayor Dan Johnston, Dr. Heather Khey Beldman, Dr. Andrei Garcia Popov and Chase Stolarchuk.

On January 28, 2020, Mayor Dan Johnston and Warden Rick Phillips cut the ribbon on the new Medical Clinic recently built in Deseronto.  This building will provide a place for the newly recruited doctors to serve our community.

Deseronto Wins the 2019 OPWA Project of the Year Award for Historical Restoration

On behalf of the Ontario Public Works Association, I am pleased to advise that the Deseronto Water Treatment Plant Upgrades project has been selected to receive the 2019 OPWA Project of the Year Award in the Historical Restoration / Preservation, $2 Million - $10 Million category.

The Award was officially presented to the Town of Deseronto at the OPWA Annual Conference & Awards Luncheon, which took place on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at the Mississauga Grand Banquet & Convention Centre.

Many congratulations on the success of your OPWA award submission.

Yours truly,

Adam Lachhman
Chair, OPWA Awards Committee

The Town of Deseronto thanks the Ontario Public Works Association for this award. It represents a recognition of the effort the Town, our staff and partners have put into improving the facility. Thank-you.

OPWA framed award with gold seal on it.