The following are brief reports of items discussed at the July 10 meeting of Highlands East council.

Residents of Cardiff township will have to shut off their outdoor hoses in an effort to help with the dry conditions taking over the county.
Council passed a resolution that grass watering is not to be permitted in Cardiff if the area does not receive significant rainfall, by July 16.
Environment supervisor Glen Covert made the recommendation, as the Crow Valley Conservation Authority was considering implementing similar restrictions due to the drought.
“Cardiff is in the same position,” said Covert.
Residents of the area will be sent notices of the restrictions, said Covert.
Ward 1 Councillor Steve Kauffeldt was supportive of the ban.
“I think that maybe we should be proactive about this and not retroactive … watering a lawn is not a priority. I think people need to be aware that this is the new reality if you’re on a municipal system,” he said.
Kauffeldt suggested in the future the municipality consider a ban on watering lawns be implemented during the summer months.
Residents are still allowed to water their vegetable gardens.

Fire chief expects
fire ban to last
A total fire ban has been implemented for Haliburton County, including Highlands East.
Municipal fire chief Bill Wingrove suspects the ban will last for at least two to three weeks, as conditions throughout the area are extremely dry.
“It’s rare for the whole county to have a ban,” said Wingrove.

Council rates stay
the same
Members of council passed a bylaw to keep their remuneration rates the same.
The honorariums for council are $22,000 for the reeve, $17,600 for the deputy-reeve and $14,850 for councillors.
The rates have not changed since they were set in 2008.
The remuneration is to cover attendance at all council meetings, up to 24 meetings per year.
Attendance at additional council meetings will be compensated at $60 per meeting. Also, the same rate has been set for attendance at outside agency meetings, such as CPAC.
The rate does not apply to meetings for committees of council.
The bylaw states that effective Jan. 1, 2012, future council remuneration increases will be consistent with percentage increases as per their CUPE Local 4416 contract.
Council members are also entitled to the same benefits and personal health accounts as unionized employees.