Review-Mirror

Village of Westport council was short one member at Monday night's Committee of the Whole meeting after they decided not to allow Councillor Mark Parliament to partic- ipate by conference call. In an amendment to the procedural by-law made last year, Council can con- sider a request and allow participation if a majority of councillors provide approval. The bylaw cites illness or emergencies as obvious instances where remote participation may be appropriate. A motion to allow his participation failed to get on the floor for a vote after no one would move the motion. Council has approved Parliament's electronic participation in the past. New paddling business Westport residents and visitors will be seeing more low-impact-to-the- environment activity on the water around the West- port harbor with the intro- duction of the rental of stand-up-paddle (SUP) boards in the village. Christine Johnston will be operating the rental board enterprise near the end of Bedford Street. The business proposal came to council because Johnston was seeking per- mission for her customers to launch from the public dock located on the village road allowance. Johnston will be start- ing with a dozen boards which will be stored in a shed or trailer on The Cove property pool area. The initiative will have some competition. Further down Bedford Street, Lake Effects is also intending to provide SUP board rentals this summer. PAWS cat adoptions close to 100 The Prevent another Westport stray (PAWS) group presented their suc- cess in controlling West- port's feral cat population to the Committee of the Whole meeting Monday. Spokesperson Ken Rose had some numbers to share with council includ- ing the 43 spay/neuters funded and the 90-plus adoptions of kittens and cats the group has coordi- nated. The group's goal is for individuals in the cat colonies to be trapped and then be spayed or neutered before release back to the cat colonies. The group has been fundraising since its incep- tion in 2014 to pay for neutering, food for the cats and donations to Lanark Animal Welfare Society and the Gananoque Humane Society, two groups which have received cats and kittens for adoption. The group received high praise from members of council for their work. "It's really impressive what you and your group have achieved. I'm sure the rest of the council would agree that we really thank you for your efforts," said Councilor Frank Huth. Mayor Robin Jones acknowledged that the group's cause hasn't been universally popular. "I have a sense of some of the resistance that was put up for your group. I know there has been some mocking of your group. It's like so many things in this village. In spite of the adversity you've got 99 people in your group working together. "This is the magic of living in a village like Westport that you don't need permission to do something like this. You get like-minded people who have got backbones and despite the resistance move forward," she said. The group has fundrais- ing jars in Westport at Lake Effects and The Pinecone. They are plan- ning a second fundraising dinner and silent auction this July. Information about their group and fundraising efforts is on their Facebook page West- port PAWS: Prevent AnotherWestport Stray. Planning ahead can bring rich dividends from the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables which from the volun- teer-run Good Food Box program. Consumers pay for their orders to their local host sites by the seventh of each month for pick up on the third Tuesday of the month. The program is avail- able for all community members and varies between $5 and $15 depending on the quanti- ty of produce desired. Participants can join the program at any time, and there is no obligation to re-order. Order options include a $15 large box, $10 small box, $5 fruit bag, and $5 veggie bag. Volunteers create the bags and boxes of fruits and vegetables at the Bethel Tabernacle Church where volunteer drivers deliver the pro- duce to host sites for dis- tribution. Host site pickup points are in Portland at Coun- try Roads Community Health Centre and at Mill Bay Court, in Elgin at the Pentecostal Church, the Delta United Church, the Athens CPHC building, the Newboro United Church, St. Luke's Angli- can Church in Lyndhurst, Seeley's Bay Legion and the Anglican Church in Lombardy. More information about the program can be obtained on the Country Roads website www.crchc.on.ca or from Country Roads Emily Beelen at 613-272-2799 or 1-888-998-9927, ext. 256. Volunteers Chris Good and Georgie Hillis assembled April's Good Food boxes Tues- day at the Bethel Tabernacle Pentecostal Church in Elgin, a few of the dozens of vol- unteers who help sustain the Country Roads Community Health Centre's programs. Westport council notes No support for councillor's request for participation by phone 43 Bedford St., Westport, ON 613-273-8000 1-800-387-0796 advertising@review-mirror.com 43 Bedford St., Westport, ON 613-273-8000 1-800-387-0796 advertising@review-mirror.com Mirror The Review Mother's Day Gift & Dining Guide! Thursday, May 5 Advertising Deadline Monday, May 2. The Review-Mirror April 21, 2016 – 16 Good Food Box program promotes healthy eating

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