St. Kevin’s Olivia Taylor is a Skills Canada National Competition medallist twice over. She’s earned the Skills Canada National Competition Public Speaking Bronze medal banner for her school in 2021 and again in 2022. Submitted photo

No joy for Bill Joy's Lane turnaround

The realignment of a turnaround on Bill Joy’s Lane is in a state of limbo after Bay Bulls council voted against a motion to award a tender for the work. A second motion that would see the work delayed until next year due to budgetary concerns received no support from council.

During the September 12 meeting, Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien made the initial motion to award the tender to the lowest qualified bidder, and councillor Corey Ronayne seconded it.

Town CAO Jennifer Aspell noted the motion did not include the additional cost, per tonne, of rock removal.

An amended motion was read, and Mayor Keith O’Driscoll vacated the mayor’s chair to address a concern he had with it.

“I’m not sure that we have the funds in regards to being able to accomplish this right now,” said O’Driscoll. “I’m just wondering if maybe there’s a possibility to move it to the next budget?”

There was silence following the motion, and councillor Ronayne asked for clarification on it.

Aspell reread the motion, which was to award the contract to Harbour Construction.

Deputy Mayor O’Brien and councillor Ronayne voted in favour of the motion to award the contract, while Mayor O’Driscoll and councillor Sharon O’Driscoll were opposed. Councillor Jason Sullivan was not in attendance and thus did not vote on the matter.

Because it was a tied vote, the motion was defeated.

Councillor Shannon O’Driscoll then made a new motion to withdraw the request and reissue it next year, so the work could be budgeted in 2023.

That motion found no support in the form of a seconder, and after three calls for a seconder, it died on the floor. While Mayor O’Driscoll had earlier expressed his desire for this exact course of action, as mayor, he could not second the motion.

 Aspell advised council to move onto the next item, as there was no consensus on the matter.

The Galway Hitman are the 2022 Canadian Senior Men's fastpitch softball champions, following five days of intense competition at the Caribou Memorial Softball Complex in St. John’s. Eighteen teams from across the country competed for the championship title, and it all came down to the championship game between the Hitmen and the Batmen, hailing from Toronto, Ontario on September 4. The Hitmen bested the Batmen 4-1. Petty Harbour’s Colin Walsh (left) and Ryan Maher, added muscle to the Hitmen. Submitted photo

Harbour Construction and O'Brien's Trucking to share emergency calls in Witless Bay

By Mark Squibb/September 16, 2022

If you can’t pick between two, just pick both.

That was the philosophy Witless Bay acted on this week when awarding a standing offer contract for the supply of goods and services in emergency situations.

The Town issued a limited call for bids back in May, seeking standing offer prices for services provided on an emergency basis, and received proposals from both Harbour Construction Ltd., and O’Brien’s Trucking Ltd., each of which, said councillor Ralph Carey, provided fair market prices based on the services being offered.

He therefore moved that the Town offer the contract to both contractors.

‘We need to get work done in emergency situations, so it’s important we get the motion made,” said Carey, reminding folks of the heavy rains and wind that battered the island over the weekend.

Council voted to approve that motion unanimously.

Councillor Gerard Dunne declared a conflict and did not vote on the matter, as he works for Harbour Construction. Deputy Mayor Lorna Yard was not present at the meeting, and thus did not vote on the matter.

Crosswalk installed along busy Bay Bulls main road

By Mark Squibb/September 16, 2022

Folks should find crossing Route 10 in Bay Bulls a little easier — and safer — now that a new crosswalk, complete with pedestrian operated flashing lights, has been installed at the intersection of Route 10 and Cemetery Lane West and East

The new system was installed last week, and was fully operational as of last Friday.

Back in June, council unanimously voted to hire Construction Signs Ltd., to supply and install the lights at a cost of 19,550 plus HST.

“I think this is a very dangerous intersection, and I really think the town needs some type of signage here,” said councillor Shannon O’Driscoll at the time.

Concerns over pedestrian safety along Route 10 have been a common theme with both this current council, and previous councils.