Was South Stormont at Risk of Losing Medical Clinic in Ingleside? by Reg Coffey

CFN – On Wednesday February 19, at the regular South Stormont Town Council meeting a vote was taken to consider entering into a 20-year Lease Agreement with the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic for a new medical building located on Thorold Lane in Ingleside and to enter into a contract for the project management with CIBS Construction to construct a township owned medical building. The options to this vote was to approve  the lease agreement and the contract to construct the building using the sole sourced contractor, to instruct staff to prepare tenders for the project management of the Medical Building, or to do nothing.

The following steps have already been taken by council and administration:

• On March 31, 2010 via Resolution No. 075/2010, Council agreed in principal with the “purchase and lease back proposal from the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic group” and since communications have continued.
• January 22, 2014, Council passed Resolution No. 025/2014 approving the Letter of Intent (LOI) with the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic and instructed staff to prepare a report.

Administration recommended that the first option be accepted by council with the following rational:

• Recently these discussions have heightened particularly due to the pending retirement of several area doctors and the potential to attract additional and much needed physicians to relocate to this area along with the prospective sale of the medical group’s current property.
• The building must be constructed and completed by August 29, 2014. Due to these tight timelines and especially because of past experience, specialized knowledge and good references, CIBS Construction was contacted to provide a quote for service.
• The lease arrangements will include the township’s responsibility for financing and our annual commitment of $25,000 per year over 20 years, and a 20-year+ rental and internal fit-up commitment from the doctor’s group.
• As with the project management services for the municipal offices and OPP building, the CIBS Project Manager has committed to providing priority to local sub-contractors.

The council voted on option number two, to prepare tenders for the project management of the construction of the new building.

Yesterday a special Council meeting was held to reconsider the motion that was passed on February 19. The information that was provided by the township’s administration was reviewed again and this time representatives from the Medical Centre and Bryan Haley, the owner of Ingleside Pharmacy were present to answer questions. The main point of contention was the use of local contractors and the sole sourcing of the project manager.

Recognizing that the building currently containing the Medical Clinic has already been sold and after assurances that CIBS would give priority to local sub-contractors, the council rescinded the previous motion and approved a new motion to offer the project management to CIBS.

Bryan Haley, who will be adding the pharmacy component to the new facility, commented after the meeting:

“It’s been a long process and I’m happy and relieved that it is moving forward and I fully support local business in helping to complete this project. I’m only able to do this because of the support of local people and I’m pleased to be able to give back to the community.”