Surprise vote sinks motion to tender new office designs as Chantry debate rages on

LAURIE WEIR

CHANTRY — A high-stakes motion to prepare and tender designs for a new township office and a retrofit of the existing Chantry building was defeated Monday, July 7 during a regular meeting of Rideau Lakes Township council, after a key swing vote from a councillor who usually aligns with the majority.

Coun. Jeff Banks introduced the motion, which called for staff to prepare drawings for three options:

1. Retrofitting the Chantry building as office space.
2. Constructing a new building on a different property.
3. Converting Chantry into a garage.

The motion proposed a tender release deadline of Dec. 31, 2025, with drawings due by Dec. 15. It included provisions for the CAO to call special meetings, hire support, and use discretionary authority to meet deadlines, even in the face of potential delays or vetoes.

“We need the drawings for both options,” Banks said. “If this office retrofit comes in at $4 million and a new office is $4.6 million, I’m going to have a hard time supporting the retrofit. But we need to see the prices. There’s no reason not to.”

The surprise came during the recorded vote, when Coun. Sue Dunfield voted against the motion, siding with Mayor Arie Hoogenboom and councillors Marcia Maxwell, Ron Pollard and Dustin Bullock. The motion was defeated 5–4. 

The shift came after an intense back-and-forth that resumed following an in-camera session.

“I want to see a new office,” said Bullock, “but this timeline is too tight. There’s no built-in public consultation, and we’re directing a massive amount of staff time without a clear plan.”

Mayor Arie Hoogenboom also opposed the approach, calling it “not good planning” and warning it conflicted with his previous veto.

“To tender three major projects at the same time is simply not smart governance,” he said. “I’ll have to consider whether another veto is appropriate.”

Deputy Mayor Deborah Hutchings defended the motion. “We need to know what it’s going to cost. If we don’t have the prices, how can we plan or budget?”

Coun. Paula Banks said delays are costing taxpayers more in the long run.

“This building has leaky roofs and backed-up septic. Staff deserve better,” she said. “We hired Shelley [Fournier] as CAO to get it done. Whatever resources she needs, we should provide them.”

Ultimately, the motion failed, despite passionate support.