The municipality is preparing to close a deal to sell a piece of land at the northwest edge of Drayton to Mornington Communications Co-operative.
The company is planning to install a fibre-optic communications network in the village to provide telephone, television and high-speed internet service to homes and businesses.
The company is has made an offer to purchase land from the Township of Mapleton to place a building and equipment for the servicing of the local fibre optics project. The one-eighth-acre parcel of land is located at the rear of the PMD Arena property, directly off of Industrial Drive.
Terms of the offer would see the company pay the municipality $5,000 and also provide fibre optic service to the township administration office at no charge. A report from CAO Patty Sinnamon indicated the line work alone to connect the office would cost over $10,000.
“This is an excellent example of public/private partnership by the municipality,” the report states. “As council is well aware we have experienced numerous IT connectivity problems over the past several months. These services will allow the township to provide improved services to our ratepayers in areas such as accessing and completing various applications on-line (thereby giving 24 hour services in some instances).
“This should also alleviate our IT issues we have during council meetings and provides other opportunities for staff training sessions that are often done via webinars.”
Councillor Andy Knetsch asked if the land would “revert to the township” in the event the company leaves the municipality.
Sinnamon explained that option had not been discussed.
“The idea is that they would purchase that land,” she said. However, she added the municipality could ask for a right-of-first-refusal clause in the final contacts.
“I would ask that that be added,” said Knetsch.
Mayor Bruce Whale commented such a clause would allow the municipality some control over future use of the property should Mornington decide to sell it at some point.
Council approved the recommendation to declare the land surplus and advertise the intent to sell the property. The purchaser will be required to have a survey done prior to the completion of the sale.
Sinnamon noted the formal offer, along with the accompanying bylaw, will be presented to council at its next meeting.
