Rideau Lakes council clarifies tender is for pricing only, not a commitment to build
RIDEAU LAKES — Rideau Lakes council voted Jan. 5 to proceed with tendering for the Chantry municipal office project, despite staff advising that the direction conflicted with an earlier council decision to explore placing the issue before voters in the 2026 municipal election.
The issue arose as council reviewed and adopted minutes and committee recommendations from Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, including Recommendation 114-2025, which directs staff to issue a tender to obtain market pricing for the Chantry project in support of the township’s Asset Management Plan.
Staff identified the recommendation as conflicting with a Dec. 1 council motion directing staff to report on the legislative requirements and timelines for placing a question on the 2026 municipal election ballot asking whether the Chantry office project should proceed to tender.
During discussion, Coun. Deborah Hutchings said she supported letting residents decide the future of the Chantry office through a ballot question.
“I think at this point it has to go to the public,” Hutchings said, adding that she did not want the project to move to tender ahead of that process.
Coun. Dustin Bullock requested that Recommendation 114-2025 be pulled from the consent agenda and voted on separately, saying staff had already warned council the motions were contradictory.
“Passing this now just contradicts what we’ve already asked staff to do, and it just confuses the situation for them,” Bullock said.
Clerk Mary Ellen Truelove advised council that recommendations from committee meetings are not finalized until approved by council.
“Any member of council at any time can ask for a motion to be pulled out of those committee minutes and be voted on separately,” Truelove said.
Following that clarification, council approved the remaining minutes before returning to Recommendation 114-2025 for a recorded vote.
Despite her earlier comments supporting a ballot-first approach, Hutchings voted in favour of the tender motion when it came forward separately. Deputy Mayor Sue Dunfield also voted in favour following procedural clarification.
Coun. Jeff Banks urged council to support the motion, saying obtaining market pricing was necessary regardless of whether a ballot question proceeds.
“At least we’ll have some more information if we get to that point,” he said.
Coun. Paula Banks also defended the motion, saying council does not yet know what wording a potential ballot question would take.
“We don’t know what the question is going to be on the ballot,” she said. “I don’t know why we keep jumping to what that question’s going to be about.”
Council ultimately voted to approve Recommendation 114-2025, directing staff to proceed with tendering strictly for information purposes and not as a commitment to construction.
Staff advised council that further clarification will be required to reconcile how the tender process aligns with the previously approved direction to explore placing a question on the 2026 municipal election ballot.
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More outright stupidity and abuse of misuse or process by the group of 5. And more obvious inconsistencies from Hutchings. No one should trust that they won’t “change their minds” and say “The quote looks too good. of course we should proceed with one quote or another.” So next, will the mayor veto it again? And what will staff do as they are once again in an untenable situatio (#27) by the group of 5.