Bluewater Council briefs

By Dan Rolph

Bridge tender comes in under budget

Councillors granted the tender for supplying the culvert and footings for a bridge on Parr Line to ARMTEC for $222,930, excluding HST.

The bid was the lower of the two received for the project, with the higher bid coming in at $231,299.

The 2026 municipal budget included $570,000 for the bridge replacement project, with another $34,803 remaining from the 2025 budget for the project, leaving the bridge replacement under budget.

In a report to council, municipal staff noted that the project would see cost savings because most of the work will be handled by in-house staff.

Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp said he was happy to see the final price tag.

“I almost had to read it twice,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the good news.”

Bylaw enforcement activity

Bluewater saw 11 bylaw complaints opened in April.

Six of those complaints were related to property standards, while three involved animal control, one complaint fell under encroachment on municipal lands and one was tied to short-term rentals.

As of May 19, there were 57 files that remained open that were opened from 2020 to 2025, with most being opened last year. One file from 2025 was closed in April.

The municipality’s bylaw enforcement department collected $1,482 in unallocated revenue for three sign permits, one pool enclosure permit, 10 parking tickets and 10 dog licenses.

Truck replacement tender

Bluewater will purchase a new truck to replace a 2012 Dodge 4500 in its fleet.

The tender for the truck was awarded to Premier Truck Group for $162,351, excluding HST. The Premier bid was the lowest of three that were submitted, with the highest bid reaching $195,283.

During 2026 budget deliberations, council earmarked $200,000 for the truck replacement with the intention of adding a heavier duty vehicle to the fleet, bringing the tender in below budget.

Bayfield Marina to get new operator

With the retirement of the Bayfield Marina’s current operator, Bluewater is set to hand over the reins to Jim Peever starting Jan. 1, 2027, though negotiations remain ongoing.

Councillors directed staff to begin negotiating an operating agreement with Peever, which will need to be brought back to council for final approval at a later meeting.

According to a report prepared by facilities manager Maggie Off, Peever had the highest-ranked proposal of two submitted to the municipal in response to a request for proposals for the marina operations in Bayfield.

The Bayfield Marina operator is responsible for customer-focused operations, asset sustainability, environmental management and compliance with regulations.

The next Bayfield Marina operator is expected to enter into a five-year agreement with the municipality.