Council Reports: July 2, 2008

REPORT ON COUNCIL
July 2, 2008
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:03 am – 12:55 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 3:47 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:08 p.m. – 7:40 p.m.
All Members of Council present.

CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 9:13 a.m. – 11:16 a.m. and 11:54 – 12:55 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. – 2:18 p.m.

BOUNDARY ACT APPLICATION(S): Jeff Cowan of Weir Foulds and Chester Stanton explained to Council that a waterfront owner may cease to have waterfront footage when water levels in the Bay change (especially where a waterfront private property boundary runs at an angle toward a road allowance). However, the owner continues to have a right to waterfront footage. The problem may be rectified by turning the lot lines and the road lines, with the help of an expert surveyor, so that the road allowance and the lot end up having the same share of waterfront as earlier. There are a number of possible angles that might be chosen when the lot lines are turned and these have to be agreed upon by the affected owners. The solution is then confirmed by an application under the Boundary Act.
Council rejected the particular proposal at hand. It is possible that other options will be explored.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY PAM DORION AND ELISE BOX: Pam Dorion felt that a boundary act application in her area would reduce the amount of public beach, though she produced no evidence showing that this would be so. Elise Box, representing a group called “Beaches without Borders”, also seemed to feel that the extent of publicly owned beach would be reduced by a boundary application, but again, did not produce any evidence.

SIMCOE COUNTY ASSUMES OWNERSHIP OF ROADS THAT SERVE SITE 41: To the evident relief of Council, the County has agreed to take over ownership, upgrades and mainntenance of the “main haul route” serving Site 41.  The cost the County is assuming is roughly $1.8 million. Council emphasized that this move was taken only after much soul searching, and the motion emphasizes that “the Township continues to be opposed to the concept, location and construction of the proposed landfill Site”, but that they felt that the County should carry the heavy cost of road maintenance associated with the landfill site.  It was noted that roads are outside the mandate of the Community Monitoring Committee.

CONSULTANT TO BE HIRED TO HELP COUNCIL ARRIVE AT AN OVERARCHING MISSION STATEMENT / VISION FOR THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN PROJECTS: The same consultants who shepherded the members of Council through its strategic planning sessions are to return and help Council arrive at an overarching “vision” and are also to assist with a number of public meetings. The cost is to be no more than $15,000. The vote to hire the consultants was 3-2 (with Deputy Mayor Lawrence and Councillor Warren in opposition on the ground that staff could offer the necessary guidance).