Report on Council: November 26, 2012

REPORT ON COUNCIL:
November 26, 2012
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 am – 12:39 pm
Confidential closed session 12:39 pm – 12:47 pm
Regular Meeting: 7:08 pm – 8:08 pm
Mayor Millar, Deputy Mayor Lawrence, Councillors Warren, Wishart

Regrets: Councillor Claire

AWARE Simcoe Presentation: Advantages of Forming a Conservation Authority
On behalf of AWARE Simcoe, Sandy Agnew provided an overview of the advantages of municipal membership in a Conservation Authority (CA) in North Simcoe. He noted that there are two CAs in the County of Simcoe: Nottawasaga Valley CA and the Lake Simcoe Region CA. The Conservation Authority is a group of environmental planners, engineers, ecologists, hydrogeologists, fishery biologists with the legal authority under the Conservation Authority Act 1946, to manage regulated areas, ie. hazardous, prone to flooding or natural heritage features. They provide environmental and planning expertise to landowners, developers and member municipalities and ensure federal and provincial legislation and policies, municipal and conservation authority policies are taken into account when development occurs within natural heritage and natural hazardous areas. They protect residents from loss of life, property damage, social disruption and encourage a coordinated approach to land use and water management. They work to maintain or improve water quality to ensure pollution is minimized or eliminated and encourage responsible management and protection of environmentally sensitive areas ie. shoreline and wetlands. If Tiny had a Conservation Authority the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre could become an interpretive centre with secure funding through a municipal levy. Conservation Authorities do watershed reports and heritage mapping which can be used to identify and protect natural areas and plan restoration projects.
Simcoe County report CAR12-001 outlined inconsistencies in planning review services across Simcoe, especially in North Simcoe. In Tiny most of such work is done by consultants whereas in Wasaga Beach only 25% is done by consultants because they have a CA. In Collingwood most of the work is done by a CA. A CA in North Simcoe would provide a more consistent plan review approach throughout the County; legislated protection for streams, wetland, shorelines, natural heritage areas, natural heritage mapping; environmental education programming combined with the Wye marsh and flood and erosion prevention. Severn Sound is an environmental association, a municipal agency under the town of Midland with no legislated powers. Severn Sound is coming to the end of their 5 year strategic plan in 2013. Perhaps now is the time to review the best way to protect the environment of Simcoe County.
Council resolved to receive the presentation as information.

Georgian Bay General Hospital: Southern Georgian Bay Physician Recruitment Update
David GraveIle, Physician Recruitment and Retention Officer, presented an outline of the Southern Georgian Bay Physician Recruitment Program including its “Vision – Every resident has timely access to a primary care physician”. Twenty-one physicians have been recruited and 14-18 more family physicians need to be recruited in the next five years. Under the Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative physicians recruited for Tiny, Penetang and Tay receive $80-120,000 in financial incentives. Starting 2013 they will receive $40,000 in loan forgiveness from the Federal government. Neverthelss, the Ministry of Health Long Term Care Policy is stalling recruitment, controlling the distribution of physicians with no consideration for replacement ratios.

Septage Management Class EA Study Phases 3 and 4 Scope of Work
Anne Eagan, P. Eng., Project Manager, and Don McNalty, P. Eng., of R.J. Burnside Associates addressed Council regarding the scope of work for Phases 3 & 4 of the Septage Management Class EA Study.
Mayor Millar moved that Council direct staff to isolate and separate the activity and cost related to the ” Septage Treatment Class EA Phases 3 and 4″ project from the 2013 Municipal Budget, including the current draft budget and any subsequent drafts, so that Council may have the opportunity to consider approvals for the septage project and 2013 Municipal Budget independently of each other. The motion was defeated 3-1.

County Council Update: Heavy Garbage Pickup Changes
Deputy Mayor Lawrence reported on a discussion with County staff regarding the new heavy garbage structure which will be implemented starting in April 2013. He stated he would set up a meeting with Township and County staff to assess how the arrangements for the heavy garbage pickups will be carried out.

Township-Wide Parking Strategy
Deputy Mayor Lawrence requested that Council consider changes to parking along the western shoreline of the Township. He asked that consideration be given to replace open parking with permit parking with the exception of the Township major parks.

Indexing of Development Charges
Councillor Warren moved that Treasury Report No. TR-019-12 dated November 26, 2012, regarding the 2013 Development Charge Indexing, be received; and that Council approve the 2013 proposed development charge at $4,943 (up from $4,856) per household for residential units and $16.89 (from $16.59) per square meter gross floor area for non-residential units. The revised rates are effective January 1, 2013. Carried 4-0

Accessibility Advisory Committee/Bluewater Beach Park Boardwalk
Council accepted the Accessibility Advisory Committee’s recommendation of a 15-metre extension of the boardwalk westward at the beach level to increase accessibility to the beach

Parks & Recreation Associations Memorandum of Understanding: Confidential Staff Report
Mayor Millar moved that Confidential Clerks Report CR-033-12 and its accompanying Schedules 1 through 7, more specifically, Appendix 1 – Recreation Master Plan Update Appendix 2 – Legal Opinion date January 24, 2008 from the law firm of Burger Rowe Appendix 3 – Memorandum of Understanding dated March 29th, 2010, between the municipality and various Parks & Recreation Associations Appendix 4 — Financial Reporting Policy Statement Appendix 5 — A memorandum dated April 17th, 2008, prepared by Burger Rowe providing an overview of the statutory requirements for maintaining a non profit corporation. Appendix 6 — A fiscal year end accounting form Appendix 7 — A facility permitting policy statement A memorandum dated October 23, 2012 from the Ontario Municipal Insurance Exchange. be released immediately and made available to the public. He stated that Sharing of Clerks Report CR-033-12 with the public at this time would help people understand the rationale Council used in coming to the decision reflected in Motion 648/12 at their in camera meeting of October 29th, 2012.
Section 239 (2) of the Municipal Act allows that a meeting of Council may be closed to the public under any or all of 7 enumerated exceptions. Council relied upon one or more of the enumerated exceptions when first considering the matter on October 29th, 2012. Council held frank discussion during the aforementioned meeting and the Mayor felt that release of Confidential Clerks Report CR-033-12 would neither prejudice the position of the municipality nor infringe upon the privacy rights of others.

Councillor Warren requested a recorded vote.
Mayor Millar In Support
Deputy Mayor Lawrence Opposed
Councillor Warren Opposed
Councillor Wishart Opposed
Councillor Claire (absent)

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The Committee considered Clerks Report CR-045-12 dated November 26, 2012 from Sue Walton, Sr. Administrative Coordinator, regarding a multi-year accessibility plan. The report outlined that the Township has moved from an annual plan to a multi-year plan being a requirement of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, Integrated Accessibility Standards (IAS). The multi-year plan outlines the actions undertaken by the Township to achieve its accessibility priorities and goals over the next few years. Council approved that plan at the Regular Meeting of Council.