REPORT ON COUNCIL May 12, 2008 Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:01 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. and 1:03 p.m. – 3:58 p.m. Regular Evening Meeting: 7:00 p.m. – 8:47 p.m. All Members of Council present during Committee of the Whole. Mayor Breckenridge absent during the Regular Evening Meeting.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 12:15 p.m. – 12:40 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. – 3:57 p.m.
OFFICIAL PLAN REVIEW – SEPTAGE PROCESSING PLANT? The first move regarding the long overdue review of the Township’s Official Plan – Council approval of the draft “Request for Proposals” advertising for a planning consultant – has finally been taken. (Reviews are supposed to occur every five years and the current Official Plan was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board on August 27, 2001.) Oddly, the Balm Beach Secondary Plan is being linked with the Official Plan Review, while the Lafontaine Park Master Plan is not.
Reading the “Request for Proposals”, we were surprised to see Item 11 among the list of Proposal Parameters: “A review of the creation of a new septage processing plant in the Township of Tiny to eliminate the need of spreading subsurface sewage waste in the rural and agricultural area as well as sending it to be treated in other municipal plants.” We recall that among the Strategic Priorities that Council announced last November 26th was “Conduct research and develop strategy regarding septage treatment capability by October 2008.” We are unaware of any staff report or Council discussion of alternatives and unaware that a choice had been made among the alternatives.
The Township’s Official Plan must conform to policies in Simcoe County’s Official Plan, which is being brought up to date this year.
SEPTIC RE-INSPECTION UPDATE: This summer re-inspections are to occur in the northwest quadrant of the municipality, west from Cedar Point Road, north from Concession 16 to Concession 21, plus properties east of Cedar Point Road to Methodist Point Road in Concessions 16 and 17. The fee per re-inspection has been set at $71.95.
C.C. Tatham & Associates estimates that the first pass of the re-inspection program will be completed by the end of the summer of 2009.
STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION IN CAMERA: Originally scheduled for May 28 (and subsequently moved to June 3), this Special Committee of the Whole meeting was held in camera on the recommendation of Clerk/CAO Doug Luker. He observed that the Municipal Act gives eight reasons for a Council to meet in camera and that this particular session qualified. Nigel Warren and George Lawrence both questioned whether this meeting should be in camera.
HUNTING IN URBAN AREAS OF THE TOWNSHIP: Representatives of the OPP and of the Ministry of Natural Resources answered Council’s questions regarding hunting and killing of coyotes, which had strayed onto private land in Tiny Township. Inspector Philbin emphasized that that the offenders were a small group, known to the police, and that by the next hunting season the OPP and the MNR expected to have an effective plan in place and to have become educated as to the relevant legislation. Both authorities assured Council that sufficient regulations are already in place and that a Township By-law forbidding hunting in urban areas was unnecessary.
George Lawrence expressed his and others’ frustration at the slow response time from Animal Control and the seeming lack of effective action by any authority.
TINY TRAILS BRIDGE OF HISTORIC MERIT? In the evening, Lyn Downer gave an oral presentation on behalf of the Historical and Heritage Committee requesting that the bridge that passes over Concession 2 just east of County Road 6 be given Heritage Designation. The presentation argued that it is “the only railway bridge in the Township that spans a concession road” and that it was “a vital part of the North Simcoe Railway” which was “instrumental in the development of the Township.”
