REPORT ON COUNCIL
July 11, 2005
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 4:47 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:00 p.m. – 7:22 p.m.
All Members of Council present.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 2:00 p.m. – 4:47 p.m.
INVESTIGATION INTO SOURCES OF SWIMMING WATER POLLUTION: In discussing the Severn Sound Environmental Association’s proposal for this summer’s investigation, Council decided that the various groups concerned with water quality should meet in order to co-ordinate their activities. The meeting would involve those involved in the septic re-inspection program (CC Tatham and Associates), and in Bay and stream testing and investigation (the Health Unit, the Severn Sound Environmental Association, and the Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations).
Councillor Panasiuk noted that it was not clear in the SSEA’s proposal just what was planned for streams. He thought that a base line of statistics should be established for all streams, and that, once all septics had been brought into conformity in an area, the streams should be sampled again to see if any problems had been missed. Staff was asked to contact SSEA and make sure such stream sampling was being done this year.
POLICING OPTIONS: During budget discussions, Council asked staff to consider options other than the OPP for policing the Township. John Theriault, Tiny’s Treasurer, asked four police services whether they were interested in providing a quote — Barrie, Midland, the OPP, and South Simcoe. Two of these were disqualified from offering the service by the Police Services Act, as they are not a connecting neighbour of Tiny Township and do not police a connecting neighbour. Midland would consider it only if the Township amalgamated its police force with theirs so that the necessary capital investment could be recouped. Changing to contract policing with the OPP is likewise not a good option. There would be no saving as Tiny is already at minimum service; a Police Services Board would have to be set up and its members trained; special policing would not be an option as it now is; a 17 step process is required to get contract policing….
Council decided to continue with the current arrangement.
JACKSON PARK BUOYS: The buoys marking a route for boats leaving the launch for the open bay and keeping them away from swimmers have been removed as has a related sign. This is a concern to residents in the area. The rules about buoys, their placement and marking were worked through last year. Dorene Trunk, a resident in the area, gave the Clerk a file on the subject, along with contact information for relevant authorities.
TINY TRAIL: LINE FENCES ACT & ABANDONED RAIL RIGHT OF WAYS: Proposed changes to the Line Fences Act & Abandoned Rail Right of Ways would require the Township to construct and maintain a fence along the Tiny Trail (a disused rail line), if asked to do so by an abutting property owner. Deputy Mayor Pierre Paul Maurice observed that such requests were unlikely unless an abutting farm had livestock and he could think of only one or two such instances. Staff was asked to draft a procedure should a request come in, and to draft a request for funding from the province. Otherwise, the cost of such fencing would have to come out of the parkland reserve.
GARBAGE: Once again the County of Simcoe has failed to consider the facts of life in Tiny Township by not giving notice to seasonal residents of a sale on Saturday July 9 of home composters and recycling bins. Councillor Peggy Breckenridge drew attention to this omission.
SITE 41: COUNTY: INTERIM CONTROL BY-LAW: When the matter of the Interim Control By-Law came before County Council, it was not voted on once again, so there was no chance to ascertain how much support Tiny has among its neighbouring municipalities. Instead, the motion that the appeal of the Interim Control By-law to the OMB be abandoned was deferred.
According to Deputy Mayor Maurice, County Council made it clear that it wants a resolution through discussion. Just what this would accomplish is not clear; just who would be involved in such a discussion was not clear.
Councillor Panasiuk asked whether County Council had ratified staff’s action in appealing the Interim Control By-law to the OMB. There was no ratification; indeed the matter had not come before County Council. In Panasiuk’s view, the appeal has not been legally authorized.
GREAT LAKES WATER LEVELS: Councillor Peggy Breckenridge drew Council’s attention to three meetings to do with Great Lakes Water Levels
– a meeting on July 12 in Midland with the Lake Superior Board of Control
– a meeting at Metro Hall in Toronto on July 14 about drawing water from the Great Lakes
– a presentation about the Baird Report at the Wyebridge Community Centre on July 16 hosted by FoTTSA
She expressed concern that the editor of the Midland Free Press sees Tiny Township as concerned only about one issue– beach access — and suggested the preparation of a press release about the Township’s interest in environmental issues (including the “Environment First” Official Plan, Site 41, and water levels and setback issues in connection with the new Zoning By-law).
RENOUF WATER SYSTEM IN BALM BEACH: This water system is to be decommissioned at the end of October this year. The 110 system users have had ample time to install wells in the approved locations on their lots. Yet, to date only 49 have done so. Staff is to meet with the Ministry of the Environment about the matter.
