Confidential/Closed Session; Delegation Asks For More Money For Use of Penetanguishene Community Centre/Arena; Library Services Agreement; Changes to Parking Arrangements (Permit/Jackson Park); Buoys to be Installed at Jackson Park; Bluewater Beach Management Plan; Compensation Review; Physician Recruitment Program; Unassumed Roads Agreement Review; Revisions to Open Air Burning By-Law; Proposed Trailer Park in Concession 3; Deadline for Appeals of New Zoning By-Law; HelpREPORT ON COUNCIL
January 30, 2006
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 6:31 p.m.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:00 p.m. – 8:26 p.m.
All members of Council present.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 5:08 p.m. – 6:31 p.m.
DELEGATION ASKS FOR MORE MONEY FOR USE OF PENETANGUISHENE COMMUNITY CENTRE/ARENA:
Penetanguishene’s Mayor, Anita Dubeau, Councillor Doug Leroux and Dan Buttineau made a presentation to Council arguing that the Township should be making a larger annual transfer payment to the Penetanguishene Memorial Community Centre/Arena on the ground that 23% of the arena’s users come from Tiny. Council said that the matter would be reviewed in the course of budget discussions. They noted that residents of Penetanguishene (and Midland) should be aware that no transfer payments are made to Tiny for their residents’ use of the Tiny Trails, baseball diamonds, outdoor rinks, tennis courts, or parks [or, we would note, summer camps].
LIBRARY SERVICES AGREEMENT: Council has decided not to pay a fee for every household in Tiny as the library boards had requested. Instead, Tiny will continue to a pay a non-resident fee for each household that uses a library — $100 to Midland, $90 to Penetanguishene, $70 to Springwater — to a maximum of $135,000 (increased from $115,000).
CHANGES TO PARKING ARRANGEMENTS (PERMIT/JACKSON PARK): This year the two parking permits available for purchase by each household in Tiny Township will not require that license numbers be inscribed on the permit. Also, signs in Permit Parking areas are to feature a red circle with a slash through it imposed on a “P” with the words “Except by Permit” printed below. The background colour is to be yellow. This symbol will also appear on the permits. Better instructions about parking regulations are to be made available at the time of the purchase of a permit. More information about parking regulations, permits and fines is to be presented in high activity areas.
By-law officers will no longer be stationed at Jackson Park on weekends, but a pair of officers will routinely patrol the park and issue tickets to illegally parked vehicles. Notices will be affixed to the signs on either side of the entrance to the Park, stating “Please read parking restrictions before entering lot” and advising that parking tickets may be issued every three hours.
BUOYS TO BE INSTALLED AT JACKSON PARK: On the basis on a report from Henk Blom, Manager of Public Works, Council decided that marker buoys should be installed to delineate the swimming area adjacent to the Jackson Park boat ramp.
BLUEWATER BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN: The proposed Bluewater Beach Management Plan (see the Report on Council for November 28) prepared by Meridian Planning, was adopted with minor modifications with regard to washrooms (washrooms are to continue to be portable systems provided between May and September). A Bluewater Advisory Committee, which is to include local residents, is to be set up. In spite of strong representations from residents, the proposed zoning for the park is to remain Open Space and will not be changed to Environmental Protection. There are to be 13 on-street permit parking spaces (4 on Nicole Blvd. and 9 on Trew Avenue) plus 5 non-permit spots on Trew Avenue. The problem of keeping all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles out of the park is to be dealt with on an ongoing basis by staff and the proposed Bluewater Advisory Committee. A biological assessment (at a cost of $20,000) is to be completed to determine the most effective approach to restore the dune landscape.
COMPENSATION REVIEW: The firm of Bazda, Houlne & Associates has been selected to review compensation for full-time employees and members of Council, at a cost of no more than $20,000. Council felt that compensation levels should be sufficient to retain and attract qualified staff at all levels. The consultants recommended that a citizen advisory committee be struck to work with them and the CAO with regard to Council remuneration. It is anticipated that any changes in Council compensation would come into effect at the beginning of the next Council’s term of office.
PHYSICIAN RECRUITMENT PROGRAM: Council decided that, for the next three years, the Township would match private funds donated to the Huronia Communities Foundation to recruit physicians to our area to a maximum of $10,000 per year.
UNASSUMED ROADS AGREEMENT REVIEW: Council passed a by-law setting aside a minimum amount of $25,000 each year for upgrading unassumed municipal roads to minimum gravel standard. The improved roads will then be “assumed” and maintained by the Township, including winter maintenance, and existing “Unassumed Roads Agreements” will be terminated. Going forward, new building will be allowed on unassumed municipal roads only if residents agree to upgrade the roads to township standard. (Note: this by-law does not apply to unassumed private roads.)
REVISIONS TO OPEN AIR BURNING BY-LAW: Council accepted the Fire Chief’s recommendation that campfires be permitted until 2 a.m. (Council felt that there were other, more effective methods of controlling noisy parties, and saw no reason why a small quiet campfire shouldn’t be allowed to continue beyond midnight.) They also accepted the Chief’s recommendations about the burning of large brush piles. Such controlled burning is now to require a Class “B” permit which will be issued only after a safety inspection of the site, and it may be undertaken only in the off season – after September 15th and before May 15th.
PROPOSED TRAILER PARK IN CONCESSION 3: Dr. Stubbs has appealed the Township’s rejection of his proposed Trailer Park to the Ontario Municipal Board. To give the Township’s solicitor (Burgar Rowe) some guidance about key issues buried in two banker’s boxes of documents, Tiny’s Residents Working Together put together a number of documents and arguments, and forwarded them to Council. Council decided to forward the package to Burgar Rowe, and to ask whether any of these issues would strengthen the Township’s ability to oppose the development.
DEADLINE FOR APPEALS OF NEW ZONING BY-LAW: Note that appeals of the new Zoning By-law must be filed with the Clerk of the Township of Tiny not later than March 13, 2006 at 4:30 p.m.
HELP:
PERSON NEEDED TO SELL ADVERTISING IN TINY COTTAGER. See notice on http://www.tinycottager.org
NOTE:
INFORMATION MEETING RE WIND TURBINES AND ALTERNATE ENERGY OPTIONS
Saturday, February 25, 2006
10 am – 12 noon
Lafontaine Parish Hall
331 Lafontaine Rd. West, Lafontaine
See notice on http://www.tinycottager.org
