REPORT ON COUNCIL
October 26, 2009
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:02 am – 12:34 pm and 1:02 pm – 3:36 pm.
Regular Evening Meeting: 7:00 pm – 7:14 pm.
All members of Council present.
CONFIDENTIAL / CLOSED SESSION: 2:36 pm to 3:34 pm.
ANNOUNCEMENTS/PRESENTATIONS:
This year, the Mayor’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament raised $4500. Mayor Breckenridge presented the proceeds to representatives of Community Link North Simcoe, an organization that links people to community resources through volunteer-based transportation and support services.
SEPTAGE NEWS:
CC Tatham and Associates Ltd presented a proposal for septage handling in Tiny. There was no real detail as to the available options. Their submission about the necessary preliminary stages in deciding on a method of treatment included: an Environmental Assessment, a specialist’s studies and design, approvals and tendering for construction. The preliminary stages are projected to cost $450,000.
Council is considering trying to do the first two items very soon and asked staff for specifics and a recommendation for the next meeting.
A representative from a company called Elementa Group made a presentation of a system that uses a steam kiln to eliminate virtually all waste. The cost for a unit that would serve Tiny Township would be in the area of $30 million. This was a sales presentation
SITE 41:
Council members reported that the County has done more than the planned winterization of Site 41 and that the excavation is almost filled with only a small depression left. Our County Council members will follow up to ascertain what changed the plans.
SIGNAGE:
A proposal was received from MC3 Global Retail in response to Council queries about the firm’s $16,400 quotation to complete the engineering drawings, prepare the tender material and provide oversight of the tender proposal. All relevant detail was provided for this meeting and Council voted to spend $11,800 for completion of final art work for production and tendering. Councilor Warren requested a recorded vote. His was the only vote in opposition to the decision, as he believes excessive money has been spent on this phase. Including the above amount, the total will be more than $32,000.
It is now a certainty that no signs will be erected this year.
MCMAHAN WOODS DEVELOPMENT:
This project is in a very confused state at present. Simcoe County instructed the Township to hold a public meeting, but, while the Township believes that 51 building lots would meet their zoning requirements, the County has gone from seeming to accept 73 lots to now stating that only 20 lots would be acceptable under the Greenland designation.
To further confuse the situation there is no decision regarding private wells and municipal water because of the variance in the number of lots. Staff was directed to try to ascertain from County what their final lot count would be before calling a public meeting.
In addition there is a communal well on McMahan road that services 4 or 5 residences and they should be considered for inclusion if the municipal water solution is considered. Councillors wanted assurance that all costs would be borne by the developer and not the township’s ratepayers. That seemed to be confirmed.
COMBINED LEAF AND YARD WASTE PICKUP:
Council decided to extend this service to private roads that are already serviced by Simcoe County garbage service. The remaining private roads are not accessible to big trucks and those residents will continue to have the transfer station as their only option.
HOSPITAL UPDATE:
Bob Morton, the Chair of the Board, and Paul Heinrich, the CEO, provided an update about the North Simcoe Hospital Alliance – explaining the various ways the Huronia District Hospital and the Penetanguishene Hospital have been merged. They are focused on balancing the budget, strategic planning and providing more statistics and records about service levels. In the near future data regarding service standards and results will be available on the North Simcoe Hospital Alliance website.
COPELAND CEMETERY:
Council supported the Historical & Heritage Committee’s recommendation that the Copeland Cemetery be designated as a historical site. Whether to undertake maintenance and preservation is to be discussed during 2010 budget deliberations.
