REPORT ON COUNCIL
May 11, 2015
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 2:44 p.m.
Regular Meeting of Council: 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
All Members of Council Present: Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma, and Councillors Cindy Hastings, Richard Hinton and Gibb Wishart
NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTRE — AGAIN:
Speaking for the Sunset Bay Community Association, Liesje Lancia asked that Council allow a piece of township property in the Sawlog Bay area to be used for a Community/Senior Centre since residents in the northeast are a considerable distance from the Lafontaine Community Centre and from the Swinging Seniors in Balm Beach. The property was apparently set aside for community use. Since 1999, Sunset Bay has submitted a series of proposals regarding a community centre.
What is proposed this time is a relatively small building housing a meeting room, kitchen, washrooms and a storage room where local residents could play cards, hold family get-togethers, have a day camp and a library. The building would be financed by fundraising and by grants acquired with the help of Township staff.
Council is to discuss the matter on May 27.
REQUIRED UPGRADE TO MCMAHAN WATER SYSTEM:
In 2012, the township was ordered by the Ministry of the Environment to bring the McMahan water system into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. The required Environmental Assessment has been completed, the engineering design and tender documents are ready, and the project is scheduled for tendering at the end of May. After examining the way costs were handled when the township was ordered to take over two other privately run systems (the Renouf Water System in Balm Beach and the Lafontaine Water System), Staff recommended full cost recovery from the 22 benefitting residential properties, namely $14,931.47 per property. It also recommended that costs be amortized to ease the initial financial burden, as was done when the two other private water systems were upgraded.
Staff recommended against covering the cost from the existing tax base or from the water reserve fund (though we note that the properties in question have each contributed $400 to the reserve fund); it also felt that imposition of a water connection fee was inadequate as that option left some costs uncovered.
Staff is to prepare another report about financial implications and arrangements.
POSSIBLE HURONIA AIRPORT SOLAR PROJECT:
After listening to a series of reports about a possible airport solar project at this and earlier meetings, Council decided to support the airport’s application for a ground mount solar project in order to gain priority points that may result in the offer a provincial FIT (Feed-in Tariff) contract prior to other applicants. If the contract is gained, Council further decided that the Airport Commission must undertake comprehensive legal and financial reviews of the project before it would formally commit itself to this project.
OPEN AIR BURNING BY-LAW 15-027:
This By-law does not come into effect until January 2016. Note that a Class “A” Burning Permit obtained under this by-law – the only classification that does not have to be approved by the Fire Chief – allows the burning of brush and unpainted/untreated wood only, and only under carefully defined conditions. This means (among many constraints) that no such “fire shall contain rubber tires, plastic products, shingles, leaves, painted/treated wood or other materials that are known to create excessive smoke.”
Asthmatics and others who have made many deputations opposing the burning of leaves over the years may breathe a sigh of relief as of January next year.
WYEVALE PARK MASTER PLAN:
The Wyevale Park Master Plan is to be “launched” to the community on June 6th during the National Health and Fitness Day event in the Wyevale Park. The Master Plan is the result of two years’ planning. The consulting firm — PLANbyDESIGN — was guided throughout by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Community Recreation Committee, the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Wyevale Parks and Recreation Association, the township’s Public Works and Recreation Departments, the CAO, and Council. There were two public sessions. Surveys were completed by all students and teachers at the Wyevale Central Public School. Park concepts were displayed in Council Chambers and Wyevale Jug City for three months.
A special committee is to be struck to oversee implementation of the Master Plan.
MAYOR’S CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT:
Mayor Cornell announced that the Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournament is to take place on Friday, August 21, 2015 at the Balm Beachway Golf Club to raise money for a CT Scanner for the South Georgian Bay Hospital and for La Maison Rosewood, an emergency shelter in Midland that provides support for abused and homeless women and their children.
