REPORT ON COUNCIL
Note: Several items from the September 12 meetings were included in the Report on Council in the fall Tiny Cottager
September 2016
Committee of the Whole Meetings September 12: 9:00 a.m. – 2:22 p.m. and September 26: 9 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
Regular Meetings September 12: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. and September 26: 6 p.m. – 6:37 p.m.
Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma and Councillors Cindy Hastings, Richard Hinton and Gibb Wishart present on both days.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Pilot Parking Strategy and the Township’s five major beach parks are to be discussed in depth at the November 1, 2016 Committee of the Whole Meeting with outstanding issues carried over to the November 14 Committee of the Whole Meeting.
- Municipal Tree Lighting – Saturday, November 26, 2016, Township Offices, 130 Balm Beach Road, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
COUNCIL TOURS THE FIVE MAJOR SHORE PARKS:
This in camera tour on September 14 of the Township’s five major Beach Parks (Woodland, Bluewater, Jackson Park, Balm, and Lafontaine) supplied background for Council’s upcoming deliberations about the Township’s Pilot Parking Strategy.
OFFICIAL PLAN UPDATE:
Kris Menzies of MHBC Planning considered changes in the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Plan, and the Niagara Escarpment Plan do not affect Tiny) as they relate to the township. She recommended that a series of these changes be discussed with the Province. These are detailed in a Memo for Council. See CoW Agenda, September 26, F) Reports of Consultants, re: Coordinated Planning Review.
She also considered various changes that came into effect on July 1, 2016, with the passage of the Province’s Bill 73 Amendments to the Planning Act. In general these relate to notice of decisions and how submissions affect the decisions, opportunities for dispute resolution, and removal of appeal rights particularly with regard to recently passed Official Plans and By-laws. For details see CoW Agenda, September 26, F) Reports of Consultants, re: Bill 73 Update.
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE ELECTION ACT FOR FUTURE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS (SEE BILL 181):
- Shorter nomination period. Instead of January to mid-September, the nomination period will be from May 1 to the fourth Friday in July.
- Change in Nomination Process. Candidates must submit 25 endorsement signatures from eligible electors with their nomination. Each endorsing individual must declare eligibility to vote in the municipality on the day they signed the document. (This requirement does not apply to candidates for school board trustee positions.)
- Approval of Alternative Voting Methods. These must be authorized by bylaw by May 1 of the year before an election, and the deadline for procedures and forms related to alternative voting and vote counting equipment is December 31st of the year before the election.
- Corporations and Trade Union Contributions. These are no longer eligible to contribute to municipal election campaigns. Corporations and trade unions can, however, be third party advertisers and make contributions to third party advertisers.
- Changes to the Rules Regarding Campaign Finances. For these, consult the Act.
- Changes to Third Party Advertising (i.e. messages in any medium that support or oppose a candidate or a “yes” or “no” vote on a question on the ballot). Individuals, corporations and unions who wish to be third party advertisers must register with the Clerk of the municipality. They must do so between May 1 and the Friday before Voting Day. Third party advertising must be done independently of candidates, who are not able to direct a third party advertiser. Third parties have the same campaign finance rules as the election candidates. There are clear limits to contributions.
- Ranked Ballots. Municipal Councils now have the option of passing by-laws to allow the use of ranked ballots.
For additional details, see CoW, September 26, G Staff Reports to Council, Administration and Finance, 04.
DOG PARK VOLUNTEER MONITORING PROGRAM APPROVED FOR CBO PARK:
The Dog Park is slated to be opened in the Spring of 2017, contingent upon adequate funding. The necessary By-law was passed on September 26th.
LIVE STREAMING:
Live streaming began formally on September 26. The live stream files are to be archived to the Township’s YouTube channel during the current year and for one year thereafter. To protect the privacy of in camera sessions, Council decided not to include closed sessions in the live streaming process and not to audio record them.
MUNICIPAL HERITAGE REGISTER EXPANDS:
Five more properties have been added to the Register:
Perkinsfield General Store (built 1910-13) at 1 County Road 6 North
SoHomey Lodge and Collard’s Store (built circa 1960, currently the Balm Beach Tavern) at 1 Tiny Beaches Road North
Le Loup de Lafontaine (built 1870) a farmhouse at 702 Concession 17 West
Woodland Beach Community Church (built 1929) at 2071 Tiny Beaches Road South, and
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (built 1889) at 8144 Highway 93.
Readers will find detailed descriptions and photographs in the Committee of the Whole Agenda for September 26. See (G) Staff Reports to Council/5.Committees/ii).
