September 9 and 28, 2020
Committee of the Whole Meeting (through electronic participation): September 9, 2020: 9:00 a.m. – 2:43 p.m. and September 28, 2020: 9:00 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.
Regular Meeting of Council: September 9, 2020: 3:20 p.m. – 3:31 p.m. and September 28, 2020: 4 pm
Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffen Walma, and Councillors Cindy Hastings, Tony Mintoff and Gibb Wishart were present at both meetings. On September 9, Deputy Mayor Walma left the Committee of the Whole Meeting at 10:58 a.m. and returned at 11:15 a.m. On September 28, Mayor Cornell left the Committee of the Whole Meeting at 9:45 and returned at 11:10 a.m.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Visit the Township’s COVID-19 webpage at www.ca/coronavirus for municipal service impacts and updates.
- Tiny Connect – Sign up now at tinyconnect.ca
- Weekly construction project updates now available on the Township website
- Mayor’s Charity Golf-a-thon – July 1 to September 30, 2020
- Ray Miller, Fire Chief, retired as of September 9, 2020.
- Dave Flewelling, succeeded Ray Miller as Fire Chief on October 1
- Doug Luker, CAO, retired as of September 25, 2020
- Doug Taylor, Treasurer, retired as of September 30, 2020
BUDGET MEETING DATES: December 7, January 18 and possibly February 1.
RECOVERY PLAN: On September 9, Doug Luker, CAO, briefly outlined the Township’s Recovery Plan. Full details are now available on the Township’s website – tiny.ca. As of September 14, all Township of Tiny municipal offices reopened to the public following COVID-19 protocols and restrictions.
PAID, OPEN AND PERMIT PARKING: Paid, open and permit parking systems are usually in effect in Tiny Township from May 15 to September 15. On June 2, all paid parking was converted to permit only parking in order to give priority access to residents and to address physical distancing concerns. For the same reasons, on September 9, these parking arrangements were extended to October 5.
LIFE RINGS, AEDs AND LIFE JACKETS: After considering a staff report, Council decided to have staff install five life ring kits currently in stock at the five major beach parks. Additionally, staff would increase AED (i.e. Automatic External Defibrillators) signage (the township has six). However, a “borrow life jacket program” won’t be instituted.
DELINEATION OF TOWNSHIP BEACH PROPERTY: In September, as a result of two written complaints about intrusions onto private property near the Archer Road Walkway (the last beach access point before Wasaga Beach), Council discussed the inconsistent delineation of township property at the 150 or more access points along Tiny’s shore.
In the end it was decided that Public Works would look into methods of delineation, costs (for surveying, materials, staff time), cost sharing with adjacent private owners, process, phasing of installations, the line fences act, encroachments and overall guidelines.
ROAD SURFACE AT PINE FOREST BEACH ESTATES: A deputation from Pine Forest questioned the suitability of the rough tar and chip road surface in an area where many walk the road in bare feet. According to Tim Leitch (Public Works), that was the original road surface in that area, one that years of use had worn smooth. The surface could be smoothed by means of a slurry seal, but not until a year after the application of tar and chip. Such an application requires budget approval.
ROAD SAFETY: Lynne Archibald, of FoTTSA, presented a deputation regarding safety on Tiny Reaches Road and the results of a survey of residents on this subject as well as recommendations. “Some of the concerns expressed included speeding vehicles not yielding to cyclists or pedestrians, blind spots, poor road conditions and narrow shoulders.”
Susan Inwood, of the Thunder Beach Association, provided Council and staff with the results of a road safety survey in the Thunder Beach area. The concerns of this survey were similar to those in the survey regarding Tiny Beaches Road.
Council is to discuss both on October 19.
BELL MOBILITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS: These have been proposed by CanACRE for the Wyevale Fire Hall and the Wyebridge Community Centre. Consideration of both are to proceed according to the Township’s policy. Council supported increased tower heights to improve coverage.
RECRUITMENT OF A CAO: Council has begun the recruitment process.
COVID-19 FINANCIAL IMPACT REPORT: This itemized the direct and indirect revenue and expense impacts at August 22, 2020. In sum, “The net impact of the lost or deferred revenues and the costs not incurred as a result of COVID-19 at August 22nd, 2020 is $362.1k. Therefore, the total year-to-date estimated impact at August 22nd, 2020 is $515.2k. It should be noted that costs and revenues will continue to be impacted for the balance of 2020 and will quite likely impact on 2021 to a lesser extent.”
The treasurer noted that “additional revenue and cost impacts may be offset/partially offset by the Provincial funding announcement dated August 12th, 2020…of $616.7k.”
BROADBAND SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS UPDATE: Council authorized the Broadband Ad Hoc Committee to continue with the issuance of a Request for Information to identify solutions and costing to improve broadband throughout the Township of Tiny, with the deadline for submissions to be amended to November 20, 2020.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL ISSUE: In spite of a broad survey by FoTTSA recommending a series of actions and Council agreement, staff is only now getting around to convening a meeting to discuss the matter in preparation for a report to Council. (Councillor Mintoff asked for an update on this issue.)