Report on Council:
May 27, 2013
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 am –- 11:35
Confidential Closed Session 11:00 – 11:34 am
Regular Meeting: 7:00 pm- 7:27
Mayor Millar, Deputy Mayor Lawrence, Councillors Warren, Wishart, Claire
Simcoe County Waste Management Program
Under the new administration vacant lots are charged for waste management services.
Policing Costs
The OPP is beginning municipal consultations on Billing Reform. They want to bring greater transparency and clear communication of what is included in OPP billing to municipalities. Issues covered will be civilian governance, future legislation and opportunities for more efficient and effective OPP municipal police services. Salary increases are as follows: 5% in 2011, 2 year wage freeze, 8.5% in 2014.
Advocate policing costs be picked up by province rather than municipality. There is a wide variation to OPP costs to the municipalities. In Bancroft it is $600/capita because a provincial road which becomes a municipal road runs through town. Therefore it has to pick up the policing costs. Compare this with Tiny’s $165/capita and the province’s $250-$300/capita. Municipalities that serve as regional centres have higher policing costs than same size no-hub communities. During high profile long weekends more policing is needed.
Nitrates Levels/Lafontaine Drinking Water System
Henk Blom, Manager of Public Works, reported that recent nitrates tests for the Lafontaine Drinking Water System have exceeded the allowable limit. He stated that as a precaution, notices are being handed out today (May 27/13) advising local residents to use bottled water. The notices also advise residents against boiling the water as this could increase the nitrates levels.
Notice of Motions
Industrial Wind Turbines
The municipalities have the authority to regulate noise and the Ontario government wants to limit Industrial Wind Turbine Projects to communities that are willing hosts. The Township of Tiny has received a clear message from it’s residents that they are not willing to host an IWT. Tiny will advise the Ministry of the Environment that the township is not a willing host and has passed a bylaw to that effect.
Mayor Millar opposed this bylaw because in his view Council hasn’t debated the issue nor has Tiny heard from the public at large. He does not unequivocally support IWT but he does acknowledge that there is another side to the story which Tiny hasn’t heard from yet. As elected representatives he thinks that Council owes them a hearing, with an open mind, whether Council shares that position or not.
Mayor Millar’s preference would have been for Tiny to exercise authority under its’ powers to regulate noise ,if, as or when needed rather than, or prior to, declaring that they are an unwilling host. There is nothing in the Green Energy Act that would keep them from doing so.
Parking
Council instructed staff to review the implementation of a Township wide parking policy and report back to Council before the 2014 Budget discussion for implementation. The policy will review the feasibility to implement a Township wide Parking by Permit (or pay parking tickets) only in designated areas; the issues of overnight parking as well as winter snow routes. In the interim all urgent issues (substandard narrow streets and roads) should be addressed in an expeditious manner.
