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Agenda, By-Law, Capital Investment, Committees, DBA, Elections, Parks, parry sound, Rezoning, School, Town Council
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All indications are that this will be a relatively short meeting; no presentations, no scheduled deputations, no controversial issues, perhaps a few longer consent agenda items. I’ll venture that it will be over by 8:15 at the latest. (Any interest in starting a pool on how long these meetings take? Sort of like the pool for estimates about when the last ice is gone from the harbour. In the case of ice it looks like sometime in July might be a prudent estimate for this year. But in the case of a Council meeting pool the Councillors can’t play, a couple of them might relish the opportunity to stretch things out.)
There really isn’t much on the agenda this week, but as always I do suggest that you take a look at this meeting synopsis and see if there is anything on the agenda you would like to comment on in the deputation portion of the meeting.
Closed Meeting
The security of property of the municipality or local board. (Market Square Park) [I’m not sure what this is about. It could be the WiFi issue or the recent application to TD Green Streets for a grant to give the park a facelift. Whatever it is I’m surprised that it needs to be in closed session. Perhaps they are planning to install a missile silo in downtown Parry Sound. That would need to be in closed session I suppose. I guess they would also need to discuss it with the DBA, but let’s remember it’s the Town that ‘owns’ the park. But let’s also not forget the ‘Town’ is us, not Staff and/or Council.]
Personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees. (Performance Review).
Litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board (Stockey Centre Siding). [This is interesting, we are well aware of the roof leaks (it’s in the 2014 budget) but we’re now told that the siding also has a problem. And if we are talking about litigation how about suing the engineer and/or the construction firm that designed and built the retaining wall beside the fire station?]
Adoption of Minutes
That the February 18, 2014 Regular Meeting Minutes be approved with the following correction to Resolution 2014-030: That Resolution No: 2013-111 is hereby revoked. [Resolution 2013-111 was the previous resolution concerning the assignment of signing authority for the Town that has been superseded by the last meeting’s resolution.]
Correspondence
4.1 – Association of Municipalities of Ontario requesting all Ontario municipalities send a letter to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills of the Ontario Legislature to request amendments to Bill 69. [This concerns the terms of payments for services provided to municipalities by outside contractors.]
4.2 – Museum on Tower Hill, a request for a grant in the amount of $26,000 for the Museum on Tower Hill. [This is the annual funding support that the Town provides the museum. It a bit more than we spend on flowers for the hanging baskets. The other district municipalities also provide support for the museum, although not as generous.]
4.3 – Algonquin Regiment Veterans Association, a request to declare May 26 to June 1, 2014 Algonquin Regiment Week and to raise the flag at the municipal office on May 26th.
Deputations
There are no scheduled deputations.
Consent Agenda
8.1 – Increase in Electricity Rates. Resolution. Support for Town of Arnprior’s Resolution 059-14 urging the provincial government to ensure that electricity rates both in the short and long-term allow businesses to remain competitive and ensure vulnerable residents of Ontario’s communities are not overburdened by ever-increasing electricity rates.
8.2 – Earth Hour, March 29, 2014, 8:30-9:30. Resolution. Mayor and Council declare March 29, 2014 at 8:30.p.m. “Earth Hour” in Parry Sound.
8.3 – Bill 69, Prompt Payment Act, 2013. Resolution. Council direct staff to send the letter, attached as Schedule “A”, to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills to request the Bill be amended to: reflect more realistic timelines for payments in infrastructure projects; allow time for due diligence before accepting work and certifying payments; and allow payments to continue to be tied to project milestones.
Resolutions and Direction to Staff
9.1.1 – Waterfront Advisory Committee – Member Resignation. Resolution. That Council accepts, with regret, the resignation of Marianne King-Wilson from the Waterfront Advisory Committee of Council. [Another individual resigning from another Town committee. Which will we run out of first, people or committees? From all indications we won’t run out of people wanting to serve on Council. How about participating on a committee or two before ‘throwing your hat in the ring’?]
9.1.2 – Request to rent sign space on a Town Street. Resolution. That staff bring forward a by-law to define and authorize an agreement with the Sherk’s for a sign upon the Parry Sound Drive road allowance (per their request). [A somewhat tacky billboard for a Nobel business on Parry Sound Road next to Harris Furniture.]
9.3.1 – Appointments to the West Parry Sound Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee. Resolution. Larry Simons be appointed as a member of the WPS Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee and that Judy Keown be appointed the alternate for the term commencing March 1, 2014 to November 30, 2014; and the Town appoint Ed Ewing, Peter Spadzinski, and Larry Simons with Judy Keown as alternate to the West Parry Sound Joint Election Compliance Audit Committee for the term commencing December 1, 2014 to November 30, 2018.
9.6.1 – Finance / Budget Committee, Spokesperson: Councillor Paul Borneman. [I’m not at all sure what this is about, there is no supporting material in the meeting agenda package. Will it address the request of the Citizens Finance Committee to go on hiatus? Is it a suggestion to form a new committee? I don’t know and look forward to finding out.]
By-Laws
10.1.1 – Rezoning Application – Beatty Street. By-law. Lifting of Holding provision. [This relates to the new elementary school construction that is scheduled to commence this Spring.]
10.1.2 – Rezoning Application Z14-01 – Crombie Property Holdings Ltd. – 25 Pine Drive. By-law. To amend By-law No. 2004-4653 for property on Pine Drive (Crombie Property Holdings Ltd.). [This concerns the Sobeys property that was the subject of a recent open meeting. It appears there are plans to build an additional 10,000 square feet of retail space that will include a pharmacy (making six in Parry Sound unless there are plans to move one of the existing businesses to this location). It is interesting to read the included impact on downtown business study. It basically summarizes the existing retail figures and then simply infers that it will not negatively impact the downtown. I’m not sure I disagree, but there really is no substantial logic to the conclusion. You pay the consultant to give you the opinion you want.]
10.5.1 – SRNMIF-CTL – Wakefield & Dufferin Funding Agreement. By-law. To authorize the execution of a Transfer Payment Agreement between the Province and the Town regarding a grant to support the reconstruction of Wakefield and Dufferin Streets. [This is great news. Congratulations are due Town Staff especially the Director of Public Works, Peter Brown, for securing this funding of $1.3 MM to upgrade roads, water mains, sewer mains and storm sewers.]
A Grander Boulevard (Parry Sound in Black & White)
Note: At this point I’m including all items that are on the published agenda but offering commentary only on select items that seem to warrant discussion or explanation. Want to see everything that is on the agenda along with the supporting documents? The full package can be found at the town’s website (http://townofparrysound.com/pagesmith/14).