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This coming week’s council meeting sees an even shorter list of agenda items. The key items are:

  1. New staff position (Closed Session d). My sense is that the Town is starting to recognize that it is getting a bit ‘thin’ at the management level and which is also  becoming obvious to the public.
  2. The Strategic Plan is up for formal acceptance (Item 9.4.1). The agenda package includes a response to the comments received regarding the strategic plan. The strategic plan can be summarized as follows. More of the same with higher taxes and an environmental emoticon for good measure. Sigh! Strategic plans are hard to do and require lots of work. I guess it’s “good enough”. The Town intends to do tomorrow what it did yesterday but happy to realize that that the results will at best be no better than yesterday, with a risk of being worse.
  3. The economic development officer on 2019 accomplishments and plans for 2020. (Item 9.4.2). For the most part his activities have been focused on light industrial investment which is more appropriate for regional (Business Park – Carling) rather than urban development. That’s okay, I guess. He needs strategic direction from Council on Town objectives and timelines. The biggest economic development opportunities for the Town proper are related to services (housing, medical, dental, legal, social, food, business to business, and craft type services). These don’t seem to be the focus of the economic development officer’s activities as per his report
  4. Connor industries is planning a major expansion to their manufacturing facility that requires site plan approval (Item 10.3.1). This is one of the only light industrial businesses in Town and the expansion represents a positive step. Council will approved this.
  5. Rezoning to permit the French School to move into the mall for the 2020/21 school year (Item 10.3.2). The recommendation is that Council approve the requested rezoning and it will be approved. In the end there was no reason for Council to have taken the aggressive posture they adopted in August, except perhaps to curry favour with the coalition who were against the school for a variety of reasons.

Closed Session
d) labour relations or employee negotiations, (new staff position);

Correspondence
4.1 – Ken & Geraldine Cribbie. Concerns with base water charges applied on metered water.

4.2 – Danny Whalen, President FONOM. Invitation to attend May 15-18, 2020 FONOM Conference in Timmins

Deputations
5.1 – Linda Taylor, Program Director, WPSD Community Support Services. Community Support Services and 2020 Budget Request.

5.2 – Zack Crafts & Emma Kitchen. Pedestrian/Cyclist Safety Concerns on Isabella St at Wood St.

5.3 – Lis McWalter. West Parry Sound Smart.

Resolutions and Direction to Staff
9.4.1 – 2020-2030 Strategic Plan. Resolution. The Council for the Town of Parry Sound approve the 2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan substantially in the form as attached as Schedule A.

9.4.2 – 2019 Economic Development Report . Resolution. That the 2019 Economic Development Report be received for information purposes.

By-laws
10.3.1 – Site Plan Application S19/07 – 81 North Tudhope (Connor Industries).
By-Law 2020 – 7016. Being a By-law to authorize a Site Plan / Development Agreement with 2282722 Ontario Ltd. – Connor Industries (81 North Tudhope Street)

10.3.2 – Rezoning Application – Z/19/17 – 70 Joseph Street (Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario/Parry Sound Mall Inc.).
By-law 2020 – 7017. Being a By-law to amend By-law No. 2004-4653 (The Zoning By-law), as amended, for 70 Joseph Street (Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario/Parry Sound Mall Inc.)