Parry Sounds ~ Ideas and Opinions, In and Around Parry Sound

Once again it’s business as usual this Tuesday at council meeting with nothing too controversial on the agenda. The session should tie up a few of the loose ends that were put on hold awaiting approval of the 2012 budget.

Interesting and Notable Agenda Items

Items 4.4, 4.3, 4.6 are letters from town residents to council requesting clarification on why the proposed expansion of the Downtown Business Association (DBA) boundaries is including large areas of residential property. My additional question would be ‘what is the impact of including these areas into the DBA on residential properties’?

Item 5.1 is a deputation from Sail Parry Sound requesting some logistical accommodations on the part of the town to support a couple of big sailing events they are hosting this summer. It’s nice to see how Parry Sound is becoming a destination for visitors and not just a jumping off point to cottages.

Items 9.1.1 and 9.1.2 concern the Charitable Assistance and Municipal Assistance Programs that were discussed and approved in principle earlier this year. The Charitable Waster Program addresses the disposal of items ‘donated’ (dumped?) to local charities, notably the Salvation Army, that do not qualify for disposal at the town’s transfer station. Funding is limited to $5,000 and will be shared among all charities that apply for support. The Municipal Assistance Program is larger and continues a program that has been in place for a number of years in support of initiatives by local not-for-profit organizations.

Item 9.3.2 concerns approval for the purchase of three new ambulances for the Land Ambulance service. The total cost is in excess of $350,000, with the vast majority of the price tag being covered by senior government and regional municipality grants.

Items 9.4.1, 10.4.1 and 10.4.2 are a series of by-laws pertaining to property standards and providing for the town to more easily deal with offenders. These by-laws will complement by-laws passed earlier this year. Bit by bit the town is working toward ‘cleaning up’ properties and repeat offenders. These by-laws as written will particularly apply to those parties that have been resistant to repeated requests to take responsibility for their properties and the mess they make on adjoining public spaces.

Item 9.4.2 is a request to extend the security realization period of the Parry Sound Travel Centre. The amount at issue is $40,000 and is the ‘security deposit’ placed by a developer to express business interest and encourage the town to provide services for a service centre at the corner of Louisa and Bowes Streets. This centre was to include a hotel, gas station and restaurant. The town invested about $300,000 to extend services with the result that all but the restaurant were built. The security realization period has been extended a couple of times by the town. The staff recommendation is not to extend it a third time given that there are no plans to construct the restaurant.

Item 9.6.1 relates to a Code of Conduct complaint against a member of council. The resolution proposes the Report of the Integrity Commission be accepted. The conclusion is that there was a contravention of the Code and it occurred through “inadvertence or error of judgment made in good faith”. The report further proposes that no penalty be imposed. Details can be found in the council meeting package, copies of which are a town hall and the library.

These are the key issues to be covered on Tuesday; the agenda lists a number of additional items that may be of some interest to you, here is a link to the latest agenda. Take a look. I will be at the meeting.