Monthly Archives: December 2012

2012 Council Minutes Compilation

31 Monday Dec 2012

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Here’s a link to a single compiled list of all the Parry Sound Council minutes for 2012 in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). This file is fully searchable using the search function in Adobe Acrobat, including the free Acrobat Reader.

So if you are wondering about what Parry Sound town council might have posted in their minutes about Belvedere Hill, you would just put “Belvedere” (without the quotes) into the search field and it will provide you with all instances of where the term arises in the minutes. It’s a great way to find and follow a topic as it was discussed at the meetings of council.

Happy New Year to all and see you at the Mayor’s Levee in a couple of weeks. I’ve started a new website, www.parrysights.com, that will post up photos and videos of life in and around Parry Sound. Check it out when you have some time. Starting in 2013 I’ll be posting a photo of the day, that may be from the current season, a past season, or from town archival material.

Bridge Art – Midwinter Stroll

BridgeArt - Midnight Stroll

Council Meeting Summary – December 18, 2012

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Last night’s meeting had a little more excitement than usual as an unexpected roadblock arose for what was expected to be a non-controversial issue. There were a couple of last minute items added to the agenda that will impact the town going forward. And the latest information on heating in the BOCC is that it should be operational Friday, the 21st, in time to handle the bit of a freeze we expect this weekend. (Assuming of course the world doesn’t end as suggested by the Mayan Apocalypse wing-nuts.)

Some information was provided concerning the tree removal that is ongoing on Tower Hill. Apparently there is concern that the problem with diseased trees is spreading beyond Tower Hill to the adjacent MNR property. I hope that we will be presented with a comprehensive plan to remediate and appropriately replant the garden and plantation (the forested area as it was originally called). There are many experienced resources the town has available to ask for advice and help. I expect to provide a post on the Tower Hill tree situation in the next couple of weeks with some before and after photos. There are still more trees that need to come down so the Public Works group will be busy for some time to come as their schedules permit.

Unless budget cuts are enacted there will be Christmas tree pick up in the New Year.

 Meeting Highlights:

4.1 – the letter to council with comments on the Official Plan was forwarded to the Community Development department.

6.4.3 – was a last minute addition to the agenda that came out of the earlier closed meeting and concerned a settlement with property taxes for the Lakeland Long Term Care facility. I am not sure I caught all of the details but apparently the facility will be paying property taxes to the town in the amount of $123,000 per year. Of this total the West Parry Sound Health Centre is responsible for 15%, and the province 85%. The town intends to return the hospital’s portion as a donation, so there is no net impact on the hospital’s financial position as a result of the settlement. (Note: this was a last minute agenda item that was only briefly discussed and explained, so the town should be consulted for details. I apologize in advance if any portion of this summary is incorrect or misleading.)

8.1 – a resolution in support of the Township of the Archipelago’s statement related to their concerns about low water levels in Georgian Bay was carried. There is a plan to hold a multi-community meeting on February 6th hosted by Parry Sound and the Archipelago to discuss and address the challenges of the low water.

9.1.1 – a resolution for the Public Works department to submit an Expression of Interest for provincial infrastructure funding was approved. After much debate about what program(s) would be identified, and discussion of the town’s asset management plan, it was agreed that first priority would be given to Forest Street. The province has apparently increased the size of the fund to $90 million, with individual project funding of up to $2 million.

9.3.1 – council approved a direction to send a letter to the provincial government requesting the restrictive covenant on the George Street properties be lifted to permit their sale as property lots by the town. There was a sense that the province would not act quickly on this request, but a time frame was not offered by staff.

9.4.1 – a resolution regarding recognition certificates and plaques was approved.

9.5.1 – a resolution supporting revisions to the current draft of the Official Plan that would permit the Old Pump House to be used for a variety of non-residential purposes elicited considerable discussion before being carried. As it now stands the property has a special designation that permits it to be used as a residence, but none of the uses suggested by the Waterfront Committee. Even uses that would be permitted by a residential designation, for example a bed and breakfast or home business, are not permitted, as the property is not now zoned residential. With this understood, council approved the resolution as drafted. There were concerns raised by several members of council about parking issues that might arise with some of the suggested uses. But these it was agreed, could be addressed later when an application was actually made to adapt the property for one of these uses.

10.3.1 – a by-law permitting six separate residential units in the existing building at 48 Cascade Street was approved.

10.3.2, 10.3.3 – council approved by-laws permitting the sale of town properties on Emily Street and Railway Avenue, as well as Ye Olde Pumpe House (sounds 18th Century and exclusive doesn’t it).  An interesting discussion arose as to whether the town and the public were better served by the current process of requesting bids for properties or using a real estate firm. My sense is that the use of a real estate agent is better, even if it costs the town a percentage of the sale price. This approach would permit the ‘average Joe’ to express an interest and purchase the property. As it is now the process is familiar only to developers who know what the process is, and have an idea of what a fair market price might be. How does the average person figure out where to get the forms, how to fill them out, much less determine a reasonable price? So the ‘average Joe’ doesn’t bother and the developers get the property at a ‘commercial’ rate, not one that might be upped by the interest of non-developers. This is particularly true of these single lots that are being offered for sale. Perhaps a town resident wants to build a house for themselves or help a sibling or child. They really aren’t in a position to bid on the house with a reasonable expectation of being successful. So, for bigger pieces of real estate, let’s say something that would support a five or ten house development, keep the current bid process, the ‘average Joe’ really wouldn’t be interested. But for individual lots, and Ye Olde Pumpe House, let’s use a real estate agent. It’s a more inclusive process that may actually bring in more money, even after a real estate commission.

10.4.1, 10.4.2 – council approved by-laws establishing billing and collection procedures for water and waste water services, and the setting of an interim tax levy for 2013 pending the approval of a final budget.

10.5.1 – a by-law to enter into a 5-year agreement with Festival of the Sound to rent the CP station for use as its headquarters was passed, but not before some interesting maneuvering. What started out as a reasonably innocent request for information on whether the Festival or the town were responsible for snow removal (the town was in the proposed lease), turned into a couple of amendments and three separate votes. The councillor who raised the initial question suggested that it wasn’t fair that the Festival would not be responsible for snow removal costs, while the Chamber who rent the CN Station were. (Note: the Chamber does pay for snow removal, but doesn’t pay rent, does pay property taxes and utilities, but sublets a portion of the property and collects rent. Got it?) So an amendment was proposed and passed that effectively stated the Festival would be responsible for comparable costs as were the responsibility of the Chamber. But that would of course mean the Festival would need to review the revised terms with their Board, and the proposed January 1, 2013 start of the lease would not be possible, especially if they suggested additional terms that required council review and approval. (This is getting too long, let me start another paragraph. There’s more.)

So one of the councillors reminded council the deals couldn’t be compared, rent – no rent, snow plowing – no snow plowing, etc., or as they said “it’s apples and oranges”. But since the amendment had been carried by a majority of the council members they could not  go back and vote on the original lease proposal, which at this point seemed reasonable to the majority of council. So it was proposed that a second amendment be put forward and voted on that would specifically state the town was responsible for any cost related to snow removal at the CP Station. This amendment was carried, and all that remained was voting on the original by-law, with the two amendments that offset each other. The by-law was carried with one dissention, the councillor who hadn’t properly read the lease agreement and asked the initial snow-plowing question. So all’s well that end well. The town is in a better position financially and the Festival has a wonderful location from which to build it’s brand and bring even more visitors to Parry Sound to help support the local economy. (Disclosure: our daughter works for Festival of the Sound.)

All in all it was an interesting and entertaining meeting (there is no admission charge and there are lots of great seats). And it was over by 8:30.

The next meeting of council is January 15th. The Mayor’s Levee will be held in the council chambers on the 13th, with more information to follow. See you there, and happy holidays. (Note: I wanted to save this piece of Bridge Art for the start of the NHL season, but no luck, and no hope for anything soon. Enjoy the action at the BOCC.)

Bridge Art – Hockey

Bridge ARt - Hockey

Parry Sound Hydro Corporation Annual Meeting Summary

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

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Last night’s (2012-12-17) annual meeting of Parry Sound Hydro Corporation and subsidiaries provided considerable information on current operations and future plans. After months of my queries asking what was going on with respect to an investment in upgraded power generation capacity, some answers were provided last night. That’s a good start.

First, some basic information about Parry Sound Power, or more correctly Parry Sound Hydro Corporation:

  1. There are in fact four separate companies; this was required by the province some ten years ago when there were major changes in the power supply sector. The companies are:
    1. Parry Sound Power, which is responsible for delivering power to its customers. That includes responsibility for meters, power lines and such.
    2. Parry Sound Energy Services, which to date has been responsible for water heater rentals, tree trimming, and through the end of the year billing services for Parry Sound’s water services (more about this later).
    3. Parry Sound PowerGen, which is responsible for power generation and watershed management.
    4. Parry Sound Hydro Corporation (HoldCo), which is the parent and consolidates the operating statements of the other three companies.
  2. Last year the consolidated companies reported a net income of $47,761 in 2011 (profit after taxes), an increase of about $3,000 over 2010.
  3. Last year Parry Sound PowerGen generated about $350,000 in energy revenue, and is on target to generate about $400,000 this year. The increase in revenue is largely related to improved pricing rather than increased generation. In 2011 the power generated amounted to about 4.9 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. That is the same as 4.9 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, and while the power output in total is more than enough to power Doc Brown’s DeLorean in Back to the Future (it needed 1.21 GW), it would need to deliver that amount of energy in a millisecond, not several months.
  4. Parry Sound Hydro Corporation is one of the smaller power companies in the province but it is not the smallest. Here’s a link that provides information concerning Ontario’s power generating stations.
  5. Parry Sound PowerGen has rights and responsibilities for a watershed that covers about 1,000 square kilometers (102,300 hectares). Here’s a link that provides more information on the watershed.
  6. Parry Sound Power is subject to provincial regulations that ‘require’ it to induce their customers to reduce the consumption of electricity. It’s an interesting situation. In theory a company that sells electricity would make more money by selling more electricity. At the same time though the province wants to see reduced consumption not only to reduce the potential impact of the associated pollution, but to also limit the amount of additional generation capacity that needs to be built. So the local energy distributors are provided with an incentive to make more money by reducing their sales of electricity. Any bet that the province will be increasing electricity and energy prices to reduce consumption if we don’t start cutting back? It’s a strategy that for the most part works with gasoline and cigarette consumption.
  7. There will be about $180,000 returned to Parry Sound Power customers over the next year or so. This amount reflects the amount that was charged to customers in excess of recently revised provincial requirements. The rebate will be calculated as a function of electricity usage. I estimate it means a rebate of about $60 per customer; less for the smaller users (residential customers) and more for larger users (companies).

At last night’s meeting the chairs of the various companies provided an update on their company’s operations. BDO Canada, LLP the company’s auditor, presented an overview of the financial performance for 2011. Some interesting information was provided concerning operations as well as my information about a possible investment in additional power generation capacity. The key points as I understood them were:

  1. Parry Sound Energy Services will merge its operations with Parry Sound PowerGen. This should result in reduced costs and is due in part to the loss of the billing service business they provided for Parry Sound’s water services. Presumably there will then be three companies remaining, Parry Sound Power, Parry Sound PowerGen and the parent, Parry Sound Hydro Corporation.
  2. There are plans to increase the power generating capacity of the River Street facility. This is a project that has been discussed, researched and analyzed for more than a decade, and may start to be realized in 2013. Some key points that were expressed last night:
    1. The current installation, a single turbine capable of generating 1.2 MW (megawatts), will be replaced with two separate installations (two separate pen stocks and turbines) that would have a total power generating capacity of 3.2 MW ( 2 x 1.6 MW). That means at peak they could provide enough power to light thirty-two thousand, 100 watt light bulbs. In theory at least, this raises potential energy generation, and revenue, by about 180%, not quite tripling current capacity. In practice of course it is unlikely that all of the extra generating capacity will be realized because of variable flow. At the very least though it will be possible to capture the considerable energy that is currently ‘spilled’ over the dam because the current installation cannot handle that flow volume.
    2. The price for the new installation was not discussed during the meeting but my understanding is that it will be on the order of $15 to $20 million. The board indicated that the new installation is expected to cover its capital and operating costs and with time will be an important revenue generator for Parry Sound.
    3. Income and profit forecasts are based on a favourable tariff rate of $0.125 per kWh, with annual increases, that will be in effect for another 17 years. In my opinion these are reasonable figures to work with and don’t reflect the fiction of the $0.50 kWh plus rates being used to rationalize solar electricity installations.
    4. Discussions are ongoing to secure financing for the project.

The company financial statements were provided at the meeting last night, and are available to the public upon request.

I expect that there will be more information made available about the power generation upgrade project in the New Year if there are plans to start construction before the summer.

Attendance at the meeting was very poor. Besides the board members, key staff and the auditor who were required to attend, there were Anne and I, Mayor McGarvey, Councillor Horne, and CAO Rob Mens. None of the local press were at the meeting so there is unlikely to be additional coverage of the meeting in the local media, although I expect there will be a follow up by the North Star once this meeting summary is posted. It’s important news that needs to be understood by the community.

Holiday Train Video – Update

16 Sunday Dec 2012

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There is a better video on the sister site ParrySights that removes the annoying off-angle perspective. Here’s the link. Thanks to Jim Pletzer for his help with the video rotation.

Here’s a video link for those of you who didn’t catch the CP Holiday train as it crossed the Seguin two weeks ago. It could use some editing, exposure and tilt (I just sat my point-and-shoot on the railing while I took photos). So if I can figure out how to edit it a bit more I’ll replace it with a better version.

Happy holidays to everyone.

Holiday Train - 2012

Council Agenda Preview – December 18, 2012

16 Sunday Dec 2012

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After a very full agenda last meeting, the December 18th session isn’t quite as packed. The whole issue of the 2013 budget though still looms large over council and staff.

Those of you who spend time on Tower Hill have doubtless noted the many trees that have been cut down in the last couple of weeks. And there is more work to be done. There were many dead trees on Tower Hill, apparently done-in by pine bark beetles and the stress of the drought this past summer. It will be interesting to see what the town’s plans are to replace the trees. Not all of the trees should be replaced but it would be a shame to leave it as denuded as it is now. This is an investment that will take decades to be fully realized. I’ve been told that the best time to plant a tree is thirty years ago. The second best time is now!

Agenda Highlights:

4.1 – concerns a resident letter to council with comments on the Official Plan. There are some very good comments that I expect the Community Development department will consider for inclusion in the current draft of the plan. The Official Plan is much more important than most people realize because once reviewed and approved by the province it is no trivial task to get approvals for deviations.

8.1 – is a resolution in support of the Township of the Archipelago’s statement related to their concerns about the low water levels in Georgian Bay. In addition to general statements of concern they are requesting the suspension of certain environmental restrictions to permit blasting and dredging of shoreline within the Archipelago. Low water levels are certainly a concern for many. Like droughts, the current low water levels may be a normal deviance from the average, or they may be an indicator of even greater changes as a consequence of global climate change. Let’s be sure not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

9.1.1 – this is a resolution for the Public Works department to make preparations to take advantage of a provincial infrastructure program known as MIII Capital Program Funding. The town has identified more than $8 million worth of projects related to waste water and water supply upgrades that would qualify.

9.3.1 – is a direction relating to the town property on George Street. The direction involves sending a letter to the provincial government requesting the restrictive covenant on these properties be lifted to permit their sale as property lots by the town.

9.4.1 – is a resolution regarding recognition certificates and plaques. It seems that school kids get gold stars while adults get plaques.

9.5.1 – is a resolution supporting revisions to the current draft of the Official Plan that would permit the Old Pump House to be used for a variety of non-residential purposes including:
i) Tea room
ii) Waterworks heritage interpretive museum
iii) Non-licensed restaurant establishment
iv) Artists’ in-residence studio
v) Home-based business
vi) Boutique bed and breakfast

I  expect this revision to the Official Plan will be done in parallel with preparations to put the property on the market.

10.3.1 – is a by-law permitting six separate residential units in the existing building at 48 Cascade Street.

10.3.2 – is a by-law permitting the sale of town properties on Emily Street and Railway Avenue.  Item 10.3.3 is a by-law moving forward the process to sell the  Old Pump House property.

10.4.1, 10.4.2 – are by-laws related to the Finance, Administration and POA Court Services department establishing billing and collection procedures for water and waste water services, and the setting of an interim tax levy for 2013 pending the approval of a final budget.

10.5.1 – is a by-law to enter into a 5-year agreement with Festival of the Sound to rent the CP station for use as its headquarters.

That’s it. I don’t see anything too controversial on the agenda. I hope we will be getting good news about heat at the Bobby Orr Community Centre. Here’s a direct link to the agenda that is hosted at this site if you want to see what what else is being reviewed. Unfortunately you still need to go the library or town hall to see the council package.

See you at the meeting. I’ll also be attending the public meeting of Parry Sound Power (correction – Parry Sound Hydro Corporation) the day before (December 17th, 6:00 PM at town hall.)

Bridge Art – Think Big

Giving a Hand

NJ Train Derailment – End in Sight?

12 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Almost two weeks after the derailment of tanker cars in Paulsboro New Jersey there are residents who haven’t yet been permitted to return home. The leaking rail car has been lifted out, while five other cars remain to be removed. There are hopes that the local residents will be able to return home by this weekend, in time perhaps to prepare for Christmas.

One item caught my attention in the USA Today article. It was noted that “Officials at the meeting acknowledged that a system to notify residents had not worked properly in the accident’s wake”. Ensuring proper communication protocols in the event of a derailment was one of the recommendations made by the town’s Rail Safety Committee in their recent report to council. With one bridge, one trestle and four overpass crossings we need to be prepared in the event of a derailment. Unlike a flat ground derailment where rail cars might drop ten feet and not rupture, a drop from the trestle, the bridge or even the overpasses might well lead to ruptures and the release of toxic materials into the air and the water.

It’s a Long Way To the Bottom

Parry Sound Trestle

Parry Sound Power Annual Meeting – Monday 17th

10 Monday Dec 2012

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Parry Sound Power will be holding their annual general meeting next Monday, December 17th at 6:00 in the council chambers of Parry Sound town hall. I’m not sure that 6:00 is very convenient for most members of the public, but it’s what it is. I wonder if the local press will be there to report on what is presented and discussed. so to be safe, plan to be there and hear it directly.

I’ll be there to listen to, and understand, what’s going on with their operations. There have been rumours for almost a year of a multimillion dollar investment in additional generating capacity. But nothing has been shared with their shareholders – that’s us the residents of Parry Sound. If there is going to be a major investment in generating capacity it will be the taxpayers of Parry Sound who will be obligated to cover any losses.

It’s interesting that the town’s water supply business as a part of Public Works is open to public scrutiny, while the power generating operation isn’t. I don’t think it’s a question that they can’t tell us what they are doing and why; it’s more a matter that they don’t want to. And by law they apparently are not obliged to.

Early Season Snow - Parry Sound (2012)

NJ Derailment – All Is Not Yet Well

06 Thursday Dec 2012

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The recent derailment of tanker cars loaded with chemicals in New Jersey is still a matter of concern for local residents. A number of them are still out of their homes, with a hope they might be back by Sunday (about 10 days in total). Even the Coast Guard are involved, securing one of the derailed tankers. USA Today has more information on the meeting with community members Wednesday night and the latest situation update.

This is a cautionary tale of the consequences of tankers running through residential and environmentally sensitive areas. I am conscious that the railways are continually maintaining the tracks that run through Parry Sound – but stuff happens. This is the third major derailment in the USA northeast in the last few months that have had significant community impact. It pays to be prepared.

Maintenance – Preparing for Replacement (November 2012)

Preparing for Replacement

Council Meeting Summary – December 4, 2012

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Last night’s meeting was a model of efficiency and performance. Not only did council get through the agenda quickly, they deferred very few items, and in my opinion made good decisions.  The councillors were consistent in terms of their style and positions so there were very few surprises that then permitted useful discussion and decisions. I also have the sense that staff and council have a better sense of each others expectations and intentions. Staff is providing better drafted by-laws and resolutions to council, and the councillors are learning to trust staff. Hmm, sounds good to me.

For the most part council addressed the many issues related to the “Old Pump House”. Council agreed the building is a unique part of Parry Sound history that deserves to be preserved through heritage designation. That decision will mean a two or three month delay in putting the property on the market. The issue of rezoning the property to permit commercial uses, it is now zoned for residential use only, was discussed. If undertaken by the town the process could take up to three years, and would delay the sale of the property. A purchaser might be able to get it rezoned in about half that time. Council will revisit this issue next meeting after the Waterfront Advisory Committee has presented their thoughts about creative uses for the property. Regardless, this will not slow down the process of preparing the property for sale. Expect it to be put on the market sometime in April if nothing else comes up in the interim (my “guesstimate”).

It’s interesting to see that the former Heritage Committee is more active as a citizen’s committee than it was a formal committee of council. So far this term they have managed to get two town properties designated for the benefit of past and future generations, Tower Hill Park and Garden and the Old Pump House. Part of the problem as I understand it was that the previous council representative on the committee was more of a hindrance than a facilitator. It’s interesting to note that this same councillor was the only member of council to vote against both of these designations. It seems the committee got the fox out of the hen house by refusing to reform with the start of the new council.

One final note about councillors and mayor.  I can’t believe how much responsibility the mayor assumes on behalf of the town, both official and volunteer. While some of the councillors in their reports are pressed to mention more than one public activity they have participated in since the last council meeting, the mayor seemingly has participated in a half dozen or more. And these are valuable activities that often involve travel and long hours away from home and his daytime job. I think we are a better town for his involvement. And the councillors don’t need to make longer reports; a couple of them perhaps need to get a little more involved with the community.

A last note: the budget discussions will formally start on January 16th at 6:00. Be there, it’s an interesting discussion and there are always lots of free front row seats.

Agenda Highlights:

 2.1.2 – the public meeting regarding a zoning by-law amendment for turning a 4-unit residence into 5-units was held and it seems that council will likely approve it based on the information and discussion. The magic words were used – ‘affordable housing’.

4.4, 8.1 – a letter and a resolution in support of a wind farm at Henvey Inlet was deferred until there was more information on the local impact for the development. Council appropriately noted that this was an issue they needed more information on before they could provide an endorsement on behalf of the town.

5.2, 9.3.1, 9.3.2, 9.5.1, 9.5.2, 9.5.3, 10.3.1, 10.3.2 – were a series of resolutions, by-laws and a deputation related to the Old Pump House, also known as the Former Waterworks Pumphouse. As expected, and discussed above, all of the items were approved with the exception of Heritage Conservation Easement (9.5.2) which was defeated, and the by-law to sell the property (10.3.2) which was postponed to the next meeting of council with the expectation that the Waterfront Advisory Committee would provide input regarding alternative uses for the property that might involve rezoning.

9.1.2, 9.1.3 – resolutions requesting equipment for the Public Works department, a vacuum truck and a scissor lift, were both approved. It seems that council is starting to understand that Public Works is not just collecting toys, they are equipping themselves to work more efficiently which should result in lower overall costs for the town. And while council quite appropriately did not hold the purchases hostage pending heat in the BOCC, the heat was turned up on the Public Works department during the meeting. Things seem to be slipping in terms of getting the heat turned on by the middle of December. Mother Nature must be sympathetic as she has not yet turned on her own ice-making machinery.

9.4.1 – the special council meeting to start the 2013 budget process will be held January 16th at 6:00 PM in the council chambers. The meeting is open to the public.

9.5.4 – a resolution to replace the Volunteer Management Policy was approved.

9.6.1 – council approved a direction for the preparation of a letter to the Ontario Minister of Education requesting funding for Parry Sound crossing guards. There was discussion of a similar letter to be prepared for submission to the separate school board.

10.3.4 – a by-law to raise the fines for parking violations was approved as were the fees for certain planning services (Item 9.3.3).

10.5.1 – council approved a by-law permitting Artists Round the Sound to display their art in the Stockey Centre for a nominal rental fee.

10.5.2 – council also approved a by-law to enter into a 3-year agreement with Canadian Tire to advertise on the BOCC’s ice resurfacer for a bit more than $9,000 over three years.

There was more, but these are the highlights in my opinion. And yes the meeting was finished with thirty minutes to spare; good work on the part of council and staff. The minutes should be available by tomorrow and the local media outlets, Moose-FM and the North Star will have more in-depth coverage.

Bridge Art – Splatter

Splatter