Monthly Archives: June 2015

Municipal Policing – Mayberry or Ferguson?

24 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Reflections, Safety, Seguin Township

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The North Star has featured a series of well written articles in the past month concerning the deliberations at Sequin Township Council regarding the option of creating and operating a municipal police force. Seguin is hopeful that other area municipalities, particularly the deep-pocketed municipalities of Carling Township and The Archipelago, will join with them to share and defray the start up and ongoing operational costs of a municipal police force. Seguin is looking to save at least 20% of their eventual Ontario Provincial Police bill. The area municipalities have yet to feel the full impact of the OPP cost changes because the Province has decided to phase the increases in over a five-year period.

Here are some things the Staff, Council and residents of the surrounding municipalities may wish to consider as they debate and decide on local policing.

OPP protection is less a service than it is insurance. The insurance includes competent and capable policing that acts to deter crime. It’s like home insurance. After paying home insurance for more than thirty years, with no claims, it would perhaps have made better sense to self-insure. I would have saved a bundle of money over the past three decades. But would I have had the necessary protection if there were a major fire, or a flood, or a burglary? Could I have qualified for a mortgage without insurance? The municipalities make the argument that they have only a limited number of calls for the police per year and the effective cost per call is too high. Well if you keep your calls for service down you will have lower costs in the long run because the costing is calculated on a per resident charge plus a call for service formula.

Get over the sticker shock. The surrounding municipalities have been living a subsidized existence when it comes to policing costs. This was the reason for the revised two part cost formula implemented by the Province, a, a basic cost per residence (insurance cost) and a cost per incident (service cost). It’s like a service contract on a furnace where you pay a flat fee per year and that gets you a free cleaning, but you pay a deductible if you have a furnace problem and need extra service. The municipalities will still be paying less than that charged to the ‘lawless’ residents of Parry Sound with the new pricing model, and won’t have the ‘pleasure’ of OPP vehicles rushing through their towns to get to a neighbouring municipality.

Do-it-yourself may be more expensive. As expensive as it seems to establish a police force, it will cost even more to dissolve a police force. I have heard that the second happiest day of a boat owner’s life is the day they buy their boat. There are estimates that it will cost about $2 million to set up a municipal police force between the expenses for equipment and a new facility. That figure doesn’t seem to sit well with some members of Seguin Council and they think it’s too high. It’s not! I have yet to see a major project come in under budget. Budget for the $2 million, add in another 25% for unforeseen circumstances, and work like the devil to come in under budget. Don’t start with the thought that you can do it do it for even less. And remember, if you decide it doesn’t work the wind down costs would the same, or even more. Separation packages for police officers aren’t cheap, and specialized used equipment usually gets sold for 25 cents on the dollar.

Will the possible savings represent good value? That 20% savings Seguin is hoping for amounts to what, $250,000 or so annually? Yes that’s a big figure, and if your business model is to be the low cost, low service, municipality then you have a bit of a problem. So you will pay about $2 million upfront to perhaps save $250,000 per year. Hmm, that means an eight-year pay back not considering inflation. Add in even limited inflation and it gets to be ten years. Add in cost overruns and it more like twelve years. And if it doesn’t work out and you start getting the municipal police problems seen in too many small community police forces and you decide to wind it down. Ouch, ouch, ouch. But why not get a few of your neighbours to join in and share the pain, I means the savings?

Small police forces too often lead to big problems. An article in USA Today noted that small police forces don’t have the resources to provide qualified oversight, do proper training, and properly monitor performance. Read the article and don’t assume that Seguin is Mayberry and you will have Andy Griffith and Barney Fife running the show. Actually that might be a great example of the type of policing you will get, except this is real life, not a television script.

Someone needs to take responsibility. Do local councils really want the responsibility of managing a police force? In the case of Seguin, Carling and The Archipelago perhaps they have the time to keep a close eye on a police force in terms of costs and quality control. They don’t have much to worry about beyond road maintenance and making sure they don’t anger the seasonal residents by doing anything that might raise property taxes. Parry Sound Council has their hands full running a real town with real services in addition to managing services for the District. But hey, if the municipal policing thing really doesn’t work out the councillors can always choose to not run for reelection and let someone else clean up the mess.

I look forward to following the OPP deliberations at Seguin Township Council, and may even drop by for a couple of meetings. From what I have read things are starting to heat up. Why watch reality television, when you have council meetings? It’s not as scripted and there is no post production editing.

Handle With Care!

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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

21 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections, Town Council

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Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
– Signs, Five Man Electrical Band)

The recent decision of Parry Sound Council to reject the Pioneer Gas Station’s request for a sandwich board gas price sign on the Bowes Street boulevard area raises the question of what do we want the Town to look like?

Do we want to have signs everywhere, planted by companies and individuals in hopes that they will catch your attention? Do we prefer a town that has a less visually cluttered appearance?

At the most recent strategic plan meetings hosted by the Town of Parry Sound one of the topics concerned the revitalization of the downtown to make it more attractive. Suggestions that arose included the development of a plan that would define, and possibly restrict, the types of permitted signs to enhance the appearance of the downtown. There seemed to be a particular objection to the signs that projected out from a building and hung over the sidewalk. These signs can make the street look narrow and cluttered.

An attention to appearance and signs is a next order level of organization for a town, following issues such as zoning, building standards and by-laws. Can you imagine living here if there were no zoning laws to restrict building gas stations or a retail centre in a residential area or next to a school or hospital? What if there were no standards for construction and your neighbour could build a shack without running water next door and rent it out? Or how about ten of them? What if there were no noise, parking or smoking by-laws? It’s nice to have choice and freedom, but it is also nice to have predictable order.

Should the downtown businesses be held to a higher standard of appearance? My sense is that any standards for businesses in the Downtown Business Association area should apply to the rest of Parry Sound. If people and businesses want the freedom to do what they want they can easily locate to one of the surrounding communities with lower taxes and fewer regulations.

The idea that we need to know what the price of gas is at any gas station in Parry Sound is a joke. It’s the same price at all of the gas stations in Town, and significantly more expensive than Muskoka. Allowing sandwich board gas price signs will not foster competition and lower prices.

So what do we want Parry Sound to look like? A nice little town that doesn’t suffer from the visual clutter of signs and an apparent lack of concern to appearances? A town that leaves it to the individual businesses to decide what signs to put where, even if it’s on Town property? Are any regulations even worth having?

Consider also the purpose of signs. I believe signs are intended to attract attention. And if you are driving and looking at signs, what aren’t you looking at? That would be the traffic ahead and any pedestrians and animals that might be crossing the street. Considering the location, a sign that distracts drivers as they head down Bowes Street with apartment buildings, businesses and a hospital in the area probably isn’t a good idea.

A similar example was the request for signage on the CN trestle that crosses Bowes Street. It was intended to take the attention of drivers from the road as traffic merges from two lanes to one under the trestle and focus it on a commercial message. Even a simple ‘Welcome to Parry Sound’ message in this case seems a bad idea if there is any possibility of distraction and a resulting accident.

Realtors love signs, especially with their photograph on them, the bigger the better. They feel it’s a critical part of their advertising and branding activities. In that light Council chose not to permit a large realtor sign beside the CP Train mural in the downtown. That was done largely with the intention of not junking up the appearance of the downtown.

So refusing the Pioneer sign request was the right thing to do for any number of reasons. I doubt it will make a difference. They will probably just move the sign a couple of metres closer to the pumps and no longer require approval from the Town. It sort of defeats the intention of the Town, but at least the Town isn’t condoning this type of visual clutter and distraction. And the Pioneer Station’s temporary sign request? It was for five years.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

Now These are True Temporary Signs. (Parry Sound, a Touch of Colour)

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Council Meeting Notes – June 16, 2015

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Town Council

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It was over by 8:15. With only half the Councillors is attendance things moved along quickly with limited time spent on reports and questions of staff.

In short everything was carried except for the temporary sign request (Item 9.4.2) which was defeated. I made a short deputation on this issue suggesting the Town should consider how it wanted signage to impact the appearance of the Town. Does it help, hinder, or junk up things? It’s not clear we really need another sign to let people know what the price of gas is at any particular gas station. It’s more than we want to pay, and it’s the same price as the station up the street. I’ll have a post later this week on the issue of signage and the Town’s concerns and activities in this regard.

There was a deputation inviting Council, Staff and the public to attend the Garden Days event at the Tower Hill Heritage Garden this Saturday. There will be free garden related workshops, specialty vendors, and a Strawberry Social.

The deputation by Sail Parry Sound provided information on the upcoming regatta in August, and a short update on the upgrades to the Sail Parry Sound facility on the waterfront

Correspondence

4.3 – Concern regarding 2 hour free parking when attending the Senior’s Centre. Difficulty with having to move the cars after 2 hours when most are there for over 3 hours. This has been responded to by the By-Law department. I wonder what was said. The letter to Council was also published in Friday’s Beacon Star.

Deputations

5.1 – Marianne King-Wilson, Sail Parry Sound Re: Upcoming Regatta scheduled for August 15th and 16th, 2015. It looks as though planning is well in hand regarding the logistics to host the event. It reportedly will be viewable from Belvedere Hill and the Smelter Wharf in Parry Sound.

Resolutions and Direction To Staff

9.2.1 – 2014 Surplus Allocation. Resolution. That Council hereby approves the allocation of the 2014 surplus to the reserve and reserve funds as outlined in Schedule “A”. CARRIED.

9.2.2 – 2014 Investment Report. Resolution. That Council accepts the 2014 Annual Investment Report, prepared by the Director of Finance and POA Court Services, and attached as Schedule “A”, in accordance with the Town’s Investment Policy. CARRIED

9.2.3 – 2014 Reserve and Reserve Fund Report. Resolution. 1. That Council approves the creation of a Police Cost Stabilization Reserve for the purposes of funding future fluctuations in policing costs; And Further that, any unspent police funds in the annual budget shall be contributed to this reserve; And Further that, any overspent police funds in the annual budget shall be drawn from this reserve. 2. That the 2014 Reserve and Reserve Fund Report, attached as Schedule “A”, is received. CARRIED.

9.3.1 – Quotation – Accessible Vehicle for Specialized Transportation. Resolution. Whereas on April 21, 2015, Council determined that the best use for the accumulated Public Transit Gas Tax Reserve Fund was to purchase a vehicle to be used for the provision of a new and improved method of accessible transportation for the residents of Parry Sound and directed staff to negotiate an agreement with the West Parry Sound District Community Support Services (CSS) for the provision of a specialized transportation service; and Whereas CSS obtained quotations on behalf of the Town for a suitable vehicle to be used for the delivery of this service; Therefore upon the recommendation of CSS, Council accept the quotation from Creative Carriage Ltd., for one (1) Dodge Ram Pro-master 2500,159″ Window Van, including the required conversion package, in the amount of $77,483.96, including applicable taxes, this quotation being the lowest quotation of two (2) quotations received to be funded from Public Transit Gas Tax Reserve funds as outlined in Schedule “A” attached. CARRIED.

9.4.1 – Funding Applications – Trestle Brewing Company Ltd. Direction. That Council authorize staff to submit an application to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) for funding assistance for works to be completed on the public components of the Trestle Brewing Company Ltd development project; and That Council authorize staff to submit an application to FedNor for funding assistance for works to be completed on the public components of the Trestle Brewing Company Ltd. CARRIED.

9.4.2 – 80 Bowes Street – Sign Variance Application. Resolution. That the Chief Building Official is authorized and directed to issue a permit for a temporary sign upon the Bowes Street road allowance, according to conditions and variances listed in Schedule “A” attached. DEFEATED. Some commentary offered in the introduction.

By-laws

10.2.1 – By-law to specify claw back percentages for 2015 property taxes. Being a By-law to Specify the “Claw-back Percentages” in Respect of Properties in the Commercial Classes, Industrial Classes and Multi-Residential Classes for 2015. CARRIED.

10.3.1 – Three Way Stop Installation – Isabella and Beatty Street Intersection. Being a By-law to amend By-law 2013-6205, a by-law to regulate and control traffic within the municipality. CARRIED.

10.4.2 – New Site Plan Control By-law. Being a By-law to designate a Site Plan Control Area for The Corporation of the Town of Parry Sound and to repeal By-law 1980-2835. CARRIED.

That’s it. The formal minutes of the meeting will be available online at the Town’s website no later than Friday.

Looking Down – Tower Hill Heritage Garden
(Parry Sound in Four Colour)

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Council Agenda Preview – June 16, 2015

14 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Town Council

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This week’s meeting of Parry Sound Council is for the most part focused on housekeeping items and moving a few items forward. While I might normally recommend staying home and catching the news later, it will be interesting to see what’s up with Sail Parry Sound’s regatta in August (Item 5.1). Sail Parry Sound has started construction on their facility renovation and when it is complete and the regatta is ongoing the Parry Sound waterfront will get just that little more interesting become a more interesting destination.

Correspondence

4.3 – Concern regarding 2 hour free parking when attending the Senior’s Centre. Difficulty with having to move the cars after 2 hours when most are there for over 3 hours. This is the tip of the iceberg in my opinion, parking is free but it promises to be an issue. The issue raised in this letter is that the seniors will not have easy access to parking in front of their senior centre, as it is limited to two hours. They would seem to like it increased to three hours, but that represents a problem for them. If tourists, or merchants, decide to take advantage of a three-hour spot in the downtown the seniors won’t have a parking spot close to their senior centre. They were actually happy putting money in the meter.

The issue I see causing a problem is that free parking isn’t really free. It is if you stick with the posted two or three-hour limit. If you exceed that limit and get caught the ticket costs $80. Ouch, ouch, ouch. It’s one thing to get a $10 ticket for an expired meter, but $80 won’t sit well with visitors. In fact the $80 ticket isn’t new, it was always there but it’s likely that if bylaw tagged a car with a $10 ticket that they wouldn’t stick on an $80 ticket an hour later, except in extenuating situations. So what’s to be done? Reduce the over two/three hour ticket to $10? Not monitor the two and three hour limits? I understand the Town sent a response to this letter but I don’t know what was said as it was not included in the council package. To be continued I’m sure.

Deputations

5.1 – Marianne King-Wilson, Sail Parry Sound Re: Upcoming Regatta scheduled for August 15th and 16th, 2015.

Resolutions and Direction To Staff

9.2.1 – 2014 Surplus Allocation. Resolution. That Council hereby approves the allocation of the 2014 surplus to the reserve and reserve funds as outlined in Schedule “A”. This section is worth reading, it sets out a plan for how the town will handle variances to approved budgets, deficits and surpluses. It also provides a useful reconciliation for the 2014 budget versus actual. There is an indication that annual budgets will be completed and approved earlier to allow the Town to secure better “off season” rates for certain services. The early bird does get the worm, or at least at a lower price.

9.2.2– 2014 Investment Report. Resolution. That Council accepts the 2014 Annual Investment Report, prepared by the Director of Finance and POA Court Services, and attached as Schedule “A”, in accordance with the Town’s Investment Policy.

9.2.3 – 2014 Reserve and Reserve Fund Report. Resolution. 1. That Council approves the creation of a Police Cost Stabilization Reserve for the purposes of funding future fluctuations in policing costs; And Further that, any unspent police funds in the annual budget shall be contributed to this reserve; And Further that, any overspent police funds in the annual budget shall be drawn from this reserve. 2. That the 2014 Reserve and Reserve Fund Report, attached as Schedule “A”, is received. This is interesting, a reserve fund for police services, perhaps reflecting that there is little uncertainty in future OPP costs.

9.3.1 – Quotation – Accessible Vehicle for Specialized Transportation. Resolution. Whereas on April 21, 2015, Council determined that the best use for the accumulated Public Transit Gas Tax Reserve Fund was to purchase a vehicle to be used for the provision of a new and improved method of accessible transportation for the residents of Parry Sound and directed staff to negotiate an agreement with the West Parry Sound District Community Support Services (CSS) for the provision of a specialized transportation service; and Whereas CSS obtained quotations on behalf of the Town for a suitable vehicle to be used for the delivery of this service; Therefore upon the recommendation of CSS, Council accept the quotation from Creative Carriage Ltd., for one (1) Dodge Ram Pro-master 2500,159″ Window Van, including the required conversion package, in the amount of $77,483.96, including applicable taxes, this quotation being the lowest quotation of two (2) quotations received to be funded from Public Transit Gas Tax Reserve funds as outlined in Schedule “A” attached.

9.4.1 – Funding Applications – Trestle Brewing Company Ltd. Direction. That Council authorize staff to submit an application to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) for funding assistance for works to be completed on the public components of the Trestle Brewing Company Ltd development project; and That Council authorize staff to submit an application to FedNor for funding assistance for works to be completed on the public components of the Trestle Brewing Company Ltd. An interesting proposal to use public funds, albeit provincial, to support local industry.

9.4.2 – 80 Bowes Street – Sign Variance Application. Resolution. That the Chief Building Official is authorized and directed to issue a permit for a temporary sign upon the Bowes Street road allowance, according to conditions and variances listed in Schedule “A” attached. Temporary in this case is five years. It concerns a gas price sign for the Pioneer Gas Bar on Bowes Street on the Town’s boulevard. Do we really need to junk up the Town any more? Just drop by any of the gas stations if you need gas, it’s the same price everywhere in Town, and more expensive than in Huntsville and Bracebridge. I disagree with this request; it doesn’t make sense and is a request for free advertising. There are recommendations being floated to tighten up sign restrictions in the downtown, let’s start by not making mistakes in other areas where we have the choice.

By-laws

10.2.1 – By-law to specify claw back percentages for 2015 property taxes. Being a By-law to Specify the “Claw-back Percentages” in Respect of Properties in the Commercial Classes, Industrial Classes and Multi-Residential Classes for 2015.

10.3.1 – Three Way Stop Installation – Isabella and Beatty Street Intersection. Being a By-law to amend By-law 2013-6205, a by-law to regulate and control traffic within the municipality. Makes sense with the new school opening in the fall. Let’s make it as safe as possible for the kids.

10.4.2 – New Site Plan Control By-law. Being a By-law to designate a Site Plan Control Area for The Corporation of the Town of Parry Sound and to repeal By-law 1980-2835. This by-law reduces the size of a building or property renovation that is exempt from a site control plan. This seems to tighten things up and may reflect the issue that arose with stormwater management in the past year. It recognizes that changes to the footprint of a building can impact not only stormwater but also the character of the building.

See you Tuesday. Head over to the Town’s website for a copy of the agenda without the attachments and details. The detailed agenda can be obtained by contacting the deputy clerk at the Town Office or from the menu above “Tops Agenda Packages”.

At the Finish Line (Parry Sound in Four Colour)

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Parry Sound and Fluoridated Water

08 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections, Town Council

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I was originally going to send this as a letter to the editor of the Parry Sound North Star in response to their editorial titled “To fluoride or not to fluoride”. The editorial suggested that Parry Sound’s decision to continue with fluoridation was perhaps a hasty decision and one that limits our right to choose. Here is what I had drafted before deciding to post it on this site.

It’s not fair, the demands of a civilized society. Seat belt laws, no machine guns or concealed handguns, smoking restrictions, forced education until sixteen, taxes. Oh, those taxes; federal, provincial, municipal, alcohol, and tobacco. It’s not fair.

Fluoridation should be the least of anyone’s concerns in the West Parry Sound District. Unless you live in the Town of Parry Sound you have nothing to worry about, it’s your well and your water. You get whatever the ground decides to deliver to your faucet. You do get it checked don’t you? Wouldn’t want to have the environment sneaking any fluoride into your water, or some nasty coliform or E. coli. You may have an issue with fluoride though if you sneak into Town and fill up water for the cottage because you are not so comfortable with what you pump out of the ground or the Bay.

Even drinking groundwater in the Greater Parry Sound area may not eliminate fluoride. Lake Huron, including Georgian Bay, is an area that is associated with higher levels of fluoride in groundwater. It’s related to the Canadian Shield.

But if you are in Town you don’t need to put up with fluoridated water. You can buy fluoride free drinking water in multi-gallon containers for pennies a day. But make sure to check the label; much of the bottled water sold is sourced from fluoridated municipal water systems or areas where there are naturally high levels of fluoride. Oh, but what about washing? Your dishes, clothes, car, driveway and skin won’t know the difference. The added chlorine is much more of an issue than the fluoride.

This issue of fluoridated water for some is not a health issue; it’s about choice. You do have a choice. You can choose to live in a surrounding municipality without a fluoridated public water system. You have the ability to drink ‘fluoride reduced’ water with little or no real effort. Why deny the rest of the population the well-documented benefits?

The imposition of fluoridated water seems a violation of our human rights to choose what we do and don’t put into our body. You can choose not to drink fluoridated water and you won’t be fined or punished. It’s a nuisance perhaps, but if you feel it’s important you won’t mind the little bit of extra effort or cost. But if you like to complain about your rights being trampled – carry on. How do you feel about seat belts laws? Should we allow the commercial distribution of unpasteurized milk? Forced pasteurization, where does that rank on our right to choose? Buying fluoridated water seems much less trouble than keeping a cow. (Actually it’s not an option, you can’t keep a cow, chickens or any livestock in the Town of Parry Sound.)

We all like living in a society with laws, rules and regulations, unless of course we don’t agree with them. Then they become unfair and not well reasoned. The no fluoride proponents were provided with ample opportunity to present their case why the Town is disadvantaging the residents by fluoridating the local water supply. There were no presentations made against fluoridation, nor was there anyone against fluoridation in the council chambers to listen to the debate. Their opinion might have changed upon hearing the evidence. It’s not a hasty or poorly considered decision when the evidence is substantial.

Elected officials and public servants are neither idiots nor operating with an agenda to reduce the IQ of children by fluoridating water. They operate on the basis of the best available evidence provided through rigorous studies and statistical analysis to provide the best care that we can afford. If you disagree it’s easy and cheap enough to buy non fluoridated water at the store or go bum some off of a friend in the surrounding municipalities. Just be sure they get their water checked.

Speak Out. You Can Make a Difference. (Parry Sound in Full Colour)

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Saved by The Source

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections

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This blog usually looks at local municipal issues but I thought I would share a positive customer service experience. It concerns an iPhone.

Two years ago I purchased an iPhone 5 from The Source in Parry Sound rather than go to one of the big box stores or drive down to the Big Smoke and buy it from an Apple Store. It was an update to an old iPhone 3G, and I upgraded to a simple no data plan from Virgin Mobile.

The question was whether I needed a protection plan and if so, from who? Even though I purchased the phone through The Source I could have easily purchased an Apple warranty online. The Source’s warranty was more expensive, but I like the service I receive there, they have bright young women (apologies to Barry, he’s okay as well) and I thought I would support a local business.

The first issue arose about a year later when phone wouldn’t charge. I brought it in and they said that they would send it out for service, it would be back in two to three weeks. Dang, I should have bought the Apple warranty and I could have driven down to Newmarket and had it fixed then and there. But it was too late to worry about past decisions. I ordered a SIM card adapter for the iPhone 3G from Amazon.ca (The Source doesn’t carry them) and went back a few years in terms of technology. A week later I received a call to say the phone was repaired and ready for pick up. Woo-hoo, one week and I didn’t need to spend the better part of a day driving to Newmarket to get it fixed, or alternatively boxing it up and mailing it to Apple Central.

The charging port broke down for the second time a few weeks ago. This time I was prepared with my SIM card adapter so there was no wait to get the 3G up and running. I was told two to three weeks and it arrived back in a week. Not too bad, and the extra cost for the warranty with The Source had paid for itself with the saved driving costs.

But how was I saved? That happened a couple weekends ago. I had the iPhone 5 in a waterproof, not just water resistant, Otter Box and headed out for a kayak clinic. Part of the clinic involved in water rescues. I was in the water for no more than five minutes scrambling back into the kayak, never any deeper than is possible when wearing a personal flotation device. When I was back in the kayak I noticed the phone looked wet inside the case. When I got to shore and opened the case I found it was wet, and not working. I thought The Source’s warranty was three years, so I should be saved. It was an all causes warranty.

The next Monday I brought it in to The Source and they sent it out suggesting it would take two to three weeks. Back to the iPhone 3G. That phone, seven years old now, still keeps on ticking and has a great battery life.

A week later I received a call from The Source. Your phone couldn’t be fixed so they have provided a replacement. I went in expecting a refurbished iPhone 5, which would have been perfectly acceptable. Walking up to the desk and identifying myself I was told to wait and they went into the back of the store to get my replacement phone. It was a brand new iPhone 5S. Woo-hoo, not only a replacement, but a new phone and an upgrade at the same time.

The upgrade is just strange luck, the iPhone 5 is not longer in production so they did the right thing. I expect Apple would have done the same thing, but the savings in travel time does make a difference when you live as far as we do from an Apple Store. And I didn’t need to go through the silliness of ‘making an appointment’.

So thanks to the people at The Source for their great service and standing behind their warranties. This type of performance is worth publicizing. I won’t mention the equally poor response I had from Home Depot on a different issue. Lessons learned in both cases.

So, if you can forgo the ‘pageantry’ of purchasing an iPhone from the Apple Store, it can make much more sense to get it locally from a company that provides great customer service. I’m happy that I did.

About the Otter Box! I won’t trust it, or any other case, to be waterproof. Water resistant I can believe, but so is a 10 cent Ziploc bag.

Phones Work Out Here Too. (Parry Sound in Black & White)

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Council Meeting Notes – June 2, 2015

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

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Tuesday’s meeting took a little while to get started with two deputations and a longer than usual Questions of Staff portion, but it wound up before 9:00. There were no surprises.

Council unanimously agreed to continue fluoridating the Town’s water after a presentation on the public health benefits of fluoridation by Dr. James Chirico, the Medical Health Officer for Nipissing Parry Sound. Council also supported the Carling Township initiative to request the Near North School Board investigate including a pool complex with the future K-12 school.

The questions of staff period revealed that there were no operating fire alarms at the property on Parry Sound Road that burnt down last week and resulted in one death. That was a rental property. Isn’t the landlord responsible for maintaining appropriate safety equipment, especially smoke detectors for a multi-unit rental property? I think this requires further investigation and action. Action also is required to ensure there is appropriate water pressure in all parts of Town to permit effective fire protection. The Parry Sound Road area is apparently in need of an upgrade in water services. The whole issue of fire safety is a reminder of why infrastructure is critical for personal and property safety.

Correspondence

4.2 – Randy Marsh, Director, Government Affairs, CP Rail. Re: Response to Letter sent regarding track speeds, track maintenance and train braking systems. FORWARDED.

Deputations

5.1 – Brenda Ryan, Chair of the Waterfront Advisory Committee Re: Slide show presentation of Town Dock Improvements – Phase 1. It mostly involves a paint and bench refresh of the Waterfront. A Phase 2 initiative suggests removing the structure currently at the end of the Town Dock and replacing it with an observation structure.

5.2 – Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. Re: Fluoridation in the Parry Sound’s Drinking Water System. An in-depth presentation that clearly explained why fluoridation is a benefit to the community. It also dispelled the misinformation that fluoridation at the levels recommended by health officials and as implemented in Parry Sound are toxic. Well done. I guess those who wish to avoid fluoride in the water they drink will need to purchase ‘bottled’ water or put in a well.

Consent Agenda

8.2 – Area Pool and Recreation Complex. Resolution. CARRIED.

Resolutions and Direction To Staff

9.1.1 – Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. Resolution. CARRIED. At the request of McDougall Township the project was scaled back to remove the portion from Nobel Road to Kinsmen Park. The issue as I understand it concerns the safety of pedestrians and cyclists crossing Nobel Road. 

9.3.2 – Fluoride in Town’s Drinking Water. Direction. DEFEATED. I suspect that Council would have continued fluoridation without Dr. Chirico’s presentation, but he made it that much easier for Council to understand the pros and cons and more confidently make their decision.

9.4.1. 9.4.2, 9.4.3 – Resolutions. Waterfront Advisory Committee Terms of Reference. Town Dock Improvements – Phase I. Big Sound Marina – Dock ‘B’ Redevelopment. CARRIED.

By-laws

10.5.1 – Business Improvement Area (BIA) Levy By-Law. CARRIED. I was surprised to hear that the Parry Sound levy is about a third that of other communities such as Midland. That may explain why our downtown doesn’t look quite as ‘dressed up’ as theirs.

Practice, equipment, and infrastructure all make for a safer town.
(Parry Sound in Four Colour)

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Council Agenda Preview – June 2, 2015

01 Monday Jun 2015

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The theme for Tuesday’s meeting is water. Water for drinking and water for swimming.

The Public Works report recommends that the Town stop fluoridating the Town’s water supply (9.3.2). The agenda includes a deputation by Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health, regarding fluoridation in the Town’s water supply (5.2). The content of the deputation was not included with the council meeting package. The Public Works opinion on fluoridation seems to boil down to the fact that they can’t make a recommendation on the basis of the medical or scientific information, but fluoridation is a cost to the Town and it is a challenge to implement. So if there is no clear medical reason to continue, they recommend stopping. There will be a period for public comment on the proposed change. I have an opinion, but it’s not worth sharing.

The other water related agenda item concerns a public pool. The Town is being asked to support a Carling Township initiative (5.2) requesting the Near North School Board consider including a pool and recreation complex with the future K-12 school. I have an opinion on the general merit of a pool that I shared in a post last week. Talk fortunately is cheap. Let’s pay more attention once it starts to get remotely serious. Internet for nothing and a pool for free? (Apologies to Dire Straits.) You can’t blame the municipalities for asking.

The Town also received a lengthy response from Canadian Pacific Railways in response to the Town’s concerns about crossing blockages and excessive speed. It’s worth reading but it’s only found in the full agenda package. It’s available upon request from the Town, or from this site at the ‘TOPS Agenda Packages’ page (see the top menu).

Sounding like a broken record, I suggest you at least review the Council agenda summaries available at the Town’s website before each meeting to see if there are items of importance to you and which weren’t covered in this preview post. You have the opportunity to make a short deputation at the council meeting if you want to express an opinion, or provide additional information, prior to Council discussion and vote. It’s harder to get things changed once they have been approved.

Correspondence

4.2 – Randy Marsh, Director, Government Affairs, CP Rail. Re: Response to Letter sent regarding track speeds, track maintenance and train braking systems. It’s long and it’s worth reading.

Deputations

5.1 – Brenda Ryan, Chair of the Waterfront Advisory Committee Re: Slide show presentation of Town Dock Improvements – Phase 1. The committee has been busy and it will be interesting to understand their vision and recommendations.

5.2 – Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health. Re: Fluoridation in the Parry Sound’s Drinking Water System. I suspect this presentation will support fluoridation, but let’s wait and see.

Consent Agenda

8.2 – Area Pool and Recreation Complex. Resolution. Whereas the Township of Carling has circulated a resolution in support of an opportunity to incorporate an area pool and recreation complex into the site planning for the new K-12 School which will serve not only the students the entire community of West Parry Sound, attached as Schedule “A”; Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Town of Parry Sound supports the Township of Carling’s resolution and urges the other West Parry Sound Municipalities to join them in support of this and in requesting that the Near North Board of Education consider a process for collaboration regarding this concept; and Further that this resolution be copied to the Near North District School Board.

Resolutions and Direction To Staff

9.1.1 – Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. Resolution. That Council of the Town of Parry Sound supports the joint application with the Municipality of McDougall, for funding under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program for the Parry Sound to McDougall Trail Link Canada 150 Anniversary Project.

9.3.2 – Fluoride in Town’s Drinking Water. Direction. That Council direct staff to notify the Ministry of Health that it is the Town’s intention to cease adding fluoride to the Town of Parry Sound’s municipal water system, effective September 1, 2015; and That a 21 day Notice Period be invoked to provide the public an opportunity to provide input; and That the report and recommendation be considered at the July 7th Council meeting. That staff be directed to prepare a bylaw authorizing the ceasing of adding fluoride to the Town’s municipal water system. It would be a little cheaper to stop fluoridating (about one-third the cost of the hanging flower baskets), but would it be better, or even as good? That’s a question Council will be hard pressed to answer. I don’t think any of them have relevant medical or scientific training, and the Public Works report largely relates to the practical implementation of fluoridation, not its impact on health (for good or ill).

9.4.1. 9.4.2, 9.4.3 – Resolutions. Waterfront Advisory Committee Terms of Reference. Town Dock Improvements – Phase I. Big Sound Marina – Dock ‘B’ Redevelopment. A series of resolutions concerning the Waterfront. You’ll need to read the agenda package to get the details. There is movement and improvement.

By-laws

10.5.1 – Business Improvement Area (BIA) Levy By-Law. It’s up 5.8% this year. The cost will be on the order of $300 to $600 per building owner (probably more for those with multiple tenants and higher value). The council package has a summary of where the money is spent.

See you Tuesday night.

Going Grey. Fitting in with the Town’s ‘senior’ theme?
(Parry Sound in Four Colour)

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