Oh boy, this is an interesting agenda from so many perspectives. But my favourite has to be Item 4.3. It’s not often where a problem can be solved in so many ways without raising Town of Parry Sound taxes. I offer some thoughts on the other matters before Council this week in the following section. The commentary section is followed by an abridged summary of the major items on the agenda as presented in the council meeting package.

4.3 – Barry Ridout, resident of the Township of The Archipelago. Complaint that Parry Sound has no public drinking water available. (Letter)
Oh dear, another out of towner who enjoys low local property taxes and no water/sewer charges that is disappointed by the Town’s cessation of providing free water taps. But there are several solutions, none of which require additional Town of Parry Sound taxpayer expense. The first is my favourite.
a) Ask your Township to provide water from their 9 James Street offices in Parry Sound. The Archipelago already has access to Town water and presumably pays commercial rates for their current water use. If they were to supply their residents with the water that some require, the building water costs would rise only a little and that small amount could be passed on in the form of slightly raised Archipelago taxes. The cost ends up being covered by the beneficiaries.
b) Support the Water Depot on Miller Street. I have to believe that they can provide bulk water at a more reasonable price than the grocery stores.
c) Contact one of the businesses you claim to spend thousands at and ask to fill up your water jugs at their business. Don’t be shy, you are their customer.

Closed Session – d) labour relations or employee negotiations. (Stockey Centre) (Union Negotiations).
I’m leaning towards supporting the unionization of the Stockey Centre. As it stands now it is a non-union Town facility that does not benefit from any existing town services for things such as maintenance, snow plowing or grass cutting. Everything is contracted out. It may cost a little bit more but it tidies things up in so many ways.

9.4.1 – Tender – Denis Drive and MacKlaim Drive Servicing.
I was surprised by this one, it’s almost a million-dollar expense that I did not remember Council approving as part of the 2018 budget. Reviewing the R&R I realized that this was part of an agreement earlier this year to cost share with a developer the expenses of providing services for a potential of 19 new lots in the Town. So, I guess that works. The Town puts up most of the money now, probably in the form of a lower cost debenture, and then gets reimbursed in part by the developer with the balance coming in the form of future tax revenue from the new properties. That type of approach mostly worked with the Granite Harbour development.

10.1.1 – Rezoning Application – Z/18/6 – 1 Joseph Street.
It looks as though the rezoning request for this new twelve unit development will be approved.

Abridged Version of the Town of Parry Sound Council Agenda of September 4. 2018

Closed Session
a) the security of property of the municipality or local board. (Audit Questions of Council)
d) labour relations or employee negotiations. (Stockey Centre) (Union Negotiations)
e) litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board. (Planning Matter)

Public Meeting
2.1.1 – Council will hold a public meeting to consider a proposed Zoning By-law amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act, as amended. The purpose of the proposed Zoning By-law amendment is the applicant has requested to amend the Special Provision 26.44 holding (SP 26.44(h)) and Residential Second Density (R2) Zones to permit up to 160 apartment dwelling units at a maximum height of 16.5 metres. The property is currently zoned to permit up to 74 retirement residence units. The property is a vacant lot on Louisa Street and described as Part of Lots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 on the west side of Louisa Street on Plan 21, or more particularity described as Part 3 42R9332, Part 2 of 42R9754, and Parts 2 and 8 of 42R10238.

Correspondence
4.1 – Letter from the City of North Bay. Request to the province for more stable, long term or permanent funding to give stability to the film industry in Northern Ontario.
4.2 – Joseph Raedts, 7A Addie Street. Sale Halverston to Raedts, 7A Addie Street, Parry Sound. Concerns with Right-Of-Way.
4.3 – Barry Ridout, resident of the Township of The Archipelago. Complaint that Parry Sound has no public drinking water available.
4.4 – Rick and Jean Beckett, 10 Meadow Street. Concerns with flooding issues on their property due to changes in near by properties.

Correspondence – Zoning By-law Amendment – Z/18/04 – Louisa Street (Acorn Ridge)
4.6 – Larry & Joy Hall, 114 Church Street North. Opposing the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment
4.7 – Louis and Elise Resonnet, 38 Louisa Street. Opposing the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment
4.8 – Mary Bertrand, 45 Louisa Street. Opposing the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment
4.9 – April Leach, 40 Louise Street. Opposing the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment

Deputations
5.1 Thomas Dowswell, 22A Belvedere Avenue. Citizens on the fringe of society – “Fringers”

Consent Agenda
8.1 – PSDBA Request for Board Appointments. Resolution. That Council for the Town of Parry Sound appoint Bernard Keating, Amy Black and Tanis Mack to the Parry Sound Downtown Business Association Board of Directors for the term ending November 30, 2018.

8.2 – Support for City of North Bay’s Resolution – Stable Funding for Film Industry Resolution. Whereas the film industry in Parry Sound added approximately $25 million in 2016, $600,000 in 2017 and 10 million in 2018 to the economy of Parry Sound; and Whereas NOHFC funding of the industry is a large part of the attraction to utilizing our Town and our people as staff in the productions, as well as in other northern cities; and Whereas the NOHFC funding application process continues to be short term, with current information on their website indicating funding applications are only currently open until fall of 2018; and A more stable, long term or permanent funding would give more stability to the industry and the jobs and impact it has here, as well as across Northern Ontario; Therefore Be It Resolved that Council for the Town of Parry Sound supports the City of North Bay’s Resolution 2018-229, attached as Schedule “A”, and calls upon the Province to make the funding of the film industry either more long term, as in 10 year commitments, or a permanent commitment.

Resolutions and Direction to Staff
9.2.1 – Discarded Needles. Direction. That the CAO’s September 4, 2018 report on discarded needles be received for information.

9.2.2 – Potential Waubeek St. Non-Profit Housing Development. Resolution. Whereas the Parry Sound Affordable Housing Development Corporation has requested Council support in principle for the development of an affordable housing initiative on Waubeek St. and; Whereas the proposed development would require a rezoning; and Whereas the Planning Act obligates Council to remain neutral in its position on proposed rezonings until the public consultation process has been concluded; Now Therefore Be It Resolved that Council defer indicating whether it supports in principle the development of an affordable housing initiative on Waubeek St. until the public consultation process through the Planning Act is concluded.

9.2.3 – Withdrawal of 2018 BOHF Scholarships from Reserve Fund. Resolution. That Council authorizes the withdrawal of $2,000 from the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Scholarship Reserve Fund to pay the two recipients $1,000 each, further to By-law No:2018-6859 which established the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame Scholarship Reserve Fund and authorized the annual expenditure of $1,000 to two recipients.

9.3.1 – 2017 Audited Financial Statements. Resolution. That Council for the Town of Parry Sound does hereby approve the Draft Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2017 in Schedule “A” as attached.

9.3.2 – Financial Variance Report for Q2 2018. Resolution. That Council hereby receives and accepts the variance report for Q2 2018 (June 30, 2018) in Schedule “A” as attached; and Further that Council hereby approves the expenses for Council members for the period from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, as in Schedule “B” attached.

9.4.1 – Tender – Denis Drive and MacKlaim Drive Servicing.Resolution. That upon the recommendation of Triton Engineering Services Limited, Council accept the tender from Fowler Construction Company Limited for the reconstruction of Denis Drive and MacKlaim Drive including water, wastewater, and roadwork, in the amount of $905,599.12, excluding HST, this tender being the lowest tender of two received. This includes $174,179.77 of work to be completed as part of the Isabella Street reconstruction project.

9.4.2 – Tender – Gibson Street and Logan’s Lane Retaining Wall. Resolution. That upon the recommendation of Triton Engineering Services Limited, Council accept the tender from Fowler Construction Company Limited for the replacement of the existing concrete retaining wall on the southeast corner of the intersection of Gibson Street and Logan’s Lane, in the amount of $75,850.00, excluding HST, this tender being the lowest tender of four received.

By-laws
10.1.1 – Rezoning Application – Z/18/6 – 1 Joseph Street (John Jackson Planner Inc. on behalf of Microsuite Properties Ltd.). By-law 2018 – 6861. Being a By-law to amend By-law No. 2004-4653 (The Zoning By-law), as amended, for 1 Joseph Street – (John Jackson Planner Inc. on behalf of Microsuite Properties Ltd.)

10.2.1 – Union Gas Franchise Agreement. By-law 2018 – 6841. Being a by-law to execute the Union Gas Franchise Agreement and repeal by-law 98-4008.