REPORT ON COUNCIL:
January 27, 2014
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 am – 1:05 pm
Confidential Closed Session: 11:35 am – 1:05 pm
Regular Meeting: 7:00 pm-8:11 pm
Mayor Millar, Deputy Mayor Lawrence, Councillors Warren, Wishart, Claire
Mr. Peter Armstrong, Born to Ride Bicycle Cycling Community Partnership Program
On behalf of Born to Ride Bicycle, Mr. Peter Armstrong provided an overview on
the Cycling Community Partnership Program (CCPP). Municipalities would purchase a membership for $5000/year and CCPP would develop tours of the area, post the cycling tours on their website and promote the tours by networking through cycling mediums, tradeshows and other opportunities. Mr. Armstrong pointed out the economic benefits derived from the guided cycling tours within the County of Simcoe. Mayor Millar suggested that Mr. Armstrong contact the Huronia Economic Alliance and work through them.
This matter will be further discussed at the February 10, 2104 Regular Committee
of the Whole meeting.
Ms. Frieda Baldwin, Simcoe County Trails Permanent Pilgrimage Route on the Township of Tiny Trail
On behalf of the Simcoe County Trails, Ms. Frieda Baldwin requested permission to
install signage along Tiny Trails to establish a permanent pilgrimage route to the
Martyrs Shrine (Township of Tay) from various locations in the County of Simcoe. This would be part of a process that would involve researching accommodation along the routes; hiring summer students to mark the routes; creating maps and a promotional brochure of the routes and promoting the routes. The Martyrs Shrine organizes pilgrimages to Midland from Burlington, Guelph and Toronto. Ms. Baldwin pointed out that the pilgrimage route would bring tourism to the region.
This matter will be further discussed at the February 10, 2104 Regular Committee of the Whole meeting.
Corporate Insurance 2014 Renewal Cost Increase
The Committee considered Treasury Report TR-004-14 dated January 27, 2014
from Doug Taylor, Manager of Administrative Services/Treasurer, regarding the
increase in corporate insurance cost for 2014. The report outlined the Township of
Tiny costs for the past 4 years as well as comparison costs for other municipalities
in Simcoe County. The corporate insurance market has become increasingly costly to public organizations over the past several years because the cost to insure liability has increased. Liability claims are increasing in number as are the size of awards. The factors that influence premium costs are claims history, court judgment trends (i.e. larger awards) the size of deductibles and the growing trend for claimants to use personal injury lawyers. The trend to increasing insurance costs is likely to continue as long as courts continue to make larger monetary awards and a greater number of claimants pursue liability claims. Mr. Taylor recommended that funding for the higher cost be determined at the end of 2014, if required.
County Council/Update
Mayor Millar reported that the most significant items discussed at the last County Council meeting were the funding for the Huronia Economic Alliance (HEA) in the amount of $400,000 over a two year period shared by the North Simcoe municipalities and the revised housing strategy/initiative to better reflect the needs
of the homeless in North Simcoe. He also spoke on the $5,600. advertising campaign
developed by AMO to encourage MPs to move on Bill 91 (Waste Reduction Act, 2013) which recognizes that the majority of the cost of waste and recycling should be borne by
the manufacturer/importers and the users of the products rather than the taxpayers
at large.
Annual Appointment of a Council Member to the Committee of Adjustment
The Committee reviewed Planning & Development Report PD-007-14 dated
January 27, 2014, from Shawn Persaud, Manager of Planning & Development,
regarding the appointment of Councillor Gibb Wishart to the Committee of
Adjustment for an additional year in accordance with Section 44(3) of the Planning
Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13 as amended.
Staff brought forward a draft resolution at the Regular Meeting for formal consideration appointing Councillor Gibb Wishart to the Committee of Adjustment for an additional year.
Wyevale Master Plan/Sale of Property
Mayor Millar spoke to his notice of motion which he presented at the January 13th, 2014 Council meeting with respect to the sale of land to fund the Wyevale Park Master Plan. He requested that staff investigate the potential sale of two (2) lots (Lots 29 and 30, Plan 51M-361) in the hamlet of Wyevale to fund the park improvements. The Wyevale Master Plan process is underway to address the capital contributions or improvements to parks and recreation facilities. The lots are zoned as registered building lots, not parkland and all money received would be spent on the erection, improvement or repairs of buildings and the acquisition of machinery for park and recreational purposes. The revenue generated from the sale would fund the cost of park improvements as identified in the mMaster Plan. Councillor Claire wanted to see the Master Plan before moving forward.
Councillor Warren moved and Lawrence seconded that staff report back to Council on the feasibility, process and timing of the potential sale of two lots as a possible source of funding to cover the cost of the potential park improvements identified from the Wyevale Master Park Plan and that no sale will proceed until the Master Plan is approved by Council.
Depositing of Snow on Municipal Property
Mayor Millar reported he has received calls from residents regarding the depositing of snow by certain individuals onto municipal property. He noted that in some instances, some property owners are bearing the cost of snow removal and in other cases Public Works is tasked in hauling the snow away at no cost to the property owners. Mayor Millar would like a policy in place to regulate the removal and depositing of snow on municipal property to achieve consistency throughout the municipality.
CONFIDENTIAL/CLOSED SESSION
The Committee of Whole met in closed session to deal with advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose regarding Plan 779 and personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal employees/Tiny Trails and Active Transportation Sub-Committee (TTAT)
Appointment.
John Barzo, LLB/Chester Stanton, OLS/Plan 779
The discussion took place in the confidential/closed session of the meeting with respect to advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose regarding Plan 779 (Wymbolwood Beach).
Councillor Wishart moved and Mayor Millar seconded that the confidential correspondence dated January 20, 2014, from Mr. John Barzo, LL.B, Barrister and Solicitor, regarding Plan 779, along with the Court Application, be received; and that Council directs the Township Legal Counsel, John Barzo, LLB, to initiate the process of the Notice of Application to be served on all named respondents (140) regarding Plan 779; and further that Mr. Barzo seek an immediate Certificate of Pending Litigation, to be registered against the properties purported to have been transferred by a “quit
claim deed” regarding Plan 779 along with the beach lands between the westerly boundary of Plan 779 and the water’s edge and that the Survey Report prepared by Chester Stanton, OLS, December 17, 2013 be released to the public.
A motion to defer the above motion was introduced by Claire and seconded by Millar and carried 5-0.
