REPORT ON COUNCIL
Nov. 30, 2015
Committee of the Whole Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 4:07 p.m.
Regular Meeting of Council: 6:00 p.m. – 9:12 p.m.
All members of Council Present: Mayor George Cornell, Deputy Mayor Steffan Walma, and Councillors Cindy Hastings, Richard Hinton and Gibb Wishart
POLICE SERVICES CONTRACT:
In October OPP inspector Andrew Ferguson proposed that the Township of Tiny consider changing from a section 5.1 (non-contract) Police Services Act arrangement to a section 10 (contract) arrangement. In response to the Policing Committee’s recommendation that a task force be struck to explore the ramifications of the two options, and that this force report back no later than June 30, 2016, Council decided to establish such a task force. It is to consist of Mayor Cornell, Councillor Hinton, Doug Luker (CAO/Clerk), and two members of the Community Policing Committee.
BLAIRHAMPTON SUBDIVISION SALE OF LOTS TO CLEAR DEBTS:
Council approved the sale of 17 lots in the Blairhampton Subdivision fronting on Nipissing Ridge Road to Cedar Ridge Escarpment Corporation. The proceeds are to be used to settle amounts owing to the township and others.
ECONONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF NORTH SIMCOE:
A Report updated Council on EDCNS activities regarding tourism, agriculture and business, innovative manufacturing and healthcare services. Mayor George Cornell is a key figure in this organization.
NORTH SIMCOE COMMUNITY FUTURES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION:
A Report on the NSCFDC (which provides loans to start-up businesses and businesses that are expanding) updated Council on its activities.
NOVEMBER 14 TOWN HALL MEETING:
Sue Walton, Deputy Clerk, reported that approximately 160 members of the public attended, and that the meeting updated the strategic plan, with a focus on public beach usage, maintenance, and access/parking.
Karen Wianecki from Planning Solutions facilitated the meeting. She provided a summary of twelve “Key Learnings” regarding “Public Beach Issues & Concerns,” namely that the issue is important for everyone; that respect for property owners must be ensured; that a solution to beach access and enjoyment needs to be found; that there are different perspectives about who the beaches are for (township residents, everyone, etc.); that there are concerns related to beach access, use and enjoyment; that an approach needs to be developed that manages the risks; that there are a number of shared common interests (desire to enjoy the beaches and beach properties, desire that there be no negative impacts on beaches); that initiatives in existing management plans be implemented; that beach environment needs to be respected; that there is a need to define who the beaches are for; that the beach issue needs to be examined systemically; that earlier beach studies need to be reviewed and capitalized on.
She also listed solutions that were suggested: primarily the creation of a properly weighted Advisory Committee of community members to make recommendations.
Council decided to schedule a Special Committee of the Whole Meeting on January 13, 2016, to discuss the Township’s parking strategy.
SUNDAY GUN HUNTING:
Note that a summary of Ontario 2015 Hunting Regulations is available on the Township website.
Council received seventeen written deputations in favour of Sunday gun hunting, one against. The open deputations that were presented at 6 p.m. took a different tack: all 18 opposed Sunday gun hunting (one of them a petition with 236 signatures). Council is to discuss the matter at its December meeting.
2016 COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE:
As in 2015, the first Council meeting each month (generally on the 2nd Monday) is “consolidated”: the Regular Meeting of Council follows immediately after the Committee of the Whole Meeting with a minimum one hour break between. The second Council meeting each month (on the last Monday of the month) is not consolidated: the Committee of the Whole Meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. as usual while the Regular Meeting of Council begins at 6:00 p.m.
STRATEGIC PLAN FINAL DRAFT:
This is available on the Township’s website. It is to be considered for final approval at Council’s meeting on December 14, 2015. In spite of the references in Karen Wianecki’s Report on the Town Hall Meeting about the importance of “respect” for shoreline private property and owners, a phrase enshrining that respect that was present in the earlier Strategic Plan has been removed from the current one.
DESIGNATION OF SAINTE-CROIX CHURCH IN LAFONTAINE AND PLACING OF PERKINSFIELD SCHOOL CROSS:
On the recommendation of the Heritage Advisory Committee, Council approved the designation of the Sainte-Croix Church under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Council also approved the committee’s recommendation that the Cross that had been mounted on the Saints Martyrs Canadiens Elementary School in Perkinsfield – the school that was purchased by the township, then demolished — be mounted on the east side of the garage adjacent to the tennis courts in the Perkinsfield Park, together with a small commemorative plaque.
SEPTAGE MEETING, NOVEMBER 27, 2015:
Matters are crawling forward regarding the disposal of the townshjp’s septage. Councillor Wishart reported that Penetanguishene, Midland and Wasage Beach remain interested in investigating collaborative efforts regarding its disposal. The Ministry of the Environment has taken no definitive action against the spreading of septage on farmers’ fields.
PUBLIC BEACH MONITORING IN TINY TOWNSHIP DURING SUMMER 2015 BY THE SIMCOE MUSKOKA DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT:
According to a report in Section II of Communication Received in the Committee of the Whole Agenda, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit monitored only five public beaches in Tiny Township in the summer of 2015 – Woodland Beach Park at Concession 2 West, Trew Avenue in Concession 4 West, Jackson Park in Concession 8 West, Balm Beach at Concession 10 West, and Concession 13 West. In the course of the summer one Advisory against swimming was issued for Jackson Park, three for Balm Beach, and two for Concession 13 West. No samples were taken at Woodland Beach Park on four occasions and at Trew Avenue on three occasions because the water was too rough. Had samples been taken, postings would most likely have been issued.
