Monday June 27th Regular Town Council Meeting

Hello all! As I mentioned, I was unable to attend tonight’s council meeting. However, I managed to find another faithful “council watchers” to fill in for me tonight. He made it real clear though that I could keep my “job” LOL and he was not interested in taking over blogging any time soon. A big thank you to Marc Renaud for filling my shoes tonight and stepping in. As you may or may not be aware, Mr. Renaud ran for councillor last term and just missed on being elected. He has attended almost every single meeting this term and has shown great interest in following our local politics (keep that in mind next election people, just sayin’ ).  Anyway, here are his thoughts and opinions on tonight’s meeting :

 

Here is my try at blogging and yes, you can keep the job.

Meeting opens at 6:06PM with all Councillors in attendance.

About 15 people in gallery.

Started with presentations / delegations,

 # 5 

The first by Cynthia Swift from KMPG . Her report on the 2015 audit financials found nothing out of parameters of Canada audit standards. Also the audit reports no deficiencies in controls . Only one minor audit flag on a property to be sold for back taxes reporting. Sounds like a job well done by administration.

All voted in favour of adopting the report.

# 6 .1

Waive the fees for music on the porch . The Park house volunteers are putting on small acoustic concerts for 65 people or poetry readings behind the Park house on July 8 to start 7 -8:30PM .They hope to show case local talents on a once a month basis. Supported by the Parks committee.

All in favour again….

#6.2  Fire work by law exemption for River Canard park

Private party asking for bylaw exemption for professional fire work show. Only questions were police and fire ok with it. Both said yes.

Approved

#6.3 Big Creek Watershed

Greg Nemeth again gives a good presentation on what the water shed has to offer. Greg reports the province is not doing their part to protect wetlands and we need to do more. Councillor Pouget raised the 2009 study of Big Creek but it was not brought to council for review until 2013.

Council offers support directs Administration to work with ERCA and report back in September.

#7 Police report

Councillor Fryer asked for update on car break and enters. Chief Berthiaume was away last week so there is no report he can provide. But  he reminded all to be mindful in shopping malls of your purses and wallets being left in shopping carts. We had a recent purse theft.

#8  Account payable

No discussion on this…

# 8.2

2015 Year end budget  to actual summaries

Well by the way I understood it is we transferred almost one million dollars to reserves. Great job administration and yes you too council…

By the way, not even one “that a boy on a job well done”…Maybe I’m missing something…

# 10 reports

– Engineering and public works

To allow the Canard Valley sub divison to remove as requirements sidewalks.  Lots of discussion if all the residents agree or what if they come before council in a few years requesting the sidewalks be put in . Council Fryer speaks against not having sidewalks for families and seniors that move in to the area. Also raises the CWAT plan on trails.

Some discussion but in the end it was passed. 

# 11 Planning and development

Just some housekeeping by laws

All in favour

# 11.3 2016 Special events Approval

3 events were approved tonight,

–  Music on Porch (Park House)

– RAMP Skateboard competition

– Amherstburg Sharks Swim meet

Luckily only John MacDonald and Park house had to be present.

#11.4 Temp extention of Liquour sales Licenced Area for Mardi Gras and Super Side walk

Glad to see Beacon Ale,Lord Amherst, Artisan Grill, Dalhousie Bistro, Rosa,The Cellar and Barrell 67 applied for patio extension on July 22-23. Looks to be a great event.

What do you thinks folks? Discussed at length or passed with out comments? Keep reading I will tell you soon. Hows that for suspense?

#11.5 Response to Council- Downtown parking

The question was do they put in the 2017 budget $35,000 to do a parking study. Boy this seemed to get to Councillor Fryer. He asked how many studies do we need.. .. This went on for sometime until Deputy Mayor DiPasquale motioned to have administration report back to council with the latest report on file . There seems to be a report that’s been done.

#13 information Reports – Recommendations

Council approves the reports offered for review.  We move on to almost being done the meeting as 2 items left . Then Councillor Fryer asks to go back on Sports tourism report to explain he is working with a group to bring cycling event to Amherstburg area in partner with Fire services. I guess  Tourism is important to Amherstburg.

New Business

At least Texas Road was mentioned by Councillor Fryer once. Asked administration about the no parking signs for North side of the road with the walk ways…Going to be done soon according to administration.

Well to close it out this was a very fast meeting, it lasted from 6:00PM – 7:45PM maybe our  regular local blogger is the jinx? Oh almost forgot the Liquor patio extensions for Mardi Gras was passed with minimal discussion and all in favour. One last point : no recorded votes or yelling from the gallery. Not even enough time for popcorn… Almost forgot to name Councillor of the week and it is Deputy Mayor Dipasquale for putting a end to parking study debate with his motion….Until I pinch hit again …

Me again…..thank you so much Marc for stepping up and helping out. I think it’s very important that the public knows what goes on in these meetings. Your dedication to the town of Amherstburg has not gone unnoticed by this “jinx”.  And yes, I am somewhat jealous that you only had to sit through a less than 2 hour meeting while I was away….until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In preparation for Monday June 27th Regular town council meeting

Well, council has another regular meeting coming up Monday night.  In my opinion, here are the highlights :

DELEGATIONS  Fee Waiver for Music off the Porch Event, Park House Museum – John McDonald

There are several delegations scheduled for Monday night. First up is Mr. McDonald requesting a waiver for the fees involved for the “Music off the Porch Event”. I will guess that these fees will be waived without hesitation. Again, this brings us full circle, back to the question of why have fees if they will just be waived? How do you decide which events have to pay and which don’t?  Perhaps council should look at getting rid of all fees…..just a thought…..

Exemption from Fireworks and Parks By-laws – Stephen Rock

It appears Mr. Rock is looking for a by-law exemption in order to be able to put on a small firework display in the River Canard Park. From what I can see in his request, it appears there is liability insurance in place and the fire department has been contacted about his plans. Will council waive the by-law? Will have to wait and see…..

Big Creek Watershed – Greg Nemeth

Another delegation, however it appears Mr. Nemeth will be talking about the watershed and the ecosystem. It’s not clear to me from the delegation request form if he’ll be requesting anything or if it’s simply to provide information.

Accounts Payable

Well, it appears there are no legal fees to be paid this week!! Good job council! This may be the second time this year, we had a big fat zero to pay out in legal fees. Maybe even the third? Not sure. I’d have to go back and check and read all of my other blogs. I’m not feeling that ambitious right now…..so I’ll take it for what it is……good news! Zero in legal fees! 🙂

2015 Year End Budget to Actual Summaries and Transfers

It appears that we have a surplus of approximately 1 Million dollars!!!! More good news!!! Administration is requesting to move the money to tax stabilisation reserves and two other places. I’m not going to say too much here because I’m not an accountant and it seems sort of complicated and there are some lengthy financial reports. However, I will say, hot dang!!! One million in surplus, way to go administration!!! Way to go council!!! Pats on the back for everyone. The good news is just getting better and better as I read through the agenda.

2015 Consolidated Financial Statements

Um, some more lengthy, detailed and complicated financial reports. I’m sure if I really wanted to I could read through them and dissect them to understand but, just not feeling it today. I’m guessing my lack of motivation is due to the beautiful day outside. So, I will just put on my rose-coloured glasses and assume this is good news? I have to assume that someone worked really hard on this, so kudos to them!

Aha, I just found this on the agenda : PRESENTATIONS 5.1 2015 Consolidated Financial Statements – Cynthia Swift, KPMG.  Looks like there will be a presentation about this.

Canard Valley Estates Subdivision – Request to Change Sidewalk Requirements

It appears that the developer is in the process of finalising various “loose ends” in the subdivision (asphalt repair etc) and that sidewalks were part of the original agreement. The residents have signed a petition that they do not want sidewalks installed as it will ruin their landscaping and/or driveways. The developer has proposed building the sidewalks in alternate locations in the subdivision. It seems pretty straight-forward and fair, but what do I know?

2016 Special Event Approval

As you all know, each and every event that happens in the town of Amherstburg, must come before council for approval. This is an initiative of the current council.  Therefore, the following events are on the schedule seeking approval :

• Music Off the Porch, July 8 2016
• RAMP-Age Skateboard Competition, July 9 2016
• Amherstburg Sharks Swim Meet, July 17, 2016

 

These seem like no-brainers for approval, however, the fact that events like this, that are small in nature and a one-day (or just a few hours) event have to seek approval from council seems to me, to be a very poor way to manage time and resources. So far this year, I would guesstimate at least 30 events have come before council for approval. Most are rubber-stamped through, some are asked a few questions and some are questioned at length. Unfortunately, to me, it seems to be a micro-management style of governance. I think there are employees and committees to oversee these events. For example, the Music Off the Porch event lasts 2 hours…..yet has to come before council for approval, oh and they want the fees waived. There’s just something that doesn’t make sense in this whole situation. But I digress…

Temporary Extension of Liquor Sales Licenced Area for Mardi Gras and Super Sidewalk Sale July 22-23, 2016

The following businesses are seeking to extend their patios for the upcoming Mardi Gras Street party :

• Beacon Ale House
• Lord Amherst
• Artisan Grill
• Dalhouse Bistro
• Rosa’s
• The Cellar
• Barrel 67

This made me so, so, so, so very happy!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me count the ways:

1. Huge shut out to the Beacon Ale House ! The have a new manager who seems to be more proactive and wants to embrace community events such as Mardi Gras! Love it! Will be sure to stop in during Mardi Gras! (I have already stopped in lately and will be back other times too, not just Mardi Gras.)
2. I love Mardi Gras.
3. I love outdoor patios but only if it’s not too hot outside, just sayin’.
4. I like to have fun.
5. I enjoy having a few beverages.
6. I love our downtown.
7. I like to laugh and have fun.

So, all this being said, I sure hope council approves their requests to extend their patios. Council wouldn’t want to make me sad, would they?

In conclusion

Well, all this being said, I am unable to attend Monday night’s meeting. (Family commitment comes first.) Do you think they’ll miss me? LOL (Seriously, I am laughing out loud and just to be clear, it’s a rhetorical question, no answer required.)  Anyway, I am actively seeking a guest blogger or bloggers for Monday night’s meeting. If anyone is interested in going to Monday night’s meeting, taking a few notes and sending me a write-up, I will gladly publish it. It doesn’t have to be as detailed as what I do, I am open to any style you may choose, even point form. If you think this could be you, send me a message. If I think this could be you, I will be sending you a message shortly. 🙂 Wait for it.

 

 

Monday June 13th Regular Town council meeting

Tonight’s meeting was a real snoozer. More than once, I almost went comatose. My blog may be a bit choppy as I spent 2 hours and 15 minutes in various states of consciousness and semi-consciousness.

Nice side note: there were approximately 30 people or so in attendance, which was nice to see.

Progress Update – Rich Galloway, Representative of Amherstburg Land Holdings Ltd.

Basically, the representatives presented how the former General Chemical sites are getting cleaned up and heading towards eventual sale. The presentation was somewhat technical in regards to environmental aspects and there was some discussion about milk weed being planted for testing. (Don’t ask. I don’t know. No idea what milk weed even is.) The company had a beautiful hand out prepared for the public and a kind gentleman sitting next to me was very polite and passed a few out. Councillor Fryer asked if it would be possible to have drones fly above the property and film the progress. The representatives agreed and it appears we will have drones flying over the property at some point in the future. There was a bit of back and forth with some good, well-thought questions on the part of some councillors and finally, the motion was received and the presentation was over. It looks like the old Allied Chemical property is well on it’s way to a potential sale and ,fingers crossed, redevelopment!!

Canada 150 Fund – Community Infrastructure Program

Looks like the town wants to apply for some grant money, but has to decide between two different projects to apply for and how to spend it. Here they are:

Option #1- CWATS Capital Project (paved shoulders along some of our county roads)

Option #2 – Restoration of Malden Centre and old Anderdon Tennis Courts

Councillor Lavigne made a motion to receive the report in order for council to be able to discuss the issue. And discuss they did! It went around and around and around. Councillor Pouget was concerned with spending taxpayer money and had concerns about Centennial Park. She wanted to direct administration to meet with the Public School Board, since it seems they pay a fee to the town to help maintain Centennial park (the Students from Aburg Public and GAHS use it.) The CAO talked about time lines and time constraints. He pointed out that council had already precommitted money to CWATS in the budget. Then, just to throw a wrench in things, he announced that new numbers had just come in.

Here are the old numbers that were in the report :

Option 1 – CWATS Trail $108,721.00 (town share) + $54,279.00 (federal government share)

OR

Option 2 – Tennis Courts $222,778.00 (town share) + $111,222.00 (federal government share)

Here are the new numbers (I write by hand, could be off by a bit)

Option 1 – CWATS Trails $255,684 (town share) + $125,933 (federal government share)

Option 2 numbers did not change.

From what I understood, the CAO had done the new numbers based on 2 years (instead of 1 as originally planned), then wanted to put the savings towards doing some of the repairs for the tennis courts. He felt we would be much better served requesting 2 year funding instead of 1 year funding. So, the numbers are higher, but it’s over 2 years instead of one now. Councillor Fryer asked questions about the numbers and the CAO patiently explained them to him again a few times. Councillor Meloche threw his support behind the tennis courts. Councillor Courtney asked a question to be sure she had understood the new numbers (she did). Councillor Lavigne asked CAO Miceli which initiative would be the most viable in his opinion. (My heart melted. The voice of reason was asking the opinion of another voice of reason. Nothing makes me happier than listening to people with well-reasoned opinions present them, and here I was being handed my dream on a golden platter.) The CAO said that both initiatives would meet the criteria, but he feels we should do CWATS first, then tackle the tennis courts. Councillor Lavigne stated that council had already committed to CWATS in the budget, therefore he would support this. Councillor Fryer, again, requested clarification about the money. The discussion went back and forth, forth and back about the money, positive variance, negative variance etc. in the budget. (My eyes rolled back in my head. Sleep was beckoning. Surely I could dream about something more interesting than this.) Councillor Pouget was concerned about the last minute presentation for the grant. The CAO said the grant was announced on May 25th and is due on June 23rd. The time frame is non-negotiable and must be dealt with. (In my opinion, I think some on council have a hard time making decisions quickly and by quickly, I mean in one evening, but that’s just my opinion.) The back and forth continued. (I seriously thought it may never end…..walking trails, tennis courts, no walking trails, no tennis courts…..).

Finally, Councillor Lavigne made the motion to support the CWATS initiative. Councillor Pouget asks to confirm the cost of $160,000. (nooooooo……that was the first set of numbers…. even though I’m on the brink of sleep, I’ve managed to follow the numbers…..) The CAO tells her our cost is $255,684 for our share, over 2 years. Councillor Pouget asks for a recorded vote (yes, I love those).

In support of applying for grant for CWATS : Councillor Courtney, Deputy Mayor DiPasquale, Fryer, Councillors Lavigne and Pouget and Mayor DiCarlo.

Opposed: Councillor Meloche

(Definitely an odd vote there, but who am I to judge? I was just so happy the meeting could carry on now. )

Consent other minutes

This is the part of the meeting where council accepts minutes of committee meetings. Usually, this passes with no discussion, however, tonight, this was not the case.

Councillor Meloche questioned the minutes of the Audit and Finance Advisory Committee Meeting from May 4 2016. He said he was unable to attend that meeting, so he listened to the audio recording. He had a few concerns. He said he was concerned the committee decided not to review certain financial statements. Councillor Meloche feels that reviewing financial statements is a key role of this committee (I would tend to agree). Councillor Meloche also said he was uncomfortable that these committee members were questioning people’s qualifications. He also expressed concern that the chair was leading motions and that he was generally disenchanted with how the meeting ran. (Very interesting……this is an advisory committee to council. Some councillors put A LOT of weight on the decisions of these committees. Others realise they’re simply there to advise and that as councillors they can vote any way they choose to. Hmmmm…..could there trouble in paradise?)

Unfinished business

The rest of the meeting went on pretty quickly. And then we got to the always entertaining, “Unfinished Business” part of the meeting. Unfinished Business is when any councillor can bring up any item that is deemed “unfinished” as per various previous agenda items.

True to form, Councillor Fryer brought up Texas Road. He had concerns about the Knobb Hill intersection with Texas Road. He talked about concerns with speeding and dangerous driving. The Chief of Police said that they are looking into installing a device to collect data about driving habits on Texas Road. Councillor Fryer mentions getting a camera and a three-way stop sign. Councillor Lavigne told council that this has been dealt with three times in the traffic committee meetings and that cold, hard data is needed before any type of permanent solution can be broached.

Another new business issue brought forward by Deputy Mayor DiPasquale was about signage around town. It seems that organisers for the Rib Fest have been asked to take down their signs (seems they put them up too early?). There was lots of discussion surrounding the question of if event organisers are given the proper information in regards to signage. Councillor Lavigne points out that the sign by-law is extremely long (he may have said 3 million pages lol) and the organisers should just be given the date that their signs can go up. There was some discussion about Communities in Bloom and the signs in town not promoting an attractive facade. Finally, Councillor Fryer makes a motion to ensure each festival knows when their signs can go up. It passes. Then Councillor Courtney makes a motion for administration to examine the sign by-law and see if the big black signs (the rented type) that are up around town are in compliance.

BY-LAWS

20.1 By-law 2016-57 – Appointment of Interim Fire Chief Al Reaume

It looks like they’re extending his contract for another year.

By-law 2016-56 – Appointment of Deputy Fire Chief Lee Tome

Carries with no questions.

By-law 2016-55 – Appointment of Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Ron Meloche

Councillor Meloche had declared a conflict of interest earlier and he left the room. Ron Meloche is his brother. Councillor Pouget asked if the position was advertised. The CAO said it was, internally. Councillor Pouget asked if council had gotten a copy of the contract with salary. The CAO said he would be paid following the salary schedule that council had approved previously. There was much back and forth about the title of inspector and finally the Mayor pointed out the duties are the same and the motion carries.

Following all this council went in-camera to discuss the following :

ITEM A – Banking Services – Section 239(2)(a) – The security of the property of the municipality or local board.

They had also added as a supplementary agenda

ITEM B – Update on Potential Property Acquisition- Section 239(2)(c)-A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board.

Councillor Pouget declared a conflict of interest for Item B stating that Belle Vue is within 1000 feet of a property that she owns.

So, overall, for a really mundane meeting, I managed to find some stuff to say. I hope I’ve managed even in some small way to make it more entertaining for you than it really was. I always wonder when I’m sitting there on those hard chairs with my bum falling asleep, how the heck am I going to spice this up for my blog?

As for councillor of the week……hmmmmmm…….what random criteria can I come up with? Who didn’t bore me to sleep when they spoke? hmmmmm……I have to say I have a soft spot right now for Councillor Lavigne. He’s been speaking up logically and only when necessary. I like that. You people are going to start to think I’m playing favourites. I think he’s won quite a few times now. Well, favourites it is! Keep up the good work Councillor Lavigne! Sometimes I think the meetings would never end if you didn’t speak up and move it along. Do you think if I award him councillor of the week often enough, he’ll get us some seat cushions or some popcorn? Just a thought…..

 

In preparation for Monday June 13th Regular town council meeting

Well, it sure was a nice little break having 3 weeks between meetings. Tomorrow night brings another full agenda of 389 pages. I skimmed through it and here are some highlights….

Progress Update – Rich Galloway, Representative of Amherstburg Land Holdings Ltd.

Looks like a really nice update about the former General Chemical property. A very comprehensive presentation, with pictures and environmental explanations is included with the agenda. It appears they are marketing the site for future industrial use and there are several maps outlining the property and the proximity to the proposed new Gordie Howe Bridge. It sure would be nice to see something become of that property. Will listen to what they have to say tomorrow night.

Material Alterations to a Building Designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act: Christ Church, 317 Ramsay Street

It appears that Christ Church needs to replace their cedar shingle roof. The property is designated a Heritage building. From what I understand from the report, the cost of cedar shingles is too high and the church is looking to replace the roof with metal shingles. It looks like the church has received the green light from the Heritage Committee. Now, ultimately, it is up to council to approve or deny their request. (Small personal commentary…..I’ve heard many pros and cons about owning a designated Heritage building. Pro: small tax break. Con: You have to hope for approval any time you need to do any work to your building. Kind of a risky and bad place to be, when you have to rely on other’s approval for something you need to do. Just some random thoughts.) Will see what happens.

National Garden Days Proclamation and Garden Tourism Presentation

Looks like there will be a presentation to proclaim June 17th and Saturday, June 18th, 2016 as National Garden Days in the Town of Amherstburg. Again, there is another beautifully prepared presentation, with pictures etc. to be presented. I predict this will be strongly supported by council, but again, I should know better than to ever try to predict anything. LOL.

Canada 150 Fund – Community Infrastructure Program

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Looks like the town is going to apply for some grant money, but has to decide between two options on what to apply for and how to spend it. Here they are: (This is taken directly from the report)

Option #1- CWATS Capital Project

At the most recent County Council Meeting, a County Wide Active Transportation System (‘CWATS’) tendered capital project was approved by County Council. The project scope included paved shoulders along County Road 5 (Thomas Road) from Texas Road to County Road 10 (Middle Side Road). This would connect with the paved shoulder bike lanes located on the west side of County Road 5 from Texas Road to Alma Street. The majority of the scope will be funded through the County, with the Town contributing $163,000.00. The project has been approved by Council under the 2016 Capital Budget. Thus, the $163,000.00 from the Town has been earmarked for 2016.

Option #2 – Restoration of Malden Centre and Anderdon Tennis Courts

Currently, there are three sets of tennis courts located within the boundaries of Amherstburg:

 Malden Centre (4 tennis courts – no nets and not posts, 1 basketball court)

 Centennial Park (5 tennis courts – 2 courts with nets)

 Anderdon Park (2 tennis courts – 2 courts with nets, 1 basketball court)

Of the 11 tennis courts that the Town residents have used in the past, only four courts remain usable, with the remaining seven requiring extensive repair. Centennial Park was not included in the project scope because of its size and the numerous sub-facilities (i.e. track, ball diamonds, beach volleyball courts, basketball courts) located within the park. It is also expected that future direction for Centennial Park will come from the Parks Master Plan.

The six courts located at Malden Centre and Anderdon are in dire need of repair.

The report goes on the outline the costs involved, with a grand total of $334,000.00 + HST.

Administration recommends that a grant application be submitted, with the Government of Canada’s share of the project being capped at 33.3% of eligible expenses. Therefore, depending on which option Council chooses the cost sharing breakdown is as follows:

Option 1 – CWATS Trail $108,721.00 (town share) + $54,279.00 (CIP 150 share)

OR

Option 2 – Tennis Courts $222,778.00 (town share) + $111,222.00 (CIP 150 share)

The grant portion is capped at 33.3% of the total expenditure.

So, what will it be? CWATS trails? New and improved tennis courts? Will council throw another idea or motion out there? I’ll watch as they roll the dice.

May 17, 2016 – June 6, 2016 Accounts Payable

I always check to see what we’re paying in legal fees…..this weeks grand total is approximately $20,300.00. I didn’t notice any late fees, which is good, considering the extra week between meetings.

Amendment to Policies

It looks like administration is looking to have 3 policies amended. They are :

– Workplace Violence, Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Program

-Accessible Customer Service Standards

-Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

As usual, the policies are all there. The changes are highlighted in yellow and the “old parts” that need to be removed are stricken and new parts added. Looks very comprehensive and complete. I’m interested to see if these policy changes garner any thoughtful discussion.

Toppi Litigation – Full and Final Release

$9-Million Lawsuit Against Amherstburg Dismissed

The above link, describes the outcome. It appears the lawsuit has been dropped. Otherwise, we (the town, i.e. the taxpayers) could have been on the hook to pay out 4 Million dollars.

INFORMATION REPORTS

Council asked for reports, and here they are :

a) Police Services, Monthly Activity Report – April, 2016 (holy cow, this was a looooong one)

b) Update on Bill 73- Changes to the Planning Act and Development Charges Act

c) Impact of Bill 181 – Municipal Elections Modernization Act (this looks like the new proposed ranked ballot system and changes to the time-frame for municipal elections)

d) Retirement Recognition- James Ouellette, Deputy Fire Chief (This caught my eye, only because there have been some rumblings in the community about forced retirements in the fire department. Not sure if this is one of them?)

BY-LAWS

20.1 By-law 2016-57 – Appointment of Interim Fire Chief Al Reaume

By-law 2016-56 – Appointment of Deputy Fire Chief Lee Tome

By-law 2016-55 – Appointment of Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Ron Meloche

The above by-laws lead me to believe we are extending Chief Reaume’s contract….promoting Mr Tome to Deputy Chief and promoting Mr Meloche to Assistant Deputy Chief.

And finally, once the meeting winds down to the end, council will go in-camera to discuss the following:

ITEM A – Banking Services – Section 239(2)(a) – The security of the property of the municipality or local board.

Looks like a big agenda tomorrow night. It will be interesting to see which issues create discussion and which issues will slide through with nary a backward glance. At least, I find that interesting. Will the gavel get pounded? Will there be recorded votes? Will there be cushions for the chairs? Popcorn? Lights, camera, action? Who knows…..

 

No meeting on Monday June 6th

Well, what a pleasant surprise…..no meeting tomorrow night (Monday June 6th). Usually Council meets every two weeks and has often met weekly this term, so it was definitely a pleasant surprise to see this meeting interval skip to three weeks!

The positives of this news are abundant. I can only hope and assume that things are going more smoothly and efficiently. Good job council!

I also wonder how this will affect the accounts payables. Council has to approve all bill payments. Adding an extra week to create a three-week stretch could result in some late payments to suppliers. Could this harm our reputation? Uh-oh……

Ah, well, I know I will enjoy this pleasant surprise! I have an extra week off from “council watching” LOL.

Side note, a huge thank you to all who follow and read my blog. I really appreciate the comments and the feedback, both in person and on-line.

Have a great week all!