Monday December 12th Regular town council meeting

Well tonight’s meeting was about a 5 out of 10. I’ve watched worse but I’ve watched better. Maybe a 6 out of 10, since I’m feeling somewhat generous all of a sudden…..Mayor Prue only played “pass the gavel” three, maybe four times, I’m not sure, but it seemed less than last week anyway. Which was good. Hopefully that keeps trending downwards…..way, way downwards. 

Council met first at 4:00 for a planning meeting. 

Then they met at 5:00, in-camera to discuss : 

SPECIAL IN-CAMERA MEETING

That Council move into an In-Camera Meeting of Council pursuant to Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended for the following reasons:

Item A – Litigation Matter about an Identifiable Individual

• Section 239(2)(e) – litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; and, 

• Section 239(2)(f) – advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose. 

Item B – Litigation Matter about an Identifiable Individual • Section 239(2)(e) – litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; and, • Section 239(2)(f) – advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.  

I arrived at town hall shortly before 6:00. Things have definitely returned to post-election “normal”. There were only about a dozen people in attendance at tonight’s meeting. The meeting didn’t start until about 6:10. Councillor Courtney attended the meeting virtually, from what appeared to be his place of employment. 

There were three declarations of pecuniary interest. First, Deputy Mayor Gibb declared about the grant funding for the taxi service since he said he had a business interest with that item. Councillor Crain declared a conflict about the User Fee bylaws since his father is part owner of the Admirals. He said he had reached out to the Integrity Commissioner today but had not heard back. Councillor Courtney also declared a conflict about the User Fee bylaws since he said he is an executive member of the Admirals and hoped that council could separate that portion of the report so that he could vote on the rest. 

Report-out In-Camera

There was a motion for Item A that council follow the legal direction of counsel. 

2022 Election Voting Barriers – Linda Saxon (revised agenda)

Ms Saxon addressed council via zoom. It was difficult for me to hear her and her camera was off, so I was not able to try to read lips to make up for my inability to hear. From what I gathered, she was sharing her concerns about the recent election in regards to accessibility. She listed some barriers that she felt that she encountered. She also seemed to feel that the voting methods proposed for 2026 should have consultation. She requested that council defer making a decision about the voting method until there was more consultation. 

2022 Municipal Election Post Report

Councillor Pouget asked the Mayor to move this item up on the agenda since it had to do with the delegation. (I was used to Mayor DiCarlo automatically doing this at meetings when there was a delegation about an item, but I guess Mayor Prue does things somewhat differently.)

This is a pretty interesting report (at least I think so anyway) about the 2022 election format. I’m including the link for those who are interested, it’s not too long and a pretty easy read. https://pub-amherstburg.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9522

Councillor Courtney noted that council had just started their term and wondered what the urgency was to pass a voting method for the 2026 election. He wondered about the cost of online voting. The Clerk, Mr Fox said that the report deals with the current situation and spoke of being in compliance with various levels of legislation. 

Councillor Pouget agreed and started to propose a motion for another report about barriers and voting methods and to defer the voting method to a later date.  She felt that there wasn’t a rush on making a decision on how to vote. 

Councillor Crain inquired if there was an urgency to approve the report. Mayor Prue said that there is a 90-day window for administration to prepare a report after the election. The Clerk said that they had to meet that deadline and also follow up on direction from previous councils. 

There was some back and forth about the report and barriers but it was stated several times that the report was about barriers and accessibility of the 2022 election. CAO Critchley said that administration could bring back a report on alternative voting methods mid term because planning and RFPs are required and that the latest to do so would be the end of 2024. 

There was more back and forth and then the first round of “pass the gavel” happened. Mayor Prue passed the gavel (figuratively not literally, just for those who don’t actually watch the meeting) and said he had promised he wouldn’t do it too much this meeting. (I held my breath because it is super confusing when an invisible gavel is getting passed around and nobody seems to know where it is, just sayin’.)  Mayor Prue spoke about the election signs. He liked the portion limiting election signs being up for only 21 days but felt that trying to find the appropriate location for the signs was very difficult. Regular people had a hard time knowing where exactly the property lines were. He felt that it may be more appropriate to make a bylaw that election signs have to be 5 feet from the road or sidewalk.  The Clerk felt that this could be addressed in a future bylaw. 

Mayor Prue also felt that the ward system vote should be discussed. He noted the 51% to 49% result in favour of a ward system. Mayor Prue noted that only 39% of the residents voted so that result was not binding but he felt that if a councillor wins only by a few votes, then that counts as a win. Mayor Prue seemed to be in favour of advancing a ward system and felt that more discussion about a ward system is necessary. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb felt it was worth a discussion but had the opposite opinion. He felt that there was not enough evidence that Amherstburg should move toward a ward system but welcomed further discussion. 

Councillor Courtney noted that he had put the motion forward about a ward system last term and that he wasn’t sure it would solve problems. He felt that there was a lot of innuendo about wards that was untrue when he was knocking on doors. He noted that with 51%, “it won” but that there was not a lot of education about wards and he received a lot of questions at the doors. He felt that the issue should be pursued. 

(Personally, the ward issue is the proverbial dead horse in Amherstburg…..it’s been debated continuously, over and over and over again, since amalgamation in 1998…..not only did we only have 39% voter turnout, not all of the voters even answered the ward question on the ballot…..which means that the data collected is quite poor in my opinion…..but yes, please continue to waste time, energy and resources on this proverbial dead horse…..oh my…..)

Here was the recommendations as per the report : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The report by the Municipal Clerk entitled 2022 Municipal Election Post Report dated December 12, 2022, BE RECEIVED; 
2. A combination of traditional voting method with the use of electronic tabulators and drive through voting locations BE APPROVED for the method of voting on Advance Voting Days for the 2026 Municipal Election; 
3. The traditional voting method with the use of electronic tabulators BE APPROVED for the method of voting on Election Day for the 2026 Municipal Election; and, 
4. By-law 2022-114 being a by-law to authorize the use of optical scanning vote tabulators in the 2022 Municipal Election be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

There was a motion made, a fairly complicated one……and then, a breath of fresh air…..Councillor Crain suggested simply receiving item 1 (the report above) and deferring items 2, 3 and 4.  It was simple and efficient. And it carried. There will be more information to come on voting methods. 

Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation – Marty Adler (revised agenda)

Mr Adler was not present and had decided to cancel his delegation. 

2022 Third Quarter (Q3) Variance as at September 30th, 2022 

The third quarter variance report was ready for council. There is a breakdown by department but overall there is a surplus which seems to be due to the pandemic. Here are the recommendations of what to do with the surplus  money. 

It is recommended that: 

1. The report from the Director of Corporate Services/CFO dated December 1, 2022, regarding 2022 Third Quarter Variance BE RECEIVED for information.
2. That a reserve transfer BE APPROVED for the remaining balance of $205,345 for the Municipal share of Pike Road Drainage Project (July 11, 2022 & Aug 8, 2022).
3. That a transfer BE APPROVED for $96,292 to the Building Reserve from Tax Stabilization Reserve to correct the 2021 year-end surplus allocation (Aug 8, 2022). 

There was some discussion about the variances. The Treasurer felt that the surplus amounts would have been smaller if it weren’t for the pandemic. She also noted that there were many unfinished projects which led to surplus funds. 

The Clerk reread the motion, it had changed somewhat from the one I have above from the report but I didn’t catch the changes in my notes. The motion carried. 

2023 User Fees By-law 

It seems that the user fees have to be evaluated annually. Some of the fees are going down, some are going up by very little, some by a whole lot and some fees are being eliminated. Here’s the link to the report in case you’re looking for any particular fees that may affect you. https://pub-amherstburg.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9552

It is recommended that: 

1. The changes in fees and charges for the 2023 User Fees By-law BE APPROVED as outlined in the report; and, 
2. By-law 2022-107 being a by-law to Establish User Fees or Charges for Services, Activities or the Use of Property be taken as having been read 3 times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

This portion of the meeting was kind of funny. Councillor McArthur declared a conflict since his daughter is part of Skate Amherstburg. Councillor Allaire declared a conflict because she is on the board of a not for profit organization that uses the Libro Centre. It seemed the only two people not in conflict for this item were Deputy Mayor Gibb and Councillor Pouget, so they made a motion to defer and it carried. So I’m really not sure when this item will come back around…..and when it does, will anybody be able to vote about it? LOL

Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation – Engineering Request for Proposal Results

Councillor Courtney noted that there is a lot of work needed for the water reservoir. He noted that part of the repairs were covered by grant funding and wondered if there may be more grant money available. 

Ms Gioffu, Director of Engineering said that administration always looks into grants and applies for them whenever possible. They never let a grant possibility slide by. However, she noted that she doesn’t see anything on the horizon. Councillor Courtney wondered if maybe some information should be sent to our local MPP. He felt that the expense for the water reservoir was a large task and a burden for the municipality. 

Councillor Pouget agreed. She noted that the reservoir was 50 years old but that she did not have a choice but to support the repairs. She noted that members of council are obligated to provide clean drinking water or they can be held personally liable. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb spoke and pointed out that this is an opportunity for all to see how important it is to invest in our infrastructure and that we should continue to invest in our infrastructure going forward. 

Here is the recommendation: 

It is recommended that: 

1. The engineering services for the Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation BE AWARDED to Stantec Consulting Ltd.; and 

2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Stantec Consulting Ltd. for the Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation 

It carried. 

Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion – Tender Results

Well the Edgewater Lagoon wetland conversion was sent out for tender and the results are in. Basically, an old lagoon will be transformed into some trails and wetland area. It seems that the town is taking an old wastewater reservoir and turning it into a new wetland area. It seems this is the first time anything like this has been done in the province. 

There was some discussion, but there were only two super important things mentioned in all of this (at least to me). One was Councillor McArthur asking about the timeline. Seems that the contractor will likely be on site later this week getting things going. (Very good news). 

Second was that members of council asked if any grant money could be available for this project. Councillor Crain mentioned that a few members of council will be meeting with our local MPP, Anthony Leardi, later this week and that they would bring this issue to his attention. 

Then, the vote was called on the recommendation below and it passed. 

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion BE AWARDED to Nevan Construction Inc. at a cost not to exceed $1,178,800.00 plus HST to be funded as outlined in the report from the Manager of Engineering dated November 28, 2022; 

2. An over-expenditure not to exceed $170,690 including net HST BE APPROVED to be funded from the Wastewater Reserve; and, 3. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Nevan Construction Inc. for the Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion. 

Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet – Tender Results

It looks like the Pike Road Drain services a large chunk of the Monopoly subdivision as well as the surrounding area on the Pike. The tender for the drain improvements went out and the results are in. Here is the recommendation:

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet BE AWARDED to Rudak Excavating Inc. for an amount not to exceed $1,084,200.00 plus HST, to be funded as outlined in the report from the Manager of Engineering dated November 29th , 2022; and,

 2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Rudak Excavating Inc. for the Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb noted that often people asked what the town can do to lower home insurance premiums and this new drain is a very good way to do so. He felt that it would go a long way to alleviate flooding. 

The motion carried. Mayor Prue gave the distinct impression that he hopes that the RTT will find this story newsworthy. 

2022 Fleet Vehicle Purchase

Well the good news is that some of our older vehicles are finally being replaced. The bad news is that each of those vehicles costs more money than what was budgeted for. The good news is that each of these vehicles is being purchased from local car dealerships. The bad news is that the chip shortage and the pandemic have wreaked havoc on the price and availability of vehicles. Anyway, here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $21,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
2. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $16,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
3. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $16,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
4. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a ¾ ton crew cab pick up truck not to exceed $18,143 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $67,643 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve.

There was some moaning and groaning from some members of council about the costs of the new vehicles. Mr Chamberlain, Manager of Roads explained the bidding and tender process for new vehicles. Councillor Allaire felt that the prices for the vehicles were too high. Councillor Pouget agreed and suggested postponing the purchase of one of the vehicles to try to save some money down the road. Ms Gioffu, Director of Engineering said it was council’s prerogative but that prices would likely go up in a year and that the fleet is very old. Councillor Allaire spoke again about the prices and how she had priced out a vehicle today on the internet. (Sounds like something out of Councillor Courtney’s playbook, but I digress…..googling things…..)

Councillor McArthur made the motion to buy the trucks. 

It went to a vote (unrecorded)

Opposed : Councillors Allaire and Pouget

In favour : Deputy Mayor Gibb, Councillors McArthur and Crain (Since Councillor Courtney was online and it was hard for me to see, I have to assume he voted in favour otherwise it would have been 3-3 and the Mayor would have had to break the tie. 

So it carried. The trucks will be ordered. 

Lease Agreement with Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation

Well this is kind of exciting!!! It looks like Amherstburg is one step closer to getting its very own radio station!! Amherstburg Broadcasting, which is owned by Martyn Adler, put forward an application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2020.

Councillor McArthur was pretty excited about this. Councillor Crain was too. 

Mr Adler wasn’t present, but administration said that he felt that the report was fulsome and that he did not feel the need to attend the meeting and delegate. 

Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The Director of Infrastructure Services and the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) BE DIRECTED to determine the feasibility of installing Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation (Amherstburg Broadcasting) required radio antenna and equipment at the water tower; 

2. Upon confirmation of the feasibility noted above, Council DIRECT the Deputy CAO/Director of Development Services, to negotiate a License of Occupation Agreement between the Town and Amherstburg Broadcasting with such agreement being consistent with agreements currently in place for other “for profit” businesses which use the water tower; and, 

3. Council DIRECT Administration to bring a report back to Council on the final negotiated lease agreement for approval.

Proposed Disposition of General Amherst High School – Greater Essex County District School Board

Looks like the school board wants to know if the town is interested or not in purchasing the General Amherst High School building. 

Councillor Courtney spoke and felt that he wanted to be involved in the process about the old Amherst building. 

CAO Critchley explained that council would have to give direction if they were interested in purchasing the building. She noted that an appraisal and a funding plan of $20,000 to pay for the appraisal would be necessary. 

Councillor Courtney made the motion to spend $20,000 on an appraisal of the building and Councillor Pouget seconded it. 

Councillor Courtney felt that the old Amherst is a valuable piece of property. He noted that the town had not had good luck with other properties and mentioned a possible disposition of Belle Vue but he wondered what the plans could be for this property. He felt it was a type of “catch and release” model to help direct the future of the property. He wanted to see the sale price and have an opportunity to discuss it. Councillor Pouget felt she had some concerns about the “as is” clause about the building and felt that the cost of $20,000 as an expression of interest was a damper. 

Mayor Prue felt that this proposal must go forward and noted that the building is on the property of interest list. He felt that it was worth $20,000 for an appraisal. He noted that they have to leave town hall by 2025 (due to accessibility issues) and there are only two places that they could go…..either the old Amherst High School or to go to the Libro Centre and piggy back off of the fire department. He did not want to waste this opportunity. 

Mayor Prue then said he’d take the gavel back. (I had no idea he had even handed it off or where the gavel even was…..) But it seemed Deputy Mayor Gibb had no interest in holding the gavel since he came right out and said that he did not have any interest whatsoever in acquiring the old high school. He felt that we already have one heritage building that we can’t do anything with and that we are struggling to maintain the infrastructure that we already have. He felt that the costs just to maintain the old building would be quite high. He also noted how Essex had purchased the old Harrow High and just found out it would cost around $7 Million to do the necessary repairs. He again reiterated that he had no interest in acquiring this property. 

Councillor Crain also said he was not in support of looking into purchasing the building. He noted he’s an alumni but that $20,000 was a lot to spend to find out what fair market value would be for the high school. He noted it would likely be a lot of money and that we already have Duffy’s and Belle Vue to take care of. He felt that we should focus on current projects. 

Councillor Allaire also did not want to spend money on the old school. She felt that the purchase of St. Bernard’s was a huge loss and that since the building is already on the properties of interest list that it would not be a good choice to look into buying it. She felt that $20,000 was a lot of money and that looking into purchasing the old Amherst building was not a good choice. 

Councillor McArthur felt that they had to kick the tires. He felt that council should have a say on what will happen with the property. He felt it was important to have care and control over what happens and that council could do like they did with Belle Vue and issue an expression of interest. 

Councillor McArthur suggested taking the $20,000 from the contingency reserve. Councillors Courtney and Pouget (mover and seconder) were okay with that amendment. 

The rules of order were waived to allow a resident to speak. Mr DiPasquale suggested designating the building to protect it. 

Well it went to a vote….spend $20,000 to get an assessment of the old Amherst high school to establish a value and interest for the property. 

Unrecorded vote : 

Opposed : Deputy Mayor Gibb, Councillors Crain and Allaire

In Favour : Councillors Pouget, Courtney and McArthur. 

Mayor Prue broke the tie and voted in favour…..so it carried. We’ll be spending $20,000 to assess the old high school building with an intention of possibly purchasing it…..

NEW BUSINESS

Councillor Allaire made a motion to have changing tables installed in the Toddy Jones washroom and the Kings Navy Yard Park washroom. The item will be forwarded to be in the 2023 budget. 

It carried. 

Councillor Allaire also mentioned that she had spoken with administration about moving some garbage pails from the old Amherst High school site and move them closer to the new high school site. 

And all of sudden it was 7:58 PM and the meeting was adjourned!!!

So, another 2 hour meeting! Not too bad I guess! Now I get a whole month off from council meetings….but we’ll be heading into budget meetings before I know it, so I better rest up!

I won’t be back with a year end blog this year, since it’s the beginning of a new council’s term. So this is it, for me, until the new year! (Barring any crazy emergency meetings, touch wood! LOL). 

Wishing all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! I’ll see you in 2023!!!

In preparation for Monday December 12th Regular town council meeting

Well the new council will meet once again this coming Monday. I have a very busy weekend ahead so I’m hoping to keep this blog short, sweet and to the point. Council will begin their time together at a 4:00 planning meeting. Then at 5:00 there will be a special in-camera meeting to discuss : 

SPECIAL IN-CAMERA MEETING

That Council move into an In-Camera Meeting of Council pursuant to Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended for the following reasons:

Item A – Litigation Matter about an Identifiable Individual

• Section 239(2)(e) – litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; and, 

• Section 239(2)(f) – advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose. 

Item B – Litigation Matter about an Identifiable Individual

• Section 239(2)(e) – litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; and,

• Section 239(2)(f) – advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.  

Interesting…..two lawsuits? 

Then the regular meeting starts at 6:00. The revised agenda for this meeting is only 273 pages. So, if last week’s agenda of 85 pages created a 2 hour meeting, this Monday’s agenda should take just over 6 hours to finish. I’d like to say that that’s a joke, but…..

2022 Election Voting Barriers – Linda Saxon (revised agenda)

It seems that Ms Saxon will be addressing council about voting Barriers  that she feels she encountered during the 2022 Amherstburg Municipal Election.

Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation – Marty Adler (revised agenda)

It appears that Mr. Adler will be addressing council about his radio show, which is an item later  in the agenda for approval. 

2022 Third Quarter (Q3) Variance as at September 30th, 2022 

The third quarter variance report is ready for council. There is a breakdown by department but overall there is a surplus which seems to be due to the pandemic. Here are the recommendations of what to do with the surplus  money. 

It is recommended that: 

1. The report from the Director of Corporate Services/CFO dated December 1, 2022, regarding 2022 Third Quarter Variance BE RECEIVED for information.
2. That a reserve transfer BE APPROVED for the remaining balance of $205,345 for the Municipal share of Pike Road Drainage Project (July 11, 2022 & Aug 8, 2022).
3. That a transfer BE APPROVED for $96,292 to the Building Reserve from Tax Stabilization Reserve to correct the 2021 year-end surplus allocation (Aug 8, 2022). 

2023 User Fees By-law 

It seems that the user fees have to be evaluated annually. Some of the fees are going down, some are going up by very little, some by a whole lot and some fees are being eliminated. Here’s the link to the report in case you’re looking for any particular fees that may affect you. https://pub-amherstburg.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9552

It is recommended that: 

1. The changes in fees and charges for the 2023 User Fees By-law BE APPROVED as outlined in the report; and, 
2. By-law 2022-107 being a by-law to Establish User Fees or Charges for Services, Activities or the Use of Property be taken as having been read 3 times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation – Engineering Request for Proposal Results

Well the water reservoir is getting older and has already had some repairs. An RFP was sent out and there was a response for the work that needs to be done. Generally, members of council are protected from being held personally liable for decisions they make, however that does not include any decisions pertaining to drinking water. So I am guessing that this item will get passed quite quickly. Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The engineering services for the Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation BE AWARDED to Stantec Consulting Ltd.; and 

2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Stantec Consulting Ltd. for the Amherstburg Water Treatment Plant – Reservoir Construction and Rehabilitation 

Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion – Tender Results

Well the Edgewater Lagoon wetland conversion was sent out for tender and the results are in. Here are the recommendations : 

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion BE AWARDED to Nevan Construction Inc. at a cost not to exceed $1,178,800.00 plus HST to be funded as outlined in the report from the Manager of Engineering dated November 28, 2022; 

2. An over-expenditure not to exceed $170,690 including net HST BE APPROVED to be funded from the Wastewater Reserve; and, 3. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Nevan Construction Inc. for the Edgewater Lagoon Wetland Conversion. 

Placement of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Base Asphalt on Maintenance – Kingsbridge Subdivision Phase 10A & 5C

This item appears to be standard practice for the development of the Kingsbridge subdivision. 

Meadow View Estates Subdivision – Phase 1 – Accept and Assume Surface Asphalt, Sidewalks, Connecting Pathway and Stormwater Management Pond

Again, this item seems to be also standard practice for the development agreement for the Meadow View Estates Subdivision. 

Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet – Tender Results

It looks like the Pike Road Drain services a large chunk of the Monopoly subdivision as well as the surrounding area on the Pike. The tender for the drain improvements went out and the results are in. Here is the recommendation:

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet BE AWARDED to Rudak Excavating Inc. for an amount not to exceed $1,084,200.00 plus HST, to be funded as outlined in the report from the Manager of Engineering dated November 29th , 2022; and,

 2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Rudak Excavating Inc. for the Pike Road Drain Improvements and Auxiliary Drain Outlet. 

2022 Fleet Vehicle Purchase

Well the good news is that some of our older vehicles are finally being replaced. The bad news is that each of those vehicles costs more money than what was budgeted for. The good news is that each of these vehicles is being purchased from local car dealerships. The bad news is that the chip shortage and the pandemic have wreaked havoc on the price and availability of vehicles. Anyway, here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $21,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
2. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $16,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
3. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a full-size extended cab pick up truck not to exceed $16,217 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $66,217 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve. 
4. An over-expenditure for the purchase of a ¾ ton crew cab pick up truck not to exceed $18,143 BE APPROVED for a total cost not to exceed $67,643 including net HST and that the overexpenditure BE FUNDED from the Fleet Reserve.

Meadow View Estates Subdivision Phase 2 – Assume Surface Asphalt and Sidewalks

Once again, this appears to be standard practice to move forward the Meadow View Estate subdivision. 

Delegation of Authority to Committee of Adjustment

It looks like there is a recommendation to delegate authority to the Committee of Adjustment in regards to variances for the sign bylaw as well as the fence bylaw. The Committee of Adjustment already can give approval for minor variances. The report contains the procedures required as well as the section of the Municipal Act which permits such a delegation of authority. 

Lease Agreement with Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation

Well this is kind of exciting!!! It looks like Amherstburg will be getting its very own radio station!! Amherstburg Broadcasting, which is owned by Martyn Adler, put forward an application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in 2020.

From the discussion section of the report : 

“1. The applicant proposed to broadcast 126 hours of programming on the new station each broadcast week, of which 123.5 hours would be devoted to local programming. The remaining 2.5 hours would be dedicated to Canadian Press newscasts broadcast during late evening and overnight periods. 

2. Amherstburg Broadcasting proposed to operate the new station within a Soft Adult Contemporary music format. It stated that the station’s mix of news, talk and music programming would target the entire population of the Town of Amherstburg. The applicant confirmed that it would adhere to the regulatory requirements relating to the broadcast of Canadian musical selections, set out in the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations). 

3. In addition, the applicant proposed to devote 1,202 minutes of programming per broadcast week to spoken word content. Of that amount, 176 minutes would be devoted to news. The applicant undertook to devote at least 80% of this programming to local news (i.e. news relating to the Town of Amherstburg) and indicated that the remainder would be evenly divided between regional and international news. The remaining 1,026 minutes would be devoted to a weekday talk show, community calendar items and sports, weather and surveillance programming. 

4. Amherstburg Broadcasting indicated that the proposed service would actively seek out regional musical artists with the intention of interviewing them, promoting them (on air, online, and at live venues) and broadcasting their musical selections where appropriate within the station’s Soft Adult Contemporary format. The applicant further indicated that the proposed station would reflect local community issues via news and spoken word content, and would provide reporting and context to area news stories each day. It added that announcers would be encouraged to join local community groups and represent  the station at fundraisers, information evenings and special events within the station’s coverage area”

Here are the recommendations:

It is recommended that: 

1. The Director of Infrastructure Services and the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) BE DIRECTED to determine the feasibility of installing Amherstburg Broadcasting Corporation (Amherstburg Broadcasting) required radio antenna and equipment at the water tower; 

2. Upon confirmation of the feasibility noted above, Council DIRECT the Deputy CAO/Director of Development Services, to negotiate a License of Occupation Agreement between the Town and Amherstburg Broadcasting with such agreement being consistent with agreements currently in place for other “for profit” businesses which use the water tower; and, 

3. Council DIRECT Administration to bring a report back to Council on the final negotiated lease agreement for approval.

Request for Variance from Sign By-law 2006-26 at 61 Richmond St.

It looks like the owner of 61 Richmond Street is looking to replace the sign on the building. It seems that the current sign was installed before the sign bylaw was in effect. This sign will be removed and replaced with a new sign, similar in size, therefore would now need a variance from council. It looks like administration is recommending the request. 

2022 Municipal Election Post Report

This is a pretty interesting report (at least I think so anyway) about the 2022 election format. I’m including the link for those who are interested, it’s not too long and a pretty easy read. https://pub-amherstburg.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9522

From the report, there are a few recommendations for the next election day in four years time. 

It is recommended that: 

1. The report by the Municipal Clerk entitled 2022 Municipal Election Post Report dated December 12, 2022, BE RECEIVED; 
2. A combination of traditional voting method with the use of electronic tabulators and drive through voting locations BE APPROVED for the method of voting on Advance Voting Days for the 2026 Municipal Election; 
3. The traditional voting method with the use of electronic tabulators BE APPROVED for the method of voting on Election Day for the 2026 Municipal Election; and, 
4. By-law 2022-114 being a by-law to authorize the use of optical scanning vote tabulators in the 2022 Municipal Election be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

Accessible On-Demand Taxicab Pilot Project

It looks like there is a need for an accessible taxi cab in Amherstburg. The report lays out the background information. It looks like administration is recommending a grant of $10,000 to be added to the 2023 budget to help fund this initiative for the taxi service in Amherstburg. 

Adoption of the 2023 Calendar of Council Meetings

Well the calendar of meetings for 2023 is ready for approval. This is pretty standard practice that I have seen happen year after year. Council will know when all of their meetings are scheduled for the entire upcoming year. 

CONSENT CORRESPONDENCE 

There are three items in consent correspondence : 

Proposed Disposition of General Amherst High School – Greater Essex County District School Board

Looks like the school board wants to know if the town is interested or not in purchasing the General Amherst High School building. 

Strengthening Powers of Integrity Commissioner – Town of Petrolia 

It seems that the Town of Petrolia has issued correspondence that they would like to see the Integrity Commissioner have power to expulse members of council if their behaviour relates to misogyny, hated and all forms of discrimination. 

Federal Cannabis Act Review – Township of Malahide

It seems that the Township of Malahide is sending correspondence because they have incurred legal fees, council and staff time and community disruption in relation to the federal Medical Cannabis Registration process. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Council can ask questions about any of the unfinished business items that have been brought forward from the previous council. 

NEW BUSINESS

And this part is the jackpot of the meeting, you just never know what you might get here for unfinished business. Could be questions about random emails or phone calls, could be motions for random out of left field items, who knows? Stay tuned….it could be anything at all. 

I am guessing that Monday night’s meeting will be a very long one. Which means I will likely not be back with the post-meeting summary until Tuesday evening, maybe even Wednesday evening. Who knows? Either way, I’ll be back! Have a great weekend Amherstburg! 

Monday December 5th Regular town council meeting

Well tonight was interesting. This was the new council’s very first meeting. Based on the light agenda, the meeting should have probably wrapped up in about an hour, but took two hours…..there were several recorded votes (I love those!) and even an impromptu in-camera meeting. I won’t blog through all of the minutia though, I’ll try to focus on the big picture, as council should! LOL! 

Councillor Pouget declared a conflict about the upcoming police contract issue. She said she had been in touch with the Integrity Commissioner today and he advised he needed more time to review her situation. She said she would declare a conflict until it was resolved. 

2023 Budget Directions & Schedule

Administration had prepared a report with the budget direction and schedule for 2023. Councillor Courtney wondered how administration would maintain the existing levels of service with a 0% budget increase. CAO Critchley explained that all members of the Senior Management Team will meet and go over the budget items together and look for efficiencies. She noted as well that there are pay increases from collective agreements that will need to be honoured. Ultimately though it will be council’s final decision regarding which levels of service to adopt. 

Councillor Pouget felt that many people want a 0% tax increase. She also felt that the proposed time line and schedule for the budget was better than in the past. 

Mayor Prue handed the gavel to Deputy Mayor Gibb so that he could speak. Mayor Prue proposed an amendment to the motion of accepting the timeline as presented to allow for the Audit and Finance Committee to be in place and have a meeting before February. 

All in all, it all passed. Here is the timeline : 

-Present & Table Budget January 30, 2023 

-Public Engagement(website) January 31st to Feb 12th, 2023 

-Public Event (TBD) February 11th, 2023 

Council Deliberations February 2023 

Operating Budgets: February 21st 2023 (6pm – 10pm) February 22nd 2023 (9am – 5:30pm) February 23rd 2023 (1pm –7pm, if required)

Capital Budget: February 27th, 2023 (6pm – 10pm) February 28th, 2023 (9am – 5:30pm) March 2nd 2023 (1 pm –7 pm, if required)

-Council Adoption of Budget March 2023 

Howard Industrial Park District Secondary Plan Area Interim Control By-law (supplementary agenda)

This above item was on a supplementary agenda so I was not able to read the report in advance. I did the best I could to get the gist of it. From what I understood, council gave direction in August to move forward with an Industrial Park District on Howard Avenue. This control by-law was proposed by administration since it would allow the town to freeze development in the area until the bylaw is completed. Council could make exceptions if necessary. It seems that it would only need to be in place until the end of March. As well, there were no financial impacts to implement this interim control bylaw. 

There was initially some confusion when Mayor Prue made a motion to receive the report but administration had to clarify that they were seeking approval for interim control, not just receipt of the report. After it was all figured out, there was a motion made and it carried. The Interim Control bylaw carried for the Howard Industrial Park District Secondary Plan. 

Amendment to By-law 2012-114, Respecting Taxi By-law – Rate Increase

It looks like there may be a rate increase for taxis in Amherstburg. It seems the local taxi service requested the bylaw to be amended since it had not been done since 2012.  Mr Tetler, Manager of Licensing, explained that Amherstburg was compared with 56 other municipalities and that it was time for an increase. It seems that the local taxi service is in support of this change. 

The motion was made and it carried. There will be a slight rate increase for taxi services in Amherstburg. 

Community Based Strategic Plan Development

In 2016, council had adopted a 5-year community based strategic plan. Since that was well over 5 years ago, it is time for this new council to consider and adopt a new Strategic Plan. 

This is from the background portion of the report and explains, in a nutshell, what a community Strategic Plan is. “A Community Based Strategic Plan is a key document which is created with Council and the Community and guides the direction of the Municipality, its major projects, and focus over the period of the plan. It provides the necessary information and direction for Council and staff to make rational, informed decisions, allocate resources, provide the right programs and services and address strategic issues facing the Municipality, now and into the future.”

Right out of the gate, Deputy Mayor Gibb made the motion, as per the report and it was seconded by Councillor McArthur. 

Here is the recommendation in the report : 

It is recommended that: 

1. Council DIRECT Administration to issue a Request for Proposal for a consultant to lead and facilitate the creation of a Community Based Strategic Plan; and 

2. Council APPROVE an upset limit of $70,000.00 to fund this project, which amount shall be funded from the Contingency Reserve. 

Councillor Allaire had some questions to ask that she had received from a resident. She asked why it was necessary to spend $70,000 for a consultant and wondered why we can’t just make the decision ourselves. CAO Critchley explained that it is best practice to hire a consultant that is well versed in laws and planning. She felt it was important to note that the Community Plan would be the community and council’s plan and not administration’s plan. The CAO noted that after the Community Based Strategic Plan was prepared that administration would then prepare a Corporate Strategic Plan with measurables to enact the Community Based Strategic Plan. Councillor Allaire mentioned that the last Strategic Plan cost $54,000. The CAO said that the approximate cost of the consultant in 2015 was $47,000 and the plan had been for 2016-2021. 

Councillor Allaire wondered if we had completed “the stuff” in the old strategic plan. CAO Critchley said she’d have to check to see but that COVID had gotten everything off track. She noted that some good progress was made but that she wasn’t sure what the measurables had been. 

Councillor Pouget felt she had serious concerns. She felt that the report said that council may wish to create a strategic plan but that it didn’t say they had to. She also felt that committees were not in place yet to comment about the plan. She also felt that $70,000 was too much and had hoped administration could handle the task and that she had not yet seen the 2023 budget. 

Councillor Courtney addressed Councillor Allaire directly (which I found somewhat odd since protocol is that council members are to address the mayor, but I digress….). He told Councillor Allaire that he hates consultation fees but that he thinks that this is a good $70,000 to spend since it ensures a game plan for decision-making. 

Councillor McArthur felt that it would be money well spent. He noted that administration has full time jobs to do and may not be experts in each area required for the Strategic Plan. He noted that there seems to be an element of mistrust and that a third party would be better to handle it. He felt it was important to get the ball rolling tonight at the first meeting of council to set the stage. He noted that the old plan was over 5 years old and out of date. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb felt that it was very important to get an impartial and unbiased person or entity to prepare the plan. He noted that the plan should be created by the residents and go directly to council. Then council can direct administration to implement the Strategic Plan. He felt that Amherstburg is a $53 Million / year operation and that to spend $14,000 per year over 5 years was miniscule to have a proper guiding document for council. He felt it was important to invest in finding out what the residents want. 

Mayor Prue once again handed off the gavel to Deputy Mayor Gibb so that he could speak. (He did this several times throughout the meeting and it was often confusing, at least for me anyway.) Mayor Prue felt that it need not be a “high priced” consultant and that somebody that was retired had done a great job in another municipality where he served 25 years ago. He mentioned reaching out to the community to see if somebody could do it. However, Mayor Prue did not ask to amend the motion to include his idea of reaching out to people in the community. 

A recorded vote was requested. Councillor McArthur noted that it was an upset limit of $70,000 for this plan. (That means maximum…..so it could be less.)

In support : Councillors Allaire, Courtney, Crain, Deputy Mayor Gibb, Councillor McArthur and Mayor Prue

Opposed : Councillor Pouget

Exemption to Business Licensing – The Core

There is a Night Market being planned for December 10th behind 61 Richmond Street. It seems that normally, for a “trade show”, a business license is required. However, administration is recommending an exemption of such a license since this is a one time event. It also seems that administration is currently reviewing bylaws and it is possible that a “trade show” will not require a license in the future. 

There were a few questions but ultimately this passed. No recorded vote but it was unanimous from what I could see. (I was there in person tonight)

2023 Special Events Approval-Part I

There are two upcoming events that require some approvals and exemptions. Here they are with the recommended exemptions : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The following events BE APPROVED: 

a. The House Youth Centre-Coldest Night of the Year Walk-February 25, 2023 

b. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

2. An exemption from table number 3-1(2) of Noise By-law #2001-43 with respect to the operation of any electronic device or group of connected electronic devices incorporating one or more loudspeakers to allow for music BE GRANTED for the following events: 

a. The House Youth Centre-Coldest Night of the Year Walk-February 25, 2023 

b. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

3. The following events BE EXEMPT and PERMITTED for road closures to begin prior to 5pm: a. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

4. The Public Events Committee BE DIRECTED to confirm that the requirements identified by the Committee are met prior to the event.

Councillor Courtney inquired about the True Festival. He noted that last time it happened, it was paid for with grant funding. He wondered what the cost would be now that the town is hosting the event. Ms Rota, Director of Tourism said that cost is approximately $4,500 to $5000 but that since the report was written a sponsor had shown interest in sponsoring the event. Other than wages, which are covered in the departments’ base budget, there would be no cost for the 2023 event. 

The motion was made and both events were approved, as per the recommendations noted above. 

Police Services Contract – Extension of Deadline to Renew

The discussion portion of the report explains this quite well, so here it is : “When the decision was made by Council to enter into the Agreement it committed that, prior to renewal, it would consult with the Community regarding the overall experience with the Windsor Police Service during the first term of the Contract. 

The original date to give notice of renewal was originally April 30, 2022, and, due to administrative turnover, and the 2022 Municipal Election, was then extended to June 30, 2022 and again to December 31, 2022. 

Mindful that there are a number of issues for the new Council to deal with in the month of December, and the fact that fulsome public consultation may not be attainable as we enter the holiday season, it is recommended that the deadline to renew the contract be finally extended to March 31, 2023. This will allow Administration to prepare a report regarding the first term of the Contract for Council’s consideration in an open public meeting during the first quarter of 2023. In this regard, Administration will strive to have this report before Council in January, 2023.”

Deputy Mayor Gibb asked administration if they were reasonably sure that there would not be any more delays. CAO Critchley said there should not be any more. 

Councillor McArthur inquired if the town had received any clarity about holding a position on the Police Services Board. It seems that Mayor DiCarlo, last term, held the position of a resident on the Board. It seems that Mayor Prue’s name has been put forward to hold the resident position during this next term. 

Eventually the motion passed. Here it is : 

It is recommended that:

1. Council APPROVE the extension of the deadline to renew the current Police Services Contract with the Windsor Police Service to March 31, 2023; and, 

2. The Chief Administrative Officer BE DIRECTED to execute the required documents to effect this extension

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Council went over some of the items in the unfinished business list from the old council. Mayor Prue suggested that council could adopt it and then go through it later. Ultimately, they did but some items were questioned. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb mentioned an item that was almost 3 years old and was still sitting on the list. He felt that it left the impression that nothing was being done. Councillor McArthur explained that it had to do with $75,000 that was reserved for Pat Thrasher Park. He noted that if they moved the money to the parks reserve fund it would get the item off of the unfinished business list. It was discussed, and ultimately there was a motion to move the money to reserves and encumber it specifically for that park. 

Councillor Allaire asked about the boat ramp at Ranta Park which was on the unfinished business list. Seems they’re still working on that report. 

NEW BUSINESS

Oh boy. There was a lot of new business……I guess this is why the 84 page agenda that should have equaled (at most) a one hour meeting, went on to last 2 hours…..??

Councillor Pouget made a motion to reinstate the accounts payable listings on the agenda. She noted that it used to be part of the agenda, then it stopped. It was requested to be put back on the agenda and it was intermittently again. She felt that it was important to be reconsidered and have it on the agenda to give council the right to view the items and to ask questions. She felt it was important to help regain public trust and that it helps administration. She also felt that it was another way to protect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from signing cheques. (Just a brief explanation, this is a report of cheques that have already been written…..I used to go through them at one time and tally up what we were paying out in legal fees…..but literally cheques for a few dollars for some nuts and bolts were in that report as well as cheques for car repairs, legal fees, you name it…..)

CAO Critchley explained that if this report was put back on the agenda, it would have to be rendered accessible which would cost approximately $1,000 per month and equaled about 6 hours of work. She noted that the surrounding municipalities had stopped this practice some time ago and that Leamington simply sends the information in an email directly to council rather than include it in the public reports. 

Councillor Pouget felt it was imperative to include the cheque listings in the agendas. She felt we had received a poor report card from KPMG. Ms Prince, the Treasurer, noted that KPMG had looked at large projects and had no issue with the cheque signing portion. Ms Prince also noted that the annual audit that is done checks all of this. 

Councillor Courtney wondered if administration could just email it all to council and then councillors could forward it to the residents that request a copy. He didn’t want the added cost involved for accessibility. 

CAO Critchley offered some caution that forwarding the document could involve privacy concerns and it could need to be redacted. She noted that council approves the budget and that administration has a professional responsibility to spend within the budget. 

Councillor McArthur did not seem to feel it was right to try to circumvent accessibility by just sending an email to council. He felt that he would support making the document public and that if there was a cost , that we’d have to eat it in the name of accountability and transparency, even if Amherstburg is the only municipality doing this. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb said that he would not support the motion. He felt that council had to have a level of trust for their administration and if there is really an issue of trust, then a different conversation would be required. He felt that having to pay $1,000 a month to provide information about cheques that are already signed was not a wise way to spend money. 

Councillor Courtney felt that Amherstburg is fractured and that he would support this to reinstate trust but that it may be revisited. 

Mayor Prue handed off the gavel again to offer a compromise of doing this for one year, due to the cost and then it could be revisited. 

Recorded vote : 

Support : Councillors Allaire, Courtney, Crain, McArthur, Pouget, Mayor Prue

Opposed : Deputy Mayor Gibb

(My two cents…..we seem to take 2 steps forward and then one step back …..going to spend $1,000 per month on something that other municipalities have moved away from since it seems to be a redundant and antiquated practice to print off lists of cheques that were already written…..oh well,….maybe I’ll start tallying up how much we spend monthly on toilet paper…..???)

Councillor Courtney talked about fundraising for a track at Centennial Park. It had been mentioned previously when the old council made the motion to spend $3 Million on that park. A motion was made for a report to be prepared to see how a fundraising committee could be formed. It passed. 

Councillor Crain made a motion to support Mr Dunn and the turkey giveaway. That carried. 

Councillor Pouget made a motion for the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor to address County council regarding the proposed  4.6% tax increase that is proposed for the county level. There was some discussion and it carried. 

Councillor Pouget then made a motion for administration to prepare a list of site plans approved due to Bill 109. That carried. 

Then council went in-camera. It seemed that they had to discuss some people by name. 

We waited about 10 minutes. The good news was that we were not asked to wait outside in the cold and the dark. Ironically, for anybody that follows my blog, I was kicked outside during an in-camera meeting along with three other people in the fall of 2015. That is part of the reason that this blog was born LOL. Memories……

When they came back to the public session, it was to vote on the following: 

Committee Structure Part One – Legislatively Mandated or Delegated Authority

It is recommended that: 

1. Administration BE DIRECTED to advertise for lay member positions in the local newspaper and on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s Boards and Committees Appointment Policy to recruit members for the following Local Boards and Committees: 

a. Amherstburg Accessibility Advisory Committee 

b. Co-An Park Committee 

c. Committee of Adjustment 

d. Dangerous Dog Appeal Committee 

e. Drainage Board 

f. Fence Viewers 

g. Heritage Committee 

h. Livestock Evaluators 

i. Property Standards 

j. Audit and Finance Advisory Committee 

2. Deputy Mayor Gibb and ___________ BE FORWARDED to the Essex County Striking Committee for consideration as Town representatives to the Essex County Library Board; and, 3. Mayor Prue BE APPOINTED to the Essex Power Board of Directors; and, 

4. ___________ and ___________ BE APPOINTED as Council member representatives to the Essex Region Conservation Authority; and, 

5. Administration BE DIRECTED to amend the Boards and Committee Appointment Policy as noted in the December 5th report entitled Committee Structure Part One – Legislatively Mandated or Delegated Authority. 

For item #2, Deputy Mayor Gibb and Patricia Jarvis were named for the Library Board. This item carried. 

Then for item #4……council went around the table to see who would be interested in sitting on the ERCA board. Councillors Courtney, Allaire and Crain expressed their interest and would be willing to accept. However only two people could sit on the board. So each member of council voted for 2 people and the majority won. Here is how they each voted, yes I wrote it down. 

Deputy Mayor Gibb voted for Allaire and Crain

Councillor Pouget voted for Courtney and Allaire

Councillor Courtney voted for Courtney and Allaire

Councillor Allaire voted for Allaire and Courtney

Councillor Crain voted for Crain and Courtney

Councillor McArthur voted for Crain and Allaire

Mayor Prue voted for Courtney and Allaire

So, Councillors Courtney and Allaire will sit on the ERCA Board for this term. 

Draw your own conclusions from the votes above. I’ve already drawn mine. 

The meeting adjourned at 8PM. If an 84-page agenda took 2 hours, I’m afraid for when the real 500-page agendas start rolling out…..the old council had Marathon meetings. This one might be doing Iron Man meetings if things keep trending this way. 

There’s another meeting next Monday, so I will be back in a few days with another pre-meeting blog! Are we having fun yet? LOL! 

Overall, tonight wasn’t too bad. I guess. 

In preparation for Monday December 5th Regular town council meeting

Well, after a month off from council meetings, it’s time to get back at it! The new council will have a planning meeting scheduled at 4:00 and then the regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00. I don’t generally attend the planning meetings and after eight years of this, I’m not about to start now! LOL The agenda for the regular meeting is only 84 pages! So that is great news! Here are the highlights for the regular meeting : 

2023 Budget Directions & Schedule

It looks like administration is recommending for council to give direction not only for a 2023 budget but also for a new 5-year capital budget. From the report : 

“The Town of Amherstburg prepares an annual budget that is approved by Council and includes all projected operational and capital expenditures for all municipal service areas. Each annual budget is made up of the following components:  

Operating – The income in this budget is primarily derived from property taxes and user fees. The budget covers the day-to-day expenses of the town for municipal services and programs. Some examples are road maintenance and repairs, snow removal, the provision of recreational programs, by-law enforcement, and fire and police services.  

NEW 5-year Capital – The income in this budget can be from property taxes, reserves, development charges, issued debt, grants, and co-share with others, such as the county or developers. The budget covers municipal projects related to new assets or rehabilitation of existing ones, including roads, sewers, water mains, bridges, fleet replacements, and more. Council will be approving and committing to the 2023 Capital Investment.”

 I think this is a great concept to start to plan ahead into the future, rather than simply year to year.

Here is the proposed schedule and timeline for the 2023 budget:

-Present & Table Budget January 30, 2023 

-Public Engagement(website) January 31st to Feb 12th, 2023 

-Public Event (TBD) February 11th, 2023 

Council Deliberations February 2023 

Operating Budgets: February 21st 2023 (6pm – 10pm) February 22nd 2023 (9am – 5:30pm) February 23rd 2023 (1pm –7pm, if required)

Capital Budget: February 27th, 2023 (6pm – 10pm) February 28th, 2023 (9am – 5:30pm) March 2nd 2023 (1 pm –7 pm, if required)

-Council Adoption of Budget March 2023 

Amendment to By-law 2012-114, Respecting Taxi By-law – Rate Increase

It looks like there may be a rate increase for taxis in Amherstburg. It seems the local taxi service requested the bylaw to be amended since it had not been done since 2012. Since it has been 10 years, it seems reasonable to consider an increase at this time. 

Community Based Strategic Plan Development

In 2016, council had adopted a 5-year community based strategic plan. Since that was well over 5 years ago, it is time for this new council to consider and adopt a new Strategic Plan. 

This is from the background portion of the report and explains, in a nutshell, what a community Strategic Plan is. “A Community Based Strategic Plan is a key document which is created with Council and the Community and guides the direction of the Municipality, its major projects, and focus over the period of the plan. It provides the necessary information and direction for Council and staff to make rational, informed decisions, allocate resources, provide the right programs and services and address strategic issues facing the Municipality, now and into the future.”

It seems obvious, at least to me, that we need a new Strategic Plan. The purpose of the plan is to consult with the community so that priorities and objectives can be identified, but also measured and monitored. The plan would be a guiding document for council in order to help with decision-making. According to the report, a consultant is generally hired (via RFP) to work with council and the community to complete the document. Once the Community Strategic Plan is in place, administration will use the priorities and action plans to create a Corporate Strategic Plan. 

Here is the recommendation in the report : 

It is recommended that: 

1. Council DIRECT Administration to issue a Request for Proposal for a consultant to lead and facilitate the creation of a Community Based Strategic Plan; and 

2. Council APPROVE an upset limit of $70,000.00 to fund this project, which amount shall be funded from the Contingency Reserve. 

Exemption to Business Licensing – The Core

There is a Night Market being planned for December 10th behind 61 Richmond Street. It seems that normally, for a “trade show”, a business license is required. However, administration is recommending an exemption of such a license since this is a one time event. It also seems that administration is currently reviewing bylaws and it is possible that a “trade show” will not require a license in the future. 

2023 Special Events Approval-Part I

There are two upcoming events that require some approvals and exemptions. One stood out to me. It’s the True Festival. I remember going to that event in February 2020 and I had such a great time. Little did I know that that would be the last festival/event that I would go to for quite a long time…..because COVID hit in March 2020…..and the world shut down. But, enough walking down memory lane…..onward we go. Here are the two events and the recommended exemptions : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The following events BE APPROVED: 

a. The House Youth Centre-Coldest Night of the Year Walk-February 25, 2023 

b. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

2. An exemption from table number 3-1(2) of Noise By-law #2001-43 with respect to the operation of any electronic device or group of connected electronic devices incorporating one or more loudspeakers to allow for music BE GRANTED for the following events: 

a. The House Youth Centre-Coldest Night of the Year Walk-February 25, 2023 

b. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

3. The following events BE EXEMPT and PERMITTED for road closures to begin prior to 5pm: a. True Fest – January 28, 2023 

4. The Public Events Committee BE DIRECTED to confirm that the requirements identified by the Committee are met prior to the event.

Sounds like two great events!

Committee Structure Part One – Legislatively Mandated or Delegated Authority

It looks like administration wants to start advertising for people to apply to be on various town committees. Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. Administration BE DIRECTED to advertise for lay member positions in the local newspaper and on the Town’s website in accordance with the Town’s Boards and Committees Appointment Policy to recruit members for the following Local Boards and Committees: 

a. Amherstburg Accessibility Advisory Committee 

b. Co-An Park Committee 

c. Committee of Adjustment 

d. Dangerous Dog Appeal Committee 

e. Drainage Board 

f. Fence Viewers 

g. Heritage Committee 

h. Livestock Evaluators 

i. Property Standards 

j. Audit and Finance Advisory Committee 

2. Deputy Mayor Gibb and ___________ BE FORWARDED to the Essex County Striking Committee for consideration as Town representatives to the Essex County Library Board; and, 3. Mayor Prue BE APPOINTED to the Essex Power Board of Directors; and, 

4. ___________ and ___________ BE APPOINTED as Council member representatives to the Essex Region Conservation Authority; and, 

5. Administration BE DIRECTED to amend the Boards and Committee Appointment Policy as noted in the December 5th report entitled Committee Structure Part One – Legislatively Mandated or Delegated Authority. 

Police Services Contract – Extension of Deadline to Renew

The discussion portion of the report explains this quite well, so here it is : “When the decision was made by Council to enter into the Agreement it committed that, prior to renewal, it would consult with the Community regarding the overall experience with the Windsor Police Service during the first term of the Contract. 

The original date to give notice of renewal was originally April 30, 2022, and, due to administrative turnover, and the 2022 Municipal Election, was then extended to June 30, 2022 and again to December 31, 2022. 

Mindful that there are a number of issues for the new Council to deal with in the month of December, and the fact that fulsome public consultation may not be attainable as we enter the holiday season, it is recommended that the deadline to renew the contract be finally extended to March 31, 2023. This will allow Administration to prepare a report regarding the first term of the Contract for Council’s consideration in an open public meeting during the first quarter of 2023. In this regard, Administration will strive to have this report before Council in January, 2023.”

According to the risk analysis of the report, there is no risk to the municipality to extend the deadline to renew the contract. 

CONSENT CORRESPONDENCE

There are eight items before council for consent correspondence. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The unfinished business list from the previous council will be before council. 

NEW BUSINESS

Any member of council can bring forward any new business items during this portion of the meeting. 

By-law 2022-106 – To Appoint a Municipal Clerk and Deputy Clerks

Looks like Kevin Fox will be appointed as the new Clerk for Amherstburg. Bill Tettler and Tammy Fowkes will both be appointed as Deputy Clerk. 

And that’s it! Only an 84 page agenda!!! I am looking forward to watching Monday night’s new council in action for their first meeting. Considering the short and sweet agenda, I’m hoping for the same for the meeting. I guess time will tell! I’ll be back after the meeting with a summary…..Monday night maybe? If not, Tuesday night is likely….. See you then!