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06 - March 25, 2025 County Council MinutesElginCounty Elgin County Council Minutes March 25, 2025, 9:00 a.m. Council Chambers 450 Sunset Drive St. Thomas ON Members Present: Warden Grant Jones Deputy Warden Ed Ketchabaw Councillor Dominique Giguere Councillor Mark Widner (virtual) Councillor Jack Couckuyt Councillor Andrew Sloan (virtual) Councillor Todd Noble Councillor Mike Hentz Councillor Richard Leatham (virtual) Staff Present: Blaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Nicholas Loeb, Director of Legal Services Brian Masschaele, Director of Community & Cultural Services Jennifer Ford, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer Peter Dutchak, Director of Engineering Services Mat Vaughan, Director of Planning and Development Holly Hurley, Director of People & Culture Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk Natalie Marlowe, Manager of Library Services Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. with Warden Jones in the chair. 2. Adoption of Minutes Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on March 11, 2025 be adopted. Motion Carried. 3. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof 4. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations 4.1 Cynthia St. John, Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Public Health - Health Status Highlights from Our Communities The Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Public Health, Cynthia St. John, provided a presentation on Health Status Highlights for the Oxford - Elgin - St. Thomas region. Moved by: Councillor Couckuyt Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the presentation from the Chief Executive Officer of Southwestern Public Health be received and filed. Motion Carried. 4.2 Cynthia Grant -Aylmer Library Relocation Cynthia Grant, a resident of the Town of Aylmer, provided a presentation to Council regarding the Aylmer Library Relocation. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the presentation from Cynthia Grant regarding the Aylmer Library Relocation be received and filed. Motion Carried. 5. Committee of the Whole Council recessed at 9:59 a.m. and reconvened at 10:09 a.m. Moved by: Councillor Couckuyt Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT we do now move into Committee of the Whole. Motion Carried. 6. Reports of Council, Outside Boards and Staff 6.1 Director of Financial Services/Treasurer - Server Infrastructure Refresh Project - Contract Award The Director of Financial Services/Treasurer presented a report providing details on the Request for Proposal (RFP) that was issued to solicit proposals from two technology firms to replace servers for the County of Elgin for Council's approval. Moved by: Councillor Couckuyt Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the contract for the Server Infrastructure Refresh project, Request for Proposal 2024-P37 be awarded to CDW Canada Corp. in the amount of $349,985.00 (excluding HST); and THAT the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer be directed and authorized to sign the contract. Motion Carried. 6.2 Director of Financial Services/Treasurer - 2024 Council and Outside Boards Remuneration and Expenses The Director of Financial Services/Treasurer presented a report providing an itemized statement on remuneration and expenses paid in the previous year to each member of Council, in compliance with Section 284 of the Municipal Act. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the report titled "2024 Council and Outside Boards and Remuneration Expenses" from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer dated March 25, 2025 be received and filed. 2 Motion Carried. 6.3 Legislative Services Coordinator - Elgin County Sponsorship Program 2025 Application Submissions Legislative Services Coordinator Jenna Fentie presented a report providing Council with the sponsorship application submissions for 2025 and a recommendation for Council's authorization to award funding to the eligible applicants and to amend the Elgin County Grant and Sponsorship Policy to indicate that applications under the Sponsorship category be reviewed directly by Council. Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT County Council approve the sponsorship funding allocations totalling $46,000 as recommended in the report titled "Elgin County Sponsorship Program 2025 Application Submissions"; and THAT the Elgin County Grant and Sponsorship Policy be amended to indicate that applications under the Sponsorship category be reviewed directly by Council. Motion Carried. 6.4 Director of Planning and Development - Letter to MMAH Re Official Plan Update The Director of Planning and Development presented a report seeking Council's approval of a draft letter to be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. This letter outlines requested changes to the County of Elgin's adopted Official Plan to accommodate the County's updated population and employment projections and lands needs assessment. Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Giguere RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Letter to MMAH Re Official Plan Update" from the Director of Planning and Development dated March 25, 2025 be received and filed; and THAT Council endorses the proposed modifications to the adopted Elgin County Official Plan and directs staff to forward said modifications to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for his consideration when approving the Official Plan. Motion Carried. 6.5 Director of Legal Services - LS 25-1 Administrative Services Agreement — Elgin OPP Detachment Board The Director of Legal Services presented a report providing a draft Agreement for the County to provide Administrative Services to the Elgin OPP Detachment Board for Council's approval. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT the report titled "LS 25-1 Administrative Services Agreement — Elgin OPP Detachment Board" from the Director of Legal Services dated March 25, 2025 be received and filed; and THAT the draft Administrative Services Agreement attached as Appendix 1 to the report be approved for presentation to the Elgin OPP Detachment Board Chair and that the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to sign the Agreement. i41 Motion Carried. 7. Council Correspondence 7.1 Items for Consideration None. 7.2 Items for Information (Consent Agenda) Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Giguere RESOLVED THAT correspondence items 7.2.1 - 7.2.3 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 7.2.1 Letter from Kirk Barons, Chair of Downtown Aylmer Library Expansion Supporters re: Downtown Aylmer Library 7.2.2 Letter from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to the Honourable Doug Ford re: Social Housing Stimulus 7.2.3 Email from Thames Valley District School Board re: Community Planning and Facility Collaboration Opportunities Meeting 8. Other Business 8.1 Statements/inquiries by Members None. 8.2 Notice of Motion None. 8.3 Matters of Urgency Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT a verbal report regarding Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) arbitration from the Director of Legal Services be added to the agenda as a matter of urgency. Motion Carried. 8.3.1 Director of Legal Services - ONA Interest Arbitration The Director of Legal Services provided a high level verbal report on the ONA Interest Arbitration including the following summary: An interest arbitration hearing was held before the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act Board in December 2024 seeking resolution for outstanding issues between ONA and the County of Elgin. The Director of Legal Services received the decision on the ONA interest arbitration on March 24, 2025, and it is now a public award as of March 25, 2025. The award reflects patterning of the central hospital agreement and also includes some adjustments to other benefits and shift premiums. Further analysis of legal, financial, and labour relations implications will be presented to Council in the future. Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the verbal update regarding ONA interest arbitration from the Director of Legal Services be received and filed. _rl Motion Carried. 9. Closed Meeting Items Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT we do now proceed into closed meeting session in accordance with the Municipal Act to discuss the following matters under Municipal Act Section 239 (2): Closed Meeting Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes Closed Meeting Item #2 - Human Resources Matter (verbal), (b) personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees. Motion Carried. 9.1 Closed Meeting Minutes - March 11, 2025 9.2 Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk - Human Resources Matter (verbal) 10. Motion to Rise and Report Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Giguere RESOLVED THAT we do now rise and report. Motion Carried. Closed Meeting Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes - March 11, 2025 Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the closed meeting minutes from the meeting held on March 11, 2025 be adopted. Motion Carried. Closed Meeting Item #2 - Human Resources Matter (verbal) Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the confidential verbal update from the Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk be received and filed. Motion Carried. 11. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT we do now adopt recommendations of the Committee of the Whole. Motion Carried. 12. Consideration of By -Laws 5 12.1 By -Law No. 25-13 Committee By -Law Being a By -Law to Define the Mandate and Meeting Procedures for Committees Established by the Corporation of the County of Elgin. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-13 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 12.2 By -Law No. 25-14 Confirmation Being a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the March 25, 2025 Meeting. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-14 be now read a first, second and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 13. Adjournment Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 11:08 a.m. to meet again on April 8, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Motion Carried. Blaine arkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk. n