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09 - April 22, 2025 County Council Minuteslin ZkulnciaL= Elgin County Council Regular Council Meeting Minutes April 22, 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 Councillor Jack Couckuyt Councillor Andrew Sloan Councillor Todd Noble Councillor Mike Hentz Councillor Richard Leatham Staff Present: Blaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Nicholas Loeb, Director of Legal Services Michele Harris, Director of Homes and Seniors 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 Carolyn Krahn, Manager of Economic Development, Tourism & Strategic Initiatives Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk Jeff Lawrence, Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector (virtual) Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator 1. Meeting Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. with Warden Jones in the chair. 2. Approval of Agenda Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the April 22, 2025 Meeting of County Council be approved as presented. Motion Carried. 3. Introductions, Recognitions, Memorials None. 4. Adoption of Minutes Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on April 8, 2025 be adopted. Motion Carried. 5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof None. 6. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations None. 7. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT Items CW25-1 - CW25-4 from the Committee of the Whole Meeting dated April 8, 2025 and the recommendations therein be adopted. Motion Carried. 8. Committee Recommendations None. 9. Reports for Information and Immediate Consideration 9.1 Warden Jones - Warden's Activity Report (March 2025) Warden Jones presented a report detailing his activities during the month of March 2025. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Warden's Activity Report (March 2025)" from Warden Jones dated April 22, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.2 Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector - Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Quarterly Report July — September 2024 and Quarterly Report October — December 2024 The Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector provided a report summarizing the activity related to the Elgin Woodlands Conservation By -Law and weed inspection for the period of July 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024. Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Quarterly Report July — September 2024 and Quarterly Report October — December 2024" from the Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector dated April 22, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.3 Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector - Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Year End Report 2024 The Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector provided a report summarizing activity related to the Elgin County Woodlands Conservation By -Law and weed inspection for 2024. Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Noble 2 RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Year End Report 2024" from the Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector dated April 22, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.4 Manager of Economic Development, Tourism & Strategic Initiatives - Website Modernization Project — Elgin Tourism Website Launch The Manager of Economic Development, Tourism & Strategic Initiatives presented a report informing Council that the County's new tourism website has launched and this completes the final step of the County's website modernization project. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Website Modernization Project - Elgin Tourism Website Launch" from the Manager of Economic Development, Tourism and Strategic Initiatives dated April 22, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 10. Council Correspondence Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Items 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.6 be received and filed. Motion Carried. Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Giguere RESOLVED THAT Elgin County Council support the email from Howick Township to Premier and Ministers regarding the installation of new utility poles through the accelerated high speed internet project; and THAT these concerns be brought forward at the 2025 SWIFT AGM. Motion Carried. 10.1 2025 Elgin County Warden's Golf Tournament Poster 10.2 Email Newsletter from St. Thomas Local Immigration Partnership (STELIP) for April 2025 10.3 Resolution from the Prince Edward -Lennox and Addington Social Services Committee re: Ontario Works Financial Assistance Rates 10.4 Resolution from the Township of Central Frontenac re: US Tariff Response 10.5 Email from Howick Township to Premier and Ministers re: Installation of New Utility Poles through the Accelerated High Speed Internet Project 10.6 Letter from Mayor of the Town of Saugeen Shores to Honourable Rob Flack re: Opposition to O.Reg. 530122 to Expand Strong Mayor Powers 11. Statements/Inquiries by Members 11.1 Warden Jones -Aylmer Library Relocation Consultation 3 Warden Jones announced that the County will be hosting a public meeting on May 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Imperial Hall of the East Elgin Community Complex to gather feedback on the potential relocation of the Aylmer Library to this location. Warden Jones also announced that there will be a three-week period of online engagement for public feedback through engageelgin.ca following this meeting. 12. Closed Meeting Items Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Councillor Leatham 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 -April 8 2025 Closed Meeting Item #2 - Labour Relations Update - ONA Interest Arbitration Award (d) labour relations or employee negotiations Motion Carried. 12.1 Closed Meeting Minutes -April 8, 2025 12.2 Director of People and Culture - Labour Relations Update - ONA Interest Arbitration Award 13. Motion to Rise and Report Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT we do now rise and report. Motion Carried. Closed Meeting Item #1 - Closed Meeting Minutes -April 8 2025 Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT the closed meeting minutes of the April 8, 2025 County Council Meeting be adopted. Motion Carried. Closed Meeting Item #2 - Labour Relations Update - ONA Interest Arbitration Award Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT County Council receive and file the report titled "Labour Relations Update - ONA Interest Arbitration Award" from the Director of People and Culture dated April 22, 2025. Motion Carried. 14. Consideration of By -Laws 14.1 By -Law No. 25-18 Debenture 0 A By -Law of the Corporation of the County of Elgin to Authorize the Borrowing Upon Amortizing Debentures in the Principal Amount of $6,000,000.00 Towards the Cost of the Terrace Lodge Rebuild. Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-18 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 14.2 By -Law No. 25-19 Confirmation Being a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the April 22, 2025 Meeting. Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-19 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 15. Adjournment Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 9:45 a.m. to meet again on May 13, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Motion Carried. B aine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk.