08 - August 12, 2025 Committee of the Whole MinutesElgin County Council
Committee of the Whole Meeting
Minutes
August 12, 2025, 10:00 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
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
Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator
Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator
Jeff Brooks, Manager of Emergency Management
1. Meeting Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 11:16 a.m. with Warden Jones in the chair.
2. Approval of Agenda
Resolution Number: CW25-47
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the August 12, 2025 Committee of the Whole
Meeting be approved as presented.
Motion Carried.
3. Adoption of Minutes
Resolution Number: CW25-48
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on July 8, 2025 be adopted.
Motion Carried.
4. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
5. Members' Motions
None.
6. Reports of Council, Staff or Outside Boards
6.1 Director of People & Culture - Group Benefits Consultant — Contract
Award (RFP No. 2025-P19)
The Director of People & Culture presented the report seeking Council's
approval to award the contract for a Group Benefits Consultant to People
Corporation for a five (5) year term in the amount of $350,000 excluding
HST.
Resolution Number: CW25-49
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT the contract for a Group Benefits Consultant, Request
for Proposal 2025-P19 be awarded to People Corporation for a five (5)
year term in the amount of $350,000.00 (excluding HST); and
THAT staff be authorized to extend the contract for an additional five (5),
one (1) year terms; and
THAT the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer be directed and
authorized to sign the contract.
Motion Carried.
6.2 Senior Planner - Official Plan Amendment No. 25 in the Town of
Aylmer
The Senior Planner presented the report recommending that County
Council approve Official Plan Amendment No. 25 to the Official Plan of the
Town of Aylmer.
Resolution Number: CW25-50
Moved by: Councillor Couckuyt
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin
approves Official Plan Amendment No. 25 to the Official Plan of the Town
of Aylmer; and
THAT staff be directed to provide Notice of this Decision in accordance
with the requirements of the Planning Act.
Motion Carried.
6.3 Senior Planner - Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T-MA24001, Township of
Malahide
The Senior Planner presented the report recommending that County
Council grant draft plan approval to the Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T
MA24001, Township of Malahide, 12044 Dorchester Road.
Steve Cornwell, Planner from CJDL Engineering and Dick Greenway each
provided comments related to the report.
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Resolution Number: CW25-51
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin
grants draft plan approval to Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T-MA24001,
Township of Malahide, 12044 Dorchester Road, by Cyril J Demeyere on
behalf of Kevin & Rosemary Saarloos, dated January 15, 2024; and
THAT staff be directed to provide notice of decision subject to the
conditions of final approval in accordance with the requirements of the
Planning Act.
Defeated.
6.4 Director of Planning and Development - Update on Planning and
Development Department
The Director of Planning & Development presented the report seeking
Council's approval to hire a senior policy planner to respond to increased
workload of both County and Local Municipal Partner planning projects.
Resolution Number: CW25-52
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Update on Planning and Development
Department" from the Director of Planning and Development dated August
12, 2025 be received and filed; and
THAT Council utilize the 2025 Planning Department budget to hire a
senior policy planner to help provide additional policy planning expertise
and capacity for both County related projects and Local Municipal Partner
planning projects.
Motion Carried.
6.5 Director of Engineering Services - Transportation Master Plan —
Study Recommendations
Councillor Couckuyt left the meeting at 12:30 p.m.
Council recessed at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened at 1:13 p.m.
The Director of Engineering Services presented the report seeking
Council's approval for the Draft Multimodal Transportation Networks and
Strategies in order to move on to the next phase of the development of the
County's Transportation Master Plan (TMP).
Wendy MacMillan, a representative from the Elgin -St. Thomas Age
Friendly Committee, provided comments related to the Transportation
Master Plan Study Recommendations.
Resolution Number: CW25-53
Moved by: Councillor Leatham
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Transportation Master Plan — Study
Recommendations" from the Director of Engineering Services dated
August 12, 2025 be received and filed; and
THAT the attached "Draft Multimodal Transportation Networks and
Strategies" presentation, outlining the TMP's Draft Recommendations be
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approved so that the study can proceed to the final TMP implementation
report (Phase 4).
Motion Carried.
6.6 Director of Legal Services - LS 25-3 — Elgin County Shared Services
The Director of Legal Services presented the report that provides
information about the contracted services that the County provides for
other public entities, ad hoc consulting services and centralized services,
and is seeking Council's direction for staff to prepare standard terms and
conditions for those services for Council's consideration at a future
meeting.
Resolution Number: CW25-54
Moved by: Councillor Sloan
Seconded by: Councillor Noble
RESOLVED THAT the report titled "LS 25-3 — County Shared Services"
from the Director of Legal Services dated August 12, 2025 be received
and filed; and
THAT staff develop a philosophy and policy framework to govern when
and how the County will sell services to external organizations to be
considered by Council at a future meeting.
Motion Carried.
6.7 Director of Legal Services - LS 25-4 Elgin-Medavie Leases
The Director of Legal Services presented the report seeking Council's
authorization to enter into 2024-2026 leases for all ambulance bases and
the community paramedicine office with Medavie EMS Elgin Ontario Inc.
Resolution Number: CW25-55
Moved by: Councillor Leatham
Seconded by: Councillor Giguere
RESOLVED THAT Council receive the report titled "LS 25-4 Elgin-Medavie
Leases" dated August 6, 2025 from the Director of Legal Services and file
it for information; and
THAT Council authorize the CAO and Warden to execute leases with
Medavie EMS Elgin Ontario Inc. for all ambulance bases and the
Community Paramedicine offices in the County Administration Building, as
set out in this report.
Motion Carried.
6.8 Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk - Live Fire Training Structure and
Exterior Live Fire Training System for Elgin -Middlesex Regional Fire
School — Contract Award
The Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk presented the report that provides
details on the Request for Proposal (RFP) that was issued to solicit
proposals from firms capable of providing Fire Training Structures and
seeks Council's approval to award the contract.
Resolution Number: CW25-56
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the contract for the design, supply, installation and
training associated with a Class A Live Fire Training Structure and
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Equipment, Request for Proposal 2025-P08 be awarded to Drager
Canada Ltd. in the amount of $659,000 (excluding HST); and
THAT the Class B Exterior Live Fire Training System be purchased from
Drager Canada Ltd. in the amount of $66,520.00 (excluding HST); and
THAT additional fire training props for the Class B Exterior Live Fire
Training System be purchased from Drager Canada Ltd., in an amount not
to exceed $70,000 (excluding HST); and
THAT the Manager of Procurement & Risk be directed and authorized to
issue a purchase order for this project.
Motion Carried.
7. Adjournment
Resolution Number: CW25-57
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Sloan
RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 2:29 p.m. to meet again on September
9, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Motion Carried.
me Parkin,
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk.
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