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18 - September 9, 2025 County Council MinutesElginCounty Elgin County Council Regular Council Meeting Minutes September 9, 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 Jeff Brooks, Manager of Emergency Management (virtual) Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk Diana Morris, Senior Planner 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 The Warden stated that an addendum titled "Investments 2024 Annual Report" from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer has been distributed by paper copy to Council and requested that the agenda be amended to include this report. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the September 9, 2025 County Council Meeting be approved as amended. Motion Carried. 3. Introductions, Recognitions, Memorials None. 4. Adoption of Minutes Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the open and closed session minutes of the meeting and the special meeting held on August 12, 2025 be adopted. Motion Carried. 5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof None. 6. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations 6.1 Dick Greenway - Delegation regarding Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T- MA24001, Township of Malahide, 12044 Dorchester Road Dick Greenway stated to Council that the Township of Malahide has recommended to withdraw the conditions from the Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T MA24001 that the applicant contested. Mr. Greenway stated that the applicant would be pleased to proceed with the other conditions and sought Council's approval of the draft plan. Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the delegation from Dick Greenway regarding Draft Plan of Subdivision 34T-MA24001, Township of Malahide, 12044 Dorchester Road be received and filed. Motion Carried. 7. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole 7.1 Recommendations of Committee of the Whole -August 12, 2025 Council recessed at 9:11 a.m. due to technical difficulties that impacted the livestream and reconvened at 9:22 a.m. Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT items CW25-47 - CW25-50, and CW25-52, and CW25- 54 - CW25-57 from the Committee of the Whole meeting dated August 12, 2025 and the recommendations therein be adopted. Motion Carried. Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Councillor Giguere 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 Conditions of Approval 19 and 20 be removed; and THAT staff be directed to provide notice of this decision subject to the conditions of final approval in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act. Motion Carried. K Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Sloan 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 recommendations for plans for cycle lanes be removed from the Transportation Master Plan Study recommendations; and THAT the amended Draft Multimodal Transportation Networks and Strategies presentation outlining the TMP's draft recommendations be approved so that the study can proceed to the final TMP implementation report Phase 4. Motion Carried. 8. Committee Recommendations 8.1 Homes Committee of Management -August 12, 2025 Draft Meeting Minutes 9. Reports for Information and Immediate Consideration 9.1 Warden Jones - Warden's Activity Report (August 2025) Warden Jones presented the report that provides a high-level summary of the meetings and official functions he attended during the month of August 2025. Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Warden's Activity Report (August 2025)" from Warden Jones dated September 9, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.2 Director of Financial Services/Treasurer - Investments - 2024 Annual Report (walk-on) The Director of Financial Services/Treasurer presented the report summarizing annual investments for the year ending December 21, 2024 as is required under Section 8(1) of Ontario Regulation 438/97, issued under section 418(6) of the Municipal Act 2001. Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Investments - 2024 Annual Report" from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer dated September 9, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.3 Director of Financial Services/Treasurer - 2024 Year End Financial Summary and Statement Review The Director of Financial Services/Treasurer provided a presentation for the report titled "2024 Year End Financial Summary and Statement Review" for Council's information and approval. Rob Foster CPA, CA, Partner, and Blake Gough, CPA, CA, Senior Manager, from the auditor Graham Scott Enns LLP presented the Financial Statements. 91 Council recessed at 9:55 a.m. for the ChildCan flag raising in recognition of Childhood CancerAwareness Month. Council reconvened at 10:28 a.m. Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT the report titled "2024 Year End Financial Summary and Statement Review" from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer dated September 9, 2025 be received and filed; and THAT the Financial Statements for the Corporation of the County of Elgin, dated December 31, 2024, be approved as amended and that the Warden, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk and Director of Financial Services/Treasurer be authorized to affix their signatures; and THAT the 2024 statements, once signed, be distributed to funding partners and included as part of the 2024 Annual Report, which will be posted on the County of Elgin website. Motion Carried. 9.4 Director of Planning and Development - County of Elgin Official Plan Approval The Director of Planning and Development presented the report informing Council that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing approved the County of Elgin Council adopted Official Plan and highlighting the history of the approval and discussion of next steps. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the report titled "County of Elgin Official Plan Approval" from the Director of Planning and Development dated September 9, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 10. Council Correspondence Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Items 10.1 - 10.9 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 10.1 2025 AccessAbility Open House Poster 10.2 Western Ontario Warden's Caucus Press Release and Photos - WOWC Advances Rural Priorities 10.3 2024/2025 Impact Report from the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP) 10.4 Resolution from the Council of the City of Brantford re: Advocacy for Provincial Scrap Metal Legislation and Bail System Reform 10.5 Resolution from the Council of the County of Oxford RE: Correspondence from the Township of Zorra regarding Minister of Education review of governance of Thames Valley District School Board 10.6 Email from Megan Shannon, Enbridge Advisor, Municipal & Stakeholder Engagement RE: Ministry of Energy and Mines' consultation on the Future of Community Natural Gas Expansion 10.7 Resolution from the Council of the Township of Terrace Bay RE: Exemption to O. Reg. 343122 - Firefighter Certification Requirements 10.8 Letter from the Elgin Clean Water Program RE: Update on Maintenance Funding Category Request 10.9 Resolution from the Council of the Municipality of Central Elgin re: Petition and Correspondence - Proposed new Sidewalk on St. George St., Lynhurst 10.10 Flag Raising and Proclamation Request from the Elgin St. Thomas Coalition to End Poverty Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT County Council approve the Elgin -St. Thomas Coalition to End Poverty's request for a flag raising in October. Motion Carried. 11. Statements/Inquiries by Members None. 12. Closed Meeting Items None. 12.1 Closed Meeting Minutes -August 12, 2025 12.2 Closed Special Meeting Minutes -August 12, 2025 13. Motion to Rise and Report None. 14. Consideration of By -Laws 14.1 By -Law No. 25-32 Confirmation BEING a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the September 9, 2025 Meeting. Moved by: Councillor Giguere Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-32 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 15. Adjournment Moved by: Councillor Hentz Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 10:57 a.m. to meet again on September 23, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Motion Carried. "grairie Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk. 9