21 - October 28, 2025 County Council MinutesElginCounty
Elgin County Council
Regular Council Meeting
Minutes
October 28, 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 Mike Hentz
Councillor Richard Leatham
Members Absent: Councillor Andrew Sloan (with notice)
Councillor Todd Noble (with notice)
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
Mat Vaughan, Director of Planning and Development
Holly Hurley, Director of People & Culture
Emily Waldick, Manager of Human Resources
Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative
Services/Deputy Clerk
Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator
Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator
Jason Warren, Manager of IT
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 Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the October 28, 2025 County Council Meeting
be approved as presented.
Motion Carried.
3. Introductions, Recognitions, Memorials
None.
4. Adoption of Minutes
Moved by: Councillor Leatham
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on October 14, 2025 be
adopted.
Motion Carried.
5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
6. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations
6.1 Steph Ouellet, CEO, Paul Cavanagh, Board Vice -Chair and Murray
Mackey, Board Treasurer Secretary, Alzheimer Society Southwest
Partners - Reimagining Dementia Care
Steph Ouellet, CEO, Paul Cavanagh, Board Vice -Chair and Murray
Mackey, Board Treasurer/Secretary of the Alzheimer Society Southwest
Partners provided a presentation to Council detailing the programs and
services provided to support dementia care in Elgin County.
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Giguere
RESOLVED THAT the presentation from the Alzheimer Society Southwest
Partners be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
6.2 Mary Van Den Neucker MN, RN, Program Manager and Emily
Robertson MN, RN Public Health Nurse, Southwestern Public Health -
iHEAL Program
Mary Van Den Neucker, MN, RN, Program Manager and Emily Robertson,
MN, RN, Public Health Nurse of Southwestern Public Health provided a
presentation to Council on the iHEAL program that provides support to
women who have experienced or continue to experience abuse from a
current or ex -partner.
Moved by: Councillor Widner
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT the presentation from Southwestern Public Health be
received and filed.
Motion Carried.
7. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole
7.1 Recommendations from Committee of the Whole - October 14, 2025
Moved by: Councillor Hentz
Seconded by: Councillor Giguere
RESOLVED THAT items CW25-74 - CW25-80 from the Committee of the
Whole meeting dated October 14, 2025 and the recommendations therein
be adopted.
Motion Carried.
8. Committee Recommendations
8.1 Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee Recommendation - October
14, 2025
Moved by: Councillor Giguere
Seconded by: Councillor Hentz
2
RESOLVED THAT item JAAC25-13 from the Joint Accessibility Advisory
Committee meeting dated October 14, 2025 and the recommendations
therein be adopted.
Motion Carried.
8.2 Draft Committee Meeting Minutes
8.2.1 Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee -October 14, 2025 Draft
Meeting Minutes
9. Reports for Information and Immediate Consideration
None.
10. Council Correspondence
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Leatham
RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Items 10.1 - 10.3 be received and filed.
Motion Carried.
10.1 Resolution from the Town of Aylmer regarding the Aylmer Library
Redevelopment Project Conceptual Design
10.2 Resolution from the Township of Malahide regarding the relocation
of the Aylmer Branch of the Elgin County Library to the East Elgin
Community Complex
10.3 Letter from Daniel Soos, President, Elgin ATV Club requesting a
letter of support from Elgin County Council to help the Elgin ATV
Club secure land access agreements for developing managed ATV
trails in the region
11. Statements/Inquiries by Members
11.1 Councillor Giguere -Announcements
Councillor Giguere notified Council that the St. Thomas -Elgin Public Art
Centre is hosting their Fall Art Auction on November 7, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
and indicated that tickets for the event are available for purchase on the
St. Thomas -Elgin Public Art Centre website.
Councillor Giguere also announced her candidacy for Warden for 2026.
She expressed a desire to focus on sharpening priorities and drive results
for initiatives Council has identified and to position the next term of Council
with a clear path forward.
12. Closed Meeting Items
None.
13. Motion to Rise and Report
None.
14. Consideration of By -Laws
14.1 By -Law No. 25-36 Confirmation
BEING a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the
Corporation of the County of Elgin at the October 28, 2025 meeting.
Moved by: Councillor Hentz
Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt
RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-36 be now read a first, second, and
third time and finally passed.
191
Motion Carried.
15. Adjournment
Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
Seconded by: Councillor Widner
RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 9:52 a.m. to meet again on November
12, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.
Motion Carried.
,�-aao
Blaine arkin,
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk.
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