Loading...
22 - November 12, 2025 County Council MinutesElgin County Council Regular Council Meeting Minutes November 12, 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 (virtual) Councillor Todd Noble Councillor Mike Hentz (virtual) 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 Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk Jeff Brooks, Manager of Emergency Management (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 Noble RESOLVED THAT the agenda for the November 12, 2025 County Council Meeting be approved as presented. Motion Carried. 3. Introductions, Recognitions, Memorials ►O STIM 4. Adoption of Minutes Moved by: Councillor Widner Seconded by: Councillor Noble RESOLVED THAT the minutes of the meeting held on October 28, 2025 be adopted. Motion Carried. 5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof None. 6. Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations 6.1 Kimberly Earls, Executive Director, SCOR EDC - SCOR EDC Member Update Presentation Kimberly Earls, Executive Director of the South Central Ontario Region Economic Development Corporation (SCOR EDC) provided a presentation to Council on the organization's recent activities. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt RESOLVED THAT the presentation from SCOR EDC be received and filed. Motion Carried. 7. Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole 7.1 Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole - October 28, 2025 Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT items CW25-81 - CW25-87 from the Committee of the Whole meeting dated October 28, 2025 and the recommendations therein be adopted. Motion Carried. Moved by: Councillor Leatham Seconded by: Councillor Giguere RESOLVED THAT the County of Elgin direct the Warden to send a letter to MPP Rob Flack supporting the upload of Highbury Avenue to the provincial government. Motion Carried. 8. Committee Recommendations None. 9. Reports for Information and Immediate Consideration 9.1 Warden Jones - Warden's Activity Report (October 2025) Warden Jones presented the report detailing the meetings and official functions he attended as Elgin County Warden during the month of October 2025. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Leatham RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Warden's Activity Report (October 2025) dated November 12, 2025 from Warden Jones be received and filed. 2 Motion Carried. 9.2 Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector - Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Quarterly Report April - June 2025 and Quarterly Report July - September 2025 The Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector presented the report that summarizes the activity related to the Elgin Woodlands Conservation By - Law for the period of April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025 and the period July 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025 and weed inspection activity for the same two periods. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Sloan RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector Quarterly Report April - June 2025 and Quarterly Report July - September 2025" from the Tree Commissioner/Weed Inspector dated November 12, 2025 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 9.3 Director of Community and Cultural Services - Aylmer Branch of the Elgin County Library Expansion Status Update The Director of Community and Cultural Services presented the report that provides a summary of the recent developments regarding the relocation of the Aylmer Branch of the Elgin County Library. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT the report titled "Aylmer Library Expansion Status Update" from the Director of Community and Cultural Services dated November 12, 2025, be received and filed. Motion Carried. 10. Council Correspondence Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Hentz RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Items 10.1 - 10.7 be received and filed. Motion Carried. 10.1 Letter from Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance providing an update on the 2026 Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) 10.2 Letter from Hon. Robert J. Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing providing an update on amendments to the Development Charges Act, 1997 that were made by Bill 17, and corresponding changes to Ontario's Building Code. 10.3 Resolution from the Municipality of St. Charles urging the Province to address staffing shortages leading to the closure of before and after school programs 10.4 Resolution from the Town of East Gwillimbury expressing opposition to the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, 2025 10.5 Resolution from the City of Cambridge urging the Province of Ontario to provide protection to tenants against excessive and malicious rent increases 10.6 Western Ontario Wardens Caucus October 2025 Newsletter 3 10.7 Letter from Susan Graves regarding the Old Town Hall in the Town of Aylmer 11. Statements/Inquiries by Members 11.1 Warden Jones - Health Recruitment Partnership Scholarship Warden Jones informed Council that the application deadline for the Health Recruitment Partnership Scholarship, which provides financial support to local medical students, is November 21, 2025. He encourages Council members to share details about the scholarship with any local medical students who may be eligible. 12. Closed Meeting Items None. 13. Motion to Rise and Report None. 14. Consideration of By -Laws 14.1 By -Law No. 25-37 Confirmation BEING a By -Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the November 12, 2025 Meeting. Moved by: Councillor Noble Seconded by: Councillor Widner RESOLVED THAT By -Law No. 25-37 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed. Motion Carried. 15. Adjournment Moved by: Councillor Sloan Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 9:38 a.m. to meet again on November 25, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Motion Carried. Sfaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk. V