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July 9, 2002 Minutes COUNTY OF ELGIN Tuesday, July 9, 2002 The Elgin County Council met this day at the Administration Building, at 9:04 AM. in accordance with adjournment, with all members in attendance except Councillors Habkirk, McPhail, and Rock. Warden Wilson in the Chair. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Stewart THAT the minutes of the meeting held on June 25,2002 be adopted. - Carried. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF- None. DELEGATIONS Ms. Donna Lunn, Elgin Co-ordinator for the ElginConnects Proposal, introduced Mr. Kevin Calment, Project Manager, EDS Canada, and Ms. Debbie Miller and Mr. Barrie Crampton from Lanark County. Ms. Lunn gave a brief overview of the development of ElginConnects, a community-based network and the Elgin County portal application. EDS Canada has been selected as the preferred vendor out of several whom replied to the RFP to develop the community information utility portal application. The easy to use, rapidly deployed access to information would enable the user to search for area businesses and government offices; provide information on tourism, roads and infrastructure, schedules of events in the County and individual municipalities, geographical data, on-line registration for booking recreational facilities, Agri-E-business, Conservation Authorities for ground water information, as well as allow for completion of applications for dog licences, permits, etc. Ms. Lunn thanked Council for their support of this initiative. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Crevits THAT the County of Elgin contribute $100,000 per year to ElginConnects in 2003 and 2004 from the 2001 operating surplus; and, THAT the Warden and the Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to sign a letter of commitment to that effect. - Carried. Warden Wilson thanked Ms. Lunn for attending and the delegation left at 9:30 AM. Moved by Councillor Stewart Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT we do now move into Committee Of The Whole Council. - Carried. REPORTS Tree CommissionerlWeed Inspector Pick-Up Truck - Technical Services Officer The Technical Services Officer reported that the County Tree CommissionerlWeed Inspector has indicated that a four-wheel drive truck is not required. County Council 2 July 9,2002 Moved by Councillor Mcintyre Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT the County of Elgin enter into a 36-month lease agreement with Talbot Ford, at the quoted price of $398.00 per month inclusive of all taxes, to provide a vehicle for the Tree CommissionerlWeed Inspector, as per a condition of our provision of service agreement with the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority; and, THAT the funds be allocated from the remaining dollars in the Maintenance Account for 2002. - Carried. Operation Pal - Technical Services Officer The Technical Services Officer reported that the "Operation Pal Program" is a Crime Stoppers/Community Watch type program. Participants are expected to report incidents but not become involved directly due to liability concerns. Moved by Councillor Mcintyre Seconded by Councillor VanBrenk THAT the County of Elgin enter into an agreement to become a partner in the "Operation Pal Program". - Carried. Road SiQn Installation - Technical Services Officer The Technical Services Officer reported that the County had received responses from three municipalities interested in doing the sign installation work. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT once formal requests have been received from the lower-tier municipalities, they install County Road signs within their respective municipalities, as directed by County staff; and, THAT the lower-tier municipalities be reimbursed $50.00 per new post and sign installed and $15.00 per sign removed and disposed of. - Carried. Staff Direction - Comprehensive "No ParkinQ By-Law" Staff were directed to bring forward to the next Council meeting an updated report on the status of the "No Parking" by-law. Pavement MarkinQ and Pressure Treated Post Quotation Approval - ManaQer of EnQineerinQ Services Moved by Councillor Faulds Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT Mason Pavement Marking Inc. provide the application of pavement marking at the quoted price of $10,714.90 (including taxes); and, THAT Geerlinks Home Hardware supply and deliver pressure treated posts at the quoted price of $19,374.63 (including taxes). - Carried. County Council 3 July 9,2002 Robbins BridQe - ManaQer of EnQineerinQ Services The Manager of Engineering Services advised that this Bridge is being vandalized, resulting in the structure becoming a liability and public safety issue. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Stewart THAT staff be directed to solicit firms to prepare the Environmental Assessment necessary to close and remove Robbins Bridge; and, THAT engineering and removal costs (estimated at $100,000) be allocated from the 2003 Capital Budget. - Carried. Jamestown BridQe - ManaQer of EnQineerinQ Services The Manager of Engineering Services reported that due to the condition of the Jamestown Bridge, the most cost-effective option would be to close the bridge following the Class 'B' Environmental Assessment. Councillor Crevits requested that the report be deferred for further discussion to the next Council meeting when Councillor Rock would be in attendance. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT the report entitled "Jamestown Bridge" dated March 26,2002 presented by the Manager of Engineering Services be deferred to the Council meeting on July 23, 2002. - Carried. Vienna South BridQe Detour Route - ManaQer of EnQineerinQ Services Council agreed that it would not take residents long to discover and use the new detour route provided during the deck replacement of the Vienna South Bridge. Moved by Councillor Stewart Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT the gravel portion of Chute Line and Chapel Street have two applications of high float applied in the geographic location of Vienna in the Municipality of Bayham; and, THAT the County of Elgin apply surface treatment at its costs on the gravel section of Chute Line and Chapel Street; and, THAT the funds be allocated from the Vienna South Bridge Capital Project; and further, THAT the official detour for Vienna South Bridge be on Chute Line from Plank Road to Chapel Street and Chapel Street from Chute Line to Plank Road. - Carried. ContractinQ Natural Gas Prices throuQh the PurchasinQ Group - Director of Financial Services The Director of Financial Services introduced Ms. Lisa Terrio a member of the Financial Services Department staff. Moved by Councillor Mcintyre Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT the County of Elgin accept Comsatec as the new natural gas supplier beginning November 1, 2002; and, County Council 4 July 9,2002 THAT the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to sign the required documentation. - Carried. Capital Projects Summary 2001 - Director of Financial Services The Director of Financial Services advised that a report would be brought to Council recommending the best use for the $182,684 surplus. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Crevits THAT the 2001 Capital Projects surplus of $182,684 be transferred to 2002 Unallocated Capital Projects; and, THAT staff be directed to prepare a report to Council outlining the suggested use of the surplus funds. - Carried. Incident/Accident Form - Human Resources Co-Ordinator The Director of Human Resources introduced Tanya Tilton the Human Resources Co- Ordinator. Moved by Councillor Faulds Seconded by Councilor Stewart THAT the incident/accident form be accepted and implemented for use throughout the County. - Carried. Council took a short break at 10:08 AM. and reconvened at 10:21 AM. CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence for Consideration 1) Barbara L. Sampson, Clerk, Town of Minto, with a resolution requesting the Ministry of Natural Resources to review and address the existing licensing, and monitoring legislation and procedure, to result in an increase in fish population in rural streams and rivers. 2) Township of Armour, with a resolution opposing the use of the highway systems for the transport of toxic cargoes. The following recommendation was adopted respecting Correspondence Item #1 : Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Crevits THAT the Council of the County of Elgin supports the resolution of the Town of Minto requesting the Minister of Natural Resources to review and address the existing licensing and monitoring legislation and procedure to result in an increase in fish population in rural streams and rivers. - Carried. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT Correspondence Item #2 be received and filed. - Carried. County Council 5 July 9,2002 Correspondence for Information 1) Letters supporting County Council's resolution that the Ontario Government maintain Children's Hospitals in their current locations throughout the Province: 1) Dianne Wilson, Deputy Clerk, Municipality of Central Elgin 2) R. Millard, C.AO.lClerk, Township of Malahide 3) Maria Konefal, Township of Southwold. 2) Notice of Preliminary Public Meeting for the proposed project and possible solutions for the section of Elgin County Road 42 (Lakeshore Line), Municipality of Bayham, closed due to shoreline erosion. 3) Thank you card from the Michael Smither Family. 4) Peter Biondi, Regional Information Co-ordinator, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, OMAFRA Bulletin for Elgin & Middlesex Counties - June, 2002. 5) AMO Member Communication ALERT: 1) AMO Seeks Clarification on 10/10 Fire Response Guideline; 2) AMO Responds to Provincial Budget; 3) Strong Municipal Support for Bill 30, Volunteer Fire-Fighters Employment Protection Act. 6) Honourable Chris Stockwell, Minister of Environment and Energy, responding to Council's resolution concerning the government's electricity restructuring initiative and privatization of Hydro One. 7) Roger Anderson, Regional Chair, Regional Municipality of Durham, announcing that he will run for the office of President of AMO this year. 8) Fred J. Slater, Municipal Relations Representative, Assessment Office #23, Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), announcing that MPAC can provide a report to lower-tier municipalities detailing tax status for farm property, and provided a sample of the report that should be available in October 2002. 9) Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Members Advisory, "FCM Announces Policy Priorities for the Coming Year". 1 0) Steve Peters, M. P. P., Elgin-Middlesex-London, supporting Council's resolutions to: a) Honourable Norman Sterling, Minister of Transportation, requesting the Ministry of Transportation review the County's position on funding for municipal highways used for detoured traffic from Highway 401. 11) Terry Carroll, United Way of Elgin-St. Thomas, with information concerning the Glo- Ball for the United Way fundraising event on Saturday, July 27,2002. 12) Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, present "Perspectives - Connecting the Spheres" 2002 Southwestern Regional Conference, November 22, 2002. Moved by Councillor Mcintyre Seconded by Councillor VanBrenk THAT Correspondence Items #1-12 be received and filed. - Carried. OTHER BUSINESS Statements/InQuiries by Members Councillor Faulds announced that he had a copy of the floor plan for the Pioneer Museum renovations available for viewing and that the construction should begin in September. Councillor VanBrenk announced that he has copies of the Backus-Page House Heritage Calendar available for sale and that copies are also available through the Elgin County Library Branches. County Council 6 July 9,2002 Notice of Motion - None. Matters of UrQency - None. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Crevits THAT we do now proceed In-Camera to discuss personnel issues. - Carried. Staff were excused at 10:55 AM. except for the Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Homes and Seniors Services, and Director of Human Resources. Moved by Councillor Crevits Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT we do now rise and report. - Carried. Moved by Councillor Faulds Seconded by Councillor Stewart THAT the confidential letter regarding a legal matter be approved and a formal response be issued to the parties identified. - Carried Unanimously. Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT the Tree Commissioner be directed to prepare a status report on the activities of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority on behalf of the County of Elgin. - Carried. Moved by Councillor Faulds Seconded by Councillor Mcintyre THAT we do adopt the recommendations of the Committee Of The Whole Council. - Carried. BY-LAWS Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Crevits THAT By-Law No. 02-18 "A By-Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the July 9, 2002 Meeting" be read a first and second time. - Carried. Moved by Councillor Mcintyre Seconded by Councillor Stewart THAT By-Law No. 02-18 be read a third time and finally passed. - Carried. County Council 7 July 9,2002 Moved by Councillor VanBrenk Seconded by Councillor Faulds THAT we do now adjourn at 11 :16 AM. to meet again on July 23,2002 at 9:00 AM. - Carried. Mark G. McDonald, Chief Administrative Officer. John R. Wilson, Warden.