03 - May 4, 2021 RIPA Committee Agenda Package
Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
1:00 P.M.
Meeting to be held electronically.
Agenda
1. Approval of Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes from March 9, 2021
3. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
4. Community Grant Program Feedback Survey – Manager of Administrative
Services
5. Recruitment/Committee Composition Discussion
6. Correspondence
7. Date of Next Meeting
8. Adjournment
DRAFT MINUTES
Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
Date: March 9, 2021
Location: Elgin County Administration Building, 450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas
Council Chambers
Time: 1:00 P.M.
Attendees: Members of the Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee
Councillor Ed Ketchabaw (in-person)
Councillor Sally Martyn (electronic)
(in-person)
Warden Tom Marks (in-person)
Elgin County Staff
Chief Administrative Officer, Julie Gonyou (in-person)
Manager of Planning, Nancy Pasato (in-person)
Economic Development Coordinator, Colin Galloway (electronic)
Supervisor of Legislative Services, Katherine Thompson (in-person)
Legislatives Services Coordinator, Carolyn Krahn (in-person)
1. Call to Order
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The Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee met this 9day of March, 2021 in
Council Chambers, at the County Administration Building, St. Thomas at 1:00 P.M.
Some Committee Members joined the meeting electronically.
2. Approval ofAgenda
Moved by: Warden Marks
Seconded by:CouncillorMartyn
Resolved that the agenda be approved as presented.
Recorded Vote
YesNo
Warden Tom Marks Yes
Councillor Dominique Yes
Councillor Sally Martyn Yes
Councillor EdKetchabaw Yes
4 0
- Motion Carried.
3. Recruitment/Committee Composition Discussion
The Committee accepted the resignation of Heather Derks.
4. Adoption of Minutes
Moved by: Councillor
Seconded by: Warden Marks
Resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting be adopted as amended.
Recorded Vote
YesNo
Warden Tom Marks Yes
Councillor Dominique Yes
Councillor Sally Martyn Yes
Councillor EdKetchabaw Yes
4 0
- Motion Carried.
5. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
6. Community Grant Program Request
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port Stanley Festival Theatre has modified their
program for 2021, and they requested that the funding they received under the Elgin
Community Grant Program for their monthly play reading series be deferred until
September when they will run a condensed version of the planned play reading series.
Moved by: Councillor Martyn
Seconded by: Councillor e
RESOLVED THAT the grant amendment request from the Port Stanley Festival Theatre
as contained in the correspondence from the Port Stanley Festival Theatre be approved;
and
THAT the Port Stanley Festival Theatre be notified of the Committee’s decision.
Recorded Vote
YesNo
Warden Tom Marks Yes
Councillor Dominique Yes
Councillor Sally Martyn Yes
Councillor EdKetchabaw Yes
4 0
- Motion Carried.
7. Official Plan Review – Draft Communications and Engagement Strategy
The Chief Administrative Officer and the Manager of Planning presented a Draft Official
Plan Review Communications and Engagement Strategy for the Committee’s review.
Moved by: Warden Marks
Seconded by: Councillor Martyn
RESOLVED THAT the Rural Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee endorse the
Official Plan Review Communications and Engagement Strategy; and
THAT staff present the Communications and Engagement Strategy to Council.
Recorded Vote
YesNo
Warden Tom Marks Yes
Councillor Dominique Yes
Councillor Sally Martyn Yes
Councillor EdKetchabaw Yes
4 0
- Motion Carried.
8. Recruitment/Committee Composition Discussion
Members discussed the requirement to have agricultural representation on the
Committee.
Moved by: Councillor
Seconded by: Councillor Martyn
RESOLVED that staff research the legislated committee composition requirements for
planning committees; and
THAT the Chair present an updated Terms of Reference reflecting the current
Committeecomposition to Council for their approval.
9. Correspondence
None.
10. New Business
None.
11. Next Meeting Date
Staff will send out a Doodle Poll to schedule a meeting for the first week of May.
12. Adjournment
Moved by: Warden Marks
Seconded by: Councillor Giguère
Resolved that the meeting adjourn at 2:20 p.m.
Recorded Vote
Yes No
Warden Tom Marks Yes
Councillor Dominique Yes
Councillor Martyn Yes
Councillor EdKetchabaw Yes
4 0
- Motion Carried.
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REPORT TO RURAL INITIATIVES
AND PLANNING ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
FROM: Katherine Thompson, Manager of
Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk
DATE: April 27, 2021
SUBJECT: Community Grant Program Feedback
Survey
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the April 27, 2021, report titled, Community Grant Program Feedback Survey,
submitted by the Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk, be received and
filed for information; and,
THAT the Rural Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee review the Community
Grant Program Feedback Survey.
INTRODUCTION:
In 2020, the Rural Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee developed a new
Community Grant Program (CGP) to guide the allocation of Council’s grant budget in
2021. The grant program was divided into two streams – Community Services and
Festivals and Events. These two streams were further divided into Cultivate (existing
programs and events) and Seed (new programs and events) grants. The Committee
developed new application packages to correspond with these programs, clearly
defining criteria and eligibility. At its meeting held on February 9, 2021, the Rural
Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee approved a funding agreement, feedback
survey questions, and a final report template to be sent to applicants of the Community
Grant Program.
DISCUSSION:
Eighteen (18) applications for funding were received for the 2021 funding period. One
(1) of these applications was for the Community Signage Program. Of the seventeen
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(17) remaining applications, fifteen (15) were approved and two (2) were deemed
ineligible based on program criteria by the Committee.
After Council approved grants as part of the 2021 Budget, staff sent successful
applicants a letter, a funding agreement, a link to the feedback survey, and a template
for the final report. The Community Signage Program grant recipient wasnot included
as part of the survey as the criteria for this portion of the program remained unchanged.
CGP Feedback Survey
Over the course of March and early April, staff reminded grant recipients about the
survey on three (3) occasions – first as part of the initial outreach and then two (2)
subsequenttimes as reminders. The survey was sent to both successful and
unsuccessful applicants. Only seven (7) grant applicants decided to fill out the survey.
This amounts to approximately 41% of applicants.
Overall, as can be seen in the attached survey, applicants were pleased with their
experience with the new CGP.
Most respondents indicated that the funding amounts were reasonable, although
a few would like to be able to request more.
All applicants took over an hour to complete the application and many took more
than two (2) hours.
Most respondents agreed the program guidance documents were helpful, clear
and informative.
Most agreed that the financial and program/event information required by the
Committee to evaluate applications was reasonable. A comment was received
that it is difficult for new events or programs to provide accurate budget data.
The majority of respondents believed that the intake period of September 1 –
November 1 was reasonable.
Most respondents understood how the proposals were evaluated by the
Committee; however, there was a comment that indicated more information could
be provided regarding how points are awarded. If the Committee so chooses, a
copy of the evaluation matrix could be attached to the application package to
clarify how each element of the application is evaluated.
Most respondents believed that the process was fair and 5/7 applicants
responded that the CGP was great and they did not have any suggestions for
improvement – two (2) applicants did not respond.
Disappointment was expressed by organizations who were deemed ineligible for
funding by the Committee. They indicated that it was not clear that their
organization was ineligible for funding.
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Previous to the 2020 intake period, two grant programs existed at the County of Elgin.
One was administered by County Council and the Rural Initiatives and Planning
Advisory Committee. The other was called the Festival and Event Partnership Program
(FEPP) and was administered by Economic Development and Tourism. In 2020 these
two grant programs were rolled into the Community Grant Program (CGP) and a new
set of eligibility criteria was developed by the RIPA Committee. Previous to this new
criteria, municipal organizations and fundraising activities were not specifically
prohibited in the eligibility criteria. These new eligibility criteria were indicated in the new
application packages; however, past experience of eligibility may have caused
confusion. The Committee may choose to review eligibility criteria.
Funding Agreement
Over the course of April and May, 2021, staff received a considerable number of calls
from applicants requesting assistance in completing the funding agreement; however,
all questions were easily answered and applicants were satisfied with the assistance
that they received. Grant recipients have not been required to fill out a funding
agreement in the past so it is natural that in the first year of a new program there would
be questions. Staff plan to make a few minor adjustments to the funding agreement in
order to make it easier to complete. This will not change the terms that recipients are
required to agree to, simply the format of some areas of the form.
Final Report Template
Final reports are not required to be returned to the County of Elgin until November 10,
2021; however, staff have received comments from applicants indicating that they are
pleased to have a standardized template to guide them in completing these final
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reports. Staff will follow up with the Committee after November 10, 2021 to evaluate
this portion of theprogram.
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ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Serving ElginGrowing ElginInvesting in Elgin
Ensuring alignment of Planning for and Ensuring we have the
current programs and facilitating commercial, necessary tools,
services with community industrial, residential, resources, and
need. and agricultural growth. infrastructure to deliver
programs and services
now and in the future.
Exploring different Fostering a healthy
ways of addressing environment.
Delivering mandated
community need.
programs and services
Enhancing quality of
efficiently and
Engaging with our
place.
effectively.
community and other
stakeholders.
LOCAL MUNICIPAL PARTNER IMPACT:
None.
COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Survey results will be shared with Community Grant Program applicants.
CONCLUSION:
On February 9, 2021, the RIPA Committee approved a funding agreement, survey
questions and a final report template to be issued to applicants of the Community Grant
Program. The results of the Community Grant Program Feedback Survey are attached
for the Committee’s review.
All of which is Respectfully Submitted Approved for Submission
Julie Gonyou
Katherine Thompson
Chief Administrative Officer
Supervisor of Legislative Services