Council voices support for tile drainage funding
A motion from the public works committee recommending council send a letter of support to the (Rural Agri-Innovation Network) RAIN infrastructure coordinator regarding the Manitoulin Consortium’s request for funding of tile drainage and land clearing, moved by Councillor Adam McDonald and seconded by Councillor Gloria Haner, was passed by council.
“This is a process going on in the North Shore and Manitoulin and this is just a letter of support for that process,” said Councillor McDonald.
Harvest Glory Days supported by council
A motion from the public works committee indicating that the municipality is supportive of the Harvest Glory Days project sponsored by The Manitoulin Expositor and urging groups in the municipality to participate was moved by Councillor Adam McDonald and seconded by Councillor Derek Stephens. “The project is taking place and we are encouraging people in the community to get on board,” said Councillor McDonald. The hope, he explained, is that people will get into the spirit of the Island-wide competition by decorating their yards. The municipality will also be taking part in Harvest Glory Days through the volunteer efforts of a number of councillors.
Final cost levy for drain passed
The final stages of the Mindemoya Drain are underway, noted Councillor Adam McDonald as he moved a motion (2014-15), seconded by Councillor Ted Taylor, being a bylaw to provide for the final cost levy of the Mindemoya South Drain be given its several readings and passed upon recommendation of the public works committee.
Councillor McDonald noted that the motion had been held back to ensure that all of the processes had been followed.
Mayor Gerry Strong said that while the cost of the drain was significant (some $96,267), the municipality had been able to reduce those costs dramatically through the use of its own forces. “It looks like we were able to save at least $8,000,” he said, adding that with grants the cost was further reduced to the neighbourhood of $67,000.
“I think it has resolved a lot of the issues of water going through town,” said Councillor Gloria Haner.
“It has worked,” agreed Mayor Strong. “It has especially helped with the corner.”
Councillor McDonald pointed out that the cost of the municipal contribution of resources must be included in the drain bill. “It does have to be costed out,” he said. “Not rolled into general works.”
“You are right,” agreed Mayor Strong.
CAO Ruth Frawley noted that the portion attributed to the municipality was about $37,000. The result was a savings of about $38,000 overall for the project from initial cost estimates.
Energy conservation and management plan passed
A motion from the public works committee recommending passage of the Municipality of Central Manitoulin Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan 2014-2019 be accepted as presented was moved by Councillor Adam McDonald and seconded by Councillor Ted Taylor.
The plan, which outlines the municipality’s efforts to conserve and manage its energy consumption and usage, can be found in its entirety on Central Manitoulin’s website. The plan is a requirement for all municipalities and is mandated by the province.
Rezoning meeting motion deferred
A motion to set the date of September 25 to consider a zoning bylaw amendment to change a property zoned recreational to residential, proposed by Jack Ashley #1040062 Ontario Inc., was deferred as that date had already passed.
Cost additions to schoolhouse work turned down
A motion from the finance and administration committee that Hayes Masonary be paid a further $1,050 plus HST based on a 10 percent addition to the original quote, for extra work that was encountered in repointing the brick in the Mindemoya Old School due to lime mortar and the extra work involved in repairing it, received a less than positive reaction from the council. The motion, moved by Councillor Patricia MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Gloria Haner, prompted a call for a recorded vote by Councillor Adam McDonald and generated considerable debate.
Councillor MacDonald noted that the contractor had encountered unexpected voids in the mortar of the brickwork that required additional hours of labour to address. She noted that the original request from the contractor was for $1,490 plus HST but the committee had adjusted the amount to fall in line with the 10 percent clause in the original quote.
Councillor McDonald questioned whether the contractor had been the only bidder on the project, to which CAO Ruth Frawley replied in the affirmative. Councillor McDonald responded with “a bid is a bid, we did due diligence.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” interjected Councillor Derek Stephens. “If you run into a problem, you don’t wait until the work is completed to bring it to our attention.”
“I would have been more comfortable if he had come to staff before the work was done,” said Councillor Haner.
“We were not advised,” supplied CAO Frawley.
“Usually the contractor comes to us before the work is completed if there are extra costs,” said Mayor Strong, noting that was the process followed by the recent issue with the Yonge Street reconstruction project.
In the recorded vote, Councillors Ted Taylor, Haner and MacDonald voted in favour of the motion, while Councillors McDonald, Stephens and Mayor Strong voted against the motion. The motion was defeated.
Belated fence viewers appointed
A lack of boundary disputes in the municipality led to the overlooking of the need to appoint three ‘fence viewers’ for the municipality.
“This is something that usually comes up earlier,” noted Councillor Patricia MacDonald. “The issue had not come up.”
Fence viewers act to resolve disputes over the location of fence boundaries on properties in the municipality and have been a common, although less commonly utilized aspect of rural life for generations.
Councillor MacDonald moved a motion, seconded by Councillor Derek Stephens to appoint Steve Orford, Al Tribinivicius and Ted Taylor as the municipal fence viewers.
Lease renewed with historical society
A motion to renew the lease with the Spring Bay/Providence Bay Historical Preservation Society for retail space at the Discovery Centre in Providence Bay was moved by Councillor Patricia MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Derek Stephens.
“This little group is doing good work,” said Councillor Stephens.
“I think the space is there and we have had trouble leasing it in the past,” she said. “They have a good collection on display and it is great to have that visible to the community.”
Questions arose as to whether the council should encumber a future council with a four-year lease following a question from Councillor MacDonald as to whether there was a time line.
The motion passed to automatically renew the lease with a 90-day escape clause for each party.
4elements art project supported in principle
A motion from the administration and finance committee to support in principle a project by 4elements Living Arts that would see two art sculptures designed and installed at a date and a place to be determined later. The motion, moved by Councillor MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Gloria Haner was passed by council after Councillor Patricia MacDonald noted that the support for the project would be tentative but the concept was to bring adults and children together in the design of the project. The project would be contingent on the organization securing funding for it from other government agencies.
Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day
Council passed a motion, moved by Councillor Patricia MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Derek Stephens, to recognize October 29, 2014 as the 14th Annual Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day.
“We received a letter from CUPE,” noted Councillor MacDonald as to where the concept had come from.
Council passes precautionary “Lame Duck” bylaw
Council passed a precautionary bylaw authorizing the CAO/clerk to carry out duties should the council find itself in a “lame duck” position, as per the Municipal Elections Act.
Under the bylaw, the CAO would be authorized to appoint or remove any officer of the municipality, hire or dismiss any employee of the municipality, deal with the disposition of any property which has a value exceeding $50,000 at the time of disposal and make any expenditure or incur any other liability which exceeds $50,000.
Housekeeping motions passed
A motion to accept the August financial report as presented was moved by Councillor Patricia MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Gloria Haner and passed by council.
The cheque register in the amount of $1,448,914.48 was moved by Councillor Patricia MacDonald and seconded by Councillor Ted Taylor.
