Change to marina rates
Council approved the following new rates for the 2018 season at Spider Bay Marina. Seasonal: full service, $49.50 per foot plus HST; dockage only, $35 per foot plus HST; Pier 10 (boats under 16 ft.), $370 plus HST; transient, $1.95 per foot plus HST; monthly, $24.75 per foot plus HST; weekly, $11 per foot plus HST; pumpouts, $13,28 plus HST; ramping: seasonal, $45 plus HST; per use, $4.43 plus HST; and overnight parking, vehicle and trailer, per night, $5.31 plus HST; and boat trailer only, $2 plus HST.
Cat donation
Council passed a resolution, moved by Councillor Laurie Cook and seconded by Councillor Bill Koehler, in support of donating $1,500 to Little Current’s Bleu Fisher and her campaign to see the community’s stray cat population spayed and neutered.
Councillor Paul Skippen asked about the quote from the dog catching service to also deal with stray cats. It was noted by Mayor Al MacNevin that it was quite high and he explained that the money donated to Ms. Fisher goes to the spaying, neutering and FIV shots of the stray cats Ms. Fisher and her volunteers capture.
“I’m not opposed to it, but where’s the accountability?” asked Councillor Marcel Gauthier.
CAO Dave Williamson explained that the municipality is billed directly by the Island Animal Hospital, which performs the services. Last year, he added, the money provided services for 14 cats—1/3 of the bill is covered by the veterinarian, 1/3 by Ms. Fisher’s group and 1/3 by the municipality.
Councillor Dawn Orr suggested that while it may be too late for this year, the contribution should become a line item in the budget as it should not be seen as different from the dog catching service.
Councillor Koehler shared that he thought it was a good program that’s saving the community from many unwanted kittens.
“We owe her a huge debt of gratitude,” said Councillor Cook of Ms. Fisher’s work. “It’s a wonderful service she is providing.”
Water treatment plant reports
Mr. Williamson walked council through the reports from the Little Current and Sheguiandah water treatment plants. He explained that the few issues the Little Current plant had (three instances of flow rates being exceeded) were dealt with and that none of them caused an issue with the drinking water.
Councillor Michael Erskine asked about finding an alternative for the use of aluminum in the water treatment plant system. Mr. Williamson said he had inquired but had yet to hear back and would query once again.
In Sheguiandah, there were no exceedances and the plant is in compliance.
Electric vehicle charges
Council received a letter from Pam Jackson, asking for its consideration in having an electric vehicle charger (EVC) installed in Little Current.
“The installation of EVCs will attract and make accessible visitors who drive electric cars and would be available to local residents,” she writes. “Funding is available to municipalities to install EVCs.”
Mr. Williamson told council that currently, there are no funding options for the rather pricey devices. He suggested the municipality approach the private sector about the purchase of an EVC.
Councillor Erskine said he thought the idea was a good one and that the municipality is well positioned to see an EVC installed, even suggesting a cost benefit analysis of the Northeast Town getting an electric vehicle the next time a public works pickup truck needs to be replaced. “It may actually make sense in the long view,” he said.
Mayor MacNevin said EVCs are few and far between right now, especially north of Toronto.
“Tim Hortons often has them, so who knows, maybe we’ll get one,” he quipped.
Mr. Williamson said staff will continue to be on the lookout for funding.
Police patrols
Councillor Cook shared that, as a resident of Robinson Street and a municipal councillor, the recent break and enters by youths in Little Current have her concerned.
“What are the police doing?” she asked. “Are they doing patrols?”
Mayor MacNevin suggested having Councillor Bruce Wood, the Northeast Town’s representative on the Community Policing Advisory Committee (CPAC), bring it up at the next CPAC meeting.
“I know they’re out there,” the mayor said of the OPP.
“It certainly worries a lot of people,” Councillor Cook said.
Ferry dock plaque
Council received a letter from Sandy McGillivray and Lorne Ebel regarding the placement of an historical plaque where the OPP boathouse once sat.
“That portion of the dock was created in the second half of the 1930s as the Manitoulin terminus for the ferry Jacqueline,” the petitioners write. “During the second half of the decade, it and an earlier version of the ferry, the Hiawatha, berthed near the western end of the privately-owned Little Current docks and with its other terminus a dock on LaCloche Island.”
“We feel that some kind of memorial should be placed at the site to indicate its historical importance,” they continued.
Council agreed with the historians and said it would become part of the capital project to see the area decked. The plaque will be made to match the other historical plaques found along the walking trail. Staff will reach out to Mr. McGillivray and Mr. Ebel for the wording of the plaque.
The small car ferry Jacqueline and her predecessors carried automobiles back and forth from LaCloche Island to Little Current before the Swing Bridge, which had been built in 1913 as a train bridge, was allowed to be used for both train and car and truck use, a change that did not come about until 1944. Sandy McGillivray is the town’s historian and Lorne Ebel, of Orangeville, is the son of Cap Ebel, one of the captains of the Jacqueline.
OGRA overview
Following the Northeast Town’s delegation to the recent Ontario Good Roads Association conference, Mayor MacNevin and those that attended gave the council table an overview of the event.
Mayor MacNevin said they met with the Ministry of Transportation to discuss Connecting Link funding (for paving the portion of Highway 6 between the swing bridge and Sims Street). They were told that they were “high on the list” and that the municipality would find out soon if there is funding available for road care.
Councillors Paul Skippen and Bruce Wood presented their concerns on the lack of support for farmers in relation to crop damage from wildlife to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
The councillors gave the ministry an example of a Gore Bay farmer who lost $30,000 in damages to 100 acres of corn last year.
Councillor Wood said he was “happy with the feedback he received,” noting that he was also able to explain what the compensation programs cover and don’t cover and why.
Councillor Erskine commended the Green Bay duo on their presentation on behalf of farmers.
Funding denial
Council received word that it had been denied OMAFRA’s Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund Top-Up funding for its lagoon expansion project. They will still receive the annual OCIF funding in the amount of $197,546.
