April 17 Northeast Town for Humboldt
Prior to the beginning of last week’s regular meeting of Northeast Town council, mayor and council had a moment of silence for the 16 lost in the Humboldt Broncos tragedy.
Councillor Bill Koehler commended Mayor Al MacNevin on the letter he penned to Humboldt Mayor Muench, which follows.
“Dear Mayor Muench,” Mayor MacNevin writes. “I cannot imagine how painful it must be for your community following the accident involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. I live in a small town in Northern Ontario whose citizens share your grief. I would like to offer, on their behalf, condolences and prayers to everyone affected by this tragedy. This is just so sad.”
Mayor Muench responded, “The community of Humboldt wants to thank you for your support during this difficult time. Words and prayers of encouragement and condolences are received with open hearts. Thank you again from the City of Humboldt and our community.”
Water Street revitalization
Council passed a motion to enter an agreement with the province, through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), for funding in the amount of $40,044 as part of Ontario’s Main Street Revitalization Initiative.
CAO Dave Williamson explained that the funding is targeted at Ontario’s downtown cores. He told council that he and staff went through downtown projects that had been tabled over the years and developed the following list of ways to spend the funds: development of a parkette at the former OPP boathouse, $10,000; accessible picnic tables at Soldier Park and Expositor Square, $6,000; community gardening initiative, $14,000; cenotaph repairs, $3,000; downtown and dock welcome banners, $3,500; and directional signage at Turner Park and downtown, $3,504.70.
Councillor Laurie Cook said she would like to see more benches placed downtown, considering the municipality’s move to becoming more senior friendly.
Councillor Dawn Orr said that the funding is great, but said she couldn’t help but feel that Sheguiandah was being forgotten. “Please keep in mind that Sheg needs things as well,” she said.
Mayor MacNevin joked that he thought the councillor might have been satisfied in her quest for things for Sheg with the OPP’s donation of the giant blue Muskoka chair at the government dock. Councillor Orr laughed and said no, she cannot be bought.
Half-mast flag policy
Following a concern raised by Councillor Michael Erskine, staff prepared a flag policy for council to review.
Councillor Erskine explained that following the Humboldt tragedy, the municipal office received numerous phone calls asking why the municipal office flag had not been lowered to half-mast. Staff explained to the concerned citizens that it was because council needed to pass a motion to do so at a meeting of council.
“I think the mayor being the person elected, or a designate, can make the decision as to whether to put the flag at half-mast between council meetings,” Councillor Erskine said.
“Councillor Erskine makes a very good point,” Mr. Williamson said in presenting the policy, with an amendment to state that the mayor or designate can decide when the flag should be lowered to half-mast.
Mayor MacNevin expressed his slight concern that he would never be able to say no. “How do we start evaluating someone’s death?” he asked.
The policy states that the flag will be lowered upon notification of the death of the following: the Sovereign or member of the Sovereign’s immediate family; the Governor General or a former Governor General; the prime minister or a former prime minister; the Lieutenant Governor or a former Lieutenant Governor; the provincial premier or a former provincial premier; the current local members of the federal or provincial parliaments; a current mayor or member of council; a current member of staff; a current member of the local OPP service killed in the line of duty; a current or former resident of the municipality who is a member of the Armed Forces of Canada and is killed in the line of duty.
April 3 Subdivision lots sold
Council approved the sales of eight lots in the Boozeneck Road subdivision on April 3. Lots 28, 29, 30 and 31 (residential) were sold to Maximum Construction Limited at a price of $16,000 per lot with a $6,000 deposit while lots 11, 12, 13 and 14 (multi-residential) were sold at a price of $64,000 (also at $16,000 per lot) with a $3,000 deposit to Jordan Stevens and Maxine Rivard.
LCPS donation
Council received a letter on behalf of the Little Current Public School Grade 8 class, requesting permission to use the Manitoulin Welcome Centre property to host a car wash fundraiser for the annual Grade 8 trip, as well as a monetary donation toward the trip.
A motion was made by Councillor Dawn Orr and seconded by Councillor Michael Erskine.
Councillor Marcel Gauthier said he wasn’t opposed to the car wash, but was opposed to funding class trips. Councillor Orr suggested splitting the motion into two requests. The motion to offer the Welcome Centre property carried. The donation of $200 went before a recorded vote: Councillors Erskine, Orr, Bill Khoeler, Melissa Peters, Paul Skippen and Mayor Al MacNevin voted in favour of the donation while Councillors Marcel Gauthier, Bruce Wood and Laurie Cook voted against. The motion was carried.
Landfill extension agreement
A letter was received on March 22 from Aundeck Omni Kaning Chief Patsy Corbiere requesting a one-year extension on its existing landfill contract.
“We will be in the tendering process for the closure of the Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK) landfill site shortly and anticipate this project to be completed by the end of October 2018,” the chief writes. “We will be constructing a transfer station as part of this project to ensure the implementation of a full recycling program with the intent of reducing our waste to the NEMI landfill site.”
CAO Dave Williamson explained that AOK had used the Northeast Town’s landfill for the past three or four years.
Councillor Skippen said he supported the extension, but suggested an increase in the fee to support other rising costs.
Mr. Williamson said the fee had gone up by two percent.
Councillor Cook suggested a three percent increase, as this would be more in keeping with the costs to the municipality. The municipality currently receives $40,000 annually from AOK.
“On the one hand, Councillor Cook makes a good point, but on the other hand, we are substantially overcovering the cost now,” Councillor Erskine said.
Snowplow tender
The municipality received three tenders for a new snowplow. Two were from Cambrian Truck Centre: a Freightliner for $283,816.45 and a Western Star for $294,852.02 (including HST) and one from Tru-Nor Truck Centres, an International, coming in at $265,416.19. Council approved the purchase of the International from Tru-Nor Truck Centres, which will replace the 2005 Freightliner, which they will keep for emergency use.
“We’re going to keep the old truck in case we have to lend it to Central Manitoulin,” Mayor MacNevin joked, acknowledging the fact that Central Manitoulin had loaned the Northeast Town one of its snowplows while theirs was under repair.
