February 5, 2019
Opening motions
Council moved to approve the agenda as presented and Reeve David Jaggard asked if there were any questions concerning the meeting’s schedule. Terry Willemsvandyk, a member of the public, interjected with a question of why there had been nothing posted on the website about this meeting, other than the document outlining the meeting dates for the month of February. Acting Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Barbara Grigg responded that she had forgotten to post the notice, an action that is required per section 6.1 (a) of the township’s procedure bylaw.
Councillor Michael McKenzie requested that the budget discussion be deferred to the following week since Acting Clerk-Treasurer Roy Hardy was unable to attend the meeting and present his budget notes. The agenda was updated accordingly.
Public participation
Tehkummah resident Andy Bowerman raised concerns about backtracking and timeliness in snowplow operations. He said the township could better streamline its operations to save time and money by not backtracking along its routes.
“We’ve lived there 30 years and this is the first time that we’ve had to wait until 1 o’clock in the afternoon to get out, so I don’t think it’s very fair,” added Linda Bowerman.
Reeve Jaggard introduced new roads superintendent Kevin Dunlop and said that Mr. Dunlop would be working to improve organization and efficiency. Mr. Dunlop’s hiring was approved by council resolution later in the meeting.
“I’m sure that Kevin, having heard this, will know how to deal with that and the issue of backtracking,” Mr. Jaggard said.
Membership fee
payments
Council voted to pay membership fees for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Municipal Finance Officers’ Association of Ontario (MFOA), Municipal World magazine, Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers (AMCTO) and the Manitoulin and North Shore Road Supervisors Association out of the operating budget.
Water and sewer rates for 2019
Council moved to issue water and sewer rates for the first quarter of 2019 at the same rate as the last quarter of 2018, with future adjustments to be made to the remaining three quarters’ bills when the 2019 rates had been set.
OCWA expenditure and approval, fire truck budget request
Council received a notice from the Ontario Clean Water Agency that the chlorine analyzer at the South Baymouth water treatment plant, according to the report, is showing signs of beginning to fail. The total cost to replace the analyzer is $5,927.19, of which $4,565.04 is required for the part and $585 is required for labour. There is also a “non-claimable tax expense” of 1.76 percent, worth $80.34, and an administrative fee of 15 percent, worth $696.81.
Councillor McKenzie asked what the administrative fee was for. Reeve Jaggard and Ms. Grigg were unsure of the purpose of the fee.
“I don’t pay bills without knowing what they are,” said Councillor McKenzie. Tehkummah Fire Chief Jeff Wilson requested $60,000 be set aside in the budget, sourced from reserves, to try to purchase a new tanker-pumper truck. This is to be the maximum allowable expense and the truck might not end up costing that much.
Council deferred both motions until the next meeting, pending more information.
January 15, 2019
Cost analysis report and budget update
Mr. Hardy presented an interim cost centre analysis for the unaudited 2018 budget figures.
He stated the biggest negative costs from 2018 were from legal and audit expenses, stemming from staffing issues, and the outstanding litigation surrounding the Government Road bridge which totalled $175,000 in 2018. Legal and audit costs will be managed in the future through staff training on the accounting system and on pre-audit procedures, as well as developing new finance and administration policies.
Taxation revenues were up, partly because of an increase in overdue tax collection, including federal payments from its seized properties.
Tehkummah will be replacing its full-time clerk-treasurer position with a part-time clerk-administrator position on contract until council makes further staffing model decisions.
Mr. Hardy noted that there was no spending on emergency management in 2018, “which should be a cause for concern.”
Landfill operating costs in 2018 totalled roughly $75,000, with an additional $15,000 in staffing. Its revenue was only $3,000. Mr. Hardy suggested a higher tipping rate or a landfill charge to township residents to offset the costs. He added “a per capita/room/passenger charge of $50 would offset these costs on the tax bill.”
Mr. Hardy also offered a preliminary budget update for 2019. Some highlighted amounts included supplementary notes at the end, such as the cost to replace the office photocopier, replacing weatherstripping on doors at the municipal garage and a budget for a nearly-new pickup for township operations.
To pass the 2019 budget as proposed, Tehkummah would need to bring in a 15 percent higher tax levy than 2018. Assessment values increased by six percent, so in order to deliver the budget as-proposed, taxes would need to raise by nine percent. Mr. Hardy reminded council that the draft was intended as an all-in figure that would show how much certain initiatives would cost, and council could then determine what was worthy of keeping in the final approved version. Every $11,000 worth of spending in the budget reflects a one percent tax increase.
Assiginack joint
committee
Assiginack has requested a member of council work with them on the issue of replacing the jointly-owned Rogers Creek bridge. Mr. Hardy suggested they could also discuss other concerns and potential opportunities through the committee. He suggested the committee could start by having a dialogue to identify the main issues for both townships.
Councillor McKenzie agreed to serve on the committee and Councillor Eric Russell agreed to be the alternate, despite Councillor Russell’s reservations about what he called a lack of co-operation from Assiginack during the last council term, while he was reeve.
Fire chief’s report
Jeff Wilson delivered his report for December. Weekly practices are back on and both the mini pumper 4304 and yellow tanker 4302 are repaired and in good working condition.
Doug McAnsh applied to join the Tehkummah and Central Manitoulin fire departments and the cost of the bunker gear he would require could be shared with Central Manitoulin.
Tehkummah patrol yard
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is looking at selling the provincial property. Councillor McKenzie declared a conflict of interest and left the meeting. The township has a lease agreement with the province that comes due in June, but has offered the township another five-year lease with a proposed 10 percent negotiable price increase, should they wish to continue at the site. The current lease is $300 per month.
Although council indicated the township is not in a position to purchase the site, they will attempt to negotiate an agreement where any lease payments could go toward the possible future purchase of the property.
Roy Hardy contract
Coming out of a closed session, council voted to give the reeve and deputy reeve the signing authority for a contract with Mr. Hardy’s municipal consulting company to continue providing services to the township until June 30, 2019. By that point, council will have to determine the township’s future staffing model.
January 8, 2019
Borrowing bylaw
Council passed bylaw 2019-001, a borrowing bylaw that would permit the township to borrow up to $292,257.99, as required to meet expenditures before the township begins to receive tax payments. Councillor McKenzie requested and received clarification that this bylaw was on an as-needed basis and did not necessarily mean the township needed to borrow that sum immediately.
Ombudsman
Council received a letter from Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube regarding concerns about two closed meetings held in June 2018 where the outside door was locked following the closed session, preventing the public from entering the municipal building. The ombudsman had not found conclusive evidence that the door was intentionally locked to discourage public participation. Reeve Jaggard told council that “these kinds of things need to be given special attention in the future.” The report is available on the Ontario Ombudsman’s website and will be posted on the Tehkummah website.
