RE: November 1, 2011 Council Agenda
The pdf version of the full agenda package is available on the town website at:
https://southbrucepeninsula.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=45719
An Html version is at:
https://southbrucepeninsula.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=45717
Comments on a few interesting items in the Council Agenda Package
8.2 MCKENZIE02-2011 Event Proposals
Councillor McKenzie is concerned that Economic Development Officer Danielle Mulasmajic has prepared a report on the request of someone other than her boss Rhonda. I applaud Councillor McKenzie for challenging this kind of practice. TheEDO is paid by the town and is supposed to work for the town and should report to Rhonda and should be denying requests for services from anyone else. The “report” is just the tip of the improper practices iceberg. ….
8.5 PW100-2011 Snow Removal Request for Second St. S
MakingSecond street south a year round road may increase property values and assessments and taxes. Some second street south residents may not want this. The town should consult first with all potentially affected second street residents.
8.7 FS51-2011 Loan Application-Infrastructure Ontario, Amabel Sauble Water Systems Capital Upgrade
The CFO has found good loan rates for users of the Sauble area small water systems. Excellent.
8.8 FS52-2011 2012 Capital Budget and 5 Year Forecast
The capital forecast shows many items being paid for from general tax revenues that might be more appropriately paid for by users. (See agenda PDF version pages 84 to 102.) Examples include Wiarton water distribution, Wiarton Wastewater treatment plant, Amabel Waterworks, etc. A statement of rationale would be nice.
8.11 EDO26-2011 Sauble Chamber of Commerce Support Letter Request
Shane Sargent wants another $8000 from the taxpayers for another commercial venture. This should be denied. The town has a right to collect taxes in order to fund municipal services. The town has no right to collect taxes from residents for use for something that is not a legitimate municipal service. Giving the $8000 would also be (another) contravention of the Municipal Act section 106 regarding giving taxpayers money in support of commercial operations. Section 106 very clearly says “assistance prohibited”.
8.12 EDO27-2011 EDC Terms of Reference
The Economic development committee developed new terms of reference Sepember 14. They were turned down in COW October 14th. Now they have redrafted the terms. The redraft is as bad as the September 14 version. The redraft gives the EDC way too much latitude. The terms should be rejected. The EDC is a rogue committee, totally out of control, and is doing the town immense harm. Now they want to relax their terms of reference in a way that will allow them to do even more harm. The EDC should be disbanded instead.
8.13 EDO28-2011 Draft Strategic Plan Public Meeting
The EDO wants council direction regarding when the public should be consulted on the draft strategic plan report – before council gets the report or after. I think the public consultation should be in the summer of 2012, when the seasonal residents are around.
8.14 CAO89-2011 Wiarton Chamber of Commerce M.O.U.
The Wiarton Chamber claims that the MOU between the town and the chamber gives them the arena free of charge in the three days before the wiarton willie festival. They cite section 2.3 of the MOU (see page 141 of the pdf version of the agenda package.)
The chamber claim is preposterous. Sections 2.4 and 2.5 of the MOU make it very clear that the arena is not included as an in-kind gift to the chambers anytime before the actual event.
The chambers request for free use of the arena before the willie event must be denied.
But we might consider giving the Wiarton Chamber of Commerce the 2011 “extreme audacity award”.
8.15 CAO90-2011 Alternate [ATV] Route to Clarence Avenue
ATV’s use Clarence Avenueas part of “their trail”. The residents of Clarence avenue are bothered by the ATV’s and the residents want Clarence streetadded to the list of streets where ATV’s are not allowed. The residents of Clarence avenuehave a right to quiet enjoyment of their properties, their homes, their street. The ATV club members have a desire to use Clarence Avenue, but they have no right to disturb the residents. We the inhabitants can give them permission (through our representatives), but they have no right. There is no way the ATV club members desires should trump the residents’ rights.
Rhonda Cook, as usual, says residents-rights-be-damned, and is recommending against the residents.
Council should reject Rhonda’s recommendation.
Council should addClarence Avenueto the no-ATV’s list.
8.17 CAO92-2011 Wiarton Sewers E-Mail/Varley
In an e-mail to councillors Jackson, Bowman and Klages, Pat Varley objected to money budgeted for d-line repairs being redirected to the Wiarton sewers study. Rhonda’s rambling response does not answer the objection. I agree with Mrs. Varley. The Wiarton sewers study should be capitalized, funded by loan, and charged to sewers services users, and should not come from the d-line budget item. But Mrs. Cook is right in saying that stormwater system repair of problems not caused by deterioration of the sewer lines should be funded from general revenues.
Costs of digging up roads should be allocated based on whether sewers or stormwater lines are the problem that required the roads to be dug up (and replaced). I expect it will be a mix.
Craig
Bruce on the Bruce 