Council Matters - December 17, 2019

At the Council meeting held on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, Council:

• Held a Court of Revision regarding the Debergh Drain – Realignment for Parcel # 660-03800 and approved the Schedule of Assessment.

• Held a Public Meeting under the Drainage Act and adopted the Engineer’s Report for the South Branch of Lebo Creek Drain Hydro One Easement.

• Amended By-law 55-19, Schedule E (Building Fees) to provide for a Tariff of Fees to be charged in 2020 by the Municipality of Leamington. Administration has identified that the Building Services fees are well below the average market comparators since the fees have not been adjusted since 2012. It is anticipated that increasing the Building Fees in Schedule E (Proposed) will establish Leamington Building Permit Fees to be comparable to neighbouring municipalities.

• Deferred the decision for the Removal of the Holding (H) Symbol for 11 Iroquois to allow Dillon Consulting Ltd. the time to review the Noise Study submitted by Akoustiks Engineering Limited on December 13, 2019.

• Awarded the Selkirk Drain at Alderton Street Headwall Improvements – Maintenance Tender Award project to Jeff Shepley Excavating Ltd., in the amount of $139,450.00 (plus applicable taxes). Maintenance is required at the outlet side of the Alderton Street outlet of the enclosed portion of the Selkirk Drain. 

• Awarded the Sturgeon Creek, Anfred Street maintenance project to Cecil Bailey Excavating Inc., in the amount of $28,002.64 (plus applicable taxes). Drain maintenance has been requested and is required east of Anfred Street on a portion of the Sturgeon Creek Drain.  The north and south banks need to be restored and stabilized to the original design.

• Awarded the purchase of a Security Access Control System to Vollmer Inc. for the price not to exceed $59,000 plus HST. This project will include replacing existing readers with newer enhanced readers, capable of reading multiple different types of transmitters (proximity cards, fobs, and smartphones), adding new doors and areas, as well as upgrading the software to provide enhanced reporting and control of the system.

• Approved the proposed initiatives totaling $620,201 to be funded from the Province of Ontario’s modernization and efficiency grant. On March 20, 2019, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) announced municipalities would receive an unconditional grant from the Province to aid in transforming service delivery and identify more modern, efficient ways of operating municipal services in critical and complex areas.  

The approved uses will be:

• Approved a by-law to provide for the 2020 interim tax levy in the Municipality of Leamington. Two installment due dates are recommended for the 2020 interim tax levy as follows: Wednesday, February 12 and Wednesday, April 15. 

• Approved a by-law to provide for 2020 borrowing in the Municipality of Leamington. Section 407(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides that a municipality may authorize temporary borrowing until property taxes and other revenues are collected in order to meet the current expenditures for the year. The borrowing by-law is presented to Council each year to establish the borrowing limits for the Municipality.

• Approved entering into an agreement with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), for the purposes of providing police services, for a three year term with an option to terminate the contract upon one year written notice. Michael Mitchell was retained for the purposes of evaluating the level of policing being received by the Municipality and the level of human resources used to provide the same. Mr. Mitchell is nearing completion of the required review in order to prepare his first report to Council. If Council directs, the second phase of Mr. Mitchell’s work would involve community consultation to determine the public perception of the current service level and solicit input into policing priorities. 

• Authorized entering into an agreement with Performance Sponsorship Group, Inc. to determine and market sponsorship and advertising opportunities and secure funding agreements in connection with the same for a one year term in a form satisfactory to the Municipality’s solicitor. Given the recent construction and rejuvenation of the sport and recreation facilities in Leamington, this is the optimal time for the Municipality to develop these sponsorship and marketing opportunities through the use of a marketing professional.

  To receive further information, please refer to the Municipality of Leamington Council Agenda and Minutes at www.leamington.ca