COBDEN — Prior to the start of the corporate services committee, Councillor Charlene Jackson suggested that all delegations be heard first, regardless of what committee they are a delegation in.
She said it’s really not fair that someone sit for a lengthy period of time while waiting for the committee meeting they are a delegation in.
Council members agreed.
AD PURCHASED FOR LEGION BOOK
The corporate services committee agreed to recommend council purchase a $325 business card-size space in the Military Service Recognition Book which is published each year by the Ontario Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Council Daryl McLaughlin said he would rather see the money go directly towards the local Legion.
“I’m not in favour of doing this because it is not supporting our own local Legion which needs support,” he said.
Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons noted council purchased an ad last year. She said the township also received a copy of the book, which sits on a table in the main lobby of the township office.
“It features quite prominently citizens (of Whitewater Region) who have given their lives for freedom,” she said.
Councillor Charlene Jackson, chair of this committee, said there are 20,000 copies of the book distributed to the various legions throughout the province. Proceeds of the costs go towards printing and distributing the book.
Reading from a letter from the Ontario Command, she said, “Additional proceeds received through this program will assist and support many important Legion initiatives that in turn will assist our over 400 branches to remain a viable partner in their communities.
“The Legion is recognized as Canada’s largest Veteran organization and we are an integral part of the communities we serve. This project ensures the Legion’s continued success in providing these very worthwhile services.”
The motion was passed unanimously.
STRATEGIC PLAN ADOPTED
During the corporate services committee, the 2016-2019 strategic plan was discussed and adopted.
Once the plan is adopted by council, CAO FitzSimons said, “This will be a guiding document through the budget process.”
She further noted the mayor could present the document to the public, so they are aware what council is hoping to accomplish the next few years.
PEMBROKE AIRPOT
The corporate services committee tabled a motion to double the 2016 levy to the Pembroke Airport Commission from the 2015 levy. The amount will be in the $20,000 range.
Coun. McLaughlin, who represents Whitewater Region on the airport commission board, is in favour of the increase. He said nothing has been done to the airport since it opened decades ago.
“Everything is to the point where work has to be done on it,” he said.
When questioned why an airport is necessary, Coun. McLaughlin said a big reason is the medical service it provides. If someone needs to be air-lifted to Ottawa or Toronto, the helicopter can land at the airport. He further questioned what will happen with the battalions at Garrison Petawawa who depend on helicopters if they aren’t able to fuel up at the Pembroke Airport.
“The member from (Garrison Petawawa at a previous meeting), said it provides a very strong service they need and I worry what happens if we don’t go ahead, what happens to those battalions that need this strip to work with,” he questioned.
Mayor Hal Johnson agreed with Coun. McLaughlin and added, the presentation made to council wasn’t as thorough as it could have been in explaining why the levy needed to be doubled.
“The presentation wasn’t thorough enough to ensure the bang for the buck going forward,” he said. “There needs to be more work on the financial end of it to assure it’s going to work.”
He noted there is a meeting that mayors and CAOs were invited to with the board and commission to get a more in-depth review of what needs to be done and why. (The meeting was held Jan. 21.)
“My personal take on what some of the other municipalities are thinking, is that the base (Garrison Petawawa) should jump up and take on a little bit more of the onus because of the usage and possibly increased usage in the future,” the Mayor said.
He added, “Right now, we should have an airport. How we are going to achieve it being effective, needs to be worked on.”
A report from the Jan. 21 meeting will be provided at an upcoming meeting. Mayor Johnson also said Mayor Bob Sweet from Petawawa is intending to attend a Whitewater committee meeting to review the results as well.
Councillor Dave Mackay isn’t in favour of supporting the airport.
“I disagree,” he said. “I think we should cancel it. We are subsidizing the Canadian Armed Forces and I don’t think we should be.
“That’s a lot of money for an airport that has no commercial use. There’s no flights out of it.”
As for flying to Ottawa for a medical emergency, Coun. Mackay said it would be just as quick to get to Ottawa by ambulance as by air.
“By the time you drive to the airport, and fly to Ottawa, you can take an ambulance to Ottawa,” he stated.
“I don’t think we should be putting money into it.”
The committee agreed to table the motion until after the mayors/CAOs and board meeting to see what new information is brought forward.
LOWE COURT TO BE WINTER MAINTAINED
The public works committee is recommending Lowe Court in Beachburg be winter maintained by the public works department.
Public works manager Bil Misener said this request was brought to him a while ago. Lowe Court has been brought up to an ‘A’ gravel standard, but not to the point where the township will assume the road yet, he said.
“Mr. (John) Vereyken has requested that public works go ahead and start winter maintenance on the road,” he said.
This is not a new request, as the public works department has done this in other subdivisions in the municipality, Mr. Misener said, adding, but he wanted permission from council to do this winter maintenance.
Lowe Court isn’t long, as there are only a couple of houses on it, he noted. Winter maintenance can be done quite easily on it, he added.
Coun. McLaughlin said Jamieson Crescent and Cardell Street were other roads where winter maintenance was done, although the township had not yet assumed the roads.
“It’s not a new precedent that we’re setting,” he said. “We’ve done this before. I have no problems as long as Bill has no problem with starting the maintenance on it.”
Mr. Misener said eventually Lowe Court will be a municipal road. He said the road has to be paved by 2020 as per the subdivision agreement.
NOTES
• The committee is recommending that Terry O’Malley be hired as the municipal mechanic. It also recommends that Lindsay Broadhurst be hired as a machine operator full time for the municipality.
• The committee is recommending that the township absorb the $9,000 survey costs in the industrial park.
RECREATION BYLAW NOT YET PASSED
The recreation committee has agreed to allow the Cobden Recreation Association to review the proposed bylaw between the municipality and the association.
Chief Administrative officer Christine FitzSimons said the last bylaw was 22 pages long, was dated 1986 and it was with the former Village of Cobden.
The proposed bylaw is “short and sweet,” with terms of reference and members of the committee. Once this bylaw is passed, the next step will be drafting a new lease agreement, she added.
“We are functioning without a lease right now with Cobden Rec for the Cobden arena,” CAO FitzSimons pointed out.
She is also preparing a report with the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating the Cobden Recreation Association, which would mirror what the municipality has with the Beachburg and Westmeath rec associations, which are independently incorporated.
While the committee briefly discussed when the document would be reviewed so the staff and council member would be changed, CAO FitzSimons said in the document, it does state that each year a councillor and a staff member will be appointed to the association’s board.
Once the Cobden Recreation Association has had opportunity to review the proposed bylaw, it will be brought back to the recreation committee for review before going to council to be approved.
