April 26th - Regular Council
Hello all,
Today, I'm keen to share the noteworthy items and discussions from our recent municipal council meeting held on April 26th, 2023. The meeting touched on a variety of topics, ranging from educational updates, proposed land developments, ATV trail updates, council remuneration, legal expenses, and short-term accommodation enforcement.
**8a) Lakehead University's Orillia Campus Update**
Our council meeting began with a deputation by Linda Rodenburg, representing Lakehead University. She provided an update on the activities and ongoing projects at the university's Orillia campus. It's always great to hear about the local developments and contributions of our educational institutions.
**11a) Oro-Medonte Estates Inc.'s Development Proposal**
Next on the agenda was DS2023-028. Derek Witlib, the Acting Director of Development Services, requested the removal of the holding provision for Oro-Medonte Estates Inc., specifically for the Forest Heights Estates project. This topic had been deferred from the April 12th, 2023 council meeting due to concerns about adequate erosion controls. The area in question is part of a settlement area and has already undergone significant alterations. Despite a general consensus to defer the item, I cast my vote against delaying approval, believing the developer had sufficiently coordinated with staff and the local environmental group.
**11b) Memorandum of Understanding for COATV Trail**
Item 11b) dealt with OCS2023-05, introduced by Brad Robinson, our Infrastructure and Capital Projects Coordinator. He discussed an update on the Central Ontario All-Terrain Vehicle Club (COATV) Trail's Memorandum of Understanding. This process, initiated during the previous council's term, aimed to balance the interests of ATV users with non-ATV trail users to ensure safety for all.
**11c) Council Remuneration**
Robin Dunn, our CAO, and Tamara Obee, Director of Human Resources, addressed the issue of council remuneration. Notably, this year there was no public vote for the deputy mayor position, and the individual filling that role is still fulfilling their duties as a councilor. As the role's scope has changed drastically, the remuneration was adjusted accordingly, a move that I believe is justified.
**12b) Township Legal Expenses**
A shocking revelation came in the form of CS2023-16, where Donna Hewitt, Director of Corporate Services, and Robin Dunn, our CAO, revealed that the township of Oro-Medonte incurred nearly $1,000,000 in legal expenses in 2022 alone. I urge residents to review the full report (here).
**12c) Short-Term Accommodation Enforcement**
Lastly, we discussed DS2023-029, presented by Curtis Shelswell, our Manager of Municipal Law Enforcement. This addressed the long-standing issue of short-term accommodation enforcement, a matter I believe will be dealt with effectively by the end of this council term. We eagerly anticipate the staff report on the enforcement outcomes during the early rental season, due on June 28th, 2023.
As always, we continue to work diligently to represent the best interests of our community. I hope you find this summary useful and encourage you to stay engaged with the happenings in our municipality.
Yours in Service,
David Clark