Council Preview
By John Swartz
Orillia council starts its first meeting of March at 1 p.m. It’s an hour earlier than the normal start for regular council meetings because they have a special meeting.
But you won’t know what goes on because it’s listed as an informational legal session and it will be held in closed session. Even the broad strokes of what will be discussed are not listed on the agenda.
Once back in public they will be there only briefly, depending on how many are lined up for the public forum potion of the agenda because there are no presentations or deputations, so they will go right back into closed session. There are three items on that agenda. Two are from corporate services about a memorandum of understanding between the City and the Orillia Museum of Art and History, and a staffing matter which Mayor Don McIsaac pulled from a council information package.
The third item is also pulled from a council information package and it’s about a request for information about something falling under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
When they finally get back into the public meeting, they have 5 items to discuss. First is a request to form a working group (proposed to comprise councillors Tim Lauer, Dave Campbell and Jeff Czetwerzuk) to review the winter control policy.
Snow Big Deal
There was a special meeting of council February 20 at which the issue of the tremendous amount of snow falling on Orillia in a short period of time was addressed. Well, the budget for clearing snow and equipment needs were addressed by adding to the 2025 budget and buying new plows for roads and sidewalks.
The policy sets parameters for when plows for roads and sidewalks hit the streets according to how much snow has fallen, when salting is done, which roads and sidewalks are priorities and when additional help (contractors) should be called in.
One might recall the last few years the amount of snowfall was down significantly. In fact this winter snow did not happened until November 29 and it was unseasonably warm for most of November. There have been years recently we experienced only one snowfall in November or December of any significant amount, which soon melted, and anything resembling a normal winter snowfall and accumulation did not happen until the end of January, or into February.
Bottom line is, for several years we were getting fewer snowstorms, but they are dumping more snow in a relatively short amount of time. This change in the winter weather patterns has been kind to the annual snow clearing budget with surpluses realized, which were then put into a reserve account, which in turn was drawn on this year.
The thing that is likely to be top of mind is that the policy may be good for historically normal winters, but growing the budget each year cannot keep up with the kinds of snow storms we’ve had this winter.
A change of approach is probably a good move. What is important is to clear away snow from the roads and sidewalks as fast as possible so the City does not become paralyzed for a day, or days.
Relying on weather reports has become not much to rely on; when they call for 30 cm we get either 40 or 50, or 5 cm. The department can’t wait to call everyone in if 30 cm falls in a 6 hour time frame, and they can’t call everyone in if the forecast is wrong and nothing of significance happens.
It would seem logical for staff to be directed to start annually making sure additional equipment and operators are on standby for short order call up if the volume to respond to is what we have been experiencing this year, because the only sure bet to make is it will be as bad or worse from now on. Or maybe it will be better, more in line with the past three or four winters. It largely depends on whether Georgian Bay freezes over or not. It’s a tough call, but setting standards based on only the past few years, or this year can’t be the yardstick. Some middle ground with provision to expand service rapidly has to be devised.
Helping Those Who Need It
The next report is an update on activity from the addiction and overdose crisis working group. The report lays out the justification for council to release conditional funds of $100,000 to support an emergency addiction and mental health services project, and for the Mayor and clerk to execute contribution agreement between the City and Health Canada for an emergency treatment fund grant.
The City budgeted for the $100,000, but did not authorize actually spending it until there was more evidence it needed to be spent. The working group was set up to investigate creating:
“A drop-in centre/community hub which would meet people’s basic needs, build community connections, and provide one location access to harm reduction, housing, and other partner services.”
The working group collaborated with Georgian College’s addictions, treatment and prevention program, which recommended establishing a drop in centre. This was estimated to cost about $100,000, but council wanted more specific details on how the money would be spent.
Community Connections 211 is already involved with establishing a center in Orillia, but any renovations have to be done by the end of March, which is also the end of the fiscal year for the grant funding involved. The City’s $100,000 contribution would be used, possibly, to ensure the outfitting of a drop in center gets done if the project completion takes longer.
The point if the center and Community Connections involvement is help people find services they can use or enroll in offered by other existing agencies and programs which are designed to get people out of their addictions and tackle accompanying needs like education/training, housing and introducing/reintegrating people with the broader community.
The working group is also asking this report, if approved, go straight to ratification this week instead of waiting until the next council meeting because of the grant finding fiscal year end.
The next report from staff is about amendments to City policy regarding fees charged to school boards and post secondary schools. This is a result of Lakehead University asking council for reduced rates to use the council chamber for a course they offer.
Council did approve the use and waive rental and cleaning fees, but any additional requests (using audio/visual equipment) be billed at normal rates. They also stipulated use be during normal business hours and not interfere with council’s use of the chamber..
Council asked staff to come back with amendments to the City’s policy on use and approval so each request wouldn’t have to come to council every time use was requested.
Ice Cream Vendors
Last summer council asked staff to report on allowing mobile (pedal powered and eBikes) ice cream vending be allowed. Staff’s report outlines licensing requirements, health unit approvals, and restrictions to not operate on arterial roads, near parks and schools and in the downtown core. There will be a limit of 5 permits issue per year and operators cannot be under the age of 16.
Our Work Is Done Here
Staff are reporting to council 21 capital projects are completed. Most projects were authorized since 2020, but one (Old Barrie Road intersection improvements) goes back to 2009.
All but 3 came in under budget, creating a surplus of $244.5K. The previously mentioned Barrie Road project was $265K over budget, as well as a bike and trail lane in the same area ($59K over) and constructing the temporary parking lot on Front Street opposite the youth center (unbudgeted at $1676K).
While in total there is a surplus of all projects, council has to approve the additional costs per project and assign the reserves to be dinged. It’s a bit of changing money from one pocket to another, but accountants need to be happy too.
Why Are Those Lights Flashing At Me?
Following up from the last council meeting, councillors were asked to make two choices for location of speed radars. Relax, these ones aren’t the ones that spit out tickets (those got approved anyway), they are just warning devices that also collect traffic data. Here’s the list of the choices council made:
Mayor McIsaac
Location 1 – University Avenue
Location 2 – Laclie Street and Brant Street East
Campbell
Location 1 – West Street South from James Street to Highway 12
Location 2 – Forest Avenue from James Street to Highway 12
Smith
Location 1 – Atherley Road at Moffat Street
Location 2 – Oxford Street at Regent Street
Cipolla
Location 1 – Mary Street between Douglas Street and Westmount Drive North
Location 2 – Nottawasaga Street between Douglas Street and Westmount Drive North
Leatherdale
Location 1 – Barrie Road at Lexington Avenue
Location 2 – Memorial Avenue at Albany Avenue
Czetwerzuk
Location 1 – Lewis Drive
Location 2 – Monarch Drive – west of West Ridge Boulevard
Fallis
Location 1 – Stone Ridge Boulevard
Location 2 – Bass Lake Side Road
Durnford
Location 1 – Laclie Street between Goldie Drive and Sundial Drive
Location 2 – Highland Avenue
Lauer
Location 1 – Brant Street West between Patrick Street and Peter Street North
Location 2 – Matchedash Street South between King Street and Colborne Street East
The Rest Of The Agenda
There are no other motions, or by-laws of particular interest.
Council meetings are open to the public or can be watched on the City’s Youtube channel.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
