Strategic Decisions from Council - January 29, 2024

Council Meeting Date: January 29, 2024

Consent Agenda Approvals

2024 Community Impact Grant Recommendations
Council approved the Community Impact Grant allocations of $157,980 as recommended by the Healthy Communities Advisory Committee.

There was a total of 41 applications received over all streams with a total ask of $288,186

4 new Annual Specific requests in addition to the 10 existing
7 Capital
30 Projects and Programming

As part of the Community Impact Grant policy, the Healthy Communities Advisory Committee reviews the applications and makes recommendations for Council's approval.

For a complete list of applications, review the Report to Council

Strategic Plan Review - 2024
Council authorized staff to proceed with engagement between Council and Staff to gather feedback on the current 2023 to 2026 Strategic Plan before the 2025 Budget process.

Staff will begin an engagement process with Council and Staff to seek opinions on the current Strategic Plan to ensure that the current priorities and initiatives are in line with the direction of Council and Staff.

Report to Council

Declaration of Surplus Lands
The Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) is desirous of expanding St. Joseph Catholic School to include an elementary addition and a future high school. The Township of Centre Wellington can assist the WCDSB by selling Strathallan Park to the Board, for the purpose of the school expansion.

Council approved declaring the property surplus to negotiate an agreement and potentially selling the property to the WCDSB strictly for their institutional purposes. Before the secondary school’s development, the park can continue to operate and be maintained by the Township. Following any development of a new school, the greenspace would remain publicly accessible during non-school hours. This sale of land would be conditional on the approval of the Ministry of Education. As per the Townships Policy with Respect to the Sale and Other Disposition of Land by the Municipality, Council must declare the property as surplus.

Report to Council

NOTICE OF MOTIONS (Considered on January 29, 2024)

Notice of Motion from Mayor Watters - Child Care Centre, Belwood
After discussion, the following resolution was approved by Council:

THAT the Council of the Township of Centre Wellington directs staff to investigate and work towards supporting the development of a child-care facility/recreational space to be located in Belwood. This includes the collaboration and coordination between other levels of government and community partners;

AND THAT the investigation includes the high-level identification of a site, planning issues, financial implications, and facility management. A public process including input from the Belwood Community Development Committee would also form part of this planning process;

AND THAT staff be instructed to bring back a report to Council, including letters of intent from community partners and other levels of government, at the June 24^th meeting, providing background information and details to facilitate the next phase of this potential development.

Notice of Motion from Councillor Wilton – Transportation Master Plan Fergus Bypass (Passed by Council)
Whereas the Council of the Township of Centre Wellington recognizes the urgent need for a transportation bypass around Fergus.

The Council of the Township of Centre Wellington resolves that the second bypass option identified in the Township’s 2019 Transportation Master Plan (p. 74) would see a new bridge constructed at County Road 29 and crossing to land that is immediately adjacent to the Pierpoint Fly Fishing Nature Reserve is no longer a viable option.

And that Council directs staff to refer to this resolution in future transportation planning discussions with Wellington County and the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

And that this resolution be circulated to the staff and Council of Wellington County

Notice of Motion from Councillor MacDonald - Legislative Changes regarding Municipal Codes of Conduct (Passed by Council)
WHEREAS, all Ontarians deserve and expect a safe and respectful workplace;
AND WHEREAS, municipal governments, as the democratic institutions most directly engaged with Ontarians need respectful discourse;
AND WHEREAS, several incidents in recent years of disrespectful behaviour and workplace harassment have occurred amongst members of municipal councils;
AND WHEREAS, these incidents seriously and negatively affect the people involved and lower public perceptions of local governments;
AND WHEREAS, Municipal Codes of Conduct are helpful tools to set expectations of council member behaviour;
AND WHEREAS, municipal governments do not have the necessary tools to adequately enforce compliance with municipal Codes of Conduct;
AND WHEREAS 201 municipalities support the call for legislation to ensure appropriate accountability measures for sitting councillors, including OBCM, AMO and ROMA;
AND WHEREAS a fundamental, underlying principle of broadening diversity, equity and inclusion in politics rests on the assumption that the workplace is safe;
AND WHEREAS we believe that municipal elected officials should be held to account in this way, we also believe that federal and provincial elected officials should take similar actions to hold themselves to account.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The Centre Wellington supports the call of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for the Government of Ontario to introduce legislation to strengthen Municipal Codes of Conduct and compliance with them in consultation with municipal governments.
AND THAT legislation encompass the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s recommendations for:

Updating Municipal Codes of Conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment
Creating a flexible administrative penalty regime, adapted to the local economic, and financial circumstances of municipalities across Ontario
Increasing training of municipal Integrity Commissioners to enhance consistency of investigations and recommendations across the province.
Allowing municipalities to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a sitting member if recommended through the report of a Municipal Integrity Commissioner
Prohibit a member so removed from sitting for election in the term of removal and the subsequent term of office.

AND THAT this motion be circulated to the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, the Honourable David Lametti the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Kate Manson-Smith, Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Scott Pierce, Federation of Canadian Municipalities Acting President, and Colin Best, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

For more information:

Kendra Martin | Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Communications

Township of Centre Wellington | 1 MacDonald Square, Elora, ON N0B 1S0

519.846.9691 x220 centrewellington.ca
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Township of Centre Wellington
1 MacDonald Square, Elora, Ontario, Canada, N0B 1S0
Phone: 519.846.9691
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