Owen Sound Council Meeting - Regular Meeting Transcript — May 12, 2025

00:03:31 Speaker 02: It's five thirty p.m. on May the twelfth, and I will call this meeting to order of Council.

00:03:37 Speaker 02: Unable to be here this evening is Mayor Boddy, but the rest of Council is gathered together in the chambers.

00:03:46 Speaker 02: So, second item after calling the meeting to order is call for additional business.

00:03:52 Speaker 02: Are there any items?

00:03:53 Speaker 02: I'll go to Councillor Farmer first, then Councillor Koepke.

00:03:57 Speaker 02: Thank you.

00:03:58 Speaker 02: I'll have two items.

00:03:58 Speaker 03: One regarding the Wheel and Ride event, we can pass, and also upcoming events hosted by PFLAG and Grey Bruce Pride.

00:04:10 Speaker 03: Thank you, Chair.

00:04:11 Speaker 04: I have a summary of the Oshun conference.

00:04:17 Speaker 04: Okay, look.

00:04:17 Speaker 04: Okay, looking left, Brock Hamley.

00:04:20 Speaker 05: Yep, I'll have just a question on discussions with the West Grey Police Service and some comments about summer lacrosse.

00:04:36 Speaker 05: Okay, and any further, any from staff?

00:04:40 Speaker 05: Not seeing anything else.

00:04:41 Speaker 05: I've got three items.

00:04:43 Speaker 06: First is the anniversary celebration for the Salvation Army and the one hundredth anniversary of the Quanah's anniversary gala and garbage and litter in our environment.

00:04:57 Speaker 06: So, item three is declarations of interest.

00:05:01 Speaker 06: Are there any declarations to be made at this time?

00:05:05 Speaker 06: Not seeing any noted at this time.

00:05:08 Speaker 06: Item four is confirmation of the council minutes.

00:05:12 Speaker 06: Four a minutes the closed session the regular council meeting held.

00:05:15 Speaker 06: on April 14th.

00:05:16 Speaker 07: Councillor Hamley, move by myself, seconded by Councillor Koepke, that the minutes of the following council meetings be adopted as printed: the closed session of the regular council meeting held on April 14th, 2025;

00:05:29 Speaker 07: the special council meeting held on April 28th, 2025; and the regular council meeting held on April 28th, 2025.

00:05:39 Speaker 06: And are there any questions to anything contained within those minutes?

00:05:44 Speaker 06: None seen.

00:05:44 Speaker 06: All those in favour?

00:05:47 Speaker 06: That's carried unanimously.

00:05:48 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:05:49 Speaker 06: Item five is motion to move council into committee of the whole.

00:05:52 Speaker 06: Councillor Hamlin, my favourite part.

00:05:56 Speaker 07: Moved by myself, seconded by Councillor Koepke, that City Council now move into committee of the whole to consider public meetings, deputations and presentations, public forum matters arising from correspondence, reports of city staff, consent agenda,

00:06:08 Speaker 07: committee minutes, matters postponed, motions for which notice was previously given, and additional business.

00:06:14 Speaker 06: All those in favour, carried unanimously.

00:06:19 Speaker 06: And we are in the committee of the whole tonight.

00:06:21 Speaker 06: We have no public meetings.

00:06:24 Speaker 06: We have no deputations or presentations to be made this evening.

00:06:28 Speaker 06: So item eight is public forum.

00:06:30 Speaker 06: We do have one guest here tonight.

00:06:33 Speaker 06: It's a very light agenda.

00:06:35 Speaker 06: I will say that for you.

00:06:36 Speaker 06: So tonight's a great night to approach the podium.

00:06:39 Speaker 06: Should you wish to play something before us, please just state your name and where you reside.

00:06:47 Speaker 08: Yes, thank you, Deputy Mayor and Councillors.

00:06:50 Speaker 08: David Walton from Owen Sound here.

00:06:53 Speaker 08: I want to commend this council for rejecting the strong mayor's powers, which I believe is really an affront to democracy.

00:07:02 Speaker 08: And we have to defend our democracy everywhere because as we see south of the border, it.

00:07:07 Speaker 08: South of the border, it's going away like by leaps and bounds.

00:07:11 Speaker 08: So, thank you for rejecting those.

00:07:14 Speaker 08: I realize that it's there anyway; that you can't really stop that, but you don't have to use it.

00:07:20 Speaker 08: So, thank you.

00:07:23 Speaker 06: Okay, thank you very much for taking some time this evening and coming forward to acknowledge that direction that came from council.

00:07:31 Speaker 06: We appreciate it.

00:07:33 Speaker 06: So, item we have no further individuals taking part in public forum this evening.

00:07:40 Speaker 06: Item nine is correspondence received for which no direction of council is required.

00:07:44 Speaker 06: There are no items this evening, so we are now to item ten, which is reports of city staff.

00:07:52 Speaker 06: And this time, I will pass it over to Director Coulter.

00:07:59 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:07:59 Speaker 09: I would refer council to the illustration on the screen.

00:08:04 Speaker 09: The city received correspondence from Brandon Vandershot requesting the lease of five parking spaces on 11th Street West.

00:08:13 Speaker 09: So this area on 11th Street is located east of First Avenue West, and the reason he's looking to lease those spaces is to support the redevelopment of 1095 First Avenue West,

00:08:26 Speaker 09: which is located just a little bit to the south.

00:08:29 Speaker 09: So 1095 contains four commercial units.

00:08:34 Speaker 09: Two of them have been renovated and occupied.

00:08:37 Speaker 09: Two of them have building permits for renovations.

00:08:42 Speaker 09: And additionally, there's a residential unit on the north side of that building.

00:08:47 Speaker 09: Mr. Vandershot estimates that once the renovations are completed, there'll be 22 employees among those four businesses within 1095.

00:08:57 Speaker 09: So there is an asphalt parking area located along with 1095, and I estimate they're not well lined.

00:09:06 Speaker 09: Although they are going to be lining them as part of their update, and that there's 16 to 18 spaces in that area.

00:09:15 Speaker 09: So the area subject to the request outlined in red on the screen includes 10 parking spaces along the north side of that 11th Street West right of way.

00:09:25 Speaker 09: Along the south side is a municipal sidewalk that connects to the sidewalk located on the east side of First Avenue West, along that area are also some decorative lights,

00:09:38 Speaker 09: which connects the Harbor Walkway to First Avenue West and would provide a connection to One Thousand and Ninety Five.

00:09:48 Speaker 09: This area of the city is designated waterfront mixed use in the official plan, and it really is intended to integrate a broad array of industrial, residential, office, retail,

00:09:57 Speaker 09: and service uses to support an active harbor.

00:10:04 Speaker 09: The request for lease was circulated internally and to Planning and Heritage Building, Public Works and Engineering clerks, and the Fire Division.

00:10:13 Speaker 09: Comments of note: The redevelopment of 1095 will bring more people and activity to the harbor. 11th Street West, this parking area is generally unutilised as well.

00:10:24 Speaker 09: Further north, there is a significant area of parking associated with the former CN Rail building, where the Community Waterfront Heritage building is located.

00:10:38 Speaker 09: The use of these parking spaces wouldn't interfere with deliveries being made when the Chichimeon or other large ships are in the harbor.

00:10:47 Speaker 09: It would generate some revenue for the city to offset our costs of operating.

00:10:54 Speaker 09: So, a draft the provisions of a draft lease are outlined in the report.

00:10:58 Speaker 09: We're proposing a 10-year lease agreement with an option for 10-year renewal.

00:11:03 Speaker 09: That legal costs would be paid by the lessee.

00:11:07 Speaker 09: They would also pay the signage and installation costs.

00:11:11 Speaker 09: There is an error in the report on the calculation of the costs, and it should read five spaces at $300, which is $1,500 for that space.

00:11:21 Speaker 09: And we were recommending that the spaces be the spaces closest to First Avenue West, leaving the spaces closer to the harbor for parking in associated with those harbor front type uses.

00:11:35 Speaker 09: So the recommendation is, in considering the report,

00:11:39 Speaker 09: council would direct staff to bring forward a bylaw to authorise the mayor and clerk to execute a lease agreement with Brandon Vandershot with the terms generally as outlined in the report.

00:11:50 Speaker 09: Thank you.

00:11:51 Speaker 09: I'll go to Councillor Farmer first.

00:11:53 Speaker 09: Through the chair, I'm happy to move the recommendation.

00:11:55 Speaker 10: I think any time we can have parking pay for itself across the city, that we're winning, and that when folks are asking, that we should make deals when they're easy.

00:12:09 Speaker 10: Thank you.

00:12:09 Speaker 10: Any further questions?

00:12:12 Speaker 06: No. It is great to see enhanced activity in that part of the downtown too, just the northern fringe, and it doesn't preclude a future bridge going across 11th Street yet.

00:12:27 Speaker 06: It's a long way off.

00:12:28 Speaker 06: No further questions.

00:12:29 Speaker 06: I'll call the motion.

00:12:31 Speaker 06: All those in favour?

00:12:33 Speaker 06: And that's carried unanimously.

00:12:34 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:12:36 Speaker 06: Item 10B is verbal report from the deputy mayor regarding Grey County Council.

00:12:41 Speaker 06: I actually have nothing to report for Council from last week's meeting, as any items were not related to the business of Owen Sound.

00:12:55 Speaker 06: Item eleven is the consent agenda.

00:12:59 Speaker 06: So, I will go to the clerk to introduce, and then to Councillor Hamley next.

00:13:06 Speaker 06: Actually, before I do so, I should ask, Councillor, was there any items in the consent agenda that anyone would want voted on separately?

00:13:16 Speaker 06: Seeing none, I'll go to the clerk.

00:13:20 Speaker 11: Through you, Deputy Mayor Greig, on the consent agenda this evening is a report on a request from Barry's Construction to purchase a portion of the 21st Street East unopened road, west of Ninth Avenue East.

00:13:30 Speaker 11: Report on the provision of external audit services and the appointment of a municipal auditor.

00:13:35 Speaker 11: A report on a public appointment to the Corporate Services Committee and a report on the approval of non-standard procurement for a pressure reducing valve chamber.

00:13:44 Speaker 11: There are minutes for receipt from the Police Board and business licences were issued to Painted Paws Spa at 675 Sixth Street East, Sunnyside Grill at 925 Sixteenth Street East, Matthew McDonald,

00:13:56 Speaker 11: who is the new owner of On Sound Kia at 1601 Eighteenth Avenue East, and Hawker Pedler licences were issued to a fireworks retailer and Tees to Green.

00:14:06 Speaker 11: Mayor Boddy has issued decisions to delegate his powers relating to the Chief Administrative Officer, organisational structure, and committees.

00:14:15 Speaker 11: These decisions are also available on the city's website under Strong Mayor Powers.

00:14:19 Speaker 11: The last item on the consent agenda is the information package.

00:14:22 Speaker 11: A full listing is available at 11 H. Councillor Hamley move by myself that, in consideration of the items listed on the May 12th, 2025 consent agenda,

00:14:38 Speaker 07: City Council receives items 11A to 11H and approves the recommendations contained in items.

00:14:43 Speaker 07: Are there any questions from council?

00:14:45 Speaker 07: Not seeing any.

00:14:49 Speaker 06: All those in favour of the consent agenda being received, and that's carried unanimously.

00:15:02 Speaker 06: Are there any items in specifics that council would like further spoken to?

00:15:09 Speaker 06: Councillor Farmer, go ahead.

00:15:11 Speaker 06: Thank you.

00:15:11 Speaker 06: Through the chair, to the clerks.

00:15:11 Speaker 03: Just be... to the clerks, just because it is the first time that we've seen strong mayor decisions included on the agenda, should we and the public expect to see that as a standing item,

00:15:22 Speaker 03: regardless of whether or not decisions are made, or will we only see that pop up when there are applicable things like the budget coming forward connected to strong mayors?

00:15:35 Speaker 11: Through you, Deputy Mayor Greig, to Councillor Farmer, we don't anticipate this being a regular occurrence.

00:15:40 Speaker 11: So, irregular occurrence, so likely it will not be on future agendas unless there is a mayoral decision.

00:15:50 Speaker 06: And before I go to Councillor Merton regarding the minutes of the Oceanside Police Service Board,

00:15:56 Speaker 06: Item Eleven A is a report from the Director of Community Services regarding a request to purchase a portion of Twenty-One Street East on open road allowance for more housing.

00:16:06 Speaker 06: It's, I think probably important just to speak to interest in... interest in enhanced housing opportunities in the city,

00:16:13 Speaker 06: and I wonder if we could just place that in a little bit more public eye than just passing it through in the consent agenda without speaking to it,

00:16:19 Speaker 06: because there's some positive news that could come about from that.

00:16:27 Speaker 06: Thank you for that.

00:16:28 Speaker 12: Barry's Construction and Insulation is proposing to construct a four-story, 35-unit residential apartment building on lands in addition to a building along Ninth Avenue East, so there's an existing building, a three-story, 23-unit building.

00:16:48 Speaker 12: So this would be behind it.

00:16:50 Speaker 12: So the developer has requested that the city sell a portion of that road allowance that they would use for parking.

00:16:58 Speaker 12: Otherwise, the lot isn't big enough on its own.

00:17:02 Speaker 12: So the land is designated residential in the city's official plan, and it's zoned R-5, which permits, among other uses, the apartment type of use.

00:17:14 Speaker 12: We did circulate the proposal.

00:17:17 Speaker 12: Thanks to the clerk, who's got this on the screen.

00:17:19 Speaker 12: So on the right-hand side, you can see the existing three-story building fronting Ninth Avenue, and then the proposed building behind.

00:17:28 Speaker 12: The area in red is not the entire road allowance, but just that portion which is subject to the proposed sale.

00:17:36 Speaker 12: The sidewalk and the sanitary sewer would be outside of the least area.

00:17:41 Speaker 12: Sorry, the storm sewer would be outside of the least area, with the sanitary sewer in the portion to be sold.

00:17:49 Speaker 12: So we had recommended to council that we move forward to issue a notice of intention to declare the land surplus with the method of sale in the notice being listed as direct negotiation.

00:18:02 Speaker 12: That we issue a notice of stop-up and our intention to stop up and close that portion of road, and outline the other next steps.

00:18:10 Speaker 12: So that would be things like getting an appraisal for the lands, getting them surveyed, negotiating an APS, and that will come forward to council as well as any public comments with respect to those notices.

00:18:24 Speaker 06: Thank you very much for just speaking to that, and it's very positive news to see us trying to move forward in the community to facilitate further housing and intensification,

00:18:37 Speaker 06: which is aligned with the goals of our municipalities and the province too.

00:18:40 Speaker 06: So, Councillor Merton, Item Eleven E are the Police Service Board minutes.

00:18:46 Speaker 06: If you wish to speak to those, through you, Chair.

00:18:50 Speaker 13: In addition to the minutes of the March 26, 2025 Owen Sound Police Service Board, included in the agenda for Council and the package, I wish to highlight the following:

00:19:02 Speaker 13: letters of support for the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and their police service were sent by the police chief Craig Ambrose and the Owen Sound Police Services Board Chair, John Thompson,

00:19:14 Speaker 13: regarding funding for a new police facility and additional resources from the province and from Canada,

00:19:21 Speaker 13: to support the goal to deliver 24-hour service to their community in a culturally appropriate manner from a modern facility that meets the needs of the community.

00:19:34 Speaker 13: In a report from the Criminal Investigations Branch and the Drug Enforcement Criminal Intelligence Unit, to date this year, so for January and February of 2025, the city has had zero suspected drug-related deaths.

00:19:48 Speaker 13: The year 2024 ended with Owen Sound Police Service investigating a total of 14 deaths from suspected overdoses.

00:19:57 Speaker 13: In 2023, a total of 11 were recorded; in 2022, 14; in 2021, eight; and in 2020, six.

00:20:06 Speaker 13: An auxiliary recruitment campaign was launched in February to increase the complement by five, and the inspector position, as a result of Inspector Fluney's retirement, has been posted.

00:20:19 Speaker 13: A comprehensive audit and assessment of the police facility was completed in April 2023.

00:20:26 Speaker 13: The report from that audit identified issues relating to the police facility and health and safety issues, as well as information regarding priority for repair and/or replacement.

00:20:39 Speaker 13: As a result of a motion passed at the March 26, 2025 board meeting, a letter from the Owen Sound Police Services Board Chair has been drafted for council,

00:20:50 Speaker 13: requesting clarification regarding when the deficiencies will be addressed.

00:20:54 Speaker 13: And so, with that information, I move that the minutes of the Owen Sound Police Service Board meeting of March 26, 2025, be received, and the recommendations contained therein be approved by this council.

00:21:09 Speaker 14: Okay, so we don't have to receive those or approve the recommendations within... just hearing from the minutes.

00:21:17 Speaker 14: Questions, Councillor Farmer.

00:21:19 Speaker 14: Thank you.

00:21:20 Speaker 14: Through the chair, to Councillor Martin.

00:21:22 Speaker 15: I was interested in the report about the facilities, and certainly we know that, as a municipally owned facility, that we've got an infrastructure deficit and backlog across the corporation.

00:21:35 Speaker 15: I'm wondering if there are avenues for advocacy at the provincial or federal level for funding to support meeting that infrastructure deficit related to policing.

00:21:44 Speaker 15: As we know, the province is also increasing the administrative and policy burden on police services through the Community Services and Policing Act.

00:21:52 Speaker 15: Like,

00:21:52 Speaker 15: I'm kind of wondering how can services and communities like ours modernize policing and our approach to that when we're already struggling to cover the basic capital costs of our standard or our service levels as

00:22:04 Speaker 15: they are.

00:22:06 Speaker 15: Is there room for that kind of advocacy from the board, from our council?

00:22:12 Speaker 13: Through you, Chair, and I would certainly look to the city manager as well for a response.

00:22:17 Speaker 13: So, if I understand correctly, there's two parts to that.

00:22:21 Speaker 13: One is around the actual facility and the capital related to the facility, which was which prompted the letter that council will have received.

00:22:30 Speaker 13: And second, it's around the actual services and the statistical service delivery for the police.

00:22:38 Speaker 13: So, do I have... am I clear on your question, Councillor Farmer?

00:22:45 Speaker 16: Through the chair, I could probably boil it down to: if we have an infrastructure deficit, the police board is asking that be met specifically at the police station.

00:22:54 Speaker 16: But many of our facilities are facing similar delays in meeting capital repairs and upgrades.

00:23:04 Speaker 16: Our way that we fund policing is dictated by the province, but we have to pay for that.

00:23:08 Speaker 16: We didn't get any bump-up last year, like some municipalities did.

00:23:11 Speaker 16: And so I'm wondering more specifically,

00:23:15 Speaker 16: is there an avenue for advocacy to the province or the feds to say we need more money if clearly our police services need more money to keep our facility up to date?

00:23:26 Speaker 16: Like I know Saugeen Shores had a new police station a few years back in 2019, but I don't know if all of that was funded by the municipality or other avenues.

00:23:37 Speaker 13: Through your chair, before I look to the city manager, certainly that would be a question that could go back to the Police Services Board so that, as a board,

00:23:47 Speaker 13: they can start to discuss options and opportunities around advocacy for funding.

00:23:55 Speaker 13: You will see from the statistics certainly, even with dispatch, there's a huge increase in the number of calls that our police services are receiving.

00:24:07 Speaker 13: Certainly, they're moving towards Next Generation 9-1-1 as well, and increasing the contracts to others, but I do believe that that's something that would be appropriate to have a conversation at the Police Services Board.

00:24:22 Speaker 13: But I'd look to the City Manager in relation to the specific requirements of the police facility, because certainly the board wants to know where they are on that repair lineup.

00:24:36 Speaker 13: Through you, Deputy Mayor, to Councillor Farmer.

00:24:39 Speaker 17: Yes, as far as the police facility goes, we're just beginning our five-year capital plan updates going to committees.

00:24:47 Speaker 17: The previous last week was Corporate Services.

00:24:50 Speaker 17: Within that, although it's not noted as one line item because it's spelled out by year, the police services facility has about three and a half million dollars worth of capital improvements, repair,

00:25:02 Speaker 17: replacement happening over the next five years.

00:25:04 Speaker 17: So it's quite a significant amount of revenue being directed at the police facility, and again, that maybe doesn't show as clearly because it's $175,000 for an HVAC unit or something like that,

00:25:18 Speaker 17: and then another project.

00:25:19 Speaker 17: But if you add all those up, the city is expending about three and a half million dollars.

00:25:25 Speaker 17: As far as more additional funding for advocacy through modernization and such, maybe building a little on Councillor Hamley's additional business request of what's going on with West Grey Police Services.

00:25:38 Speaker 17: One of the catalysts behind those discussions was looking at modernization of police services and looking at shared service opportunities between the police services because they have community policing also and with the rising costs of

00:25:53 Speaker 17: community policing,

00:25:54 Speaker 17: it seemed natural to talk to others in the area, and I think that sort of covers it.

00:26:00 Speaker 17: I know the police also submits a significant amount of grant requests for operational services in addition to capital improvements.

00:26:11 Speaker 17: Thanks, Tim.

00:26:11 Speaker 17: I'll go with Councillor Farmer, then Councillor Martin.

00:26:14 Speaker 15: Through the chair, just to follow up on that, I think I've mostly seen grants for the policing,

00:26:19 Speaker 15: and certainly that the corporation supports with letters on occasion for operational and like to get more boots on the ground.

00:26:27 Speaker 15: I haven't always seen that for the kind of capital upgrade, but do we get to write those letters of support for additional capital upgrades,

00:26:35 Speaker 15: or is the province more likely to give us money for people?

00:26:39 Speaker 15: Through you, Deputy Mayor.

00:26:40 Speaker 17: Generally, when it comes to first responders, whether it's fire services or police services, it's for operating expenses rather than capital expenses.

00:26:50 Speaker 17: Most capital upgrades and repairs or new builds are left to the community to handle rather than through grants.

00:27:02 Speaker 17: Through you, Chair.

00:27:04 Speaker 13: The one unanswered component, in addition to the plan for capital investments, is the priority list that was part of the evaluation.

00:27:18 Speaker 13: Particularly in relation to the safety of the elevator, they're not able to feel confident in the safety of it.

00:27:24 Speaker 13: If they get in the elevator with someone, will they be able to get out?

00:27:28 Speaker 13: And also, some of the brickwork is falling off the building, and so certainly, when the assessment was done, there were some priority needs as a recommendation to potentially expedite.

00:27:43 Speaker 13: And I would ask that we take a look again at that report and just see if it's possible to consider it with everything else.

00:27:52 Speaker 13: I mean, everyone has needs.

00:27:54 Speaker 13: Councillor Dodd, thank you, Chair.

00:27:56 Speaker 18: And just from my perspective, we are going to be looking at the five-year capital.

00:28:01 Speaker 18: I think if there's members of this council who would like to expedite some of those capital costs, they would be able to make that motion at that time.

00:28:09 Speaker 18: I don't think there needs to be another report on that matter.

00:28:11 Speaker 18: If someone from this council believes that police deserve more brickwork done faster than you know somewhere else, that's up to them.

00:28:21 Speaker 18: Leaky roof in comparison.

00:28:24 Speaker 18: When we talk about funding models, how are we going to do that?

00:28:27 Speaker 18: I think I'll be the first one to say when we are in the budget meeting, there are ways the police can help support capital costs.

00:28:34 Speaker 18: We do know when they do contracting, as they do, there's availability to write in operating or capital enhancements for the facilities that they're using.

00:28:43 Speaker 18: Right now in contracts, there are ways that when they're getting new clients for dispatching in that area, they could add that in.

00:28:53 Speaker 18: I don't believe that has been added into the contracts, from my knowledge as of yet, and that has come back down on being a capital expense for the City of Owen Sound taxpayer.

00:29:03 Speaker 18: So I think that's something.

00:29:05 Speaker 18: If the board is looking at other avenues of revenue generation or how to enhance their capital or to get a priority list, I think it's a two-way street.

00:29:18 Speaker 18: How many facilities do we have in the municipality?

00:29:23 Speaker 18: One hundred.

00:29:24 Speaker 18: We've got a lot of needs, and some obviously an elevator is a serious matter if it's going to affect employee safety.

00:29:33 Speaker 18: But there are a lot of other things that are going on in the city as well.

00:29:37 Speaker 18: But again, if someone would like to modify that prioritization level, I think that's something that can happen in June when we're reviewing our five-year capital.

00:29:46 Speaker 18: Yeah, I think that's a good wrap-up.

00:29:48 Speaker 06: We'll have ample opportunities in the next two months to get closer familiarity again with the plans put together by staff over the next five years.

00:29:57 Speaker 06: Not seeing any further questions, staying and contained within the consent agenda.

00:30:02 Speaker 06: We are down to item twelve.

00:30:05 Speaker 06: Twelve A is minutes of the strategic planning ad hoc committee meeting held on April thirtieth, two thousand twenty-five.

00:30:12 Speaker 06: Councillor Koepke.

00:30:15 Speaker 06: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

00:30:17 Speaker 04: The Vision 2050 planning process included following five primary community engagement initiatives: strategic plan survey, business engagement workshop, community capacity building workshops that took place with city staff, ten local municipalities, and community stakeholders,

00:30:37 Speaker 04: strategic planning sessions, and campaign community photoshoot.

00:30:44 Speaker 04: The Vision 2050 strategic plan aligns with the city's entire workforce to identify priorities.

00:30:52 Speaker 04: Seven strategic pillars are fostering mutually beneficial and respectful relationships, celebrating and embracing culture, safe city, prosperous city, green and resilient city, a city that moves, and city building.

00:31:11 Speaker 04: It was clarified that the draft strategic plan will be coming to staff in May, and then will come to the committee at the June 18th meeting.

00:31:20 Speaker 04: Action items will be laid out in the annual work plan for 2050 and the future terms of council, based on the priorities and timelines of the plan.

00:31:30 Speaker 04: And with that, Mr. Chair, I move the approval of these minutes and the recommendations contained therein.

00:31:37 Speaker 04: Thank you very much.

00:31:38 Speaker 04: Questions for the committee, Vice Chair?

00:31:43 Speaker 04: Not seeing any.

00:31:44 Speaker 04: All those in favour of those being approved?

00:31:47 Speaker 04: That's carried unanimously.

00:31:48 Speaker 04: Thank you.

00:31:51 Speaker 04: I think I've got too many pieces of paper in front of me here right now.

00:31:59 Speaker 04: That is the end of committee minutes.

00:32:03 Speaker 06: So, item thirteen is matters postponed.

00:32:06 Speaker 06: Which this evening we do have an item, which is thirteen A, report from the Director of Public Works regarding intersection improvement options at Ninth Avenue East and Sixth Street.

00:32:16 Speaker 06: So, this time over to you, Director Widdifield.

00:32:21 Speaker 06: Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

00:32:22 Speaker 19: This report is subsequent to the request from Council to re-examine the options for the intersection design, without the requirement for obtaining additional right-of-way land.

00:32:38 Speaker 19: Staff have worked with the engineering consultant and have tweaked the design as much as we possibly can.

00:32:46 Speaker 19: It is not a perfect design, but it is still vastly better than what the existing scenario is.

00:32:57 Speaker 19: It's not accessible per se, as that it isn't as entirely accessible as it could be,

00:33:04 Speaker 19: and this is again due to the site constraints that we have available to us due to the lack of additional right-of-way necessary to be able to put in the remaining component,

00:33:16 Speaker 19: which is a sidewalk behind the sidewalk ramp on the Ninth Avenue side of the northwest corner of the intersection.

00:33:28 Speaker 19: The way that an ideal design would be would be that the sidewalk ramp would join up to a sidewalk that is continuous around the corner.

00:33:37 Speaker 19: Unfortunately, in this case, because we don't have adequate width in order to install that continuous sidewalk, the sidewalk ramp essentially becomes, or the sidewalk becomes a sidewalk ramp,

00:33:50 Speaker 19: so it'll be sloped towards the road in a very gentle slope.

00:33:54 Speaker 19: All of the other components are more or less in compliance.

00:33:59 Speaker 19: We do have a small variation with the pedestrian activation buttons, but it is consistent with other locations that we have in the city and elsewhere,

00:34:10 Speaker 19: which is instead of having the pedestrian activation button on a pole, it's on a stanchion or post, if you will, in the sidewalk closer to the road,

00:34:21 Speaker 19: so that it's within the required distance to the sidewalk ramp.

00:34:27 Speaker 19: Just for Council's information, because it was not included in the report, there is an allowable exemption in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Act, which is Ontario Regulation 413/12, for exterior paths of travel,

00:34:46 Speaker 19: where it is not practical to comply with the requirements or some of them because existing physical site constraints prohibit modification.

00:34:56 Speaker 19: Sorry, I need to move over to addition of elements, spaces, or features such as where increasing the width of the exterior path would narrow the width of the adjacent highway,

00:35:09 Speaker 19: or locating an accessible pedestrian signal pole within 1500 millimetres or 1.5 metres of the curb edge is not feasible because of existing underground utilities,

00:35:18 Speaker 19: and those are essentially the exact situations that we're dealing with in this case.

00:35:23 Speaker 19: We have an underground gas main, we have a very close property line,

00:35:30 Speaker 19: and the hydro corridor that runs east-west further south in the road allowance really doesn't allow us to modify the overall alignment of the road very much, so I would be happy to take questions.

00:35:45 Speaker 19: Oh yes, sorry, and one more thing: it will be at the Accessibility Advisory Committee this week at Grey County.

00:35:51 Speaker 19: So, I think staff have addressed all of the concerns that Council may have had, but I would be happy to take any questions.

00:36:00 Speaker 19: Okay, thank you, Councillor Merton.

00:36:01 Speaker 19: First, through you, Chair.

00:36:07 Speaker 13: Thank you very much for revisiting the information.

00:36:12 Speaker 13: So I have some notes prepared.

00:36:14 Speaker 13: You've answered some of it, but I'd like to go through this.

00:36:18 Speaker 13: I understand the importance of this project.

00:36:22 Speaker 13: I do continue to have questions, and in the recommendations section, it clearly states that by approving this,

00:36:31 Speaker 13: we as a Council are acknowledging that the interim design will not be fully compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005,

00:36:45 Speaker 13: and that's at the northwest corner of the intersection due to space limitations.

00:36:53 Speaker 13: On the City website, there is a clear statement that the City affirms its commitment to meet the requirements of not only AODA but ODA, which is the Ontarians with Disabilities Act,

00:37:07 Speaker 13: and certainly the Human Rights Code, so AODA is a legally binding law in Ontario.

00:37:16 Speaker 13: With non-compliance, having the potential to lead to fines and legal consequences.

00:37:23 Speaker 13: If Council approves a project with full knowledge that we are in non-compliance, we are placing ourselves in a position of breach of the law, and subsequently at risk for penalties,

00:37:37 Speaker 13: so there are a few additional steps that certainly I'm curious to know if we might be able to take as we move forward.

00:37:48 Speaker 13: So in the original report, County staff indicated that they would have difficulty endorsing any option that does not provide full conformance to accessibility guidelines.

00:38:03 Speaker 13: This revision to the design, I feel, needs to be reviewed again by County staff, with their feedback provided back to this Council.

00:38:15 Speaker 13: The report you mentioned, but one of my questions was about going to Grey Sauble Joint Accessibility Committee, and Deputy Mayor Greig had advised me it was going this week,

00:38:27 Speaker 13: and we need to get their feedback on this.

00:38:29 Speaker 13: In Ontario, individual Councillors can be held personally liable for non-compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, particularly if they have a fiduciary responsibility and are acting on behalf of a corporation.

00:38:53 Speaker 13: Recognizing our obligation to represent all of our community, our legal and fiduciary responsibility as part of our decision-making for this corporation, obtaining a legal opinion relating to the risks by supporting non-compliance decisions is important.

00:39:16 Speaker 13: The City is responsible to report regularly on our compliance to AODA, recognizing that we indicate we value transparency in our decision-making and interaction.

00:39:25 Speaker 13: Decision-making and interactions.

00:39:28 Speaker 13: Can we please consider, in addition to what you had said, Laura, about exemptions, actually communicating to the Compliance Centre section of AODA to obtain written acknowledgement that we have communicated that we are in non-compliance,

00:39:46 Speaker 13: and that they acknowledge there is an exemption, and that Owen Sound qualifies under this particular exemption, so that we can proceed with this interim plan,

00:39:59 Speaker 13: acknowledging our goal is to get to a final state of full compliance.

00:40:05 Speaker 13: Those are my comments, based on still some information needing to be forthcoming.

00:40:14 Speaker 13: My request would be, first, my question is, can we postpone?

00:40:20 Speaker 13: If we can postpone, what is our deadline for an absolute decision?

00:40:26 Speaker 13: Recognizing there's some really critical things for me that I would require additional information.

00:40:33 Speaker 13: I understand time is of the essence.

00:40:38 Speaker 06: Okay, thanks for those comments, and I think there was a couple questions in there.

00:40:43 Speaker 06: I'll go.

00:40:44 Speaker 06: I'll look to Director or City Manager to respond.

00:40:50 Speaker 06: To you acknowledge that there is language in the Act which speaks to exemptions, which we heard from the Director.

00:40:57 Speaker 06: But I'll go to Tim for regarding the fines, fines and legal consequences, and the exemptions language once again.

00:41:06 Speaker 06: Thank you, through you, Deputy Mayor.

00:41:07 Speaker 17: I just want to be very careful and cautious indicating any sort of legal action pending against City Councillors individually or to the corporation itself.

00:41:16 Speaker 17: What the Director of Public Works quoted O.Reg. 413/12, the Integrated Accessibility Standards Act, specifically section 80.31 does speak to exemptions.

00:41:28 Speaker 17: We have reviewed that section 80.31, as stated by the Director,

00:41:34 Speaker 17: when it is not practicable to comply with the requirements or some of them because existing physical site constraints prohibit modification or additional development spaces or features,

00:41:45 Speaker 17: such as where increasing the width of the exterior path would narrow the width of the adjacent highway or locating an accessible pedestrian signal pole within 1500 millimetres of the curb edge is not feasible because

00:41:56 Speaker 17: of existing underground utilities.

00:41:57 Speaker 17: So that exemption is specific to cover issues exactly like we're in today.

00:42:03 Speaker 17: With that exemption, though, comes with it there is some broader context that says if you take this exemption, it doesn't exempt you from other aspects of the AODA.

00:42:12 Speaker 17: You still have to have your tactile surfaces, all of your audible signals, your key point signals, your key pointers, the bollards or stanchions that have the access buttons all need to be specifically located.

00:42:24 Speaker 17: This project meets that completely.

00:42:27 Speaker 17: All of the other design elements to the AODA make this 95%, I'd even venture to say 98% AODA compliant.

00:42:34 Speaker 17: Not just this one intersection, that one corner, but the entire intersection, which, as the follow-up report states, is probably 25% or less AODA compliant right now.

00:42:45 Speaker 17: The cost of all of the infrastructure going into making this AODA compliant is part of the project and cost coming from the County, so it's not Owen Sound taxpayers paying directly.

00:42:57 Speaker 17: I'll say directly for this, even though it is taxpayers of Owen Sound and the entire County paying for it.

00:43:03 Speaker 17: But I think the cost with AODA and making this entire intersection compliant is close to a quarter million dollars.

00:43:11 Speaker 17: So that's a quarter million dollars, two hundred fifty thousand dollars, not coming directly out of our budget, but being spread out through County costs.

00:43:19 Speaker 17: So, I don't know that we need further, quite honestly, legal review with invoking this exemption.

00:43:28 Speaker 17: It's very clear within the Act of when it should be used and when it can't be used.

00:43:33 Speaker 17: I think following this exemption in this situation still keeps us, as per our website, one hundred percent, you know, committed to AODA standards.

00:43:41 Speaker 17: It keeps council and the corporation on the right side of the fence and doing the right thing.

00:43:47 Speaker 17: Okay, thanks, Tim.

00:43:47 Speaker 17: Anything further, Carol?

00:43:50 Speaker 17: Okay, I'll go to Councillor Farmer next.

00:43:55 Speaker 17: Councillor Farmer.

00:43:56 Speaker 17: Okay, thank you, through the chair.

00:43:57 Speaker 17: I'm just first... if the clerks, I see the report up there,

00:44:00 Speaker 15: but is the drawing that was in the report at the bottom of this particular page before I ask for other materials as previously submitted?

00:44:08 Speaker 15: I just want to make sure that we're...

00:44:11 Speaker 15: As I bring questions and suggestions, that I'm... yes, yes, sorry.

00:44:19 Speaker 15: Thank you.

00:44:20 Speaker 15: If you could just zoom into the island a little bit more just so that we're all on the same page.

00:44:26 Speaker 15: My understanding, based on the report, is that the part that's not in compliance or in compliance is the ramp that's labelled as an eight percent ramp crossing from the northwest corner,

00:44:43 Speaker 15: which is the top right of the page; that is the part that's not in compliance.

00:44:49 Speaker 15: Just looking to the Director for confirmation of my understanding there.

00:44:55 Speaker 19: Through Deputy Mayor to Councillor Farmer: Eight percent is within the allowable range.

00:45:00 Speaker 19: It can be up to ten percent.

00:45:02 Speaker 19: What was referred to in the report is that it's still steeper than normal engineering practices would like.

00:45:11 Speaker 19: I would definitely try to design to a shallower slope than that, but it is technically within the tolerances allowed under the Act.

00:45:20 Speaker 19: And I should also note that the Ontario provincial standards, specifications, and standard drawings are now being modified to match the AODA.

00:45:34 Speaker 19: So even by conforming to the OPSD's, we are meeting our requirements in this case.

00:45:44 Speaker 15: Through the chair again, so as just to make sure I'm really clear on this: then we're describing there rather than having, as the standard would say, is best practice.

00:45:56 Speaker 15: You come up, there's a flat space, and you continue on the sidewalk.

00:45:59 Speaker 15: That it's this corner that needs to be kind of more graded, kind of more like a slope in general, rather than the standard.

00:46:10 Speaker 15: You're up the slope and you're on the flat.

00:46:12 Speaker 15: Do I understand that properly?

00:46:15 Speaker 19: Through the Deputy Mayor: No. The main bone of contention here is where it notes "flat landing," because you'll see on where it notes eight percent ramp,

00:46:25 Speaker 19: there's actually the red line sort of bobs out around the sidewalk ramp and then goes back in towards the sidewalk around the corner.

00:46:35 Speaker 19: Where it says "flat landing," that sidewalk is right at the back end of the sidewalk ramp.

00:46:42 Speaker 19: So that is where we could use additional width to have a sidewalk passing behind the sidewalk ramp, the way it is on the other eight percent side.

00:46:52 Speaker 19: So that's the part that we're missing because we don't have any more land.

00:46:59 Speaker 19: Thank you.

00:47:00 Speaker 15: If the clerks could pull up some other photos that I sent along.

00:47:05 Speaker 15: So my... as we look at this, feel free to compliment my photo-shopping abilities later.

00:47:15 Speaker 15: But I'm struggling to understand why we're installing the crosswalks where the red lines are currently noting that the report also says that we're installing stanchions for buttons, which is totally within the realm of practice,

00:47:35 Speaker 15: but the island—or I think the Deputy Mayor has called it the "pork chop," in describing it to me previously.

00:47:41 Speaker 15: There's no other sidewalk coming up along the Lee Manor property,

00:47:46 Speaker 15: and I am struggling to understand why we're complicating the design by adding additional crosswalks that put people in a place where we're identifying that even the proximity of the touch buttons to the road puts

00:48:00 Speaker 15: those stanchions at risk of damage from vehicles.

00:48:04 Speaker 15: I'm also really curious about how we manage snow clearing on that little island.

00:48:10 Speaker 15: And if the clerks would humor me by scrolling down, and admittedly maybe outdated Google Street View, but we're making this island even smaller than it currently is.

00:48:20 Speaker 15: But my understanding is that we're leaving the hydro pole and the sign in place that they appear on the drawings.

00:48:26 Speaker 15: I believe just exactly where they are, and I'm wondering if at any point we considered just not adding those two new additional crosswalks, because I can't imagine that feeling safe and comfortable.

00:48:41 Speaker 15: And that if we're trying to design something so that it meets the best need for the people moving around, like to be colloquial,

00:48:50 Speaker 15: it would feel sketchy to me to be standing between the cars accelerating through the curve to get up to highway speed.

00:48:55 Speaker 15: We've highway speed.

00:48:57 Speaker 15: We also then, if people are visually impaired, we're putting a button that goes across to a small area.

00:49:05 Speaker 15: I think it adds risk in a way that the average user would instinctually not pursue.

00:49:12 Speaker 15: And I guess the combination of like not total compliance, but also the addition of that, it makes me really struggle to support the motion.

00:49:20 Speaker 15: And I'm wondering if staff or engineers considered just not adding, like not complicating it.

00:49:28 Speaker 15: The... yeah, I'll stop there.

00:49:33 Speaker 15: Can we talk about that?

00:49:35 Speaker 15: Good question.

00:49:36 Speaker 15: I'll go to staff for a response, Lara.

00:49:39 Speaker 19: Thank you, Councillor Farmer, through you, Deputy Mayor.

00:49:42 Speaker 19: I'll preface it with this: that when we're in front of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, if they say no way, this is a really bad idea, we can take it out.

00:49:53 Speaker 19: But the reason why it was put in is because the City does own a corner of land adjacent to Lee Manor.

00:50:03 Speaker 19: It's possible that in the future there could be a trail or some kind of path along that property or to that property.

00:50:14 Speaker 19: The other point of it is that it's good practice in case one of the legs of the intersection needs to be closed,

00:50:20 Speaker 19: section needs to be closed for some reason for construction or some kind of other maintenance.

00:50:28 Speaker 19: It gives people options.

00:50:31 Speaker 19: We will have a conversation with or collect feedback from the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

00:50:37 Speaker 19: But I think probably what will end up naturally happening is that the people that feel comfortable using it will use it, and the people that don't will go around the other two legs.

00:50:47 Speaker 19: But we'll see what they have to say.

00:50:57 Speaker 15: The order of... through the chair and maybe to the City Manager.

00:51:00 Speaker 15: The order of operations here I'm also kind of struggling with.

00:51:03 Speaker 15: Like we're being asked to approve this as it's presented now, and then get feedback after, which I don't know how we can meaningfully incorporate feedback that we haven't received or be informed by.

00:51:15 Speaker 15: Is how and how do we even find out what the Joint Accessibility Committee says if this is already... we've approved it and it's gone off?

00:51:26 Speaker 15: Is that what is our mechanism with the Joint?

00:51:29 Speaker 15: Now that now that it's the County providing feedback,

00:51:32 Speaker 15: what's our mechanism for getting feedback from that committee if we're sending if we're approving things and then sending it for either a rubber stamp or like how that works?

00:51:44 Speaker 15: I'm looking for more information.

00:51:46 Speaker 20: I can give you some response before I pass it to staff.

00:51:51 Speaker 20: I am the member of County Council that sits on the Accessibility Committee this year, so I will be participating in that meeting,

00:51:58 Speaker 20: and I'll be reporting back to Council at the next meeting on discussion and recommendations.

00:52:05 Speaker 20: Perhaps there may be a little bit of insight in terms of change orders, and I just wonder if Lara can speak to...

00:52:16 Speaker 20: Not necessarily are the schematics in front of us perhaps hard and fast yet.

00:52:21 Speaker 20: You know, a gas line is a gas line underground, but until the excavation work occurs, it may be somewhat relocated from where the locates may present it to be.

00:52:35 Speaker 20: So I'll just go to Lara to speak to some of the flexibility that may still exist in the design and construction.

00:52:43 Speaker 20: Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

00:52:43 Speaker 20: That's a very good point.

00:52:44 Speaker 19: While the contract or the tender has technically closed, it's not too late still to make.

00:52:53 Speaker 19: We would consider these minor changes.

00:52:55 Speaker 19: They don't have a significant impact on the overall cost of the project.

00:52:59 Speaker 19: That being said, as the Deputy Mayor alluded to, no project probably ever anywhere is ever constructed exactly the way they are on the drawings.

00:53:11 Speaker 19: There's always going to be some field fit—something that you're going to end up finding that doesn't quite look the way it is on the plans.

00:53:20 Speaker 19: Whether that's... yeah, some kind of pipe underground is a little bit closer to the surface or a little bit, whatever.

00:53:26 Speaker 19: There's always going to be some kind of changes.

00:53:29 Speaker 19: So, even if Council approved a design concept that I like, I have a more current drawing that's been prepared for the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

00:53:40 Speaker 19: Unfortunately, it wasn't submitted until today, so I can't really show it to you.

00:53:43 Speaker 19: However, if even if you had this final design or more refined design in front of you, and you tried to approve it,

00:53:52 Speaker 19: there's no guarantee that what ends up being constructed is actually what you're going to see on this drawing in front of you today.

00:53:59 Speaker 19: This is the endeavor, and all of the best practices and standards will be followed, but there may be slight adjustments at the end of the day.

00:54:14 Speaker 19: Nothing further.

00:54:16 Speaker 19: Okay.

00:54:16 Speaker 21: Further questions to the report from Councillor Merton?

00:54:21 Speaker 21: Through you, Chair.

00:54:23 Speaker 21: So there's some.

00:54:25 Speaker 13: Obviously, we need to hear back from the Joint Accessibility Committee, the County Planning staff as well.

00:54:33 Speaker 13: Was another gap.

00:54:34 Speaker 13: This revised report has not gone back to them with the revised design, and since they're an important player, and if I could, one more, one more item, Laura, you have mentioned the exemption clause,

00:54:54 Speaker 13: and I think it's really important.

00:54:56 Speaker 13: If under recommend the second point of recommendation, that we indicate somewhere that we are exercising that exemption clause to support the non-compliance in an interim plan, I think that that is absolutely critical,

00:55:14 Speaker 13: and I would be happy to make the motion to add that if that was required.

00:55:18 Speaker 13: But I just want to ask that we enhance that.

00:55:23 Speaker 13: Let's go to Lara for a response.

00:55:26 Speaker 13: I won't speak to the motion amendment.

00:55:28 Speaker 22: I think that's Council's decision, and that's completely fine with me.

00:55:32 Speaker 22: What I did want to clarify, though, that it wasn't County Planning staff that issued the concern.

00:55:37 Speaker 22: It was the Transportation staff that we were working with.

00:55:43 Speaker 22: Okay.

00:55:43 Speaker 22: Anything further, Councillor Dodd?

00:55:45 Speaker 22: Go ahead.

00:55:46 Speaker 22: Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

00:55:48 Speaker 22: And I'm not going to rehash what a lot of people have said.

00:55:51 Speaker 22: That it's not probably the perfect scenario.

00:55:55 Speaker 22: The exemptions there are available.

00:55:58 Speaker 18: It's meant for circumstances like this.

00:56:00 Speaker 18: We would like to have it a little bit differently, of course.

00:56:02 Speaker 18: If we could have more land in this area; that'd be perfect.

00:56:07 Speaker 18: But we're working with what we currently have.

00:56:10 Speaker 18: So the best we can do to make it work is, I think, is the best.

00:56:14 Speaker 18: Considering we have bids and tenders need to be approved, and this project is still grant funded from the province, and we have a set amount of time that we need to get this project done.

00:56:26 Speaker 18: Otherwise, we're out of a lot of money.

00:56:30 Speaker 18: The only question I'm going to go back to.

00:56:31 Speaker 18: The question I'm going to go back to, and it's I'm probably in the weeds here, but John, sorry, Councillor Farmer hit on something on snow displacement on that island.

00:56:41 Speaker 18: That is going to be one heck of a job, and I'm just not sure.

00:56:48 Speaker 18: Can you provide a little bit on what are you doing with that?

00:56:51 Speaker 18: Are you going to blow it onto the road and then the plows can come and get it?

00:56:54 Speaker 18: You can't really make piles on it.

00:56:56 Speaker 18: So what happens in that situation where you've got this tiny space where you want the public to go, what do we do?

00:57:06 Speaker 19: Through you, Deputy Mayor to Councillor Dodd.

00:57:11 Speaker 19: If it was a winter like we had this year, it would probably just be closed, and people could use the other two legs until we could get it cleared.

00:57:22 Speaker 19: But if it's just your average sort of intermittent snowfall, I think there is a little bit of space there for snow piling, but not a lot.

00:57:33 Speaker 19: So probably it would have to be scooped off, possibly onto the ramp, and then pushed over immediately onto the grassed area.

00:57:46 Speaker 19: If that makes sense.

00:57:50 Speaker 19: Thank you.

00:57:51 Speaker 19: I think it does definitely make sense.

00:57:53 Speaker 18: I would think those comments made to the Accessibility Committee are essential because that's not just as easy as driving down the road with a plow and pushing the snow aside,

00:58:04 Speaker 18: or going down a sidewalk and blowing it off into the side.

00:58:06 Speaker 18: There's a little bit more complexity to that in time, and especially when we do get what you know, the snow we got this year it hasn't been that way for 10 years,

00:58:16 Speaker 18: but that is what we grew up with, and I'm sure we'll continue to get more and more as the lakes don't freeze.

00:58:25 Speaker 18: So I think that's a really important part.

00:58:27 Speaker 18: I never thought of it until Councillor Farmer mentioned it.

00:58:30 Speaker 18: So, good for you, thank you.

00:58:32 Speaker 18: Because I think that's a huge piece on operations that could become a massive headache for us, and as well as public safety.

00:58:40 Speaker 18: So, I just want to make sure that's well noted.

00:58:42 Speaker 18: So, thank you.

00:58:46 Speaker 23: Okay, I don't have a motion on the floor at this time yet.

00:58:49 Speaker 23: No, I'm still waiting.

00:58:52 Speaker 23: Would the Councillor like to, Councillor Hamley, go ahead.

00:58:56 Speaker 23: I'll move the recommendation.

00:58:59 Speaker 23: Okay, have the motion on the floor.

00:59:01 Speaker 23: Is there any further questions, comments to it, Councillor Dodd?

00:59:04 Speaker 23: Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

00:59:06 Speaker 18: I guess I'd ask for a friendly amendment, just to add two different pieces to it.

00:59:10 Speaker 18: One that you'd be acknowledging the interim design at the northwest corner of the intersection.

00:59:16 Speaker 18: Can we add something in there, noting modifications coming from the Joint Accessibility Committee, to include that?

00:59:24 Speaker 18: I'm going to look at you, Brock, or Councillor Hamley, if you'd be open to including that.

00:59:28 Speaker 18: And then the other part was what Councillor Merton had noted, was just kind of going in more detail about using exemption 90.31 of the exemption.

00:59:40 Speaker 18: Thirty one.

00:59:41 Speaker 18: Sorry.

00:59:42 Speaker 05: Yeah, happy to do that as long as the Clerk's clear.

00:59:49 Speaker 05: I sometimes I don't understand Travis.

00:59:50 Speaker 05: I'll just look at the Clerk and just get it.

01:00:03 Speaker 06: I'll just look to the Clerk for verbal confirmations so that Councillor Hamley can be comfortable those two items being acknowledged the way we're intending.

01:00:14 Speaker 06: Through you, Deputy Mayor Greig.

01:00:15 Speaker 11: I'm sorry if Councillor Dodd could repeat the second addition.

01:00:19 Speaker 11: That would be great.

01:00:19 Speaker 11: The first one I have is including comments from the Grey County Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee, and I missed the second one.

01:00:29 Speaker 11: Thank you, Briana.

01:00:29 Speaker 11: Don't worry.

01:00:30 Speaker 11: I miss myself all the time.

01:00:33 Speaker 11: I'm intending to have that.

01:00:36 Speaker 18: Just note that yes, we're going to have comment from Accessibility Committee, but also the inclusion of the detailed wording to note the exempt that it fits within exemption 90.31.

01:00:49 Speaker 18: one within it, but I think Councillor Farmer, maybe someone else is better with words than I am today.

01:00:55 Speaker 14: Apparently, before I go, Councillor Farmer, and we just kind of throw eighty point three one out there.

01:01:03 Speaker 14: Let me just look back to staff just to confirm exactly the intent of.

01:01:08 Speaker 14: I know they get it, but let's just be one hundred percent clear in what section that we're looking to reference for that exemption.

01:01:34 Speaker 14: If yeah, yes.

01:01:36 Speaker 19: The exception is under Part 4.1.

01:01:43 Speaker 19: Yeah, that's right.

01:01:46 Speaker 19: In Roman numerals, exceptions, general clause eighty point three one and point number six.

01:01:56 Speaker 19: Ontario Regulation four hundred and thirteen twelve, integrated accessibility standards.

01:02:04 Speaker 06: Okay, now looked at the clerks have that, Councillor Hamley, for you to comment.

01:02:10 Speaker 06: Can I just hear it from the clerk?

01:02:16 Speaker 11: Through Deputy Mayor Greig, that consideration of staff report OP twenty five nineteen respecting intersection improvement options Ninth Ave East at Sixth Street East, City Council directs staff to proceed with the modified intersection design,

01:02:29 Speaker 11: including comments from Grey County Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee, and acknowledges that the interim design will not be fully compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, two thousand and five,

01:02:41 Speaker 11: at the northwest corner of the intersection due to space limitations.

01:02:44 Speaker 11: As permitted within AODA, and then the section of the Act, O.Reg.

01:02:52 Speaker 11: 413/12, Part 4, Clause 80.3(1)(6).

01:02:59 Speaker 11: Okay, I would happily accept that friendly amendment.

01:03:05 Speaker 11: Okay, good questions, everyone.

01:03:07 Speaker 11: I don't see any further questions.

01:03:09 Speaker 11: So, all those in favour of that carrying.

01:03:12 Speaker 23: And I see five in favour.

01:03:16 Speaker 23: Anyone opposed?

01:03:17 Speaker 23: And I see two opposed.

01:03:19 Speaker 23: So that motion carries.

01:03:24 Speaker 23: And we are to item fourteen, which is motions for which notice was previously given.

01:03:30 Speaker 23: There are none this evening.

01:03:33 Speaker 23: Down to item fifteen, which is discussion of additional business.

01:03:37 Speaker 23: And I think Councillor Farmer, you were first.

01:03:41 Speaker 23: Thanks.

01:03:41 Speaker 23: Yeah, a couple of things.

01:03:42 Speaker 15: One, I wanted to give a shout out to the Wheel and Ride event that we heard so much about at the last meeting.

01:03:48 Speaker 15: That was Saturday.

01:03:49 Speaker 15: Past Pop Down with Toddler and Bike and Tow, and we were apparently late to the party because they'd been flooded with folks in the morning,

01:03:58 Speaker 15: and it sounded like it was really well received again this year.

01:04:01 Speaker 15: Lots of folks leaving with bicycles and bike lights and all sorts of things to keep them safer.

01:04:07 Speaker 15: So wanted to congratulate and thank the organisers there, but I also was wondering what we can do as a council or a corporation to support similar education and awareness building for folks of all ages,

01:04:19 Speaker 15: sharing the road.

01:04:20 Speaker 15: Knowing that we are now in the season of people going around on wheels, and that it's maybe especially relevant after the tragic news of a hit and run death over the weekend.

01:04:30 Speaker 15: And so my I bring that both for congratulations to the organisers, but also with the question to council and staff.

01:04:38 Speaker 15: Whose job is it to create that awareness and support?

01:04:42 Speaker 15: Does any of that fall to us as a municipality, especially given the strategic pillar of a city that moves?

01:04:49 Speaker 15: Have we done stuff like that in the past?

01:04:53 Speaker 15: And is there room for us to consider that when we get the new strategic plan?

01:05:00 Speaker 15: Thanks, Councillor Farmer.

01:05:01 Speaker 14: I'll just look to Tim to respond to what opportunities might exist.

01:05:09 Speaker 24: Through you, Deputy Mayor, to Councillor Farmer, yeah, staff and our communications team.

01:05:12 Speaker 24: We can certainly take a look at you know social media messaging and other communication.

01:05:17 Speaker 24: Just again, as you know, it's that time of year again where we're sharing the road with more cyclists and other people on two wheels of different types.

01:05:27 Speaker 24: Thanks.

01:05:28 Speaker 24: Yeah, two wheels, four wheels, six wheels.

01:05:31 Speaker 24: Maybe that's the maximum.

01:05:32 Speaker 24: One wheel.

01:05:33 Speaker 16: I also wanted to note that Wednesday, May 14th coming up, is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and the local chapter of PFLAG, which is Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays,

01:05:45 Speaker 16: is hosting a coffee and conversation event on Wednesday at the Ginger Press.

01:05:48 Speaker 16: They've also got events coming up on May 20th and 29th.

01:05:52 Speaker 16: I think it's so important that we, as a community and representatives on council, and that the city as a corporation as a whole,

01:05:58 Speaker 16: affirm and demonstrate our support for the safety and inclusion of 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks, especially at a time of rising anti-trans and anti-queer rhetoric and policy making, notably of course in America,

01:06:11 Speaker 16: but also in provinces and communities across Canada.

01:06:14 Speaker 16: We've seen and heard those bigoted beliefs amplified and acted on in our own community,

01:06:19 Speaker 16: and I think we need to be really clear in our stance that hatred and bigotry do not align with the vision we have for our city,

01:06:24 Speaker 16: and we need to make sure that we're doing the work to actively create the conditions for safety, equity, and inclusion everywhere in Owen Sound.

01:06:30 Speaker 16: Everywhere in Owen Sound, and through our work here, I've also noted some public questions about whether there are going to be Pride events in Owen Sound this June.

01:06:38 Speaker 16: And my understanding is that Grey Bruce Pride is still finalizing some plans,

01:06:41 Speaker 16: and that they're going to release an event calendar over the coming week or so on their social media channels and through media releases.

01:06:48 Speaker 16: And I believe some of those events will be open to everybody, and that some will require registration.

01:06:53 Speaker 16: I also understand that Grey Bruce Pride has a small core organising group, and like every volunteer organisation, they could always use some more help.

01:07:00 Speaker 16: And so if folks are interested in supporting that work, they do have a volunteer sign-up form on their Linktree, which is linktree.ca/gbpride,

01:07:11 Speaker 16: and I believe that they were one of the organisations that we included in the annual flag raising request,

01:07:17 Speaker 16: and that there will be a raising of the Pride flag at the community flagpole coming up in June.

01:07:23 Speaker 16: Although I haven't seen dates for that specifically, so wanted to put that on the calendar and reaffirm all those ideas.

01:07:31 Speaker 16: Thank you, Councillor Farmer.

01:07:33 Speaker 16: Councillor Koepke.

01:07:35 Speaker 16: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

01:07:36 Speaker 04: I had the opportunity to attend the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities Conference in Collingwood from April 30th to May 2nd.

01:07:47 Speaker 04: Prior to the opening of the conference, I joined others on a tour of the Collingwood waterfront, where they highlighted several development plans, including parks and playground areas,

01:07:56 Speaker 04: and converting the terminal elevators into a hotel with an apartment development on top of the elevators.

01:08:04 Speaker 04: And believe me, if you were in one of those apartments, you would be able to see—I'm sure—all the way across Georgian Bay.

01:08:10 Speaker 04: It's up so high.

01:08:12 Speaker 04: Following the opening exercises, or sorry, the conference hosted 260 attendees, so it was well received.

01:08:20 Speaker 04: Following the opening exercises, Tony Stilo, director of Canada Economics, at Oxford Economics, walked us through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act used by U.S. President Trump on enacting tariffs and bypassing Congress in doing so.

01:08:38 Speaker 04: Mr. Stilo talked about the global economy and highlighted various tariff scenarios where risks are hurting the U.S. more than currently expected.

01:08:48 Speaker 04: He spoke about the financial strains to Canada and Ontario in particular, where the trade war will worsen municipal finances, where prices will rise, revenues will go down,

01:08:59 Speaker 04: and there will be a high demand on social assistance.

01:09:02 Speaker 04: Next, delegates received an AMO policy and advocacy update.

01:09:07 Speaker 04: Topics discussed were municipal stimulus, membership education, provincial municipal fiscal relations, and other priorities such as Indigenous Action Plan, municipal codes of conduct,

01:09:22 Speaker 04: and supporting municipalities to implement key provincial priorities such as energy procurement and broadband.

01:09:30 Speaker 04: Members were provided with an update on insights on actions arising from AMO's groundbreaking homelessness study, which takes a new look at homelessness in Ontario, discusses a ten-year perspective on homelessness and investing in solutions.

01:09:46 Speaker 04: AMO identified that next steps will be taken.

01:09:50 Speaker 04: We'll take the same approach regarding our healthcare system.

01:09:54 Speaker 04: The next topic was Ontario Water and Wastewater Services and identifying a path forward.

01:10:01 Speaker 04: Next was a panel discussion by the AMO executive, where questions were received from delegates.

01:10:07 Speaker 04: Among the topics discussed were strong mayor powers, physician recruitment, and OPP policing costs.

01:10:14 Speaker 04: The following panel discussed leveraging limited resources for big results in affordable housing.

01:10:21 Speaker 04: The panel discussed the problem of a growing demand for affordable housing with limited resources for smaller municipalities.

01:10:30 Speaker 04: It was stressed that affordable housing is different than social housing, and it is important to develop an affordable housing master plan with community buy-in to leverage community resources, partnerships, and collabouration.

01:10:45 Speaker 04: Success is driven by innovation and creativity.

01:10:49 Speaker 04: The next panel discussion was municipalities and business improvement areas.

01:10:55 Speaker 04: They highlighted how main streets matter because they represent the community, the history, culture, and a gathering place.

01:11:04 Speaker 04: The centre of civic life, the central hub, the location of many businesses.

01:11:10 Speaker 04: They create a positive image of the community and are unique and accessible.

01:11:15 Speaker 04: The next day began with a speaker on Canada We Want.

01:11:19 Speaker 04: He stressed how we need to build a positive future in the next four years as a result of what is happening in the U.S. He stressed the importance of people to buy local and remaining

01:11:30 Speaker 04: in our country for vacations.

01:11:33 Speaker 04: He said many municipalities need to grasp this opportunity to build a better Canada and highlight how we need good people to run for office and be leaders that can inspire and find a way to

01:11:45 Speaker 04: be innovative and tackle the challenges facing municipalities.

01:11:50 Speaker 04: The political culture needs to shift to encourage participation in this political environment.

01:11:57 Speaker 04: As a municipal leader, you need to remember who you do this work for, build systems, and support each other, and praise your rivals.

01:12:05 Speaker 04: And understand that there is more that pulls us together than pulls us apart.

01:12:11 Speaker 04: The next speaker discussed the real cost of cyber attack and the ongoing budget implications; he stressed the importance of doing a cyber assessment and encouraged municipalities to include a cyber attack in their emergency exercises.

01:12:26 Speaker 04: The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Rob Flack, provided updates on the Municipal Accountability Act, codes of conduct, and tools available to establish uniform codes.

01:12:38 Speaker 04: He discussed strengthening the housing process to speed up delivery and simplify the process.

01:12:45 Speaker 04: He commented on new and innovative ways to get infrastructure done and looking at new ways to lower development charges.

01:12:53 Speaker 04: The increased support for homelessness and shelter space was discussed, along with the Safe Municipalities Act.

01:13:01 Speaker 04: The final panel spoke on a healthy democracy process, civic engagement, the declining voter turnout, and the decline of candidate registration, and focused on how to strengthen democracy at the local level.

01:13:17 Speaker 04: Of particular interest was youth civic engagement and how AMO has been focusing on this topic.

01:13:24 Speaker 04: Delegates were welcome to Owen Sound for the 2026 OSUM conference at the end of April into early May.

01:13:33 Speaker 04: Thank you.

01:13:34 Speaker 14: It was another jam-packed OSUM conference.

01:13:38 Speaker 14: Any questions for the councillor, Councillor Merton?

01:13:41 Speaker 14: Through you, Chair.

01:13:43 Speaker 13: Thank you, Councillor Koepke, for that excellent summary.

01:13:45 Speaker 13: I also had the pleasure of being there, and it was a superb conference.

01:13:52 Speaker 13: I did send last Tuesday the download information about the courses,

01:14:01 Speaker 13: and had wondered if we could have them posted on Council Corner because I think it would be really helpful for councillors to be able to see the presentations that were sent to Rebecca.

01:14:13 Speaker 13: But you know, I'm wondering if there's a way we can follow up and make sure that everyone has access to that information.

01:14:21 Speaker 13: Thank you.

01:14:21 Speaker 13: But thank you, Councillor Koepke.

01:14:22 Speaker 13: That was great.

01:14:25 Speaker 14: I wonder if even if councillors have a link, they could just email the other councillors, even if that's something very simple.

01:14:34 Speaker 14: To Councillor.

01:14:35 Speaker 14: Councillor Farmer and then oh Councillor Koepke then Councillor Farmer.

01:14:39 Speaker 14: Thank you for indulging.

01:14:40 Speaker 14: Just one more thing that I noted.

01:14:42 Speaker 04: I did get the name of an individual working with AMO on the youth education,

01:14:49 Speaker 04: and I will be passing that on to Rebecca Ellerdium in her research that we requested regarding Local Government Week and student grade five and grade ten civics students.

01:15:03 Speaker 03: Through the chair, I note with interest the Minister's focus on reducing development charges,

01:15:13 Speaker 03: and AMO has previously raised concern with provincial and federal rhetoric that identifies development charges as the reason that housing is not being built.

01:15:23 Speaker 03: I'm curious for any of the Councillors who were there: was there any pushback against that?

01:15:28 Speaker 03: Because it certainly seems to be a red herring that we're reading again in the news today.

01:15:39 Speaker 04: The only comment I would have is, I think his direction was more at larger municipalities, because the smaller municipalities are not really having the same issues.

01:15:51 Speaker 04: Particularly, Town of the Blue Mountains and the amount of their development charges, ours being extremely low, and theirs being like one hundred and forty thousand dollars.

01:16:01 Speaker 04: So, and they're not struggling at all for development.

01:16:04 Speaker 04: So I think the attention was more in larger municipalities.

01:16:11 Speaker 23: Okay, thank you for that wrap up, Councillor Koepke.

01:16:14 Speaker 23: Councillor Hamley, next.

01:16:17 Speaker 23: Thank you, Deputy.

01:16:18 Speaker 05: Just have not heard in a little while about the status of the discussions with West Grey and the West Grey Police Service.

01:16:26 Speaker 05: So I just wanted to ask what the latest is.

01:16:30 Speaker 05: Through you, Deputy Mayor, to Councillor Hamley.

01:16:33 Speaker 05: Yeah, great question.

01:16:34 Speaker 17: I've been working with both police chiefs and senior leadership at West Grey over the past few months to create a project charter.

01:16:42 Speaker 17: We have a draft report and the charter to come forward actually to seek Council's authority to create a joint task force between the two new municipalities to bring some additional governance and oversight to it,

01:16:57 Speaker 17: rather than trying to coordinate one meeting and one meeting back and forth and duplicating efforts.

01:17:03 Speaker 17: We had hoped to bring that today.

01:17:04 Speaker 17: However, early late last week, West Grey asked for some additional time to review some materials and have some internal conversations.

01:17:12 Speaker 17: Our goal now would be to bring that to the June 16th meeting, but we're waiting on West Grey at this point.

01:17:19 Speaker 17: Okay, thank you.

01:17:21 Speaker 05: My next piece was actually talking about our bunch of our lacrosse teams have started or are starting their seasons, Deputy Mayor, and because of the renovations at the Bayshore,

01:17:33 Speaker 05: they're not playing in Owen Sound this season.

01:17:35 Speaker 05: So I just wanted to point out where they're playing and where folks can go catch their schedule.

01:17:42 Speaker 05: So people can hopefully get out and catch some games.

01:17:45 Speaker 05: The Junior B North Stars are playing, and the Senior B North Stars are playing at the Durham Community Centre in Durham,

01:17:52 Speaker 05: and the major team is playing over in Meaford at the Meaford St. Vincent Community Centre.

01:18:00 Speaker 05: The Junior B team's website is NorthstarsJuniorBLAX.com.

01:18:04 Speaker 05: You can find their schedule there.

01:18:08 Speaker 05: The Senior team, you can go to OntarioSeriesLacrosse.com, and the Major team, you can go to MajorSeriesLacrosse.ca to check out those schedules and get out there and watch our boys.

01:18:24 Speaker 05: Good comments and thanks for bringing that forward.

01:18:26 Speaker 06: Now, indeed, the work has commenced at the Bayshore.

01:18:30 Speaker 06: I have three items this evening, May third.

01:18:35 Speaker 06: It was my privilege to be able to join the Owen Sound Salvation Army for their one hundred forty-first anniversary banquet on behalf of Mayor and Council.

01:18:44 Speaker 06: They gave an amazing glimpse into the history of contributions to the community from the Salvation Army, and there was particular recognition for a gentleman by name of John Lamb,

01:18:57 Speaker 06: who was bandmaster for Canadian Staff Band.

01:19:01 Speaker 06: He was the first bandmaster to not be currently serving within the army, and this might not surprise anyone, but this gentleman originated from Owen Sound.

01:19:13 Speaker 06: So, kudos to the successes of Mr. John Lamb and his contribution to the Canadian Staff Band over the years, because music is a significant part of what they offer the community.

01:19:28 Speaker 06: And they did note that by that point they were three for three on successful events, and they were well on their way, I think, to a successful one the next morning as well.

01:19:38 Speaker 06: So, congratulations to them from Council on a great weekend, going four for four in various events.

01:19:46 Speaker 06: This past Saturday, I was able to join Kiwanians Councillor Dodd and Councillor Koepke at the hundredth anniversary gala.

01:19:57 Speaker 06: They invited.

01:20:00 Speaker 06: There were actually two Jamaican ladies taking part in the gala.

01:20:06 Speaker 06: One was the Kiwanis International Vice President, the incoming Kiwanis International Vice President, Hope Marks.

01:20:16 Speaker 06: Just a great evening to be able to admire the success, the abundance of successes, and celebrate them for what the Kiwanians have brought to the community over one hundred years.

01:20:27 Speaker 06: Their contributions, from sports fields to music to summer day camps to the OSHaRE Kitchen, are just some of the mosaic of service and support to and for the community we consistently see before us.

01:20:39 Speaker 06: So, I know I mentioned when they played the Jamaican national anthem, we're all familiar with usually seeing a gold medal presented when you see the Jamaican, when you hear the Jamaican national anthem,

01:20:53 Speaker 06: and I think, on behalf of Council, the Kiwanians' contributions to the community over one hundred years are most worthy of a gold medal.

01:21:03 Speaker 06: So it was a real treat to be able to join that event, and my third event, not event,

01:21:11 Speaker 06: but just I wanted to comment somewhat to the community on everyone's contribution to keeping our community clean.

01:21:19 Speaker 06: I just would like to acknowledge: a week ago, there was city staff who were engaged in cleaning up various garbage that was put out at the curb way too early on a very windy afternoon,

01:21:36 Speaker 06: and it looked dreadful.

01:21:40 Speaker 06: And I just like to acknowledge the city staff knowledge, the city staff that were working after go home time, at trying to remove plastic litter that was strung in trees.

01:21:53 Speaker 06: It was everywhere.

01:21:54 Speaker 06: It looked like a dump, and I just would like to engage our community to exercise and deploy maybe a little bit more common sense across the board.

01:22:06 Speaker 06: You know, don't put trash out in conditions that probably warrant putting it out at the curb the following morning.

01:22:16 Speaker 06: If it's not conducive to putting your recycling out, let's contribute to a cleaner community.

01:22:22 Speaker 06: Because this spring, at times, I've never seen as much plastic, as much garbage laying around our community as this year.

01:22:32 Speaker 06: And this is not the fault of city staff.

01:22:34 Speaker 06: City staff are able to only do so much.

01:22:36 Speaker 06: But visually, we all see garbage that's placed on stilts when a garbage can is literally four feet away, and people opt not to do it.

01:22:46 Speaker 06: But it's pervasive.

01:22:48 Speaker 06: If we can get back to just exercising a little bit more sensibility, and when we do put our trash out of the curb and prevent it from carrying through the community,

01:22:58 Speaker 06: like it seemingly has occurred during this spring, and for individuals looking for a good resource for ideas as well,

01:23:08 Speaker 06: I'd invite you to go to Owen Sound or OSWasteWatchers.ca for different ideas on reducing just the footprint that each household may place forward.

01:23:21 Speaker 06: But I do encourage residents: the good weather is here.

01:23:26 Speaker 06: Get out, walk, bike, be outside with your kids.

01:23:30 Speaker 06: It's great to see so many people outside yesterday in the warmer weather and the sunshine.

01:23:35 Speaker 06: But get outside, and it does give you a chance to see the type of litter that I'm speaking to, and the importance of just keeping it from getting into the environment to begin with,

01:23:48 Speaker 06: and getting into catch basins, plastic bottles, and cans, and catch basins.

01:23:54 Speaker 06: So, if do what we all can to keep our community cleaner.

01:23:59 Speaker 06: Councillor Farmer and Councillor, I'll go to Councillor Dodd first, and then Councillor Farmer.

01:24:04 Speaker 18: Thank you, Deputy Mayor, and those were all great comments.

01:24:07 Speaker 18: And I just wanted to step back a little bit, just back to that Kiwanis night, just because I wanted just to highlight on one other item.

01:24:14 Speaker 18: You know, first of all, it's amazing to see the incoming Vice President for the Kiwanis International to come all the way from Jamaica.

01:24:24 Speaker 18: Did a tour of everything that was in our community.

01:24:26 Speaker 18: A great way for her to see what Owen Sound is, as well as the Eastern Canadian and Caribbean Governor as well.

01:24:34 Speaker 18: So fantastic to see them.

01:24:35 Speaker 18: But the other person I just wanted to highlight on that, um, there was another award that night, and I just wanted to note,

01:24:42 Speaker 18: fellow Councillor or past Councillor Jim McManaman was also awarded the Mel Osborne Fellowship Award, and that award is given to Kiwanians who have contributed to growth, to the growth and the work of Kiwanis,

01:24:57 Speaker 18: and it's really meant to be an act of fellowship.

01:25:02 Speaker 18: It's a very prestigious award to receive that, and I just wanted to highlight Jim for that because you know everyone recognizes Jim for what he's done in soccer and council,

01:25:16 Speaker 18: but Jim is still continuing doing great things within our community, and you know I'm glad to see Coqueness International recognize Jim for his works with the Coqueness Club.

01:25:27 Speaker 18: So I just wanted to add that as well.

01:25:28 Speaker 18: Thank you.

01:25:30 Speaker 18: Thank you very much for that.

01:25:31 Speaker 18: Catch.

01:25:32 Speaker 18: He did mention afterwards.

01:25:33 Speaker 06: I think he has to wear that medal all the time, twenty-four seven.

01:25:36 Speaker 06: So, Councillor Farmer, I thank you through the chair.

01:25:40 Speaker 16: I just wanted to pick up on the comment that staff did a great job,

01:25:44 Speaker 16: and extend that thought by saying we shouldn't just leave it up to staff or let folks think that it's only city staff's responsibility to pick things up.

01:25:52 Speaker 16: That we can all do that, and we have trash cans.

01:25:56 Speaker 16: So, in public spaces, partly so that we can do that, and we can raise awareness about the great sport of plogging, which is picking litter while jogging.

01:26:04 Speaker 16: Anyone can do it.

01:26:08 Speaker 16: Thank you very much.

01:26:09 Speaker 06: So we are at item sixteen, which is motion that committee of the whole rise and report.

01:26:13 Speaker 06: Councillor Hamlin.

01:26:15 Speaker 07: Moved by myself that the committee of the whole rise and report.

01:26:19 Speaker 07: All those in favour.

01:26:21 Speaker 07: Carried.

01:26:23 Speaker 02: Item seventeen: Motion to adopt proceedings in committee of the whole.

01:26:27 Speaker 02: Councillor Ham.

01:26:28 Speaker 02: Proceedings in committee of the whole, Councillor Hamley.

01:26:29 Speaker 07: Moved by myself, seconded by Councillor Koepke, that the action taken in committee of the whole in considering public meetings, deputations, and presentations, public forum, matters arising from correspondence, reports of city staff, consent agenda,

01:26:41 Speaker 07: committee minutes, matters postponed, motions for which notice was previously given, and additional business be confirmed by this council.

01:26:48 Speaker 06: All those in favour, carried unanimously.

01:26:52 Speaker 06: We are at item 18.

01:26:53 Speaker 06: Notices of motion.

01:26:54 Speaker 06: Are there any notices of motion this evening?

01:26:56 Speaker 06: Not seeing any.

01:26:58 Speaker 06: Item nineteen, we have no closed session items this evening.

01:27:02 Speaker 06: Item twenty passed, and we are to item twenty-one, which is this evening's bylaws.

01:27:08 Speaker 06: So, to the clerk.

01:27:11 Speaker 11: Through you, Deputy Mayor Greig, the bylaws listed for approval on tonight's agenda include the confirmatory bylaw,

01:27:16 Speaker 11: a bylaw to amend the appointed officers' bylaw to add authority to enforce the Derby camping bylaw to certain appointees,

01:27:23 Speaker 11: a bylaw to amend the fees and charges bylaw to amend fees for derby camping and civil marriages, a bylaw to adopt a policy respecting taxes for Owen Sound,

01:27:31 Speaker 11: a bylaw to authorise the mayor and clerk to execute a five-year memorandum of agreement with the Bluewater District School Board to permit public use of the Owen Sound Secondary School Multi-Use Courts,

01:27:42 Speaker 11: a bylaw to licence, regulate, and govern special camping areas during annual fall fishing derbies,

01:27:47 Speaker 11: and a bylaw to authorise the mayor and clerk to execute a first-amending agreement with Circular Materials for promotion and education activities.

01:28:01 Speaker 07: And Councillor Hamley, moved by myself, seconded by Councillor Koepke, that bylaw numbers 2025-042 through 2025-048 be passed and enacted.

01:28:10 Speaker 07: Any questions, comments?

01:28:11 Speaker 07: Not seeing any.

01:28:12 Speaker 07: All those in favour?

01:28:14 Speaker 07: And that's carried unanimously.

01:28:15 Speaker 07: Thank you.

01:28:18 Speaker 07: And we are at item twenty-two.

01:28:19 Speaker 06: And I just would like to note at this time we had some AV connection difficulties this evening, which precluded us from, I think, being televised on Rogers.

01:28:28 Speaker 06: So, the council meeting is available at www.owsound.ca under the council meeting schedule, and you can click the link at that point to view the meeting.

01:28:43 Speaker 06: Thank you very much.

01:28:43 Speaker 06: It's 6:55, and we are adjourned.

01:28:46 Speaker 06: Thank you.