Nov. 22, 05 Minutes for the Meeting of the Village of Burks Falls

THE VILLAGE OF BURK’S FALLS
COUNCIL MINUTES

The Regular meeting of the Burk’s Falls Council was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday November 22, 2005. All members of Council were present.
Brian Darnbrough, By-Law Enforcement Officer attended the meeting to give his report. Len Hall, Village Foreman, was also present to give his report.
The following Resolutions were passed:

B. Campbell – Cathy Still:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls adopts the Minutes of the October 25, 2005 meeting as circulated.

Lewis Hodgson – Rex Smith:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls rescinds Resolution No. 2005-205 as it is a duplicate resolution.

Lewis Hodgson – B. Campbell:
The Municipal Office will be closed from December 26, 2005 to December 29, 2005 inclusive, the office will be open on December 30, 2005 to receive payments and closed on January 2, 2006.

Cathy Still – Rex Smith:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls loan the Arena Fund Raising campaign team $1,000.00 to meet incidental costs.

Cathy Still – B. Campbell:
We have read and approve the application to conduct a raffle lottery as presented by the M.A. Wittick School Support Group provided all regulations are adhered to.

Lewis Hodgson – B. Campbell:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls accepts the tender from Ron Stinson Electrical Inc. for electrical repairs to 113 Yonge Street in the amount of $1578.25 including GST/PST.

Lewis Hodgson – B. Campbell:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls have read and approve By-Law 19, 2005 being a by-law to enter into an agreement for the transfer of Federal Gas Tax Revenues under the new Deal for cities and communities between Her Majesty in Right of Canada represented by the Minister of State and Her Majesty in Right of the Province of Ontario represented by the Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

And that Council authorizes the Reeve and the Clerk to sign this by-law and affix the Seal of the Corporation thereto.

Cathy Still – B. Campbell:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls have read and approve By-law 20-2005 being a by-law to License Mobile Food Vendors and Hawkers & Peddlers as presented;

And that By-law 7-2002 be rescinded.

And that Council authorizes the Reeve and the Clerk to sign this by-law and affix the seal of the Corporation thereto.

B. Campbell – Cathy Still:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls have read and approve By-Law No. 21-2005 being a by-law to convey lands.

And that Council authorizes the Reeve and the Clerk/Treasurer to sign this by-law and affix the seal of the Corporation thereto.

B. Campbell – Cathy Still:

1. The Village of Burk’s Falls official response to the Report of the Water Strategy Expert Panel includes the following comments:

a) The Village of Burk’s Falls is opposed to any legislation that would require the consolidation of “cluster of communities” in the North which would effectively result in the cross-subsidization of water rates;

b) The Village of Burk’s Falls is opposed to any legislation that would require the establishment of a corporate utility entity to hold the assets and operate water and wastewater systems. Municipalities should have the choice to select the governance model that works best considering the local circumstances;

c) The Village of Burk’s Falls is opposed to the elimination of senior level of government subsidy for sustainable water systems. There will continue to be the need for subsidy considerations or large water and sanitary sewer projects that would have a major impact on rates;

d) The Village of Burk’s Falls is opposed to pricing and rate recommendations that would restrict local autonomy;

2. The Council request a meeting with the Ministry of Public Renewal infrastructure to review the Village’s position on the Report of the Water Strategy Expert Pane; and

2. This matter also be referred to the General Government Committee for a further report.

Cathy Still – B. Campbell

The Village of Burk’s Falls council have read the resolution presented by the Township of Terrace Bay expressing concern with the potential of an influenza pandemic;

And that municipalities wish to ensure that providers and the public are informed about the pandemic and how to help protect themselves against it.

And that municipalities request the Ministry to identify and implement a system for the provision of critical medical supplies and establish reliable and secure purchasing, storage and distribution systems;

Therefore the Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls forward our support to the Township of Terrace Bay for their presentation and collection to the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services.

B. Campbell – Cathy Still:
The Village of Burk’s Falls council have read the resolution presented by the Township of Chisholm expressing concern with increasing incidents of nuisance bears and bear attacks in urban and rural areas;

Whereas the spring bear hunt was a viable management tool and a way on controlling the black bear population;

Now therefore the Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls petitions the Honourable David Ramsay, Minister of Natural Resources to immediately move to reinstate the spring bear hunt.

Cathy Still – Lewis Hodgson:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls have read the resolution presented by the Township of Coleman expressing concern with the number of Northern Ontario Mills closing down;

And Whereas Northern Ontario is losing employment in the forest industry through various mill closures;

And Whereas closures result in a loss to the economy of our communities;

Be it resolved that the Village of Burk’s Falls supports the Township of Coleman in their concerns;

And that our support be sent to the Township of Coleman for their presentation to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

B. Campbell – Lewis Hodgson:
Whereas Canada Post is reviewing its entire postal network and has announced plans to close a mail sorting plant in Quebec City as the very first step in its review.
Whereas the government appears to support Canada Post’s plan to close the plant in Quebec City beginning in December 2005, which would eliminate 302 jobs;
Whereas the government is allowing Canada Post to close rural post offices in spite of a moratorium on post office closures in rural and small towns.
Whereas our public postal network connects communities throughout this vast land, helping us to overcome differences and distances.
Whereas our public postal network plays a key role in our social and economic life by providing jobs and the infrastructure that healthy communities need to thrive and businesses need to grow.
Be It resolved that the Village of Burk’s Falls write to John McCallum, the Minister responsible for Canada Post and request that the federal government instruct Canada Post:
1. To stop the closure of the mail sorting plant in Quebec City and proposed closures in other locations.
2. To consult with the public, postal unions and other major stakeholders to develop a uniform and democratic process for making changes to the Canada Post’s network.
3. To maintain, expand and improve our public postal network.

B. Campbell – Cathy Still:
Whereas the provincial Standing Committee on General Government is currently debating Bill 206, an Act to revise the Ontario Municipal Employees Retire System Act; and
Whereas the OMERS pension fund is currently equal to approximately 8% of Ontario’s annual GDP; and
Whereas the OMERS pension fund serves approximately 900 employers and 355,000 diverse employee groups including; current and former employees of municipal governments; school boards, libraries; police and fire departments; children’s aid societies; and electricity distribution companies; and
Where Ontario’s municipalities and their employees depend on the prudent management of the #36 billion plan and to ensure that employees and employers are paying for benefits they can afford; and
Whereas OMERS employer and employee members are facing an increase in OMERS contributions in 2006 of approximately 9% as a result of a significant deficit in the OMERS fund; and
Whereas the Bill includes significant, potentially costly and unnecessary changes to the governance structure of OMERS including a Sponsors Corporation structured to be governed by arbitration; and
Whereas the Bill would permit the creation of expensive supplementary plans to provide optional enhances benefits that will impose new collective bargaining obligations on municipalities, the operating costs of which cannot yet be fully assessed; and
Whereas the Province has a responsibility to study the potential impact of the changes it is proposing and to share the result with employers and employee groups; and
Whereas AMO and others have urged the government to consider the potential implications of Bill 206 and to ensure the proposed policy changes protect the interest of employers, employees and taxpayers; and
Whereas the Government is moving in haste with a Bill, which in its current form raises significant technical, public policy and economic issues;
Therefore be it resolved that the Village of Burk’s Falls does not support Bill 206 and request that the Government of Ontario reconsider the advisability of proceeding with Bill 206 in its current form; and
Further it be resolved that Norm Miller, MPP, Muskoka Parry Sound, the Honourable John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario be advised that this Council does not support proposed changes to the OMERS pension fund contained in Bill 206.

Rex Smith – Cathy Still:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls approves the Accounts Payable as presented up to and including November 22, 2005 in the amount of $ 95,221.86 and hereby authorize the Clerk/Treasurer to issue cheques for same.

Cathy Still – Rex Smith:
The Council for the Village of Burk’s Falls adjourns the regular meeting at 21:47 until the next scheduled meeting on December 20, 2005.

Jarvis W. Osborne.
Clerk/Treasurer