Elgin County Council

Minutes

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 9:00 A.m. - 12:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

450 Sunset Drive

St. Thomas ON

Members Present:

• Warden Grant Jones
• Deputy Warden Ed Ketchabaw
• Councillor Dominique Giguère
• Councillor Mark Widner
• Councillor Jack Couckuyt (virtual)
• Councillor Todd Noble
• Councillor Mike Hentz
• Councillor Richard Leatham

Members Absent:

• Councillor Andrew Sloan

Staff Present:

• Blaine Parkin, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk (virtual)
• Nicholas Loeb, Director of Legal Services
• Michele Harris, Director of Homes and Seniors Services (virtual)
• Brian Masschaele, Director of Community & Cultural Services (virtual)
• Peter Dutchak, Director of Engineering Services
• Mat Vaughan, Director of Planning and Development
• Andrea Loughlean, Manager of Emergency Management & Elgin-Middlesex Regional Fire School (virtual)
• Katherine Thompson, Manager of Administrative Services/Deputy Clerk
• Jenna Fentie, Legislative Services Coordinator
• Stefanie Heide, Legislative Services Coordinator

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. with Warden Jones in the chair.

2.

Adoption of Minutes

• Moved by: Councillor Leatham
  Seconded by: Councillor Hentz

  RESOLVED THAT the December 10, 2024 and December 12, 2024 open session minutes and the December 12, 2024 closed session minutes be adopted.

  Motion Carried.

3.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

None.

4.

Presenting Petitions, Presentations and Delegations

None.

5.

Committee of the Whole

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw

  RESOLVED THAT we do now move into Committee of the Whole.

  Motion Carried.

6.

Reports of Council, Outside Boards and Staff

6.1

Warden Jones - Warden’s Activity Report (December 2024)

Warden Jones presented the report detailing his activities for the month of December 2024.

• Moved by: Councillor Hentz
  Seconded by: Councillor Noble

  RESOLVED THAT the report titled “Warden’s Activity Report (December 2024)" dated January 14, 2025 from Warden Jones be received and filed.

  Motion Carried.

6.2

Warden Jones - 2025 Council Committee Appointments

Warden Jones presented the report seeking Council's approval for the Councillor appointments to Committees and Local Boards for 2025.

• Moved by: Councillor Hentz
  Seconded by: Councillor Noble

  RESOLVED THAT County Council approve the Council Committee and Local Board Appointments for 2025 as recommended by Warden Jones; and
  
  THAT Schedule F of By-Law No. 23-01 be repealed and replaced with Appendix 1 as attached to the January 14, 2025 report titled “2025 Council Committee Appointments”.

  Motion Carried.

6.3

Director of Engineering Services - East Road Pedestrian Crossing Update

The Director of Engineering Services presented the report seeking Council's approval to remove the stop sign on Joseph Street at East Road in the Village of Port Stanley in order to reinstate the three-way stop controlled intersection, and also seeks Council's approval to reduce the posted speed limit from 40km/hr to 30km/hr on Joseph Street.

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Councillor Giguère

  RESOLVED THAT the report titled “East Road Pedestrian Crossing Update” from the Director of Engineering Services dated January 14, 2025 be received and filed, and
  
  THAT the stop sign on Joseph Street at East Road be retained as a four-way stop; and
  
  THAT the posted speed limit be reduced from 40km/h to 30km/h on Joseph Street and that the necessary by-law be amended.

  Motion Carried.

7.

Council Correspondence

7.1

Items for Consideration

7.1.1

Letter from the Municipality of Central Elgin requesting that the County of Elgin investigate speeding concerns on Centennial Road between Elm Street and Southdale Line.

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Councillor Hentz

  RESOLVED THAT the Director of Engineering Services work with Central Elgin staff to investigate speeding concerns along Centennial Road between Elm Street and Southdale Line and formulate a solution.

  Motion Carried.

7.1.2

Letter from Dutton & District Lions Non-Profit Housing Inc. requesting that a sidewalk be installed on Pioneer Line between Miller Road and Currie Road in Dutton.

• Moved by: Deputy Warden Ketchabaw
  Seconded by: Councillor Leatham

  RESOLVED THAT the Director of Engineering Services work with Dutton Dunwich staff to formulate a local solution to the request for sidewalks.

  Motion Carried.

7.1.3

Letter from Southwestern Public Health requesting a delegation to County Council at its January 28, 2025 meeting.

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt

  RESOLVED THAT the request for delegation from Southwestern Public Health be received and filed.

  Motion Carried.

7.1.4

Letter from the Elgin Federation of Agriculture requesting that County Council maintain the Farm Class Tax rate at 0.23 percent.

• Moved by: Councillor Widner
  Seconded by: Councillor Leatham

  RESOLVED THAT Elgin County Council maintain the farm class tax ratio at 0.23 percent in 2025; and
  
  THAT the Warden send a letter to the Elgin Federation of Agriculture confirming this decision.

  Motion Carried.

7.1.5

Letter from the Middlesex and Elgin Federations of Agriculture requesting improved signage for agricultural equipment on County roads.

• Moved by: Councillor Widner
  Seconded by: Councillor Hentz

  RESOLVED THAT a meeting of the Rural Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee be called to initiate discussions with the Elgin Federation of Agriculture regarding the issue of unsafe passing of agricultural equipment.

  Motion Carried.

7.2

Items for Information (Consent Agenda)

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Councillor Hentz

  RESOLVED THAT Correspondence Items #7.2.2 - 7.2.7 be received and filed.

  Motion Carried.

7.2.1

Letter from Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, introducing the proposed Municipal Accountability Act, 2024.

• Moved by: Councillor Giguère
  Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt

  RESOLVED THAT staff be directed to collect Council's comments regarding the proposed Municipal Accountability Act, 2024, and to compile those and present to Council for consideration at the January 28, 2025 meeting.

  Motion Carried.

7.2.2

Letter from the Municipality of Central Elgin supporting the appointment of Carleen Green to the Elgin/Central Elgin Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee.

7.2.3

Letter from Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, regarding the Encampment Response Initiative and Last Mile Funding.

7.2.4

Resolution from the Town of Cobalt requesting that the Province of Ontario resume the assessment cycle.

7.2.5

Invitation from the County of Middlesex to attend the Official Plan Public Meeting on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

7.2.6

Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus December 2024 Newsletter.

8.

Other Business

8.1

Statements/Inquiries by Members

8.1.1

Deputy Warden Ketchabaw - Pre - Budget Consultation with Minister of Finance

Deputy Warden Ketchabaw advised that the Minister of Finance will be holding a pre-budget consultation roundtable in St. Thomas on January 28, 2025, and suggested that Council may wish to submit comments similar to Council's submission in 2023, regarding infrastructure funding, returning the assessment roll, and HST reform at the provincial level. Council consented to adding this item to the January 24, 2025 agenda of the Growth Planning Steering Committee for further discussion. 

8.2

Notice of Motion

None.

8.3

Matters of Urgency

None.

9.

Closed Meeting Items

9.1

Closed Meeting Minutes - December 12, 2024

10.

Motion to Rise and Report

None.

11.

Motion to Adopt Recommendations from the Committee of the Whole

• Moved by: Councillor Giguère
  Seconded by: Councillor Noble

  RESOLVED THAT we do now adopt recommendations of the Committee of the Whole.

  Motion Carried.

12.

Consideration of By-Laws

12.1

By-Law No. 25-01 Committee By-Law Amendment

BEING a By-Law to Amend By-Law No. 23-01 Being a By-Law to Define the Mandate and Meeting Procedures for Committees Established by the Corporation of the County of Elgin and to Repeal By-Law No. 24-01.

• Moved by: Councillor Leatham
  Seconded by: Councillor Hentz

  RESOLVED THAT By-Law No. 25-01 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed.

  Motion Carried.

12.2

By-Law No. 25-02 Operation of the Elgin County Museum

BEING a By-Law to Provide for the Operation of the Elgin County Museum and to Repeal By-Law No. 21-38.

• Moved by: Councillor Hentz
  Seconded by: Councillor Giguère

  RESOLVED THAT By-Law No. 25-02 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed.

  Motion Carried.

12.3

By-Law No. 25-03 Confirmation

BEING a By-Law to Confirm Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the County of Elgin at the January 14, 2025 Meeting.

• Moved by: Councillor Noble
  Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt

  RESOLVED THAT By-Law No. 25-03 be now read a first, second, and third time and finally passed.

  Motion Carried.

13.

Adjournment

• Moved by: Councillor Widner
  Seconded by: Councillor Couckuyt

  RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 9:56 a.m. to meet again on January 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.

  Motion Carried.