MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Milt McIver, Deputy Mayor Debbie Myles, Councillor James Mielhausen, Councillor Megan Myles, Councillor Laurie (Smokey) Golden
STAFF PRESENT: Peggy Van Mierlo-West, Chief Administrative Officer, Cathy Addison, Clerk, Tessa Swanton, Deputy Clerk, Troy Cameron, Public Works Manager, Carol Hopkins, Bylaw Enforcement Officer, Wilf Barnes, Fire Chief
OTHERS PRESENT: Will Meneray
Some members of Council and Staff were present in the council chamber and the meeting was held via zoom, an electronic platform, for members of the public to attend.
DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND GENERAL NATURE THEREOF
Mayor McIver called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m. and Council members were reminded to disclose any pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof that may arise during the course of the meeting.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Moved by L. Golden Resolution #39-01-2020 Seconded by J. Mielhausen
THAT the content of the agenda be approved as presented.
Carried
DELEGATION/PRESENTATION
Overview of Strategic Planning by Peggy Van Mierlo-West, CAO of the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula- Discussion will be facilitated by Will Meneray
Peggy Van Mierlo-West introduced Will Meneray as the facilitator for the meeting. She informed that Will showed interest in the strategic planning process and have since been collaborating.
Will Meneray advised that the purpose of the meeting is to gather ideas to facilitate the next round of community consultations. He stated that the strategic planning process is currently in the second phase and additional consultation will occur into December; the Strategic Plan should be approved by year-end.
The facilitator proceeded to list the four (4) strategic priorities:
1. Strong and resilient economy
2. Transparent and responsible government that provides effective and efficient services
3. Sustainable environment and infrastructure
4. Safe and vibrant communities
The survey results regarding the strategic plan indicate that the public agrees with the first two priorities with respect to a strong and resilient economy and a transparent and responsible government that provides effective and efficient services.
The following discussion, lead by Will Meneray, was noted regarding the first strategic priority: “Strong and resilient economy”
What does a strong and resilient economy look like?
Things are booming, such as tourism and developments
Ability for locals to afford to live within the Municipality
Incomes algin with the cost of living and housing costs
More year round jobs
Ability to bounce back from change, such as the pandemic; businesses can adapt to that challenge
Not too dependent on any one area/sector
Available workers
Sustainable workforce
New businesses that are responding to the latest demand
Planning and servicing that meets economic and housing needs
What measures can be used to determine if the economy is strong and resilient?
Average incomes compared to the cost of living
Healthy school populations and populations in general
The need for younger children in schools
Demographic and growth
Not a large enough workforce to support our retirement and tourist populations
Number of year-round jobs in different sectors
Composition of job market
Employment rate, average income
Number of new businesses
The Clerk left the meeting at 9:26 a.m.
What is required for us to achieve this vision?
Long-term rental housing inventory: there are few long-term rentals available
Clearly defining the problem
The Clerk returned to the meeting at 9:28 a.m.
Conduct a Business Retention and Expansion Study and determine what issues are affecting businesses
Bruce County is currently conducting a study and the Labour Board gathers information regarding businesses and sectors having trouble; is there enough information available that is applicable to Northern Bruce Peninsula (NBP)?
Understand the people that are purchasing land and building in NBP, how many of those people intend to live here full-time compared to investment rentals and retirement homes; can access real estate data
Having access to regular data
Look at gaps that need to be filled
Knowledge/remote workers are moving to NBP; how do we support them?
The Northern Peninsula Cowork space at The Rotary Hall is an available space for workers
Internet servicing is out of our control
Partner with Bruce County when they conduct surveys to achieve results specific to NBP
The main businesses required for a community already exist; look at attracting secondary businesses to the area
Some of the largest business sectors in NBP include tourism, construction, healthcare, and agriculture
The tourism business sector in NBP is seasonal, determine what businesses are most impacted and how many people are seasonally employed
Discussion was summarized as follows:
Better utilizing information that exists can be improved
There are opportunities surrounding knowledge workers
Policies need updating
Determine what is required to open a business in NBP (zoning, site plan control agreements, surveys, septic requirements); is this too great a risk for an entrepreneur? Are there ways to make our policies more flexible for new businesses?
Large municipalities employ an Economic Development Officer full-time; NBP needs to make information readily available to people interested in living and investing in the area
Developers refrain from developing in the area because it is costly and complicated
Discussion ensued regarding the second strategic priority: “Transparent and responsible government that provides effective and efficient services”
What does transparent and responsible mean?
Getting everyone’s input and ensuring that everyone feels like their voices are being heard
NBP is not hearing from working households as often as other demographics as they are busy raising kids and working full time
More focused and strategic consultations
To hear from the working demographic, we may need to go to where they are, such as the Lion’s Head Arena
To hear from everyone, we will have to try different approaches and find creative ways to communicate
Ensure that accurate information is easily accessible and available on the municipal website
Be proactive rather than reactive, it will require more effort but may be more effective, such as sending out emails
Seasonal residents do not have access to the Bruce Peninsula Press newspaper, what is the best way for them to receive information?
Have a long-term plan for infrastructure and save for the future
Be financially responsible
Communicate and provide reasons for making certain decisions and evaluate those decisions
Achieving the goals that were intended, identifying the outcome, make the goals measurable, use key performance indicators as a measuring/evaluating tool
Be clearer regarding what problem we are trying to solve
Good value
How do we measure if we are successful in this priority?
Track and review complaints
Ensure that the comments we are getting are as representative of the whole community as possible
Communicate with other agencies like the Tobermory Meeting Place and see if they have valuable information to provide the Municipality
Community Funding Grants process
Ask for input from a certain demographic only, they may feel more inclined to respond
Organizational measures, such as staff turnover rates, staff satisfaction rates and survey results
Distribute a Resident Satisfaction Survey
Include how to handle feedback in the Communication Plan
Consider utilizing Facebook or email to communicate minutes from Council meetings
Ensure that staff are properly resourced in terms of workload and staff capacity
Complete the Organizational Review
Change the Municipal Strategic Priorities section of staff reports to be more “outcome based”
How do we know that projects with costs greater than $10,000.00 are a good investment?
Council can successfully list their accomplishments at the end of the term
There was a break in the meeting at 10:25 a.m.
The meeting reconvened at 10:37 a.m.
The following discussion was noted regarding the third strategic priority: “Sustainable environment and infrastructure”
What does sustainable environment and infrastructure mean?
Does the development of a Sustainable Housing Policy fall under this priority?
Do we want affordable homes to be in urban areas?
The topic of housing is a reoccurring theme throughout the priorities
Intensification of the downtown areas, currently that is not happening
What are people looking for in a Housing Policy in Grey Bruce?
Comments about walkability and cycling, how do we keep pedestrians and cyclists safe?
Where and what do we mean by improving cycling and walkability?
Walkability and congestion are safety issues
There is a lack of cycling and walking lanes on municipal roads
What is the origin of cycling and walkability? Is this related to safety, access, or recreation?
Aim towards everyone having a safe place to walk/bike within a certain radius of their home
Housing and walkability
Attracting more full-time residents to the area
The concept of feast and famine, it is difficult to find certain services in the winter, such as open gas stations
Attract more full-time residents to the area who are in the workforce
Work on having activities available after 6:00 p.m.
Seniors are moving from Tobermory to Lion’s Head due to lack of servicing
The retirement population leaves the area in the wintertime
Ask seniors during the consultation process: what will keep you in NBP during the winter months?
How do we identify the people that have recently moved to the Municipality who are knowledge workers? Have targeted
interviews knowledge workers and ask what would it take to bring their peers to NBP?
Regarding the fourth strategic priority “safe and vibrant communities”, the following conversation was noted:
What does a safe and vibrant community look like?
Activities and events occurring at different times of the year and various times of day
Bustling schools
Thriving community organizations
Mayor McIver left the meeting at 11:06 a.m.
People involved in their community in different ways
Small parks in different areas of the Municipality within walking distance to villages/hamlets; easily accessible playground equipment
Boat launches for other community areas
Access to healthcare, facilities, ambulance service and policing
Bylaw enforcement
Determine issues happening below the surface, such as opioid use and domestic abuse
Mayor McIver returned to the meeting at 11:11 a.m.
The survey responses with respect to bylaw enforcement may be the result of parking issues, etc. that took place this past summer
Greater police presence
NBP does not have enough officers, more money equals more service, what are our options for enhancement?
We can have a dedicated officer that is more responsive to community needs
Have people understand the costs of these community improvements
NBP pays over 1.3 million dollars annually for police servicing in this community; however, we are only seeing enforcement taking place on Highway 6
Cannot change the OPP fee structure
Concerns in the area regarding drugs, etc.
We do not have the same knowledge of crimes occurring in the area as we did in the past with police stations located in NBP
Safety issues for seniors
Young people in addiction situations
Long response time for ambulances travelling from Wiarton to Tobermory
The construction of a community pool was a popular response
The Recreation Master Plan needs to be renewed in 2021
What makes a pool so attractive?
How many people from NBP are using the pool facility in Owen Sound?
Other needs may be more important than a community pool
The current Recreation Master Plan noted that the population in NBP would be unable to sustain a community pool
MNBP has partnered with motel developments for the use of their pool facilities in previous years
What is driving the want for a community pool? Can we fill this want in another way?
A community gym would be less costly to operate
Will Meneray advised that the upcoming community consultation will focus on the last two priorities. He said that the topic of tourism will be included in a separate discussion by the Tourism Advisory Group. Will Meneray stated that the citizen working groups will take place next month via zoom; there will be 3-4 meetings in total, each 1-hour in length. Topics of discussion will include transportation, housing, safety, the Recreation Master Plan and touch on arts and culture.
Mayor McIver thanked Will Meneray for facilitating the meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
There was no Other Business for Special Council Meeting No. 20-39, October 26, 2020.
READING OF BY-LAWS
Moved by M. Myles Resolution #39-02-2020 Seconded by L. Golden
THAT the following listed by-laws be given 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading and enacted:
2020-97 BEING A BY-LAW TO CONFIRM THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING OF THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF NORTHERN BRUCE PENINSULA HELD MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020
Carried
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by J. Mielhausen Resolution #39-03-2020 Seconded by D. Myles
THAT the meeting adjourns at 11:40 a.m.
Carried
