Council Meeting Highlights – February 7, 2023

February 14, 2023
Town News
  • Council repealed a motion to authorize a draw of $5,000 from the Kinsmen Building reserve to hire an architect for the building. 
  • Council appointed Doug Bickerton and Therese Conway to the Trees and Trails Committee.
  • Council appointed the following members to the Business Improvement Area Board of Directors: Ray Stedman, Randall Smith, Carolyn Harding, Lisa Robichaud and Kathrine Christensen.
  • Council appointed the following members to the Tourism Advisory Panel: Graeme Brown, Trusha Tanna, Ted Lojko, Peter Sweet and Natalie Robertson.
  • Council appointed Kathleen Warburton and Lynn Lambert to the Library Board.
  • Gordon Cooke from the Gananoque Pride Alliance gave a presentation and a request for funding.  Council approved a $5,000 Community Grant.
  • Council designated the Municipal Drug Strategy (MDS) Committee as a Working Group of Council, with the Township of Leeds and Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes Township as partners. Mayor Beddows and Councillor Harper will represent Council.
  • The Recreation Cost Sharing Agreement for the Lou Jeffries Community Centre was signed with the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands for a 1-year term.  
  • Gretchen Huntley was reappointed as the Poet Laureate for the 2022-2026 term of Council. 
  • Council passed a By-law to authorize Staff to issue bills for 2023 Interim Tax Levy.
  • The Short-Term Borrowing By-law was passed, which is passed on an annual basis to allow an overdraft of $1.5M in the event of a catastrophic emergency.
  • The Gananoque Arts Network was not provided a Community Grant as the organization received grants in 2021 and 2022 making them ineligible for 2023. 
  • The Pickleball Club received a $5,000 Community Grant towards the purchase of wind screens for use at the Gananoque Tennis, Basketball and Picklball Courts.  
  • Council approved a Community Grant for $5,000 to Kingston Prize Portrait Association to help with expenses for their biennial art exhibition.
  • The Fire Department’s 3rd and 4th quarter reports for 2022 were received.
  • An Encroachment Agreement at 2 Brock Street was approved to allow paving of a residential driveway over a Town right of way that houses utilities, with the owners accepting responsibility of risk should there be a future need to dig up the area. 
  • The Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) Operational Plan Endorsement and 2022 Water Quality Report and Wastewater Annual Performance Reports were received. 
  • JET Electrical was awarded the Electrical Services Contract for a three year term.
  • Andrew Keith Offord (Offord Plumbing) was awarded the Plumbing Services Contract for a three year term.
  • Green Maples Environmental (GME) was awarded the Janitorial Services Contract for a three year term.
  • The General Fees and Rates By-law was amended to introduce a new Ice Rental Rate for non-contributing residents. Non-contributing residents are those outside of Gananoque and TLTI. 
  • The 2023 Water and Wastewater Operating and Capital Budget and Rates were approved. 
  • Council directed staff to amend the Procedural By-law to alter the order of business on the Council Agenda to move the staff report section to be earlier in the agenda.
  • Staff were directed to transfer $299,796.48 from capital reserves to fund the GBM Canada 150 Reserve Deficit.
  • Staff were directed to transfer $572,670 of surplus funds from the Casino appeal to the Wastewater Reserve to partially fund the East End Pumping Station/Force Main Project.
  • Council approved an agreement with Industrial Electrical Contractors Brockville Ltd. for the procurement of upgrades to the Stone Street Pumping Station and Water Tower.
  • Council received a budget deviation by intent for the 2022 Lagoon Structure Replacement.
  • A Roadway Minimum Maintenance Standards Policy was approved.
  • Council authorized the Fire Chief to purchase a Pick-Up Truck through the Police Cooperative Purchasing Group (PCPG) in lieu of a RFP process.