Council Meeting Highlights – November 21, 2023

December 1, 2023
Town News
  • Miss Sadie Baltz led Council in the singing the National Anthem. 
  • Council accepted the resignation of Shellee Fournier, Chief Administrative Officer, effective January 7, 2024.
  • Abigail McIlquham and Tom Zsolnay, University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF) appeared before Council and presented a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Priority Projects Shaping Regional Healthcare”. A request for funding in the amount of $75,000, in each year for 5 years (2024-2028), was presented for Council’s consideration. Council then passed a motion referring the UHKF funding request to the 2024 Budget Deliberations. 
  • Council received for information the “Bringing Commuter Public Transportation to Rural Kingston, Gananoque, South Frontenac and Loyalist” final report and referred $293,000 to the 2024 Budget process for consideration. 
  • Staff were authorized to issue an Expressions of Interest (EOI) seeking affordable housing proposals on the vacant lot near 375 William Street and 50 Birch Street. 
  • Council pre-approved the 2024 capital budget item for a Pierce Enforcer 110 Ascendant Aerial Platform Fire Truck to be sole sourced from Commercial Emergency Equipment Company to be funded from Town reserves in the amount of $2,037,138.
  • The General Fees and Rates By-law was amended regarding advertising rates at the Lou Jeffries Arena. This increases advertising rates and adds new areas for advertising opportunities.
  • The Council Report regarding Town-Owned Property Lease Agreement Rates was postponed. 
  • Council received the Capital Matters pending report.
  •  A motion to eliminate Council Grants and to amend the Community Grants Policy was postponed and referred to the 2024 budget meeting.
  • A motion directing the Tourism Advisory Panel to submit its 2024 Action Plan by December 4th was withdrawn.
  • The Town received notification from St. Lawrence Parks Commission and Fidelity Construction regarding Thousand Islands Parkway culvert replacement work commencing November 20, 2023 with completion into mid-December. 
  • Council provided Notice of a Public meeting to be held on December 5th for an Application for a Class III Development Permit by EJK Property Holdings Inc for property located at 337 King Street East (previously Unique Towing) to construct a new commercial building for the purposes of a pharmacy including relief for the rear yard setback, parking spaces and size of the loading space.