Municipal Council Notes:

May 20, 2020

Meeting was held via videoconference.
The full meeting can be viewed on the Municipality’s Facebook page @municipalitysiouxlookout.

REPORTS

2019 Annual Summary Reports, Municipal Drinking Water System(s); Hudson and Sioux Lookout
Council received the 2019 Annual Report(s) as per Schedule 22 of Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 170/03; Drinking Water Systems, for the Hudson Drinking Water System and the Sioux Lookout Urban Drinking Water System on May 20, 2020. The Annual Report(s), prepared by Northern Waterworks Inc. (NWI) are presented to Mayor Douglas Lawrance, Council members and CAO Michelle Larose.
Public Works Manager Andrew Jewell shared with council and staff, “Both reports, there’s nothing out of normal. In fact, both have zero regulatory non-compliance issues.  And to a couple minor water quality incidents which are of no concern, the flows are basically the same throughout past years and everything is operating as per normal without concern. There is nothing in the reports to raise concern over, in fact, as per previous years, I would consider them very good and the facilities are both operating very well, within all the parameters specified.”
Jewell shared in his report to council that, “In accordance with Section 11 of O. Reg. 170/03, a notice will be placed in the local newspaper, The Sioux Lookout Bulletin, as well as posted on the Municipal website, advising that if anyone would like to review the 2019 Annual Report(s) for either the Hudson Drinking Water System or the Sioux Lookout Urban Drinking Water System, copies are available, without charge, at the following locations when open to the public:

• Customer Service Desk, Municipal Office 25 Fifth Avenue,
• Sioux Lookout;
• Lost Lake Seniors Drop-In Center, 21 Second Street, Hudson.

Digital copies of the reports will also be made available on both the Municipality's and NWI's website.”

 

Signing Authority
Council authorized the signing authorities for Municipal banking purposes as follows:

• One of the following signers: Douglas Lawrance, Cory Lago, Joe Cassidy, John Bath, Don Fenelon, Connor Howie or Joyce Timpson; and
• One of the following co-signers: Michelle Larose, Brian P. MacKinnon or Carly Collins; and further Council authorized the signing authorities for Municipal Legal Documents as follows:
• One of the following signers: Douglas Lawrance, Cory Lago, Joe Cassidy, John Bath, Don Fenelon, Connor Howie or Joyce Timpson; and
• One of the following co-signers: Michelle Larose, Brian P. MacKinnon or Carly Collins; and further
• Council deemed this Resolution to supersede any similar Resolutions regarding the appointment of signing authorities for Municipal banking and Legal Documents purposes.

The passing of this item updates signing authorities for Municipal banking and Legal Documents
Purposes with Carly Collins being hired as Treasurer and Connor Howie being elected as a new Councillor.

Electronic Signatures – Airport BMO Account
WHEREAS for the convenience of the Corporation of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout (the Company), the Company requests that cheques drawn on Bank of Montreal (the “Bank”) against the company’s account
number’s 1016-343 and may be signed by affixing one or more signatures by using a rubber stamp or a mechanically or electronically reproduced signature (each a “Fascimile Signature”) in place of a handwritten signature;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That the Bank is hereby authorized and directed to pay any and all cheques or instruments purporting to be cheques of the company presented for payment bearing a Facsimile Signature of any of the following officers who have been duly authorized to sign cheques for and on behalf of the company:
DOUGLAS LAWRANCE
CARLY COLLINS
2. That such cheques or instruments shall have the same legal effect, may be dealt with to all intents and purposes and shall bind the Company as fully and effectually as if signed in the handwriting of and duly issued by such officer or officers for and on behalf of the Company, regardless of howsoever or by whosoever a Facsimile Signature shall have been affixed.
3. That the Company shall provide the Bank with a certified copy of this Resolution and a certified specimen of such Facsimile Signature and that such Resolution may be acted upon by each branch of the Bank with which and dealings are had by the Company until notice to the contrary or of any change therein has been given in writing to the Bank.
The passing of this item updates the electronic signatures for the Airport with Carly Collins being hired as Treasurer.

Electronic Signatures – Municipal BMO Account
WHEREAS for the convenience of the Corporation of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout (the Company), the Company requests that cheques drawn on Bank of Montreal (the “Bank”) against the company’s account number’s 1016-386 and may be signed by affixing one or more signatures by using a rubber stamp or a mechanically or electronically reproduced signature (each a “Fascimile Signature”) in place of a handwritten signature;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
1. That the Bank is hereby authorized and directed to pay any and all cheques or instruments purporting to be cheques of the company presented for payment bearing a Facsimile Signature of any of the following officers who have been duly authorized to sign cheques for and on behalf of the company:
DOUGLAS LAWRANCE
CARLY COLLINS
2. That such cheques or instruments shall have the same legal effect, may be dealt with to all intents and purposes and shall bind the Company as fully and effectually as if signed in the handwriting of and duly issued by such officer or officers for and on behalf of the Company, regardless of howsoever or by whosoever a Facsimile Signature shall have been affixed.
3. That the Company shall provide the Bank with a certified copy of this Resolution and a certified specimen of such Facsimile Signature and that such Resolution may be acted upon by each branch of the Bank with which and dealings are had by the Company until notice to the contrary or of any change therein has been given in writing to the Bank.
The passing of this item updates the electronic signatures for the Municipality with Carly Collins being hired as Treasurer.

2018 Municipal Surplus
Council authorized the transfer of the remaining 2018 Municipal surplus of $55,793.76 into the General Reserve.

2019 Additional Reserve Transfers
Council approved the transfer of $2,696.64 from the Land Development Reserve Fund to pay for the additional costs of the Hillcrest Environmental Impact Study which was unfunded.
Council also approved the transfer of $58,651.27 from the Facilities Building Reserve to pay for the additional cost of the Sewage Treatment Plant Roof.
The passing of this item will allow the transfer of funds from reserves to pay for additional unfunded projects in 2019.

2019 Additional Federal Gas Tax Funding
Council withdrew a motion to approve allocating the additional 2019 Federal Gas Tax revenues totalling $326,842.49 to the Mill Road Reconstruction Project.
In discussing the Sioux Lookout Waterfront Development project, which had come in over budget, Council had asked if these funds might be reallocated to that project.
This item was withdrawn to allow the Treasurer to explore that option.

2020 Taxation Update
Council received the Treasurer's 2020 Taxation Update Report, dated May 20, 2020, as information.
Municipal Treasurer Carly Collins advised council of the outstanding 2020 taxation payments form the interim levy.
Collins advised that, “Interim taxes were billed in January and equal 50 per cent of prior year taxes. These due dates were February 28th and April 30th.”
When comparing the 2020 interim levy billed and 2020 interim levy payments to the 2019 interim levy billed and 2019 interim levy payments, Collins advised that 82 per cent of the taxation levy was paid in 2020, as opposed to 87 per cent in 2019.
“From 2019 to 2020, there shows to only be a decrease of payments of 5 per cent. Throughout the next couple of months, Staff will be working closely with residents and businesses to help keep their taxation payments current and not fall into arrears during this pandemic,” Collins shared in her report.
She further informed in her report, “As the length of the COVID 19 pandemic is still unknown at this time and with many of the commercial/residential businesses still being impacted, it is reassuring to know that there hasn’t been a significant change in taxation payments from 2019 to 2020 for the Interim Levy.”

2019 Statement of Council Remuneration & Expenses
Council received the statement of the 2019 remuneration and expenses paid to members of Council for the fiscal period January 1st to December 31st, 2019 in accordance with:
i) Section 284(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended;
ii) By-law No. 86-18, Being a By-Law to set the Remuneration to be Paid to the Mayor and Members of Council;
iii) Policy No. 1-06, being a policy to govern the travel expenses paid to members of Council.
After calculating remuneration and expenses for council for the period of January 1 to December 31 2019, Collins’ report shows a total of $146,036.96.

Ontario Regulation 284/09 - Compliance Report 2020
Council adopted the compliance report for expenditures excluded from the 2020 approved budget as outline the report dated March 18, 2020 as a requirement of Ontario Regulation 284/09.

Notice to Council re: Notice of Default to 2020 Municipal By-election Candidates
Council received, as information, the Clerk’s Report dated May 20, 2020 regarding three Notices of Default sent to candidates in the 2020 Municipal By-election, in accordance with Section 83.23(3).
Municipal Clerk/Manager of Corporate Services Brian MacKinnon outlined in his report that, “Notices of Default have been sent to Ms. Darlene Angeconeb, Mr. Nick Costello and Mr. Michael Quince, as a result of failure to comply with post-election financial information filing requirements, as prescribed by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.”
MacKinnon’s report went on to add that as a consequence of this, “these individuals may not run in the 2022 general Municipal election, or in any intervening By-elections.”

Review of Suspension of Boards, Commissions and Committee Meetings
Council directed that its Boards, Commissions and Committees remain on hiatus for the month of June 2020.

BYLAWS

Recreation and Culture Department Rates and Fees
Council adopted the “2020 Recreation & Culture Department Fees and Charges Overview” as attached to the Interim Manager of Recreation and Culture’s Report dated May 20, 2020; and further Council directed staff to establish an additional fee structure for single-parent families; and further Council authorized the passing of By-law No. 52-20, Being a By-law to Amend Schedule B of By-law No. 28-05 (Being a By-law Respecting the Use of Municipal Access Points; to Establish User Fees for the Use of Municipal Access Points; and to Authorize the Mayor and Clerk to Execute an Agreement Between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as Represented by the Minister of Natural Resources Relating to the Operation of Access Points) (Boat Launches).
Chris Favot, Interim Recreation and Culture Manager, shared in his report to Council, “In 2018, drastic rate and fee schedule changes took place which has had a heavy impact on community traffic through the Recreation and Culture Department. Changes included the removal of one month memberships, couple memberships, and child (ages 6-14) memberships. The majority of remaining memberships experienced a rate increase ranging from 9-53 per cent, with youth and seniors pricing experiencing the highest percent
change.”
“The Recreation and Culture Department recommends decreasing rates to a similar price point as they were previously,” his report states.
“Decreasing rates will draw in more community traffic, promoting healthy living and community pride,” he added.
The new rates became effective with the passing of this item.
Councillor John Bath stated, “It’s unfortunate that the rates in (20)18 were jumped up.”
He added, “There’s no doubt there was consumer shock when that happened and I don’t agree with what happened. If that had come to council, it would have never passed.”
That being said, Bath stated, “I would have been happy to see a five per cent, ten per cent increase… I think we should be raising our rates annually to cover costs.”
Bath said he felt the weight room and cardio room could become more expensive to operate during COVID-19 when they are permitted to open.
Councillor Joe Cassidy commented, “I think the biggest point of having a recreation facility in our town isn’t…  I agree we have to cover costs to a certain extent, but to try and run it like a business and keep up in prices and try to recoup, we’re pushing people away. In essence, what’s the point of having it if we’re just going to up costs and see less and less people through the door and using the facility. You can see in the graphs that Chris has provided us there’s a lot less people using the facility now and I think a lot of it was exactly what you said, there was a shock, consumer shock when the prices went up.”
He added of the fees proposed in the 2020 Recreation & Culture Department Fees and Charges Overview, “I think it’s a good reset to get back and get people active and back into the Rec Centre, and I think if you’re going to do any increases, I don’t think you do it on top of the ones that caused the shock in the system and stopped people from going there. What you do is you reset, bring people back, and then you implement those increases.”         
Council also said they wanted to see a rate for single parent families.

Waterfront Development
Council provided direction to staff to work with the project engineer Keewatin-Aski Ltd as well as Municipal Treasurer Carly Collins to see what could be removed from the project, changed (such as using one type of material over another) or possibly be added later to reduce costs, which had come in nearly a million dollars over budget.
Council also asked that a Special Council Meeting be held within two weeks to look at and decide upon options moving forward.

Increase in Environment Committee Members
Council authorized the passing of By-law No. 32-20, Being a Bylaw to Amend By-law No. 79-15, Being a By-law to Establish Terms of Reference for Council-Created Committees and to Rescind By-law Nos. 100-06, 06-07, 13-12, 02-13, 21-14, 26-15 and 51-15.
The passing of this item increases the number of people who may sit as members of the Municipal Environment Committee from a maximum of nine to a maximum of 10.

REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION

Appointments to Council's Boards, Commissions and Committees: membership
Council approved amending Schedule "A" to By-law No. 92-18 (Being a By-law to Make Appointments to Various Boards, Commissions and Committees), by adding:

• Joanne Peacock to the Parks and Recreation Committee
• Jessi Jones to the Sioux Lookout Environment Committee; and further

Council approved amending Schedule "A" to By-law No. 92-18 (Being a By-law to Make Appointments to Various Boards, Commissions and Committees), by deleting Tiffany Thompson from the Daycare Advisory Committee. Council thanked Thompson for her service.

Private Development on the South Side of the Municipality
Council ratified the Resolution passed in Closed Session, providing direction to staff respecting a potential land sale.