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What Happened at Council – January 8

Council held two meetings last night (January 7, 2020). The first was a Corporate Planning Committee Meeting and the second a regular Council Meeting. Regrets were given from Councillor Reece.

During the Corporate Planning meeting, Charlie Todesco made a presentation on the Predator Control efforts. Mr.Todesco thanked Council for extending the agreement to provide predator control to the municipality. This winter a coyote have been removed from the Wawa Golf Course and two wolves, one a 95 pound wolf was removed from within the Municipal boundaries. He noted that last year’s snow removal operations hindered the safe hunting in that area, and that there have been no negative comments heard regarding the group’s efforts.

The group is looking at changing from predator control at the snow dump to the Wawa Creek area. A number of complaints have been received about coyotes using that area (Wawa Lake to the Trailer Park) – and with consultation from the Municipality, the predator control may change to focus on that area for the next season.

Council has approved a $500 donation towards the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s CampMed. CampMed hosts students from Grades 10 & 11 in camps held in Sudbury and Thunder Bay. These camps encourage students to come and learn more about health care career opportunities in the North. This donation may support a student from our community with accommodation and/or travel costs. To date, there have been no attendees from Wawa.

A Ecole Saint-Joseph Parent and Catholic School Council submitted a request for Sidewalk Snow Removal on Churchill Avenue. Mayor Rody did state that Infrastructure Staff have widened the street from the school to Mission Road. Councillor Hatfield noted that there was no one from the school present for this discussion. Mayor Rody stated that residents removing snow from their properties often lands on the boulevard. An expensive solution would be to clear the sidewalks for the entire community by purchasing another trackless machine, as is done in Marathon.

The EDC was given verbal consent at the meeting to co-locate Anishnabek Employment & Training Services in their offices.

During the Council Meeting that was held immediately after the Corporate Planning Meeting had a number of items on the Consent Agenda which was accepted without discussion:

  • Approve 2020 Council Meeting Dates (resolution)
  • Approve rescheduling of January 21, 2020 Regular Council Meeting (resolution)
  • Receive Committee / Board Minutes (resolution)
    • Library Board Meeting – November 18, 2019
    • Cemetery Committee Meeting – November 20, 2019
  • Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – 2020 Municipal Levy (for information)
  • MPAC 2020 Municipal Levy Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services – Assessment of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (for information)
  • Ministry of Transportation – Follow-up Letter Regarding Driver Testing in Northern Communities (for information)

In new business, Council approved Council Travel for 2020 to the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference in January, Ontario Good Roads Association Conference in February, FONOM Annual Conference in May and AMO annual conference in August. Council accepted the recommendation of the interview committee to appoint Mr. Paul Weaver as Captain. Jason Crack, Kayley East and William Moore were also recruited as volunteer firefighters for the Wawa Fire Department, and Council approved their recruitment. Mr. Pierre Gauthier was also appointed Deputy Fire Chief by by-law read three times and passed at this meeting. Mr. John Spekking has now retired from the department.

Council read three times and passed the following by-laws:

  • By-Law No. 3260-20 – to enter into an agreement with Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry for a Grant of Easement No. 1096 pursuant to the Public Lands Act for lands located adjacent to the Waste Disposal Site.
  • By-Law No. 3261-20 – to authorize The Corporation of the Municipality of Wawa to enter into an Agreement with Laurie Cavan, c.o.b. as Wawa Janitorial Service respecting the provision of janitorial services for the Municipal Offices Building, 40 Broadway Avenue, and the Wawa IT and Training Centre, 3 Maple Street, Wawa in the Municipality of Wawa.
  • By-Law No. 3262-20 – to confirm the proceedings of Council at its meeting held on the 7th day of January, 2020.
    BL 3262-20 Proceeding Jan 7, 2020
  • By-Law No. 3263-20 – to authorize The Corporation of the Municipality of Wawa to appoint the Local Authority Services as the Investigator pursuant to Sections 9, 10, 11 and 239.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended.
  • By-Law No. 3264-20- to appoint a Deputy Fire Chief for the Municipality of Wawa Volunteer Fire Department.
  • By-Law No. 3265-20 – to amend By-Law No. 3069-17 and enter into an agreement with Industry Canada / FedNor, under the Northern Ontario Development Program to provide contribution towards the Boreal Forest Eco-Walk and Waterfront Rejuvenation (Project # 851-810713, Amendment No. 2).
  • By-Law No. 3266-20 – to authorize temporary borrowing from time to time to meet current expenditures during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.
  • By-Law No. 3267-20 – to provide for an Interim Tax Levy and the Payment of Interim Taxes for the Year 2020.

Council then moved into an in camera session for the following items:

  • Legal Issue (1 Item): FOI Request 2019-02 – a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection Act, if the council, board, commission or other body is the head of an institution for the purposes of that Act (Municipal Act, c.25, s. 239 (3) (a))
  • Legal Issue (1 Item): LNG Shareholder Agreement – Legal Review – advice that is subject to solicitor client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose (Municipal Act, c.25, s.239 (2) (f))
  • Personnel Issue (1 Item): Staffing – personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees (Municipal Act, c.25, s.239 (2) (b))
Brenda Stockton
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