The outcome from recent meetings of Madawaska Valley municipal staff and Council is expected to be finalized at the March 16 Council meeting. In the meantime, here are some highlights from the Mar.2 Council in Committee meeting and Council’s review of the proposed 2021 municipal budget at the Mar.8 Council in Committee meeting.
Fireworks education coming
As requested staff provided MV Council with a draft Fireworks By-Law to review. It was presented with a request that a dedicated fireworks by-law be postponed to 2022 and that the municipality undertake a public education campaign this year. All members of Council supported both postponement and education. Councillors Bromwich and Shulist felt the 1 a.m. limit for noise was acceptable, but Mayor Love, Councillors Peplinski and Willmer favoured an 11 p.m. cut-off time. CAO Klatt confirmed that Council agreed to fireworks on any day of the week. Staff was directed to bring an amended Noise By-Law to Council.
Enforcement of COVID rules – whose responsibility?
On the subject of by-law enforcement, recent concerns about non-compliance with COVID-19 rules were discussed. Fire Chief/By-Law Enforcement Officer Corwin Quade’s call out report did not include any such complaints. He said, RCDHU informed him the local OPP detachment enforces violations and has jurisdiction over any large gatherings or protests. RCDHU will assist or attend certain venues if they have available staff; if not, they will pass the information along to the OPP to do the enforcement. He said the OPP were contacted about the gathering that happened in Barry’s Bay at the three-way stop last month. The liaison group responsible “followed up with the organizers of the protest and it’s in the OPP’s hands now. We haven’t heard anything back from them but they did explain the COVID-19 regulations … if they are having a gathering and the notifications that are required to the OPP.” Quade further advised Council that other than a few inquiries the municipality had not “actually received any direct calls or complaints from anybody.”
Mayor Love said she was not in favour of sending a lone employee out to a potentially confrontational situation. “The best enforcement agency for our community is the OPP. They’re there; they’re available and if there’s ever any question of a situation becoming confrontational, they are well and truly trained in how to deal with those situations.”
Flood preparedness
Given the arrival of warmer weather, Deputy Clerk Gwen Dombroski and Fire Chief Corwin Quade assured Council that contacts and monitoring were in place regarding the spring freshet. Dombroski said information from Ontario Power Generation regarding water levels would soon be available to the public.
COVID-19 vaccination centre
Council discussed a letter from Dr. Jason Malinowski, Chief of Staff at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, requesting use of the arena for COVID-19 vaccinations. Council unanimously agreed that “health comes first in the community” and renovations to the PJYCC could be put off for a year if necessary.
MV Public Library 2021 budget
On Mar.8 Madawaska Valley Public Library (MVPL) Board Chair Frances Mawson and Library CEO Karen Filipkowski presented the 2021 Library budget. Filipkowski told Council that because there were “some carry overs” from last year, MVPL was not seeking an increase. She reviewed some services provided to the community during 2020:
- Children’s programming that included virtual events. The Craft Kits were hugely popular, 1300 were handed out.
- Reading materials were provided despite closure during lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions. MVPL will continue to do so during 2021. For example, so far this year:
- Jan-Feb: 700 items were pulled from shelves, packaged & handed out to patrons during shutdown. Have re-started informal arrangement where library drops off materials to residents at nearby Champlain Gardens (formerly Water Tower Lodge).
- Additional online resources are now available.
- Jan-Feb 2021 a total of 757 online ebooks, audiobooks were borrowed.
She said MVPL received a few unexpected grants so will keep the budget the same as 2020. Mayor Love commended MVPL staff and volunteers for their creative solutions to continue to provide programming to the community. Mawson thanked Council for their support of MVPL.
Proposed 2021 municipal budget*
Summary: MV Treasurer Amanda Hudder began presenting the proposed municipal budget with a summary saying it reflected a 2.1 percent tax increase. The summary included the following:
- Drawdown from reserves $1,197,382
- Total additions to reserves $874,744
- Capital projects for 2021 $2,499,086
- Revenues include among other things:
- Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund $1,624,200
- Gas tax $130,761
- Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund $177,671
Hudder said the budget as proposed would require $4,140,369.44 from tax levy.
Council spent the day discussing each department’s proposals and giving direction to staff about various amendments. At the end of the meeting, the proposed budget with Council’s amendments was approved as presented. Mayor Love pointed out that Council would review and approve the 2021 Water & Wastewater Budget at their Council in Committee meeting on April 6. Hudder explained that she could not yet confirm a municipal tax rate because County of Renfrew would not approve the tax ratios until later in March. Council therefore directed CAO Suzanne Klatt to notify ratepayers that the public 2021 budget presentation would take place at the Regular Council meeting on April 20. Hudder said it was a team effort and MV staff were excellent getting numbers to her. She thanked Council for their understanding, patience and time. Mayor Love said it was a privilege to work with Hudder and she did a great job.
*Proposed budgets often undergo many amendments before final approval. Your diary dates: Apr.6 Water & Wastewater Budget to set the 2021 water & sewage rates. Apr.20 Public Presentation of 2021 MV Municipal Budget.