Municipality of West Elgin
Agenda
Council Meeting

Meeting #:

Date:

Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 4:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Location:

Council Chambers

160 Main Street

West Lorne

Council Meetings are held in-person at 160 Main Street, West Lorne, and the post-meeting recording available at www.westelgin.net, when available (pending no technical difficulties).

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1.

Call to Order

2.

Adoption of Agenda

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby adopts the Regular Council Agenda for December 19, 2024 as presented.

3.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest

4.

Public Meeting

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby proceed into a Public Meeting pursuant to Development Charges Act.

4.1

Purpose of the Public Meeting

The public meeting is to provide for a review of the D.C. background study and to receive public input on the proposed policies and charges. The meeting is a mandatory requirement under the Development Charges Act (D.C.A.).

Prior to Council’s consideration of a by-law, a background study must be prepared and available to the public a minimum 60 days prior to the D.C.
by-law passage.

4.2

Watson & Associates Presentation Re: Development Charges Public Meeting, December 19, 2024

4.3

Council Comment

4.4

Public Comment or Question

4.5

Adjournment of Public Meeting

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby adjourn the Public Meeting, pursuant to the Development Charges Act, and proceed into regular session.

5.

Adoption of Minutes

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby adopt the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting, November 28, 2024 and the Special Council Meeting, December 5, 2024, as presented. 

6.

Business Arising from Minutes

7.

Staff Reports

7.1

Building

7.1.1

Monthly Building Report, November 2024

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Corey Pemberton, CBO Re: Building Department Summary Report for the month of November 2024. 

7.2

Fire

7.2.1

Monthly Fire Report, October & November 2024

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the Monthly Fire report for October, November 2024, from Jeff McArthur, Fire Chief, for information purposes.

7.3

Operations & Community Services

7.3.1

West Elgin Landfill Capacity

7.3.2

Monthly Operations, November 2024

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Lee Gosnell, Manger of Operations & Community Services for information purposes.

7.3.3

2025 Dust Suppressant Tender

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Lee Gosnell, Manager of Operations & Community Services; And

  That West Elgin Council approves initiating the tender process for dust suppressant prior to 2025 budget deliberations.

7.4

Clerk's

7.4.1

Pound keeping Services

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Terri Towstiuc, Clerk Re: Poundkeeping Services; And

  Option 1: That Council hereby approve the eighteen (18) month term renewal with the Humane Society London Middlesex, for the period of December 31, 2024, ending June 30^th, 2026.

  Option 2:That Council hereby approve the proposal received from Southwest Middlesex Animal Shelter, for a five-year term, commencing January 1, 2025, ending December 31, 2029.

  And that Council direct staff to initiate a formal agreement for acceptance at the next Regular Meeting.

7.4.2

Backyard Hens - Final By-law and Application Process

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Terri Towstiuc, Clerk, Re: Backyard Urban Hens, Final Report and By-law; And

  That Council approve the application package as presented; And

  Further that Council approve the By-law as presented, in the By-law portion of the December 19, 2024 agenda.

7.4.3

2025 Fees - Recreation and Pool

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Terri Towstiuc, Clerk Re: 2025 Fees for Recreation and Pool; And

  That Council___________________________.

7.5

Finance/Administration

7.5.1

2025 Municipal Insurance Renewal

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from M. Badura CAO/Treasurer, re: 2025 Municipal Insurance Renewal as set out in the renewal documents provided by Intact Public Entity dated November 26, 2024; and That West Elgin Council approves payment of the annual premium in the amount of $410,877.00 plus applicable taxes.   

7.5.2

Compensation Policy for Non-Unionized Employees and Wage Increases

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the draft copy of the compensation policy from M. Badura, CAO/Treasurer and That, West Elgin council approves the policy as presented.

  And That; West Elgin Council repeal policy HR-3.6 – Compensation Policy and 2020-10 Short-term Acting Positions policy.

  And That; West Elgin Council approves wage increase of 2.0% in accordance with the October’s Statistics Canada Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Goods.

  And That; West Elgin Council approves revised 2025 Employee Remuneration schedule for Seasonal Employees.

7.5.3

2024 EI Premium Reduction

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from Magda Badura, CAO/Treasurer and;

  That West Elgin Council hereby approves payment from the Premium Employment Insurance Rate reduction to all full-time employees in the total amount of $1,936.35, being 5/12 of the total savings of $ $4,647.23 realized by West Elgin in 2024.

7.5.4

Next steps for the Port Glasgow Trailer Park Lands

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council receives the report from M. Badura, CAO/Treasurer re: Next steps for the Port Glasgow Trailer Park lands; and That West Elgin council chooses the following recommendations:

  Recommendation #1 That West Elgin Council considers operating the park for the 2025 calendar year and directs staff to bring 2025 PGTP Fees and Charges By-Law for review and approval at the next meeting of council.

  Recommendation #2 That West Elgin Council provide trailer park residents the opportunity to submit offers for consideration; and that the offer be submitted no later than June 30th, 2025.

  Recommendation #3 If no satisfactory offer is received from trailer park residents, it is recommended that the property be advertised for sale on the open market to ensure the Municipality receives fair market value.

  Recommendation #4 (Optional) Staff recommends that Council direct the procurement of a professional appraisal to determine the current market value of the trailer park.

7.5.5

Sale of Lands

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receives the report from M. Badura, CAO/Treasurer re: Sale of Lands for information only.

8.

Committee and Board Reports or Updates

9.

Notice of Motion

10.

Council Inquires/Announcements

11.

Correspondence

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receive and file all correspondence, not otherwise dealt with.

11.1

Letter dated November 28, 2024, Re: Changes to More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022

11.2

County of Elgin, Council Highlights, November 26, 2024

11.3

Notice of Decision, Draft Plan of Subdivision, KLM Holdings

11.4

County of Elgin, 2025 Planning Fees

12.

Items Requiring Council Consideration

12.1

Meeting Start Time Amendment, February 13, 2025

Supervisors and Managers will be participating in Leadership Training until 4:00pm, on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Requesting an amendment to the meeting start time to 5:00pm. 

• Recommendation:

  That the start time for Thursday, February 13, 2025, be amended to 5:00pm, to accommodate staff Leadership Training.

12.2

Ombudsman Review

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby acknowledge receipt of the Ombudsman Report, dated December 2024, from Paul Dube, Ombudsman of Ontario Re: Investigation into complaints about closed meetings held by the Municipality of West Elgin on September 14, September 22, September 28, October 12, and October 16, 2023; And

  That Council be vigilant in adhering to their individual and collective obligation to ensure that the Municipality complies with its responsibilities under the Municipal Act, 2001; And

  That Council ensure that the public is provided with notice of all council meetings that contains the date, time, and location of the meeting, including specific information about how to access the meeting electronically, if appropriate; And

  That When relying on the emergency meeting provisions in its procedural by-law to hold a meeting without public notice, the Municipality of West Elgin should ensure it meets the standard set by the procedural by-law for an emergency; And

  That Council and staff commit to reviewing the West Elgin Procedural By-law 2024-05, to ensure compliance for all open meetings. 

12.3

Request for Fee Waiver, Tiny Tots Re: Breakfast with Santa

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby approve/deny the request from Shelley Smith, Supervisor/RECE, Tiny Tots Cooperative Nursery School of Aldborough Inc. for a fee waiver of $550 plus applicable taxes, for the Breakfast with Santa event held on Saturday December 7, 2024. 

12.4

Fee Waiver Request, West Lorne Optimist Club, Quarter Auction January 31, 2025

• Recommendation:

  That West Elgin Council hereby receive the request dated December 16, 2024, from Joan Neil, Co-Chair, Quarter Auction Event, West Lorne Optimist Club for fee waiver, for a Quarter Auction to be held at the Rodney Recreation Centre on Friday, January 31, 2025, for an estimated rental cost of $200 plus applicable taxes; And

  That Council hereby approve/deny the request, as presented.

13.

By-Laws

13.1

2024-83 - Committee and Board Appointment

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-83, being a By-Law to appoint members to the various Boards, Committees and Authorities in the Municipality of West Elgin, and Repeal By-law 2024-32, be read a first, second and third and final time.

13.2

2024-84 - Backyard Urban Hens

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-84, being a By-law to regulate and licence the keeping of Backyard Hens within Residential First Density (R1), Hamlet Residential (HR) Rural Residential (RR) Zones in the Municipality of West Elgin, be read a first, second and third and final time.

13.3

2024-85 - Development Charges

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-85, being a By-law to establish Development Charges for the Municipality of West Elgin, be read a first, second and third and final time.

13.4

2024-86 - Drain Debenture, Yauch Drain, 10-Year

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-86, being a By-law to Authorize the issue of Debentures in the principal amount of $91,803.26 for the construction of Yauch Drain, be read a first, second and third and final time.

13.5

2024-87 - Drain Debenture, Yauch Drain, 5-Year

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-87, being a By-law to Authorize the issue of Debentures in the principal amount of $18,493.78 for the construction of Yauch Drain, be read a first, second and third and final time.

13.6

By-law 2024-88, Emergency Management "All Encompassing" By-law

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-88, being a By-Law to adopt an Emergency Management Program and Emergency Response Plan and to meet other Requirements under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and Repeal By-law 2023-98, be read a first, second and third and final time.

14.

Closed Session

• Recommendation:

  That the Council of the Municipality of West Elgin hereby proceeds into Closed Session at _______ pm, to discuss matters pursuant to the Municipal Act, Section 239 2(b), being personal matters about identifiable individuals; And Section 239 (2)(d), being labour relations or employee negotiations.

15.

Report from Closed Session

16.

Confirming By-Law

• Recommendation:

  That By-law 2024-89 being a By-law to confirm the proceeding of the Regular Meeting of Council held on December 19, 2024, be read a first, second and third and final time. 

17.

Adjournment

• Recommendation:

  That the Council of the Municipality of West Elgin hereby adjourn at ________ to meet again at 4:00pm, on Thursday, January 9, 2024, or at the call of the Chair.