Council Meeting

That Goderich Town Council hereby accepts the March 18, 2024, regular Council Agenda, as amended.

That Goderich Town Council hereby adopts the February 26, 2024, regular Council Minutes, as printed.

That Council refer Goderich-Huron YMCA Phase 2 Refresh Project and Minor Capital Requests for 2024 to budget.

That Council refer the Council Remuneration Task Force Report recommendations to budget.

That the Staff Reports be received for information and the noted action be approved.

That Council concur with the Semi-Annual Town Hall Community Information Sessions Report; And That the Town Hall meeting be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at 7 PM at the Goderich Memorial Arena.

That Council concur with the report from Lisa Hood; And That all requests for waiving of fees be placed in a moratorium for a policy from staff regarding a policy on waiving of fees.

That Council refer the request regarding the Lake Huron Forever Pledge to the Environment Committee for a report back to Council.

That the correspondence be received for information.

That the Town of Goderich direct a letter to Minister Lisa Thompson requesting that the province not proceed with the recommended phase out of free private well testing in Ontario; And Further That area municipalities, the Minister of Environment Conservation and Parks, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, other Source Protection Committees, and local health units be forwarded the letter and asked for their support.

all Ontarians deserve and expect a safe and respectful workplace; and Whereas municipal governments, as the democratic institutions most directly engaged with Ontarians need respectful discourse; and Whereas several incidents in recent years of disrespectful behaviour and workplace harassment have occurred amongst municipal members of councils across Ontario; and Whereas these incidents seriously and negatively affect the people involved and lower public perceptions of local governments; and Whereas municipal Codes of Conduct are helpful tools to set expectations of council member behaviour; and Whereas municipal governments have limited abilities in their toolkit to adequately enforce compliance with municipal Codes of Conduct; and Whereas the most severe penalty that can be imposed on a municipal member of council is the suspension of pay for 90 days, even when egregious acts are committed and substantiated; and Whereas AMO has called on the government to table and pass legislation that reflects the following recommendations: Updating municipal Codes of Conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment. Creating a flexible administrative penalty regime, adapted to the local economic and financial circumstances of municipalities across Ontario. Increasing training of municipal Integrity Commissioners to enhance consistency of investigations and recommendations across the province. Allowing municipalities to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a sitting member i

WHEREAS poverty is taking a devastating toll on communities, undermining a healthy and prosperous Ontario, with people in receipt of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program being disproportionately impacted; WHEREAS the cost of food, housing, medicine, and other essential items have outpaced the highest inflation rates seen in a generation; WHEREAS people in need of social assistance have been legislated into poverty, housing insecurity, hunger, poorer health, their motives questioned, and their dignity undermined; WHEREAS Ontario Works (OW) Financial Assistance rates have been frozen since 2018 ($733 per month); WHEREAS Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefit rates have been increased by 6.5 per cent as of July 2023 to keep up with inflation, however even with the increase, ODSP rates still fall below their value in 2018 ($1,376 when adjusted for inflation) and significantly below the disability-adjusted poverty line ($3,091 per month); WHEREAS OW and ODSP rates do not provide sufficient income for a basic standard of living and, as a result, hundreds of thousands of people across Ontario who rely on these programs live in poverty; WHEREAS designated Service Managers are doing their part, but do not have the resources, capacity, or tools to provide the necessary income and health-related supports to people experiencing poverty; and WHEREAS leadership and urgent action is needed from the Provincial Government to immediately develop, resource, and implem

That Council direct staff to create and bring forth a Goderich declaration regarding the Climate Change Crisis; And Further That the Climate Change Crisis declaration be circulated to other levels of government.

That Council refer the Town of Cobourg Council Resolution to the Municipal and Marine Heritage Committee, for a recommendation back to Council.

the Town of Goderich recognizes the importance for efficient and effective transportation networks in the Province; And Whereas, the Province has committed to getting 1.5 million homes built within the next 10 years or less. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Town of Goderich request that the Province of Ontario pause advancement on proposed highway 413 and redirect the approximate $8 billion cost for highway 413 to support municipal infrastructure costs and housing construction initiatives; Further be it resolved that at least 50% of those funds be allocated for small urban and rural Ontario with populations less than 50,000.

That the correspondence items be received for information and the noted action be approved.

That Council deny the request from Olga Rodriques, Goderich Dental Centre regarding reimbursement of cost for the Backflow Prevention Program.

That Goderich Town Council direct staff to work with Waste Management to price and plan the implementation of a curbside waste collection program that includes bi-weekly solid waste collection and weekly organic waste collection for implementation this fall of 2024.

That By-Laws 34, 35, and 36 of 2024 be taken collectively.

That By-Laws 34, 35, and 36 of 2024 be read a first and second time.

That By-Laws 34, 35, and 36 of 2024 be read a third time and finally passed.

That Mayor Bazinet be appointed to the Clean Energy Frontier Regional Steering Committee to November 14, 2026; And That Deputy Mayor Noel be appointed as the alternate member to November 14, 2026.

That Council rise at 5:42 PM and go into Closed Committee of the Whole Session pursuant to Section 239(2) (b), (i), (j), and (k); And Further That Chief Administrative Officer Janice Hallahan, Director of Legislative Services/Clerk Andrea Fisher, Director of Corporate Services/Treasurer Deanna Hastie, Director of Community Services, Infrastructure, and Operations Sean Thomas, and Administrative Assistant to the Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Legislative Services/Clerk Andrea Rowntree, remain in attendance.

That leave be given to introduce By-Law No. 37 of 2024 being a By-Law to confirm the proceedings of the Goderich Town Council meeting held on Monday, March 18, 2024, and that it now be read a first, second, and third time, and finally passed this Monday, March 18, 2024.

That Goderich Town Council does now adjourn at 6:18 PM to meet again at the Budget meeting of Council scheduled for Monday, March 25, 2024, at 4 PM.

Whereas all Ontarians deserve and expect a safe and respectful workplace; and Whereas municipal governments, as the democratic institutions most directly engaged with Ontarians need respectful discourse; and Whereas several incidents in recent years of disrespectful behaviour and workplace harassment have occurred amongst municipal members of councils across Ontario; and Whereas these incidents seriously and negatively affect the people involved and lower public perceptions of local governments; and Whereas municipal Codes of Conduct are helpful tools to set expectations of council member behaviour; and Whereas municipal governments have limited abilities in their toolkit to adequately enforce compliance with municipal Codes of Conduct; and Whereas the most severe penalty that can be imposed on a municipal member of council is the suspension of pay for 90 days, even when egregious acts are committed and substantiated; and Whereas AMO has called on the government to table and pass legislation that reflects the following recommendations:  Updating municipal Codes of Conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment.  Creating a flexible administrative penalty regime, adapted to the local economic and financial circumstances of municipalities across Ontario.  Increasing training of municipal Integrity Commissioners to enhance consistency of investigations and recommendations across the province.  Allowing municipalities to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a

Whereas the Town of Goderich recognizes the importance for efficient and effective transportation networks in the Province; And Whereas, the Province has committed to getting 1.5 million homes built within the next 10 years or less. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Town of Goderich request that the Province of Ontario pause advancement on proposed highway 413 and redirect the approximate $8 billion cost for highway 413 to support municipal infrastructure costs and housing construction initiatives; Further be it resolved that at least 50% of those funds be allocated for small urban and rural Ontario with populations less than 50,000.