On Water and Wastewater Rates
Since I took office in November 2016, the issue people want to speak with me about the most has been our water and wastewater rates. They want to know why they are so high, and what can be done to reduce them. After many discussions about this issue, I can boil down the current situation of high rates to a few causes: The previous generation of senior leadership (prior Director of Public Works, the old Treasurer, the old CAO) didn’t plan for the future. There wasn’t any money being set aside to repair or replace aging infrastructure, and we are
Read more
Council Recap: Aug 15, 2018
Here is your recap of the Middlesex Centre Council meeting that occurred on August 15, 2018. For the preview, click here. For the full agenda, click here. We started with a Closed Session surrounding the recently completed Employee Engagement Survey, which was brief. Brad Bunke of GM BluePlan Engineering provided a detailed report on the Watson municipal drain, with upgrades and maintenance to be completed. There was no dissent from affected property owners at this time, so we approved the drainage works and appointed a Court of Revision to hear any issues in September. I later found out that Councillor
Read more
Middlesex Centre Council Preview – Aug 15, 2018
Welcome to the preview of this week’s Middlesex Centre Council meeting! Here’s a preview of the issues and motions to be addressed this week: We have a short closed meeting to review the results of the Employee Engagement Survey. Council will start at 6pm, per usual, where the first matter to be addressed is a report from GM BluePlan Engineering on the extension of the Watson Municipal Drain. We’ll also have a presentation from the South Central Ontario Region’s Economic Development Corporation about how 2017 went for them, and the impact they are having. The consent agenda is fairly light,
Read more
Middlesex Centre Council Recap – July 25, 2018
If you took a look at the Council meeting preview posted earlier this week, then here is what happened on July 25, 2018: Council and staff got a chance to meet our new by-law enforcement officer/risk management inspector. He seems to be a very nice, smart, young man who is eager to start! He begins work next month, and I’m hopeful he’ll be a great addition to the team. Council voted to approve applying for grants available for storm sewer upgrades and playground equipment. The purchase of a new fire truck, several hundred thousand dollars under budget, was approved. Chief
Read more
Middlesex Centre Council Preview: July 25, 2018
On Wednesday we have a relatively short Council meeting coming up. It was added to the schedule in order to handle some reports and by-laws that needed to be handled as soon as possible. Here’s a quick preview of what’s coming up on Wednesday: The June building permit report, where things look healthy! We have hired, and will be appointing, a new by-law enforcement officer/risk management inspector. He has good credentials, and was hired in his role instead of replacing our recently retired By-Law Enforcement/Building assistant. We are applying for some grants from the Provincial government to help cover the
Read more
Middlesex Centre Council Recap: Jan 2018 – April 2018
Hello there! First, let me please apologize for not posting these updates as often as I wanted to. To be frank, not a whole lot happened during the last half of 2017 except for a few key issues: The OMB hearing over the Tridon/Don Black lands (formerly the Gabriel farm on Glendon Dr) was dealt with, and decisions were issued. Site works are now under way. The OMB hearing over the South Winds lands was dealt with, and site works are now under way. The 2018 budget was passed with only a slight increase in the tax rate. As previously
Read more