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Mono Council hears CVC, recreation department budgets

December 23, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Peter Richardson

Mono Council met last Tuesday (Dec. 14) and heard a presentation from the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) Authority on their 2022 Budget. 

Retiring CAO Debora Martin Downs and Deputy CAO Jeff Payne of the CVC made the presentation, which will see Mono’s share of the budget rise by 4 per cent or $550 over 2021, for a total contribution of $14,367. 

This includes both the General and the Special Levies. 

The Budget maintains current programs, sustains current service levels, will contribute to reserves, maintains a state of good repair for assets, and includes compensation adjustments.

In discussing budget pressures, the new vision for Island Lake was one, along with inflationary pressure stemming from increased minimum wage, and the need to hire highly trained and qualified staff – they could see an increase in the wages offered.

Martin Downs touched on the new regulations coming down from the Province, with changes to the Conservation Authorities Act. 

Phase one regulations were released on Oct. 7, enacting mandatory programs and services of the Act. 

The Transition regulations require several things, starting with a Transition Plan being in place by Dec. 31 and an inventory of programs and services with cost estimates by Feb. 28, 2022. As well, consultations must be conducted with the municipalities involved. 

Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) have to be prepared for Category 2 programs as well as cost apportionment agreements for Category 3, with everything being approved for implementation Jan. 1, 2024 budget year.

Deputy Mayor Fred Nix asked when CVC would have a draft MOU back to Council for Category 2 services. The response was that a common MOU approach was what CVC was hoping for and is working with the other Conservation Authorities to achieve that in 2022. 

Deputy Mayor Nix’s next question was whether or not all the various authorities would be using common definitions for services, to which the reply was that this is the hope of Conservation Authorities.

Deputy Mayor Nix had some reservations about the CVC working with staff when ultimately it was Council who must approve or disapprove the agreement, so he asked if the MOUs would be a package deal or all individual items of service? 

Martin Downs replied that the hope was for a package arrangement as this was simpler and more efficient. They did not want to see the municipalities pick and choose each service available, as this could result in the CVC not being able to construct a workable solution and possibly not being able to supply a service package that would work.

Deputy Mayor Creelman brought up the issue of Mono having a porous border with Island Lake Park and people using areas other than the main gates to enter the Park.

He went on to highlight that this was creating on street parking issues in the subdivisions involved and also at the new family park.

He said he hoped that the CVC would work with the Town to remedy this situation. The response was that they were aware of the issue and would certainly join with the Town in finding a remedy, even on the point of financial remuneration for gates at entry points involved.

Recreation Department Budget

The Recreation Department for the Town of Mono next presented their 2022 Capital Budget, which totalled some $600,235. 

Deputy Mayor Nix asked if many of the projects could be financed by development charges?

The Treasurer answered that most of the development charges were committed to Island Lake Park and there were very few dollars left available. 

Deputy Mayor Nix then went on to question whether or not the requested shade trees in the budget, for Violet Hill Park, were necessary. The budget item priced the trees at $2,500 each and Nix said that a nursery had quoted him $200 for 20-foot maple trees, which would grow to full shade height in a few years. He wanted to know why these would not fit the bill?

Coun. Melinda Davie asked what the quoted trees would provide in terms of shade. The response was an umbrella of perhaps 40 feet. This would certainly be well over what a 20-foot tree could provide.

Coun. Martin asked about parking at Violet Hill, stating that there was already a problem and now, with the changes, it would potentially be worsened. In light of this, she asked what could be done? 

Kim Heaton, director of recreation, responded that the problem exists already and she was unsure if it would be worsened by the building of the proposed multipurpose pad at Violet Hill. The pad, however, would benefit the local residents providing a safe place to skateboard, learn to ride a bike, or play basketball.

Mayor Creelman asked if the suggested project costs were for staff wages or outside labour, as in other years staff had been able to provide much of the work. The answer was yes.

Mayor Creelman then asked if the proposed tractor purchase in the budget could not be replaced with the new Gator recently purchased by the Town? The response was that yes it could be used, however it would shorten it’s usable life by 50 per cent. The Gator was simply not designed for the type of heavy work that would be carried out by a tractor, such as snow clearing on winter trails.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Mono Council will host another virtual Town Hall meeting on April 5, with a topic for discussion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). A Guest speaker will be appointed and the topic presented.

Council Heard a motion from Coun. Ralph Manktelow regarding the formation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy for Mono and to form a DEI Committee to that end.

Deputy Mayor Nix noted several problems with this idea, though he said he wholeheartedly supports the movement. His issues reside with the proposed committee. 

Firstly, he questioned what groups Mono should be looking for with the committee. Would they use the same ones as the County? 

Coun. Manktelow answered that both racial and gender groups would be considered. 

The second issue pertained to who would write the mandate for this committee? 

Coun. Manktelow felt that Staff could draft a mandate and present it to Council for approval. 

Meanwhile, the third area of contention concerned the timing. 

Dufferin County Council has had a committee for about a year and little has been accomplished, said Deputy Mayor Nix. The term and mandate of the committee would cease with the election of a new Council, in 2022. If Mono starts now, what could the committee hope to accomplish? 

Coun. Manktelow said he felt that Mono could access the results and initiatives of the surrounding communities and the County, and accomplish a good deal.

The committee would be tasked with looking at the programs the Town offered and the situations within the community at large. Both Shelburne and Orangeville have active committees at present as well as the County, thus providing a good base to build from.

Deputy Mayor Nix wanted to know what would be expected of the committee and who would be on it? The reply was that Staff would put forward the names for consideration by Council. 

The final issue was that the County already had a committee, so why duplicate initiatives? To which the reply was that a Mono committee would look at Mono services, where the County would not.

Mayor Creelman said that the answers to all questions will evolve after the Town takes the first step and Coun. Davie suggested that answers would come with time.

Council voted to support the motion, unanimously.

Resident question

Moving on, Mono Council heard from a local resident, Sheldon Christian, asking who was going to pay for the ongoing septic bed additions at 55 French Drive? He also asked if it was part of the building’s original design. 

Mayor John Creelman responded that it was indeed an approved part of the design and that the developer was wholly responsible for the costs involved with the four additional septic tile beds. The Town holds monies in abeyance to assure their completion.

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