Saturday, April 24, 2010

Saturday April 24, 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen

Lots of people are now out walking, biking and enjoying spring. We definitely live in one of the most beautiful parts of the universe.

The week starts on Sunday April 25th at 9:00 am. The Midland Area Reading Council is holding its semi-annual book sale at the King Street Honda.

Monday the 26th will be a busy day for Council. A closed meeting starts at 6:00 pm. Then at 7:00 pm is Council (Deputation Only). The long agenda includes:
- A deputation and by-law on the proposed Farmers Market. Still a few issues to be worked out.
- We then go into a Public Meeting (You May Speak). The Public Meeting will review two by-laws:
o By-law controls for Hawkers. Peddlers, Farmer’s Markets etc.
o Procedural by-law where we will decide on how your Council should conduct its business
Back to the regular meeting…..:
- Review of the Heritage Committee’s recommendation on the demolition of the Roxy theatre to make way for the new Cultural Centre
- Discussion of the agreement between the Town and the developer respecting the Drummond Wall
- A by-law will be tabled to permit secondary suites and their control registry. Still a few issues on “entry to property” and definition of “occupier” to be worked out
- We will be told who is on the proposed Board for Directors for the new Cultural Centre.
- A by-law proposing that the Towns of Midland and Penetanguishene share building officials
- We will learn about two major building contracts for 2010:
o New soccer fields - $733,000
o Town Hall Expansion - $3,800,000

Later in the week;
- Midland Area Reading Council will host its appreciation Dinner on Thursday April 29th
- The County Waste Committee meets in Midhurst to accept the waste strategy options at 9:00 am on Friday April 30th

And in closing, a reception is being held at Town Hall on Friday the 30th between 3:00 and 5:00 pm to honor Doug Baker on the occasion of his retirement. Please come and wish him well.


Gord McKay

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sunday April 18. 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen


A very quiet week coming up. I have to blame mother nature who keeps spoiling us with this lovely weather.

No major meetings at the Town this week. You may notice, however, construction folks at the Town offices. We begin work on the building expansion project this week. Parking at the Town offices will be disrupted in the months ahead.

April the 22nd is Earth Day. North Simcoe Hospital Association is celebrating the event with noon-time activities at Georgian Bay General Hospital on Monday the 19th and at Penetanguishene General Hospital on Wednesday the 21st.

Community notes:
- The Lions Club Civic Night Dinner, is on Wednesday 14th at 6:30 pm at the NSSRC
- Our museum is holding its annual Heritage Dinner this Friday at 6:30 pm
- Garfield Dunlop is hosting his annual Fish Fry at the Brian Orser Arena, Penetanguishene on Saturday April 24th starting at 6:00 pm

Get out and enjoy Midland.

Gord McKay

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sunday April 11, 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen

Spring is coming to Midland. The ice is off the bay. Crocii and daffodils are in abundance. And our new Cultural Centre will soon begin taking shape. Can it get any better?

Your Town General Committee gets down to work this Monday April 12th at 7:00 pm (Written Input). A number of interesting items:
- A report showing that parking tickets in the downtown have increased by over 100% in the period January to March 2010, over last year
- The third attempt at bringing our procedural by-law forward. Contentious items include changing the day-of-the-week for Council meetings and limiting Councillor’s ability to discuss items
- A proposal for a Midland Farmer’s Market to take place every Sunday morning from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving. The market is to be located on Bay Street in the parking lot behind the Chamber of Commerce building.
- 2009 saw the Town with a budgetary surplus of $1,090,237. (That translates to a 2009 tax increase of over 6%) Most of this surplus is headed for future reserves.

On Tuesday April 13th at 7:00 pm the Heritage Committee is meeting at the Town. (Speak at Discretion of Chair). The meeting will be looking at the heritage features of the Roxy Theatre and if they should be preserved.

Other gatherings this week:
- On Wednesday the 14th at 6:00 pm the Out of the Cold volunteers celebrate another successful season with a Pot Luck at Knox
- On Thursday the 15th at 7:00 is the rescheduled Poverty Committee meeting. No special agenda items.
- On Saturday the 17th at 2:00 pm is a gathering of artists and art lovers at the Peace by Peace event centre in Tay

And lastly, I know many of you are following the two recent proposed by-laws affecting taxis and pawn/buy-sell businesses. Both by-laws are in suspension pending the meeting of two ad-hoc review committees. I will keep you informed of when these committees are meeting as best I can.

Gord McKay

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Saturday April 3, 2010

Ladies and Gentlemen

Summer has started outside, so I will keep this short.

The Town is closed Monday for the Easter holiday. Enjoy.

Tuesday April the 6th is the day to find out more about your own solar energy project. SHARE is hosting an information meeting at 7:00 pm at the Native Friendship Centre on Yonge Street in Midland. Your chance to cash in on the hot summer ahead.

On Wednesday April the 7th at 7:00 pm is the monthly PAC meeting (Speak at Discretion of Chair). A short but interesting agenda. Two examples:
1) A discussion on “secondary suites” in single detached homes. The meeting will discuss a suites registry and the need to have the suites re-registered every 3 years. The meeting will review the power of entry onto premises for the “suites Registrar”. The meeting will also learn about the ongoing status of existing suites – are they legal? (An accepted estimate is that 10% of our single family homes have existing secondary suites)

2) Staff is bringing forward a recommendation for an Employment Area Policy Review. Apparently concerns arising from a number of recent applications that have sought to change zoning in employment areas has led to the need for an update. This request is being made even though the Town stopped Official Plan updates until after we have heard from the County and province about our employment allocations.

In closing, what could be better than the Huronia Foundation for the Arts dinner and celebration taking place at the Best Western this Saturday April the 10th at 6:00 pm. Tickets are available at $49 each – and I have a few left.


Gord McKay