MUNICIPALITY OF THAMES CENTRE
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA

-
Hybrid Council Meeting (Virtual and In-Person)
Municipal Office - Council Chambers
4305 Hamilton Road Dorchester, ON

Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request. Please contact the Clerk's Department to make the request at clerk@thamescentre.on.ca


  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT the March 11, 2024 Regular Council Meeting Agenda be APPROVED as circulated.

The Municipal Conflict of Interest Act requires any member of Council declaring a pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof, where the interest of a member of Council has not been disclosed by reason of the member’s absence from the meeting, to disclose the interest at the first open meeting attended by the member of Council and otherwise comply with the Act.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT the minutes of the regular meeting of Council, held on February 26, 2024, be APPROVED as circulated.

Items listed under Consent Agenda are RECEIVED for information in one motion. Council members may request that one or more item(s) be separated for further action.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Consent Agenda Items 8.1 and 8.2 be RECEIVED as information. 

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. CAO-002-24 be RECEIVED for information;

    AND THAT Council ADOPT a Resolution to Join the FCM–ICLEI Partners for Climate Protection Program as follows:

     

    WHEREAS The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI–Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI Canada) have established the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program to provide a forum for municipal governments to share their knowledge and experience with other municipal governments on how to reduce GHG emissions;

    WHEREAS over 350 municipal governments across Canada representing more than 65 per cent of the population have already committed to reducing corporate and community GHG emissions through the PCP program since its inception in 1994;

    WHEREAS the PCP program is based on a five-milestone framework that involves completing a GHG inventory and forecast, setting a GHG reduction target, developing a local action plan, implementing the plan, and monitoring progress and reporting results;

    BE IT RESOLVED that the Municipality of Thames Centre review the guidelines on PCP Member Benefits and Responsibilities and then communicate to FCM and ICLEI Canada its participation in the PCP program and its commitment to achieving the milestones set out in the PCP five-milestone framework;

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee and the CAO be appointed to oversee the implementation of the PCP milestones and be the points of contact for the PCP program within the Municipality.

     

    AND THAT, one-time funding of $25,000 from the Tax Stabilization Reserve be authorized for utilization toward this Program for Corporate Benchmarking, including, a retroactive analysis of Municipal energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. PDS-014-24 be RECEIVED for information;

    AND THAT the Sign By-law Variance Application by Dorchester Christian Family Centre, for a property located at 1256 Cromarty Drive for a proposed sign having a face area of approximately 7 square metres to be erected at the Cromarty Drive entrance compared to the maximum face area requirement of 1.5 square metres under By-law No. 60-2006, be APPROVED.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. PDS-015-24 with respect to the “Renewable Energy Approvals Process” be RECEIVED for information.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. F-001-24 be RECEIVED for information;

    AND THAT Council APPROVE the attached Asset Retirement Obligation Policy and that the next available policy number be assigned. 

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. F-002-24 be RECEIVED for information;

    AND THAT Council APPROVE the attached Property Tax Billing and Collection Policy and that the next available policy number be assigned. 

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. CS-002-24 be RECEIVED for information;
    AND THAT Council APPROVE an annual Community Grants Program, starting in Q2 2024 and within the approved budget allocations.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. CS-004-24 be RECEIVED for information;
    AND THAT Council DIRECT staff to proceed with the development of a new Community Garden outside of the FlightExec Centre in addition to supporting the existing Community Garden at the Thorndale Library within approved 2024 budget allocation of $15,000.

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Report No. CS-005-24 be RECEIVED for information;
    AND THAT Council APPROVE naming the baseball diamond, located at Harrietsville-Mossley Community Park, “Frost Field.”

Items listed under Reports of Committees are APPROVED by Council in one motion.  Council Members may request that one or more item(s) be separated for further action. 

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT Reports of Committees Agenda Items 10.1 and 10.2 be APPROVED as presented.

THAT Report No. C-AIAC-002-2024 be received for information;

AND THAT July 14th be set as the date for the Thames Centre Pride Event in Dorchester Park.


 


THAT the following Committee Members be appointed to the Pride Event Organizing Working Sub-Committee:

  • S. Rae
  • M. Coghlin
  • J. Farquharson

THAT the Accessibility & Inclusivity Advisory Committee recommends that Thames Centre Council join the UNESECO Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.


 


THAT the Accessibility and Inclusivity Advisory Committee recommends that Thames Centre Council develop a Land Acknowledgment, using the Association of Municipalities Guidelines;


AND THAT the Accessibility and Inclusivity Advisory Committee support the Environmental Advisory Committee's recommendation to consider a joint recommendation for a National Healing Forest initiative, to be implemented in two (2) locations within Thames Centre.

THAT the presentation regarding the Thames Centre Community Improvement Plan be received for information;
AND THAT the Economic Development Advisory Committee recommend to Council that priorities be placed on the following grants:

  • Planning & Building Permit Fee Grant
  • Sign Improvement Grant
  • Façade Improvement Grant
  • Landscaping Grant

THAT the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) adopt a time period for application acceptance and then a period for review;
AND THAT at the proposed upcoming December 12, 2024 meeting of the Economic Development Advisory Committee, the committee will review the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2025 to decide which of the eight (8) application grants (CIP Incentive Programs) to focus on.


 

A synopsis of the activities of Mayor McMillan between February 12, 2024 and March 11, 2024.

  • Recommended Motion:
    Moved: C. Crockett

    WHEREAS on May 4, 2023, I received a concerning call regarding the second incident of a driver passing a local school bus with its flashing red lights on Westchester Bourne, County Rd 74;

    AND WHEREAS unfortunately, these continued to occur and by December 2023, I had been notified that at one stop 9.5% (7/74 pickups) of drivers had passed the bus with its lights flashing since the beginning of the new school year;

    AND WHEREAS during this time Thames Centre was communicating often with OPP, and in the Q1 2024 Police Service Board Report 14 school bus safety infractions were laid between September - December 2023, just along 74;

    AND WHEREAS Westchester Bourne, County Rd 74, traffic will only continue to increase with more residents moving to Thames Centre and Central Elgin over the coming years. In addition to the added school bus traffic once the new Belmont school is built;

    NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Municipality of Thames Centre hereby requests  Middlesex County to install four (4) School Bus Crossing information signs, along Westchester Bourne County Rd. 74. Two (2) of these signs to be located north of the 401 between Hamilton Rd and Bradley Ave, and two (2) to be installed south of the 401 between Thompson Drive and Harrietsville Drive.

  • Recommended Motion:
    Moved: C. Crockett

    WHEREAS the traffic along Cromarty Drive will undoubtedly increase once the MTO/County begins the re-construction of the Dorchester 401 overpass this spring. 

    AND WHEREAS temporary traffic signals have already been erected at Elgin Road (County Road 73) but nothing has been installed to increase safety at Dorchester Road and Cromarty Drive, which is already a contentious intersection that has seen multiple accidents and close calls over the years. 

    NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Municipality of Thames Centre requests of the County of Middlesex, the immediate installation of two (2) flashing red lights to be affixed above the existing stop signs located along Cromarty Drive at Dorchester Road on a temporary basis, with the potential of permanency if deemed successful. 

Includes other business items requiring direction.

15.

 
  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT By-laws 19-2024 to 21-2024 be adopted as presented.

Being a By-law to levy the final cost of the work of the construction known as the Deneve Drain Culvert 2022, as provided for in By-law No. 36-2022

Being a By-law to amend the Comprehensive Zoning By-law 75-2006 for lands located at 20022 Fairview Road.

Being a By-law to regulate parking and traffic on roadways under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Thames Centre.

  • Recommended Motion:

    RESOLVED THAT Council adjourn to closed session at X:XX p.m. pursuant to Section 239(2) (b) and (d) of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 2001 in order to give consideration to items relating to:

    (b) personal matters about identifiable individual(s), including municipal or local board employees; and

    (d) labour relations or employee negotiations 

Being a by-law to adopt, confirm and ratify matters dealt with by resolution of the Municipality of Thames Centre

  • Recommended Motion:

    THAT By-law 22-2024, being the Confirmatory By-law, be adopted as presented.

Monday, March 25, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. 
Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Thorndale Lions Community Centre)

  • Recommended Motion:

    RESOLVED THAT the meeting adjourn at X:XX p.m.

No Item Selected