Council Meeting

THAT the draft agenda presented to Council and dated the 28th day of September, 2021 be adopted as circulated.

THAT the minutes of the Special Meeting of Council and the Regular Minutes of the Meeting of Council held September 14th, 2021 be adopted as circulated.

WHEREAS the East Ferris Public Library Board requested confirmation from the Chief Building Official for the Municipality advising that the wheelchair ramp at the library complied with the Ontario Building Code; AND WHEREAS the Chief Building Official advised the ramp was safe but required graspable handrails on both sides to comply with the Building Code; AND WHEREAS the East Ferris Public Library Board recommended to Council to upgrade the handrails at the library to comply with the Building Code and to ensure the safety of all staff and patrons utilizing the ramp; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVE THAT Council approves of this recommendation and that the East Ferris Public Library be advised accordingly.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation from the Manager of Planning and Economic Development contained in Report No. PLAN-2021-16 and that the request made by Mr. Carriere, to purchase a portion of municipal land extending from the end of Bertha Road be approved; AND FURTHER that this sale proceed in accordance with By-law 2218 and be valued based on an independent appraisal of the land.

WHEREAS Council for the Municipality of East Ferris deems it expedient to pass three readings of the following by-law at this session; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT a By-law to amend By-law No. 1284 as amended, (Guillemette Road) BE READ a first, second and third time, passed and numbered 2021-41; AND THAT said by-law be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and sealed with the Seal of the Corporation.

WHEREAS Council for the Municipality of East Ferris deems it expedient to pass three readings of the following by-law at this session; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT a By-law to amend By-law No. 1284 as amended, (Nosbonsing Park Road) BE READ a first, second and third time, passed and numbered 2021-42; AND THAT said by-law be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and sealed with the Seal of the Corporation.

THAT Council approve the Correspondence and Information as circulated with the agenda of September 28th, 2021.

WHEREAS the Federal Government has announced September 30th, 2021, as the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (National Orange Shirt Day) and a statutory holiday at the federal level; THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that the Council for the Municipality of East Ferris recognizes September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (National Orange Shirt Day) by flying the Every Child Matters Flag; by encouraging the municipal Council, staff and citizens to wear an orange shirt; by honouring a moment of silence at 11 am and sharing stories of residential school survivors, their families and communities via the Municipality's public media sites; AND FURTHER that the Municipality of East Ferris approves the addition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to its list of Statutory Holidays.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris support resolution No. R2021-593 from the Municipality of Trent Lakes requesting the Provincial government to address the OHIP-insured eye care immediately and enter into legally-binding negotiations with Ontario Optometrists to fund these services.

THAT Council approve the general accounts for the Municipality of East Ferris as indicated in the cheque register(s) dated September 28th, 2021 in the amount of $587,775.84.

THAT this meeting proceeds to In-Camera session at 6:39 p.m., under Section 239(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25 in order to address a matter pertaining to: Information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them.

THAT we do now adjourn this In-Camera meeting at 7:38 p.m. and return to our regular session of Council.

WHEREAS the Municipality of East Ferris is a member of the District of Nipissing Cassellholme and in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Long Term Care Homes Act, 2007 is the holder of a Board of Management Seat for the term of Council 2019 – 2022 with Terry Kelly as the representative to the Board of Management; AND WHEREAS Al McDonald and Tanya Vrebosch of the City of North Bay and more recently Dean Backer from the Town of Mattawa have resigned from the Board of Management for reason of governance; AND WHEREAS Terry Kelly has now submitted his resignation from the Board of Management of Cassellholme, Castle Arms and Castle Arms Living Management Assistance Corporation due to concerns with the corporation's governance including the fact that the recent “Open Letter from Cassellholme” was not approved by the Cassellholme Board of Management; THEREFORE the Council of East Ferris accepts Councillor Kelly’s resignation and joins him in expressing disapproval of the “Open Letter from Cassellholme”. In particular we reject comments about municipalities dithering and it resulting in the addition of costs and also the statement that “it’s not about cost, it’s about priorities” when according to East Ferris it is about both. It is unacceptable for Cassellholme to state that it has been working with all nine municipalities when in fact in recent months it opted to levy its partners and issue the “Open Letter.” For these reasons and in particular for management behavior that has led to

WHEREAS Council for the Municipality of East Ferris deems it expedient to pass three readings of the following by-law at this session; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT a By-law to confirm the proceedings of Council from September 14th, 2021 to September 28th, 2021, BE READ a first, second and third time, passed and numbered 2021-43; AND THAT said by-law be signed by the Mayor and Clerk and sealed with the Seal of the Corporation.

THAT we do now adjourn at 7:43 p.m. and meet again on October 12th, 2021.