Council Meeting

THAT the draft agenda presented to Council and dated the 24th day of September, 2024 be adopted as amended by moving Action Item No. 14 d. Flag Raising Request to after the In-Camera session.

THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of September 10th, 2024 be adopted as circulated.

WHEREAS the Striking Committee recommends to Council that Kenneth Leppert's application to sit on the Planning Advisory Committee and Committee of Adjustment for the remaining 2022-2026 term of Council be approved; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that Council approves of this recommendation.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris defers making a decision on the recommendation put forward in Report No. COMM-2024-04 to a future meeting.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris directs staff to come forward with a recommendation on what municipal lands are to be retained for public access to Lake Nosbonsing, Trout Lake and Mink Lake; AND THAT any future land purchase requests that provide access to the lakes be

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris accepts the recommendation from the Fire Chief contained in Report No. FD-2024-03 and approves the purchase of equipment and services from Spectrum Group to supply and install all materials and labour specified in Option 2, to upgrade the paging system for East Ferris Fire and Emergency Services. The upgrade would be to a digital system on our own paging channel, all in one stage for an estimated cost of $42,000.00 plus HST.

THAT Council for the Municipality of East Ferris supports the Children's Aid Society's Dress Purple Day; AND THAT Council members wear purple at the October 22nd, 2024 Council meeting.

THAT Council approve the Correspondence and Information as circulated with the agenda of September 24th, 2024.

WHEREAS on February 27 th , 2024, Council for the Municipality of East Ferris supported a resolution received from the Town of Petrolia calling upon both the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) and Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) Boards to re-establish a combined OGRA and ROMA annual conference; AND WHEREAS on May 16 th , 2024, correspondence was received from ROMA Chair, Robin Jones, stating that in 2019 the ROMA Board of Directors and the OGRA Executive Committee decided not to hold a joint conference, but agreed that there are matters the organizations can work together on; AND WHEREAS with ROMA being the rural voice of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) it makes great sense for the ROMA and AMO conferences to be a combined conference, not only financially for municipalities but also for availability for participation of members of Council and staff; AND WHEREAS these conferences afford a vital opportunity for delegations with members of our provincial parliament, moving to a combined ROMA/AMO conference provides a better respect to their availability and participation; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council for the Municipality of East Ferris call upon both the ROMA & AMO Boards to establish a combined ROMA/AMO annual conference; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED should the conferences be combined and held during the winter months, as has been past practice for the ROMA conference, that a hybrid participation option be considered as winter weather

WHEREAS the Municipality of East Ferris Procedural By-law No. 2023-55 section 5.3 states ”during the months of July, August and December there shall be only one regular meeting of Council held on the second Tuesday of each of those months;” AND WHEREAS there is only one meeting in July and August to account for summer holidays and provide for a summer break; AND WHEREAS summers in Northern Ontario are short and include the month of June; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council for the Corporation of the Municipality of East Ferris directs staff to amend the Municipality of East Ferris Procedural By-law No. 2023-55 section 5.3 to include the month of June.

THAT Council approve the general accounts for the Municipality of East Ferris as indicated in the cheque register(s) dated September 24th, 2024 in the amount of $410,979.63.

THAT this meeting proceeds to In-Camera session at 7:25 p.m., under Section 239(2) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25 in order to address a matter pertaining to : (f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose regarding the Flag Raising Policy.

THAT we do now adjourn this in-camera meeting at 7:43 p.m. and return to our regular session.

WHEREAS a Flag Raising Request Form was submitted by Ashley Patey and received by the Clerk on August 7th, 2024; AND WHEREAS the request is for the Municipality to raise the Every Child Matters Flag on September 30th, 2024; BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that Council approve the request for this year and that the Flag Raising Policy be reviewed. Results of Recorded Vote as requested by Mayor Rochefort: Deputy Mayor Rooyakkers Yea Councillor Kelly Yea Councillor Trahan Yea Councillor Champagne Yea Mayor Rochefort Yea

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 10th, 2024 to September 24th, 2024, BE READ a first, second and third time, passed and numbered 2024-37; 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 7:47 p.m. and meet again on October 8th, 2024.

WHEREAS on February 27th, 2024, Council for the Municipality of East Ferris supported a resolution received from the Town of Petrolia calling upon both the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) and Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) Boards to re-establish a combined OGRA and ROMA annual conference; AND WHEREAS on May 16th, 2024, correspondence was received from ROMA Chair, Robin Jones, stating that in 2019 the ROMA Board of Directors and the OGRA Executive Committee decided not to hold a joint conference, but agreed that there are matters the organizations can work together on; AND WHEREAS with ROMA being the rural voice of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) it makes great sense for the ROMA and AMO conferences to be a combined conference, not only financially for municipalities but also for availability for participation of members of Council and staff; AND WHEREAS these conferences afford a vital opportunity for delegations with members of our provincial parliament, moving to a combined ROMA/AMO conference provides a better respect to their availability and participation; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council for the Municipality of East Ferris call upon both the ROMA & AMO Boards to establish a combined ROMA/AMO annual conference; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED should the conferences be combined and held during the winter months, as has been past practice for the ROMA conference, that a hybrid participation option be considered as winter weather can