The Corporation of the Township of Laird
Regular Council Meeting Minutes – December 19, 2024
REGULAR MINUTES – AGENDA 32 CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF LAIRD December 19, 2024, at 6:00 pm Laird Township Council Chambers
Present: Mayor:
Shawn Evoy Councillors:
Todd Rydall, Brad Shewfelt, Wayne Junor, Regrets:
Matt Frolick Clerk:
Jennifer Errington Treasurer:
Rhonda Crozier Delegates:
Ron Prickett, Bill Meades, Donnie Varcoe, Terrance Graham
1. Call to Order
Mayor Evoy called meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. Declaration of Pecuniary Interest
3. Agenda Approval
#268-24 Moved by: Wayne Junor Seconded by: Todd Rydall BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council hereby approves the December 19, 2024 agenda as presented. Carried
4. Delegations and Presentations
- a. Sault Naturalists, Pumpkin Point Platform – Ron Prickett, Bill Meades
- Ron Prickett and Bill Meades reviewed issues with liability insurance and provided further clarification on the vision for the Sault Naturalist Clubs active role in the platform project.
- The current platform will be closed in February 2025 due to poor conditions.
- b. Laird International Raceway – Donnie Varcoe
- Annual site visit meeting was discussed.
- Mr. Varcoe suggested having an inspection before the season started and at one of the test and tunes, tentatively scheduled for June 5, 2025, and August 12, 2025.
- Discussed looking for lighting grants for fairgrounds and parking lot.
5. Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting
- a. Council Regular Meeting – November 21, 2024
- b. Recreation Committee Meeting – November 26, 2024 – No Quorum #269-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council approves Council minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 21, 2024.
Carried.
6. Adoption of Accounts
- a. General accounts to November 30, 2024 #270-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council approves the general accounts to November 30, 2024, in the amount of $14,086.20.
Carried.
- b. Roads accounts to November 30, 2024 #271-24 Moved by: Wayne Junor Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council approves the roads account to November 30, 2024, in the amount of $34,283.73 as presented.
Carried.
7. Staff and Committee Reports
- a. Road Superintendent (Roads, Waste Disposal & Recycling, and Maintenance)
- i. Road Superintendent Report #273-24 Moved by: Brad Shewfelt Seconded by: Todd Rydall BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Road Superintendent Report dated December 19, 2024, be received as presented.
Carried.
- ii. Report: Biennial Bridge and Culvert Inspection 2024 – Bar River Bridge #274-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Biennial Bridge and Culvert Inspection 2024 – Bar River Bridge report dated December 19, 2024.
Carried.
b. Clerk Administrator, Deputy Treasurer
- i. Clerk’s Report #275-24 Moved by: Brad Shewfelt Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Clerk’s Report dated December 19, 2024, be received as presented; and arising from the report that Council approves insurance renewal of Intact Public Entities Inc. with the Northern Insurance Brokers, in the amount of $91,212.00 for the year 2025.
Carried.
c. Treasurer’s Report
- i. Report: 5-Year Plans #276-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the report on 5-Year Plans dated December 19, 2024; and FURTHER THAT Council requests these plans be submitted to SVF Advisory in partnership with Agile Infrastructure for the Asset Management Plan.
Carried.
- ii. Report: Annual Provincial Funding Eligibility #277-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the report on the Annual Provincial Funding Eligibility dated December 19, 2024.
Carried.
- iii. Update: Direct Deposits Under Sage and CIBC smart banking – due to Canada Post Strike.
- Treasurer provided verbal report on setting up direct deposits with Sage and CIBC spart banking.
- d. Recreation Committee & Recreation Sub-Committees
- e. Cemetery Board
f. Planning Board
- i. Report: Recommended Addition to Prime Agricultural Areas – J. L. Richards and Associates #272-24 Moved by: Brad Shewfelt Seconded by: Todd Rydall BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Recommended Addition to Prime Agricultural Areas – J. L. Richards and Associates report dated December 19, 2024; That Council accept the forwarding of the consideration from the Desbarats to Echo Bay Planning Board for the recommended Prime Agricultural Land additions within the Township of Laird from J. L. Richards and Associates; and FURTHER THAT Council accepts some of the recommended Prime Agricultural Areas for the Joint Plan and excludes the Bar River Hamlet Area.
Carried.
g. Police Detachment Board
- i. The first SSM OPP Detachment Board meeting took place on November 25, 2024.
- h. Algoma District Services Administrative Board
- i. Algoma District Municipal Association (ADMA)
8. Unfinished Business
- a. Task Summary Sheet & Recent Activity Log
- b. Concern/Information Log – Updates #278-24 Moved by: Brad Shewfelt Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the December 19, 2024, Task Summary Sheet & Recent Activity Log and the Concern/Information Log as presented.
Carried.
- c. Laird International Raceway – 2025 Schedule of Events #279-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the 2025 Laird International Raceway (LIR) schedule of events, as presented, and further approves the request to have an additional test ‘n’ tune on August 12, 2025.
Carried.
- a. Report: Dog Control By-law #280-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Control of Dogs By-law – By-law Enforcement Officers Comments report dated December 19, 2024; and Further That Council requests the Clerk to prepare the Control of Dogs By-law with the By- law Enforcements recommended amendment to Schedule “A” fine for dogs running at large to be set at $100.00.
Carried.
9. New Business
- a. Preliminary 2025 Budget #281-24 Moved by: Brad Shewfelt Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council receives the Preliminary 2025 Budget, and adopts the Preliminary 2025 Budget to have a budget in place for the start of the fiscal year, Council will review and revise the Budget and will adopt a Final Budget with the 2025 tax rates in March of each year.
Carried.
10. Notices of Motion
11. Closed Session
#282-24 Moved by: Wayne Junor Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council proceed into closed session at 8:12 p.m. in accordance with Section 239 (2) (d) to discuss labour relations or employee negotiations. Carried.
- a. Approval of closed meeting minutes of November 21, 2024.
- b. Employee negotiations.
#283-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Wayne Junor BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council come out of closed meeting session at 8:48 p.m. and continue with the Regular Council Meeting. Carried.
12. Communications and Correspondence
- a. Algoma Public Health (APH), 2025 Municipal Levy Notice, December 6, 2024
- b. Emergency Management Ontario, Proposed Amendments to Modernize the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, December 9, 2024
13. Mayor and Council Comments
14. By-laws
- b. 2036-24 Enter into an Agreement with PSAP By-law #284-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council adopts By-law 2036-24 being a by-law to enter into an agreement with the Minister of the Solicitor General on behalf of the Ontario Provincial Police for the provision of Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Services for the Township of Laird.
Carried.
- c. 2037-24 Tax Ratio 2025 #285-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council adopts By-law 2037-24 being a by-law to establish the 2025 Tax Ratios.
Carried.
- d. 2038-24 Interim Tax Rate 2025 #286-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council adopts By-law 2038-24, being a by-law to set the 2025 Interim Tax Rates.
Carried.
- e. 2039-24 Conformity By-law #287-24 Moved by: Todd Rydall Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council adopts By-law 2039-24 being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of the meeting of Council held on December 19, 2024.
Carried.
15. Adjournment
#288-24 Moved by: Wayne Junor Seconded by: Brad Shewfelt BE IT RESOLVED THAT this Council shall now adjourn to meet again January 16, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. or until the call of the chair. Carried.
Mayor – ___________________________ Shawn Evoy
Clerk – ___________________________ Jennifer Errington