Duane Hicks
A request from local resident Lindsey Oster that the town build a sun shelter at McIrvine Park has been deferred until next year’s budget.
Council received a recommendation from the Operations and Facilities executive committee at Monday night’s regular meeting to reconsider the item during 2010 budget deliberations as there are no funds in the 2009 budget—which was just passed that evening—to accommodate the request this year.
In a written report to council, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said the estimated cost of a sun shelter would be anywhere from $10,000-$50,000, depending on the size and materials used.
The committee also has encouraged Oster to contact local service groups for donations to help build such a structure next year.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•approved revisions to the water system contingency plan policies and the confined space policy;
•deferred a submission to the Main Street Ontario program until the next intake, and agreed that the Economic Development Advisory Committee formulate a recommendation to mayor and council regarding a submission to the next available intake for the program;
•agreed to support resolutions from the City of Cornwall and Township of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls asking the provincial government to abandon its plans for the harmonized sales tax (HST) and consult with taxpayers, through a referendum or by campaigning on a platform of raising taxes, before introducing any tax increase;
•approved the 2009 BIA budget; and
•agreed to strike a committee to review council remuneration and travel expense policy (Couns. John Albanese, Ken Perry, and Rick Wiedenhoeft will sit on the committee, along with Mayor Roy Avis as an ex-officio member).
The idea for such a committee was put forward earlier this year, but council agreed to defer the matter until after the 2009 budget process was over.
