The North Dundas Council held its first council meeting of 2021 on January 19, the third Tuesday of the month. The meeting was held virtually, with the councilors, officers, clerks, and delegates connecting remotely. The meeting package was 171 pages long.
Some of the more notable developments included an agreement between the township and the Upper Canada District School Board concerning the daycare at Winchester Public School.
The New Year, just like the end of the year previous, brings on a lot of formalities. Contracts are renewed for another year, budgets are updated, and departments report on what’s going on. The Stay-at-Home order doesn’t take too much off the table for the municipality. The work still needs to be done. Staff are trying to be as flexible as they can, working from home when possible, and responding to the needs of the township. The indoor rinks are closed, as are community buildings, so staff from those locations have been re-tasked with jobs such as working on the outdoor rinks, and helping in the Waste Management Department. Some have been making plastic partitions for workers in the township offices.
The Recreation Department has decided to cancel the winter term of the recreation program. Instead, they will start the spring program earlier than planned, in April rather than May, and they will run that program for twelve weeks, as opposed to eight as originally planned.
Outdoor rinks are open. Dr Paul Roumelliotis, the Chief Medical Officer of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, was asked about participation in outdoor activities during his discussion with the Council, and he reiterated the need to keep distance between yourself and others. Keep your family members interacting with each other, not with those from outside your immediate family.
The Inkerman outdoor rink is currently in need of volunteers to help keep it maintained. Skates and snowshoes can be borrowed from the municipality to help residents enjoy the outdoors.
The security exchange for the Forestwood Heights subdivision is completed. In short, the municipality always keeps a couple of lots in a subdivision as a guarantee that the developer will complete their obligations with things such as landscaping, road paving, and the like. If, for some reason, the builder does not do an adequate job at something, the municipality has collateral to finish the job.
Jo-Anne McCaslin, Deputy CAO/Clerk, has had the authority to solemnise marriages since 2005. She has now delegated two Deputy Clerks with the authority to solemnise marriages: Jessica Manley and Nancy Johnson.
Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The agenda, and the entire meeting package, can be found on the North Dundas Township website in advance of each meeting, and the minutes are posted very quickly after the meeting. When we are not on a Stay-at-Home order, or similar restrictions, the public is welcome to attend.
