Minutes of a Special Meeting held in the Council Chambers,
937907 Marsh Bay Road, Coleman Township,
on Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
There were present:
Township of Coleman Mayor: C. Belanger
Councillor: R. Beeson, A. Chitaroni, L. Perry
Clerk-Treasurer: C. Bigelow
Clerk-Treasurer Intern: L. Belanger
By-Law Officer: K. Jones
Fire Chief: D. Laitinen
Bass Lake Committee: George Culhane
Petition: Mr. James O’Brien – Bass Lake
Park Residents: Allan Marcella, Doug McLeod, Dan Cleroux, Jack Church, Reg Holdsworth, Sylvia & Wesley Siemens, Jim Rutledge and Pat Lalonde, Jack McAndrew, Mr. & Mrs. Bud Berry, Sue Cote, Liz Foley and Larry Wiwchar
Mayor Belanger opened the meeting.
Motion 10-10-01 MOVED BY Ron Beeson and SECONDED BY Lois Perry: WHEREAS Section 239 (2) states that a meeting or part of a meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered is: (a) a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT this part of the meeting be closed to the public. Carried.
Mayor Belanger re-opened the meeting.
Correction to New Business: Update for the Cobalt Historical Society should read Historic Cobalt Corporation. Additions to New Business: Dr. Pollard Lane rename All Candidates’ Night
Unfinished Business: Mayor Belanger reported on the meeting with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry as well as Ms. Darleen Bowen from the Hon. David Ramsay’s office regarding the cave-in on Lower O’Brien Road which affects the upgrade of the Coleman Water Distribution System.
New Business: Conferences – Alzheimer Society STATO’s 4th Annual Dinner and Fashion Show No More Border Temiskaming Table Talk
1. Historic Cobalt Corporation – update. Copies provided to Council.
2. Temiskaming Tourism – Farm Tour. Copies of the itinerary provided to Council.
3. Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forestry – Northern Ontario Energy Credit. The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry is looking for partners to help us tell northerners about anew Ontario credit.
4. The Cross-Country Kitchen Table Talks – Thursday, October 14, 2010 from 1:30 until 3:00pm
5. CJTT – seeking sponsors for Proper Handling of Firearms & Fire Prevention Week.
6. Councillor Perry requested that Breault, Puhakka, Thomson, Pesklevey Lane be renamed Dr. Pollard Lane as Dr. Pollard has originally been a resident in the Pesklevey residence. Councillor Perry has discussed with the residents on this lane and all are in favour of the change.
7. Councillor Perry advised she and other Councillors had not been invited or consulted regarding the All Candidates’ Night which is scheduled for October 7th, 2010
8. Fire Chief Don Laitinen advised the Open House held on October 2nd for Fire Prevention and collection for the Food Bank was a great success. The Smoke Alarm Campaign will be held this Saturday, October 9th, 2010
9. Mr. Doug McLeod advised the upgrade to the cenotaph has been completed. The invoice will be sent to the Township of Coleman for payment.
10. Mr. Jack Church wanted to thank Council and SMC Canada Limited for their contribution to Kiddies’ Day which was very well attended and enjoyed by the children of the area.
Correspondence: – Cobalt Library Board – thank you – AMO – Watch File – NEOnet – Wired News – Cobalt classic Theatre – update – MFOA – Bulletin – CGI-Commerce – comments – Union Gas – application – College Voice – LHIN – minutes – Timiskaming Health Unit – minutes – Influents – volume 5 – MNDM&F – Staff Announcement – Temiskaming Tourism – Farm-Tour Itinerary – Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care – Bed-bug infestations – WSIB – Rate Increase – Small Business Luncheon – MMAH – update – MFOA – Bulletin – Chamber – E-Newsletter – NE LHIN Blog – MNDM&F – Youth Entrepreneureship partnerships – Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Award ? ? ?
Bass Lake Park Mr. George Culhane opened the discussion by stating that the Committee was present to listen and find out what the issues are. He reiterated that upgrades were only possible if funding were to be granted and that the plan was a proposal. Council stated that the plan has not been endorsed by Council and a public meeting was to be arranged once the plan was discussed had been reviewed by Council for public input. Mr. James O’Brien opened his presentation by stating that he wanted detailed minutes kept of all the discussions regarding Bass Lake Park.
Mr. O’Brien stated Residents have different ideas regarding Bass Lake Park which are opposed to Council’s views. – Residents are not in favour of the Township of Coleman running a tourist camp nor is it the Township’s mandate, although they are in favour of a public beach. – Council was not elected because of Bass Lake Park and he understands Council has gone to the government looking for funding opportunities. – According to the proposal, the upgrades to the playground would cost thirty thousand dollars and the beach twenty five thousand dollars. – Councillor Beeson advised Bass Lake was not purchased with the intention of putting the Township in the hole but to be a self funding site and has been since its purchase. – Mr. O’Brien questioned the cost of the proposal. – Bass Lake Beach is a wonderful property with the swim and recreation program. He informed Council that they could fix the beach, picnic area and concession stand but eliminate the cabins. – The proposal mentions building ten cottages – Mr. O’Brien advised the price of cottages would not remain at the price stipulated in the proposal for the next twenty years – “How do you think you can build 10 cottages, rent them for a large amount with children around?” – Funding for recreation instead of road upgrades will not be acceptable. – Grant Funding for cottages is not provided to private owners and taxes will not be used to subsidize Bass Lake Park. Council has an obligation to Tourist Operators in the Township and tax payer’s dollars are not to go into a municipal Tourist Operation.
Unlike private owners, the Township does not pay taxes to itself. – Mr. O’Brien insisted that no money is to be spent and to get the rates up to higher than Tourist businesses. “2% annual increases are a joke!” Councillor Beeson advised the plan was to sever and sell lots to fund the park for capital upgrades. The revenue from the park is used to operate the beach at no cost to the taxpayers. Mr. Culhane advised the power supply needs to be upgraded, the beach should be developed and the bathroom upgraded. Bass Lake is a treasure for the Township of Coleman and has been used by families for generations. – Mr. O’Brien insisted the power does not need to be upgraded as the Township is not here to compete with businesses and the rates must be increased to pay for the upgrades. – Mr. O’Brien was not opposed to the beach (docks, rafts, ball park, bathroom and concession stand upgrades). – Funding for the beach only would be acceptable
– There are three trailer parks in the area and the Township is competing with private enterprise. – The proposal should never have been done. – Cottages are not needed. Mr. Culhane advised that libraries might be competing with video rental enterprises when they rent videos for twenty five cents and Councillor Beeson stated that, in the same way, perhaps private plowing competes with private business.
Councillor Perry reiterated that the Committee or Council have not had an opportunity yet to take the proposal apart yet – nothing is set in stone. The desire to save the beach is the priority. Mr. O’Brien’s First Conclusion
1. Rates have to increase
2. The washroom and family pavilion should be upgraded
3. The trailers should fund the beach Councillor Beeson gave a short history of the purchasing process and agreement with the Kiwanis Club. Mr. O’Brien continued his discussion: – This discussion consists of two different topics
1. The Beach and
2. Tourism. – Funding can be acquired for the beach only. There is to be no grant funding for other trailer sites and the rental rates must be increased to meet other tourist sites and cover costs for operating the beach. Consensus of Residents – Support the Beach Project 100% opposed to upgrades
Mr. O’Brien also opposed the comment included in Mr. Wayne Alldis’ letter concerning his request for an explanation regarding figures for Bass Lake Park in the annual Auditor’s report – the response was that answers would have to come from the Municipal Auditor.
Mr. O’Brien’s opinion was that Mayor Belanger should never have signed a letter making this comment.
Mr. O’Brien aggressively challenged Mayor Belanger regarding the proposal plan, this comment and Bass Lake Park records and insisted on an immediate reply.
The grant received from Community Future Corporation for the marketing Plan for Bass Lake Park was questioned.
– The terms of reference for the LIF application were questioned. It was suggested that Council did not follow the terms of reference for the application. A copy of the plan was submitted to Community Future Corporation before payment for the grant was made to the Township of Coleman indicating that the township was within their terms of reference.
– A tender was placed in the newspaper and Elk Community Forest was hired to prepare the plan after meeting with the Bass Lake Committee.
– Mayor Belanger again advised the Committee or Council have not had an opportunity to go through the proposal piece by piece yet. Mr. Wiwchar advised a number of people do not hear very well and a microphone and tape should be used to hear and tape comments made by Residents.
– Mrs. Logan Belanger advised she had contacted eight municipally owned campgrounds located in Ontario to provide a relevant comparison about how other municipalities operated. She asked if Mr. O’Brien was opposed to provincial parks, as they are funded by tax payer, such as Finlayson Park in Temagami, as well as receive stimulus money.
– Mr. O’Brien disregarded the relevance of the previous statement and stated Residents are not interested in other municipalities or provincial parks, only with this municipality. Council stated there will be a public meeting to inform taxpayers when final plans are made for Bass Lake Park. Council plan to survey out four lots at Bass Lake – this money will go back to Township coffers.
Mr. O’Brien’s conclusion
1. Rates must be comparable or higher than local tourist operators.
2. No grant money – no tax dollars to be spent at Bass Lake Trailer Park
3. No under cutting local businesses
4. No cottages, no expansion
5. No subsidizing someone’s holiday at Bass Lake
6. Cabins are gone and competition is gone.
7. Questions regarding township crew doing work at Bass Lake when needed
– seen as subsidizing the Park with municipal funds. Council replied that it is a municipal infrastructure and road crews will continue to = work when needed.
8. Taxpayers should be notified by phone when Council plans major expenditures
9. A list of expenses should be included with the Tax Bills The discussion then proceeded to the matter of road conditions. Marsh Bay Road was to be re-surfaced four years ago. If municipal funds were spent on Portage Bay Road and Gillies Lake Road, then municipal funds should be spent on other roads in the township
– Council should not wait for provincial funding to upgrade roads in the Township. All roads should be paved and amortized over 20 years.
Council have made numerous applications to the Provincial Government for funding to upgrade municipal roads but, to date, the Township of Coleman has not been successful although complete proposals were submitted by local engineers as mandated by the Province. Municipal Road Upgrade has been a priority with Council. Council advised the Township of Coleman had been successful in acquiring a multi million dollar grant (90%of the cost) for the replacement of Coleman Water Distribution System and another grant for the upgrade of = LaRose Bridge. Mr. O’Brien threatened that, if Council does not go along with the all of the Residents’ requests, there will be a letter campaign to the media and Provincial and Federal Government as well as the Hon. David Ramsay, Member of Provincial Government and the Hon. Anthony Rota, Member of the Federal Government.
Mr. O’Brien enquired if Council have lobbied the Ministry of Transportation regarding the condition of Highway 11. Councillor Perry advised she was very vocal and lobbied very strongly with regard to “turn off” lanes at Portage Bay Road and Marsh Bay Road.- many letters and phones calls were needed for the Ministry to agree to this request.
The Ministry of Transportation complied and the lanes were included in the upgrade. Mr. O’Brien is concerned with the North bound lane coming down the hill South of Refinery Road – it is in need of repair. Council agreed to look into this matter. A suggestion was made to upload the agenda on the Internet prior to each meeting. This portion of the meeting ended and Residents left.
Motion 10-10-02 MOVED BY Lois Perry and SECONDED BY A. Chitaroni: BE IT RESOLVED THAT Damiani Welding (Richard Damiani) be hired to build = a road from Old Ferguson Hwy through to Marsh Bay Road – including work & removal and Delivery of saw logs – quote $$4,000.00. Councillor Ron Beeson abstained. Carried. ) Motion 10-10-03 MOVED BY Ron Beeson and SECONDED BY Lois Perry: BE IT RESOLVED THAT this meeting do now adjourn. Carried.
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CLERK-TREASURER MAYOR