Highlights From Gananoque Town Council Meeting – November 7, 2023

Gananoque – Here are the highlights of the Gananoque Town Council Meeting held on November 7, 2023.

• Mayor Beddows declared the month of November as the 2023 Woman Abuse Prevention Month. In support of the Leeds & Grenville Interval House, the LGIH Flag will be raised at Town Hall from November 17th to November 24th, 2023 in recognition of Woman Abuse Prevention Month.
• Joanne Van Dreumel and Richard Gilbert from the Thousand Islands Heritage Museum presented two PowerPoint presentations regarding the Museum’s 2023 Year-In-Review and the Town of Gananoque Civic Collection. The Council also received the 2023 Artefacts Oversight Committee Report.
• The Town voted to end its contract for Electrical Services with JET Electrical Contractors by providing the required 45 days’ notice.
• A Public Meeting was held regarding a proposal from VX Resources Canada Inc., 670 Charles Street North, to operate a manufacturing facility for the processing of raw vermiculite for the purpose of horticulture within the existing main building, subject to conditions. The raw material is sourced from asbestos-free mines and is certified asbestos-free.
• Council voted to include a part-time Events Coordinator in the 2024 Draft Budget to be funded from the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT).
• Council declared 375 William Street and 50 Birch Street surplus to the municipality’s needs and directed staff to issue an Expression of Interest to invite developers to submit proposals thereby maximizing the number of affordable housing units for both lots. The CAO will bring back criteria for the EOI before it is issued.
• Council approved the Artifact Oversight Committee’s recommendation to approve the addition of Parmenter & Bulloch Belt Rivets and Burrs; and the Grice Family Collection into the Town’s Civic Collection.
• Council voted in favour of referring the 1000 Islands History Museum funding proposal in the amount of $57,191 to the 2024 Budget deliberation process.
• Council received for information the Emergency Purchase Disclosure – Traffic Controller at Carmichael Street Report in the amount of $25,393 plus the Town’s share of HST.
• Council awarded the contract to Doornekamp Construction for the rehabilitation works to the Water Street Swing Bridge, to an upset limit of $120,402.00.
• The 2024 Council Schedule was approved.
• Mayor Beddows put forth a motion to direct the Clerk to investigate and recommend a means of recording and making publicly available recordings of open Council sessions of the Town of Gananoque.
• Council authorized the Mayor to make a delegation at ROMA to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Transportation, and; the Leader of the Opposition on the subject of Provincial Subsidy of Operating Costs of Rural Transit, including a Request For Support for a Rural Transit Route between Gananoque and Kingston and to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the subject of the Town’s pending Wastewater Recapitalization.
• Council voted to uphold the Town’s Waterworks By-law regarding the request for a waived penalty.
• Council supported the City of Burlington’s New Fiscal Frameworks request for support.

The next regular council meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.