Essex Region Conservation Honours Award Winners

Submitted to EFP

Seven organizations and individuals were honoured with Essex Region Conservation Awards for their contributions to creating a sustainable future of the Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island region.

“It’s very inspiring to have the opportunity to celebrate so many organizations and individuals who have made an incredible impact on the environment,” said Jim Morrison, who was elected as ERCA’s Chair. “Following the challenges faced over the past few years, it is a pleasure to honour and recognize those who are making a difference to our local environment.”

WINNERS INCLUDED:

Quinlan Farms – Conservation Farm Award for its commitment to sustainable farming through Best Management Practices that protect soil health.

Harrow Early Immigrant Research Society (HEIRS) –

John R. Park Homestead Award for 50-years of preserving and encouraging research into local history, artifacts, and buildings in the Harrow area and the greater Windsor/Essex region.

Mike St. Pierre – Education Award for 30-years of inspiring students and school-wide stewardship, environmental consciousness, outdoor education, and experiential learning across the Windsor-Essex Catholic School Board.

Pelee Island Butterfly Sanctuary and Teaching Garden – Education Award for engaging hundreds of learners of all ages about the importance of pollinator and habitat conservation and protecting endangered butterfly species.

Friends of Ojibway Prairie (FOOP) – Volunteer Award for more than 30-years of undertaking protection, restoration, and education for the Ojibway Prairie Complex, and advocating for its inclusion as a National Urban Park.

ENWIN Utilities Inc –Environmental Achievement for numerous sustainability priorities, including the conversion of one of its fleet vehicles to an electric vehicle, the introduction of the Green Button program to support energy savings, and incentivizing customers to switch to e-billing to reduce the operational carbon footprint while supporting tree planting.

Collavino Family –Environmental Achievement for the donation of 150 acres of wetland habitat to create the Collavino Conservation Area.

Ashley Gyori – Dennis Chase Staff Award for her dedication to protecting the community from natural hazards in a manner that is conscientious, hard-working, thoughtful, and extraordinarily kind to permit applicants, her colleagues, and the broader community.

In accepting their award, the Collavino family also announced a donation of $100,000 to the Essex Region Conservation Foundation to support the ongoing management of this important wetland and assist with the creation of laneways, parking, and trails to allow the public to enjoy in the future.

Over the next few weeks, the Essex Free Press will connect with senior staff members of the Town of Essex to learn about their plans, goals, and all-round vision for 2023.

by Sylene Argent

With the goals of organizing a Budget Reset that had departments with the Town of Essex start from scratch, the legislated Asset Management Plan that assists in the planning for the future replacement of municipal infrastructure, and a formalized Debt Management Policy completed in 2022, the Finance Department is looking to carry that momentum into the coming year to tackle new projects.

Recently, the Administration with the Town of Essex hosted the 2023 Budget Walkthrough. Council deliberations are scheduled to take place mid-February. Information can be found online at: essex.ca.

In June of 2022, Giurissevich explained, Council adopted a twopart budget engagement plan. The website improvements fulfill what was laid out for part one. Part two will be brought forward for Council consideration in the coming year, which could include interactive tools on the website –like a balance your own budget for residents. Finance also hopes to propose the idea of participatory budgeting, where residents could vote on particular budget lines, pending Council approval.

Currently, the Finance Department is working on Reserve Management Strategy. This will look at setting minimum thresholds for reserves, resolutions to note which funds go into which reserve, and defining the reserve accounts to clarify what they can be used for.

Giurissevich said this document will likely come before Council in late March or early April.

“The Strategy will basically restructure our current reserves and it will allow Council to set policy framework that will help Administration determine when to use reserves, how to use reserves, and the why, as well,” she explained.

Administration for the Town of Essex, she said, wants to start looking at long-term financial planning. The Debt Management Policy Council recently adopted ties into this work.

The financial flow starts with debt, and the next step is to define the parameters around reserves.

“Basically, figure out how you are going to use your debt and then figure out how you are going to use your reserves,” Giurissevich explained. The next step would then be investing, so how are we going to invest our money within the reserves.”

She said, likely before the end of 2023, an Investment Policy will come before Council to consider, which would allow the Town to, hopefully, earn some additional revenue through alternative streams via reserves.

There are restrictions in the Municipal Act on how Municipalities can invest its money. As it is taxpayer funded, it has to be readily available. Funds that are identified as not required for operations can be invested in different ways.

The Reserve Management Strategy will allow the Town to define the uses of monies and then what monies can be invested.

Information Technology operates through the Corporate Services. In the past year, staff undertook an IT Strategy Review. Council adopted it and staff members are now implementing all the findings discovered through preparing the document.

One of the larger matters that came out of the IT Strategy Review included cyber security efforts.

“We have really ramped up cyber security efforts here at the Town,” Giurissevich said, noting many security efforts have been implemented to protect the Town online.

At municipal-owned facilities throughout Essex, investment was made to enhance guest WIFI last year.

“Residents should be seeing better speed and connectivity at different Town locations,” she said.

Voice Of Inspiration

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”

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“You cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.”

~ Roy T. Bennett