the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 51
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.25% 3 Year GIC - 2.43% 5 Year GIC - 2.70% Daily Interest 1.45%
638-3328
Friday, December 19, 2014
www.jackfinancial.ca
Council becomes committee of adjustment; Craven advocates citizen appointments
On the money - Maryborough Public School Grade 6 students Joanna Cashin, left, and Jillian McIntyre worked with OPP officer Scott Vallier at the Shop with a Cop event coordinated by the Optimist Club of Moorefield. The students managed to accumulate $99.69 worth of food at Drayton Food Market for the local food bank, just under the $100 limit for their group. More coverage on pages 4 and 6. photo by Caroline Sealey
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – The entire township council will serve as Mapleton’s committee of adjustment for the next four years. Council was split on the decision to serve as the committee, which deals with issues such as minor variance applications. During the last term, the committee was made up of citizen appointees. “Based on preliminary discussion at council orientation sessions, I believe council may wish to reconsider appointing a citizen-appointed committee and may prefer to sit as the committee of adjustment themselves,” stated CAO Patty Sinnamon in a report to council on Dec. 9. Councillor Lori Woodham said she felt the job should be handled by council members. “I feel, as a council member, we were voted in by the citizens to be their voice ... I feel uncomfortable that council would hand that over to other people,” she said. “I disagree,” said councillor
Dennis Craven. “We have three very experienced, knowledgeable people on that committee and I would like to see them remain there.” Mayor Neil Driscoll noted he had spoken to two of the three members of the previous committee of adjustment and they had indicated they were interested in continuing as members. Sinnamon pointed out two of the committee members had served since before amalgamation in 1998, while the third was appointed prior to the justcompleted four-year term of council. An amendment to have the committee of adjustment appointment dealt with separately from a motion on other committee appointments was supported by Craven and councillor Marlene Ottens, with Woodham and councillor Michael Martin opposed. Driscoll supported the motion, breaking the tie. Martin asked Craven to elaborate on his reasons for preferring citizen appointees.
“I think it’s good to have a citizen’s overview of some things … I’m happy with the way it is. It’s working, I don’t think the committee’s broke,” said Craven. Driscoll said while it’s important that agricultural interests be considered in many committee of adjustment decisions, he felt current council members had considerable agricultural knowledge. A motion to have council as a whole sit as the committee of adjustment was approved, with Woodham, Martin and Driscoll in favor and Craven and Ottens opposed. Staff recommended committee of adjustment hearings be held prior to council meetings, beginning at 6pm, ahead of the regular 7pm start time for evening council meetings. A motion to advertise for citizen appointees needed for other committees was also approved by council. Driscoll asked council members to advise him of their preferences for committees they wish to sit on.
Township follows Wellington County lead in hiring meeting investigator by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON – The township has followed Wellington County’s lead, appointing John Maddox of London-based JGM Consulting as its closed meeting investigator. Mapleton council approved the appointment of Maddox at the Dec. 9 meeting. Wellington County council authorized hiring Maddox and inviting interested member municipalities to join a shared agreement for his services at its
Nov. 27 meeting. Maddox’s fees include an annual retainer of $1,000 for the county and $300 for each lower tier municipality, which will be covered by the county. An hourly fee of $100 plus mileage and expenses will be paid by the municipality in which any investigation is conducted. Maddox was contracted for a two-year term, beginning Jan. 1. Norm Gamble, a former
municipal administrator from Grey County, previously provided services to the county and to Mapleton. He was the investigator for all lower tier municipalities in Wellington except Guelph-Eramosa. Gamble recently announced plans to retire at the end of the year. Gamble’s fees had included a $200 retainer and fees of $350 per day and $175 per half day, plus mileage and expenses.
A report from CAO Patty Sinnamon advised council of other possible options prior to their decision to approve contracting Maddox. Had the township declined to appoint a closed meeting investigator, the job would default to the Ontario Ombudsmen’s Office. While pointing out there is no cost to the municipality for the ombudsman to conduct investigations, Sinnamon noted, “township staff have had
no experience with the Office of the Ombudsman.” Another option would have been to appoint Local Authority Services (LAS), which has entered into service agreements with some municipalities across the province. LAS charges an annual retainer of $330 plus the cost of each investigation at $225 per hour. LAS estimates each investigation takes approximately 17 hours to complete for an average cost of $3,825.
Councillor Dennis Craven asked if Maddox was a “oneman operation” or if he worked with associates. Told Maddox works alone, Craven said “then we would get him, himself,” should an investigation be required. “There aren’t a lot of investigations, fortunately,” said Sinnamon, who noted the information and forms for initiating an investigation will remain available on the township’s website.
Driscoll, Davidson appointed to county committees by Patrick Raftis GUELPH - Minto Mayor George Bridge is Wellington County’s new warden. Bridge was elected by a vote of his fellow county councillors at the warden’s inaugural meeting on Dec. 12. Bridge, who was nominated by outgoing warden Chris White, was selected over Ward 6 councillor Shawn Watters and Ward 7 councillor Don McKay in a secret ballot among the 16 councillors. Watters was nominated by Centre Wellington Mayor Kelly Linton and McKay was nominated by Ward 2 councillor Gregg Davidson.
Mapleton Mayor Neil Driscoll, who was sworn in as a county councillor at the meeting, was nominated by Davidson for the position of chair of the county’s roads committee. However, Driscoll lost an election for the position to Ward 3 councillor Gary Williamson by a 10-6 margin. Driscoll was appointed to the roads committee and the information, heritage and seniors committee. He was also appointed the county’s representative to the Wellington Federation of Agriculture. Davidson, who also represents Mapleton, was appointed Continued on page 3
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Oath of office - Justice Casimir Herold, left, administered the oath of office to Mapleton Mayor Neil Driscoll (standing) and other members of the 2015 to 2018 Wellington County council at the warden’s inaugural meeting in Guelph on Dec. 12. photo by Patrick Raftis
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