Part 1: Policing, Tourism, and Community Projects in Focus - 04/08/2025
- PECConnect
- Apr 8, 2025
- 5 min read
The County Council met at Shire Hall on the evening of April 8, 2025, for a regular council meeting that covered a wide mix of community-facing topics, from public safety and tourism to taxation policy and local infrastructure needs. The meeting was chaired by Mayor Steve Ferguson, who opened the session with a traditional land acknowledgement and reminders about public participation and meeting decorum. Attendance included nearly the full council, senior municipal staff, presenters, and members of the public.
Following routine agenda confirmations and declarations, council moved into announcements, which set an early community-focused tone. Staff and councillors highlighted upcoming Climate Action Plan public consultations, Easter community events in Picton and Northport, and local fundraisers.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes.
The mood shifted when Councillor Engelsdorfer used the announcement period to speak at length about frustrations surrounding the Wellington waterworks project, describing growing public anger over detours, communication gaps, and impacts on residents and businesses. He stated his trust had been broken and formally announced that he would be bringing forward a notice of motion for non confidence in the Mayor at a future meeting, a rare and notable moment early in the evening.
Mayor Ferguson then read a proclamation declaring April 26, 2025 as Owen Jones Memorial Cleanup Day, recognizing a long-time Picton resident known for quietly maintaining sidewalks and streets for years.
OPP annual report and a focus on community safety
Council then received a detailed presentation from Staff Sergeant John Hatch, Detachment Commander, alongside Councillor Braney, Chair of the OPP Detachment Board. The presentation marked Hatch’s final annual report ahead of his retirement and walked council through the evolution of local policing under the Community Safety and Policing Act.
Key themes included the role of civilian oversight through the detachment board, long-term investment in the Community Safety and Well Being Plan, and measurable declines in both violent and property crime. Hatch emphasized programs that did not exist a decade ago, including IMPACT, a mobile police and mental health co response team, the Domestic Abuse Issues Investigator role, and the introduction of body worn and in car cameras.
Hatch also raised the absence of CCTV cameras in the County, noting it as a gap compared to neighbouring municipalities and suggesting future collaboration with the county to pursue grant funded options. Council members from multiple wards used the question period to publicly thank Hatch, reflecting on improved trust between police, youth, and the broader community. Council formally received the OPP annual report without amendment.
Tourism growth and managing success
Next, Sarah Fox, Executive Director of Visit The County, provided an overview of tourism performance in 2024 and priorities for 2025. Fox outlined major gains in digital reach, website traffic, social media engagement, and earned media exposure, while stressing that tourism planning is increasingly focused on community alignment and sustainability, not just promotion.
Fox explained that Visit The County is shifting toward more structured data collection, including visitor surveys and economic impact tracking, and plans to strengthen resident engagement through town halls and community facing resources. She also spoke about preparing for potentially higher visitation in 2025, balancing economic benefits with congestion management and clear communication for residents.
Councillors largely responded with support, highlighting tourism as a major local employer and economic driver. Questions focused on overnight stays, shoulder season growth, and how Visit The County plans to manage increased demand without overwhelming communities.
Soccer infrastructure and community investment
Council then heard a deputation from David Walcott, President of the Prince Edward County Soccer Association, regarding the deteriorating condition of the long standing storage shed at the Johnson Street fields. Walcott and Scott Wentworth described the shed as structurally failing, flood prone, and vulnerable to vandalism, despite being central to an organization serving over a thousand players annually.
The proposal focused on replacing the shed with a larger, more secure structure that reflects the site’s agricultural history and better supports equipment storage, concessions, and future community use. They also requested permission to install security cameras, citing increased vandalism linked to nearby school policy changes.
Council responded quickly, approving the project as a Project of Community Interest, allowing for charitable fundraising and directing staff to explore partnerships. Permission for security cameras was granted in line with the county’s video surveillance policy.
Financial decisions and forward looking policy work
Later in the meeting, council addressed several statutory and operational reports. A major item was the annual tax tools and policies report, which confirmed 2025 tax ratios, approved required bylaws, and directed staff to reassess the potential for a municipal vacant home tax in 2026 or 2027. Discussion focused on timing, administrative burden, and the need for future public consultation before any implementation.
Council also approved the hiring of summer students across departments, endorsed the purchase of three new County Transit vehicles fully funded through provincial and federal grants, and approved a long list of routine consent items and bylaws. The meeting concluded with formal confirmations and adjourned just before 9:00 pm.
Key Takeaways
Council formally heard concerns about public trust and communication, particularly around the Wellington waterworks project, with a future non confidence motion now publicly declared.
The OPP annual report showed long term declines in crime and major investment in mental health and community based policing, alongside a clear request to consider CCTV as a future safety tool.
Tourism and community infrastructure remain central priorities, with strong economic performance paired with growing attention to resident impact, sustainability, and local quality of life.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:17:40. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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