Part 1: School Safety Measures, Budget Pressures, and Appeals Committee Creation — 08/31/2023
- PECConnect
- Aug 31, 2023
- 3 min read
Committee of the Whole met on August 31, 2023 at Shire Hall in Picton, with members attending both in person and electronically. The meeting was livestreamed and recorded for public access. The agenda was approved at the start of the meeting, and no disclosures of pecuniary interest were declared.
It was clarified early on that this meeting was part of the budget and policy review process, and that motions passed here would move forward to a future Council meeting for final decision.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
School safety and traffic calming discussion
The committee received a presentation on the Active School Travel Campaign, which focuses on improving safety in school zones using visual traffic calming tools rather than enforcement. The presentation explained how life sized student silhouette signs are placed near schools to encourage drivers to slow down and be more alert.
The program has already been tested in other communities, where results showed fewer traffic complaints and reduced enforcement charges. The initiative is supported through provincial funding and partnerships with police and public health agencies.
It was explained that schools in the County will be considered next, with placement decisions made through collaboration with police and school boards to focus on areas with the greatest safety concerns.
Public input on water and stormwater planning
A public deputation was received from a local resident and business owner who raised concerns about water servicing and stormwater planning, particularly in Picton. The deputation focused on the absence of water conservation and demand reduction strategies in recent technical studies.
The speaker emphasized that education, incentives, and reduced consumption could play a role in limiting future infrastructure costs. Committee members acknowledged the comments and discussed existing conservation measures already in place, such as seasonal pricing and water efficiency programs.
The discussion highlighted that water planning remains an ongoing issue, with additional public engagement expected as studies continue.
2024 budget pressures and savings review
Committee reviewed a detailed report outlining efforts to identify potential 2024 operating budget savings, following Council direction to explore reductions of up to $3 million. Staff reviewed multiple areas including service delivery, staffing, revenue generation, and operational efficiencies.
The report made clear that only limited savings could be achieved without impacting service levels. Staff emphasized that the majority of municipal costs are tied to staffing, infrastructure maintenance, and legislated responsibilities.
Committee members discussed the reality that rising costs and limited revenue tools make it difficult to meet savings targets without broader conversations about service expectations.
Staffing structure and governance discussion
A lengthy discussion followed on staffing, organizational structure, reporting relationships, and the timing of sensitive discussions. Committee considered whether staffing related matters should be reviewed during closed budget sessions to allow for more detailed discussion.
A motion to explore staffing matters during future closed budget deliberations was approved. A separate motion directing staff to prepare the 2024 budget strictly based on current service levels resulted in a tied vote and therefore did not carry.
Appeals Committee creation
Committee considered a report recommending the creation of a new Appeals Committee to hear appeals related to property standards and other bylaw matters. The new structure would replace the existing process and include both members of the public and councillors.
The purpose of the committee is to provide a fair, consistent, and legislatively compliant appeal process, while protecting privacy and reducing the burden on full Council meetings.
Support for agricultural land protection
Committee reviewed and supported a request to formally endorse an Ontario Federation of Agriculture submission opposing provincial planning changes that could weaken protections for prime agricultural land.
Support was directed to be communicated to provincial officials and relevant advocacy organizations.
The meeting concluded at 3:26 p.m., with several items scheduled to move forward to future Council meetings for final consideration.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:27:20. 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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