Part 1: Housing, Heritage, and a Few Chickens - 06/13/2023
- PECConnect
- Jun 13, 2023
- 6 min read
The County Council met at Shire Hall in Picton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, with Mayor Steve Ferguson chairing. The meeting followed the County’s usual format that day, beginning earlier for a closed session and then returning to public business later in the evening, with all members present for the open portion.
After opening with a traditional land acknowledgement, Ferguson welcomed anyone watching from the chambers or at home and explained how public comments work. There were no scheduled presentations, deputations, or pre registered audience comments, so Council moved quickly into formal business and then into closed session before returning to open session at 7:01 pm.
Those in the room included Chief Administrative Officer Marcia Wallace, Municipal Clerk Catalina Blumenberg, and a full slate of directors and senior staff, including Director of Recreation and Community Facilities Lisa Lindsay, Director of Corporate and Legislative Services Arryn McNichol, Director of Finance and IT Amanda Carter, and Director of Operational Services Adam Goheen.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
When Council returned to open session, the first major decision came forward as a report arising from the closed meeting.
Council voted to authorize the CAO to execute a conditional purchase and sale agreement with the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board to buy the former Queen Elizabeth School property at 35 Barker Street, Picton for $1,375,000. Council also directed staff to apply to CMHC for funding through the Housing Accelerator Funding Program and the Co Investment Funding Program to finance the purchase, with staff returning to Council with updates.
Proclamations and a Quick Reset to Community Events
With the closed session item dealt with, Ferguson moved into announcements and read two proclamations.
He proclaimed June as Seniors Month, noting how relevant it is in a community with a large senior population. He also proclaimed June 24 to July 1, 2023 as PECelebrates Week, describing it as a series of events tied to several commemorative days, along with the illumination of Shire Hall in different colours to mark each one.
Updating the Backyard Hens Rules
Council then took up amendments to the Backyard Hens By Law. Environmental Services and Sustainability Supervisor Albert Paschkowiak presented the motion to approve a bylaw amending the existing hens bylaw, along with changes to Schedule C of the Administrative Monetary Penalties By Law. Kate MacNaughton (Picton) questioned the penalty wording, focusing on the idea of fines that sounded outsized for typical backyard hen issues. Staff explained that the structure comes from the Municipal Act, that court imposed fines are not typically at the maximum, and that the administrative penalty process would be used first, with court action as a last resort. Council carried the motion.
The discussion landed on a recurring theme that came up more than once through the night: Council wanted enforcement tools that actually work, but also wanted language that fits the real world situations the bylaw is meant to address.
Crystal Palace Phase 2 Moves Ahead With a Heritage Add On
Council next considered awarding the Phase 2 work for the Crystal Palace revitalization. Phil St. Jean (Picton) brought forward the main motion, seconded by Bill Roberts (Sophiasburgh), recommending the contract be awarded to Trilith Contracting Inc. Lisa Lindsay told Council the project had been a long process, with earlier bids exceeding budget, and said staff were ready to move forward.
During questions, Phil Prinzen (Bloomfield–Hallowell) raised concerns about transparency in not showing all bid prices. Staff explained that requests for proposals are evaluated using weighted criteria rather than price alone.
Sam Grosso (Wellington) asked about parking impacts, and Lindsay noted that ramp redesign and layout adjustments would consider parking, though major changes were not expected. She also confirmed a two- to three-week start timeline and an estimated ten-week construction period, with pauses planned to avoid disrupting weekend bookings.
Phil St. Jean then introduced an amendment, seconded by Janice Maynard (Ameliasburgh), allowing for potential surplus funds to be used for restoration of the Old Boys Entrance World War I Memorial and directing staff to begin discussions with local Royal Canadian Legion branches about a funding partnership.
Roy Pennell (Ameliasburgh) supported restoring the memorial but raised concerns about process. Kate MacNaughton supported leaving the decision to staff, noting the memorial’s connection to the site. Council carried the amendment and then approved the main motion as amended.
County Road 49 Gets Set Up to Receive Donations
Council then turned to a Community Benefit Fund approach for County Road 49.
Chris Braney (Hillier) introduced the motion to declare the County Road 49 Reconstruction Project a project of community interest, allowing the County to accept donations and issue tax receipts, and to establish a discretionary reserve fund.
He also thanked members involved in the task force, including David Harrison (North Marysburgh), Phil Prinzen, the Mayor, Brad Nieman (Bloomfield–Hallowell), Phil St. Jean, and CAO Wallace. Council carried the motion.
Delegating Authority for Locate Agreements
Another governance focused item followed, dealing with dedicated locate service provider agreements.
Council considered delegating authority to the Director of Operational Services to execute agreements for Dedicated Locate Service Providers, along with an amendment to the County’s delegation bylaw.
Phil St. Jean said he would not support additional delegation of authority to staff and asked what costs were attached. Staff explained there was no direct fee and that the work is mandated by the province, with the County required to provide information for locates that are completed by others rather than County staff doing the locates themselves. Council carried the motion.
Accessibility Progress Report
Municipal Clerk Catalina Blumenberg then presented the first progress report under the 2022 to 2026 Multi Year Accessibility Plan.
Blumenberg said the goal is to keep accessibility top of mind across departments as part of the County’s corporate culture. Council received the report and directed staff to report back in Q2 2024 with the 2023 progress report.
A Millennium Trail Bylaw Pause to “Get It Right”
Council’s consent agenda moved most routine items in one vote, but one item stood out.
Phil Prinzen pulled the Committee of the Whole item connected to the Millennium Trail bylaw discussion because he had heard concerns about how the bylaw wording could affect guided bicycle tours on the trail. Staff explained the bylaw was meant to distinguish between someone bringing a bike to the trail versus a business renting bikes for use on the trail, and Council discussed the need for clarity so the bylaw reflects Council’s intent.
Council adopted the Committee of the Whole report as presented except for the specific motion in question, and then voted to refer the Millennium Trail bylaw back to staff to clarify permitted uses and bring it back at the June 27, 2023 Council meeting. Council then passed the remaining bylaws recommended for adoption, along with the confirmatory bylaw for the meeting’s proceedings. The meeting adjourned at 7:49 pm.
Key Takeaways
Council approved a major step toward a housing related property purchase in Picton, with staff directed to pursue CMHC funding programs to help finance the former Queen Elizabeth School acquisition.
Several decisions showed Council juggling practical governance questions, including what bylaw penalties should look like in real life and how much authority should be delegated to staff for operational agreements.
Heritage and community spaces stayed on the front burner, with Phase 2 of the Crystal Palace revitalization moving ahead and Council adding a path for the Old Boys Entrance World War 1 Memorial to be included if surplus funds allow.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:50:22. 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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