Part 1: Sidewalk Costs, Integrity Concerns, and H.J. McFarland Sprinklers – 09/24/2024
- PECConnect
- Sep 24, 2024
- 5 min read
The County Council met at Shire Hall on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 for a Regular Council meeting, starting at 6:00 p.m. with a closed session, then returning to open session at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was chaired by Mayor Steve Ferguson, with councillors from every ward in attendance over the evening.
After a land acknowledgement and procedural reminders about public participation and livestreaming, Council confirmed the agenda and moved into closed session to discuss litigation or potential litigation and negotiation instructions. Council later reconvened and the Mayor confirmed there were no motions coming out of the closed meeting.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
In announcements, Councillor Roy Pennell spoke about the strong turnout at the Ameliasburgh Fair and publicly thanked Councillor Sam Grosso for stepping in to help. Councillor Chris Braney gave notice of a future motion on Integrity Commissioner services, asking the Clerk to bring forward options for Council to consider next steps.
Councillor Bill Roberts highlighted an upcoming public talk by Marie Wilson, a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner, scheduled for October 2 at the Picton Public Library. Mayor Ferguson followed with proclamations, including National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 and National Seniors Day on October 1, and noted additional proclamations posted online.
A civic recognition moment for Jim Dunlop
Before Council shifted into the night’s heavier items, Mayor Ferguson presented a civic recognition certificate to Jim Dunlop, recognizing decades of public and community service. Ferguson spoke about Dunlop’s leadership as County Warden in 1997 and his three terms as Wellington ward councillor, along with volunteer work, fundraising, and sports leadership. Dunlop briefly addressed the room, talking about long-standing friendships formed through youth sports and thanking his family.
A planned presentation from Dr. Ethan Toumishey on the voluntary Tri-County public health merger and community health profile was postponed due to a family matter and rescheduled for a future meeting.
Public deputation pushes back on Integrity Commissioner messaging
The only deputation came from Paul Allen, who addressed Council about the September 10 Integrity Commissioner report by Robert J. Swayze related to code of conduct complaints. Allen argued the Commissioner’s “strong message” about not speaking publicly on litigation matters, even when information is already public, risked discouraging open communication with residents. He also referenced how the Commissioner discussed a media statement by Councillor John Hirsch (Ward 9, South Marysburgh), and questioned the broader approach and tone. Council received the deputation without questions.
That exchange set up a theme that resurfaced later in the meeting: how Council balances confidentiality and risk management with public trust and transparency, especially on contentious files.
Union Street sidewalk moves ahead, but funding sparks discussion
Council approved the award of tender for a new sidewalk connection on Union Street, meant to link the sidewalk between John Street and Pine Ridge Drive. Staff described the stretch as a rural road cross-section with gravel shoulders and ditching, where pedestrians are increasingly walking close to traffic coming into town from County Road 8. Six tenders were received, with Earth-Crete Ontario Inc. submitting the lowest bid at $441,155 plus taxes.
The discussion focused less on whether the sidewalk was needed and more on how it was being paid for. Councillor Phil St-Jean asked whether the developer could be asked to cost-share, since the sidewalk was not built at the subdivision stage. Staff said there was no mechanism in the original subdivision agreement, though the Mayor and staff discussed that the developer could be asked informally.
Councillor Pennell raised broader concerns about repeated tender overages and whether budgeting and forecasting could be improved. Councillor Janice Maynard questioned drawing significant funds from reserves mid-cycle, and how Council explains project prioritization and fairness across wards when other roads and sidewalk needs remain unmet. CAO Marcia Wallace responded that staff had generally come in under budget on many 2024 tenders, but this location had added stormwater requirements and safety concerns that pushed costs up. Council ultimately approved the tender and the related funding adjustments.
H.J. McFarland sprinkler plan gets paused for more numbers
The other major discussion focused on H.J. McFarland Memorial Home, where Council considered a contract for a facility-wide sprinkler system and fire alarm panel upgrade. Director Kyle Cotton told Council the project had not been in the 2024 budget because it was unclear whether the province would fund it, and he clarified the work would be completed in 2025, not 2024 as written in the report.
A key issue was timing against the January 1, 2025 compliance deadline and whether an alternative solution under the Ontario Fire Code could bridge the gap. Fire Chief Chad Brown explained that alternative measures can be accepted for a limited period if the home can show credible momentum toward compliance, but Council also had to consider risk tolerance, legal exposure, and reputation. Cotton said the new home’s expected completion date was March 3, 2027, and discussions also touched on a forthcoming report about potential repurposing of the existing building.
Councillor St-Jean moved to refer the report back to staff to get costing for the alternative measures. Council carried that referral motion with a recorded vote. As a result, the main motion was referred, including the bylaw needed to execute the agreement.
Key Takeaways
Council is wrestling openly with how to fund basic safety and mobility projects, especially when reserve funds are limited and needs vary across wards.
The Integrity Commissioner file continues to shape Council’s tone around litigation, confidentiality, and public communication, and residents should expect more discussion when integrity services return to the agenda.
At H.J. McFarland, Council chose more information before action, signalling that major spending tied to compliance and long-term redevelopment will be weighed against clearer costing and timelines in the next round of reports.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:29:33. 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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