Part 2: School Food Advocacy, Septic Action, and 2024 Meeting Debate — 09/26/2023

This section breaks down who spoke, how councillors voted, and how decisions came together during the meeting. It follows the agenda and points out where Council agreed, where there were concerns, and what actually changed before the final votes.

A lot of the discussion was driven by real issues people are dealing with, especially around septic rules and rising costs. At the same time, Council made decisions on things like school food, local fundraising, and how meetings will run next year. Together, it gives a clear picture of what Council focused on and what it could mean for people across the County.

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School Food Advocacy and Funding Support

When it came to school food, Councillor Bill Roberts was the clearest voice pushing Council to move beyond sympathy and into advocacy. Roberts formally introduced the resolution to endorse the Coalition for Healthy School Food, tying it to food insecurity already being felt by local families. Councillor Phil St-Jean seconded the motion, and Council voted unanimously in favour, signaling full political support across all wards.

Earlier in the night, Councillor Janice Maynard connected the issue to her own family experience and asked practical questions about involving local farmers, while Mayor Steve Ferguson framed the issue as both a social and economic concern. The unanimous vote means Prince Edward County is now officially on record supporting a national school food program, adding its voice to pressure on senior governments.

Feed the Meter Campaign and Local Fundraising

On the Feed the Meter campaign, Council again showed alignment. Councillor Roberts led the procedural push to move from discussion to action, while staff explained how a voluntary road toll could work safely and with proper coordination. No councillor spoke against the idea, and the amended motion passed with Council directing staff to help the Hastings Prince Edward Learning Foundation carry it out.

This approval gives the foundation the ability to move ahead with a public facing fundraiser tied directly to local schools, at a time when rising food costs are stretching existing nutrition budgets.

Septic System Concerns Raised by Residents

The most pointed discussion came from public comments about septic systems, and those comments clearly landed with councillors. Wendy Russell and Oliver Wigington spoke as residents and builders dealing with long approval timelines, unclear requirements, and rising project costs tied to servicing reports and peer reviews.

Their comments prompted follow up questions from Councillor Janice Maynard, who focused on timelines and housing impacts, and set the stage for Council to address the issue formally later in the meeting.

Council Motion on Septic Criteria and Clarity

The septic concerns turned into direct action when Councillor St-Jean introduced a motion directing staff to prepare a report on septic system criteria. The motion was seconded by Councillor Roberts. Councillor Maynard proposed expanding the scope to make the report countywide rather than focused only on Bloomfield, and St-Jean agreed.

Council voted in favour with no recorded opposition. This matters because it moves septic requirements out of informal interpretation and into a public Council report, where expectations can be clearly explained before residents and builders commit time and money.

How Council and Committees Will Meet in 2024

The debate on how Council and committees meet showed more difference in perspective, even though the final vote passed. Councillor Sam Branderhorst raised concerns from the Accessibility Committee about virtual meetings creating barriers and affecting quorum. Councillor Roy Pennell questioned whether fewer summer meetings were leading to workload pressure later in the year.

On the other side, Councillor Phil Prinzen and Councillor Phil St-Jean spoke against hybrid meetings, describing them as awkward and inefficient. Mayor Steve Ferguson supported the staff recommendation, arguing that virtual meetings generally improve access and that special meetings should only be called when necessary. Council ultimately voted to approve the 2024 meeting schedule and continue electronic meetings with a limited in person option.

Board of Health Resignations

Two announcements stood out even though no vote was taken. Councillor Hirsch and Councillor Kate MacNaughton both announced their intention to resign from the Prince Edward Hastings Board of Health. Their statements focused on dissatisfaction with how ongoing labour disputes were being handled, putting public pressure on the board and signaling internal strain at the regional health level.

What This Means for PEC Residents

Families in every ward should expect continued attention on school food access, with Council now formally supporting both local fundraising and a national program.

Residents in Bloomfield, Wellington, Picton, and rural areas planning construction or renovations involving septic systems should watch for the upcoming staff report, which may clarify requirements and reduce costly surprises.

People who sit on advisory committees or follow municipal decision making should expect most meetings to remain online in 2024, which may improve access for some while creating challenges for others depending on internet service.

Residents who rely on public health services should be aware that the resignations from the Board of Health point to governance tensions that may surface again at Council in the months ahead.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 3:04:34. 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.