Thread by @LoveWilmot

The Township of Wilmot council meeting for Monday, May 4 begins in a few minutes. Get the agenda at calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalen…. This will be held remotely (virtually), with participants joining from their homes. Listen live at youtube.com/channel/UCcA8f…, or follow along here 👇

Before we get started, kudos to the Township's technical staff for connecting this meeting's participants, who are all working from remote locations. Plus, the public can participate as delegations (like me), and follow the live stream on YouTube. That is far from simple!

Here's the live stream on YouTube:

Mayor Armstrong is beginning the meeting with a moment's silence to think of Vernon Erb frontline health workers.

Coun Hallman with the land acknowledgement.

No additions to the agenda. No disclosure of pecuniary interest.

Coun Gordijk with a correction/clarification to the minutes from March 25.

Minutes passed unanimously.

On to the Consent Agenda; no comments or questions. Motion to accept is carried.

Patrick Kelly (Director of Finance) presents a brief report about the 2020 Final Tax Levy.

Coun Gordijk asks if there will be a notice going out with tax bills about late fees etc. that were discussed at the last meeting.

Mr Kelly says corporate communications have been working on this, and he mentions the recently distributed newsletter.

Recommendation: Carried unanimously.

Mr Kelly with a report on the Statement of Operations for the first quarter. The impacts of COVID-19 aren't reflected in this, but future reports will contain those.

Coun Fisher with a question about insurance: will there be a discount as we aren't using our facilities.

Mr Kelly says premiums for 2020 are unlikely to be affected.

Coun Fisher also asks about the full-time hires before COVID-19. Mr Kelly says he believes four of the expected hirings have been deferred.

Bit of a technical glitch, which now seems to have been fixed. (Like I said earlier, this isn't easy!)

Mr Kelly's report has been received for information.

Next: Financial Impact Analysis (COVID-19) - report by Mr Kelly. Discussing the fiscal challenges and work by the Township to mitigate the impact on finances. Projects have been divided into three categories:

These are based on project urgency. A deficit of $135,000 is projected.

Coun Gerber asks if modelling assumes a return to normalcy at a particular date? Is this based on the current June 30 shutdown?

Mr Kelly: Based on the Region's projections, so yes, the June 30 date is relevant.

Coun Pfenning has a question, but her mic doesn't seem to be functioning. Dawn Mittelholtz (Director of Clerk's Services) suggests Coun Pfenning forwards her question so that the clerk can read it out.

Coun Fisher asks if any federal grants will be affected. Mr Kelly says he is part of a group that is liasing with government representatives. Relief has been requested by numerous municipalities, but there hasn't been any news yet.

Coun Fisher asks if Discover Your Wilmot has been launched yet. Mr Kelly: Not yet; Township is deferring it. Council will be advised when this is going to happen.

Still no audio contact with Coun Pfenning.

No other questions from council regarding the financial impacts. Mayor Armstrong notes it will be several months before we get back to normal.

Recommendation to accept the report is carried.

Up next: Wilmot and Church Street Reconstruction Phase 1 – Award of Contract. Report by Jeff Molenhuis (Director of Public Works) about the bidding process.

No questions from council. Recommendation to award the contract to to BEECH Infrastructure Group Ltd - carried unanimously.

Mr Molenhuis with a report on the Annual Surface Treatment Program – Award of Contract.

Comment from Coun Hallman that the community is excited to see this in the agenda.

Recommendation to award the contract to Cornell Construction Limited - carried.

Mr Molenhuis report about the Granular Extraction, Crushing & Stockpiling – Award of Contract.

Coun Fisher says there will be some excited people on Elizabeth St.

Recommendation to award the contract to Brantco Construction - carried.

Next: Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro Financial Statements and 2019 Annual Community Report.

No questions from council. A lengthy recommendation is being read by Mayor Armstrong. No questions or comments. Carried unanimously.

No notices of motions.

Announcements: Coun Hallman addresses the cancellation of New Dundee's Victoria Day celebrations. Notes that there will be no garage sales. Also mentions Firefighter Appreciation Day.

Coun Pfenning says that she appreciates the work being done by Township staff, especially the directors who are ensuring their workers are safe.

Coun Pfenning says that for her business, she's spent 90% of her time addressing COVID-19 related issues, and she assumes that the Township's directors are the same.

Coun Fisher thanks front line workers and grocery store workers. He also thanks Township staff.

Coun Gordijk thanks Chief Leeson work his work with other groups on last week's first responders parade past Nithview.

Coun Pfenning reminds people to order their Wilmot Stronger Together merchandise, and thanks Township staff for helping to get the new map on the website: wilmotstrongertogether.ca.

And we're adjourned at 7:49pm.

Don't know what happened to my delegation! I wasn't asked to speak.

Screenshot from this evening's @WilmotTownship virtual council meeting.