Thread by @LoveWilmot

Here's the agenda for this evening's council meeting, which starts at 7pm. Get the full package here bit.ly/2Ppx48t, watch live at bit.ly/3eBzQ31, or follow along here 👇

I'll be one of the delegations tonight, although I don't know at what time.

Mayor Armstrong begins the meeting by reconvening in open council, following an earlier closed meeting. He speaks about recognizing National Volunteer Week, which was last week.

Coun Gerber reads the land acknowledgement.

There's an addition to the agenda, to approve the appointment of an Interim CAO, following the departure of the previous CAO.

Sandy Jackson has been officially appointed Interim CAO with a unanimous vote from councillors.

The previous meeting's minutes have been approved.

The discussion about the draft by-law amendments has been deferred.

Mike Arndt is presenting the Township's Audited Financial Statement. Full details are in the agenda package on p125.

Coun Pfenning echoes Mr Arndt's praise for Wilmot's financial team. She asks him to contextualize the strong state of the Township's finances, to take into account future expenditures that will be coming (e.g. infrastructure).

Coun Fisher says the finance dept has done a fantastic job in a difficult year. Asks about tangible assets, and Patrick Kelly (Director of Finance) clarifies.

Coun Gordijk asks if the infrastructure tax is showed seperately in the audit documents. Mr Kelly says no, they're not; they're reflected in the top line.

RECOMMENDATION: THAT Report COR 2021-17 regarding the 2021 Annual Financial Report be received for information purposes.

Carried.

Next up is the Consent Agenda. A couple of items are being pulled from it for discussion. The remaining items have been approved.

Coun Gordijk asks Ms Jackson (Director of Facilities & Recreation Services) about the elevator in the New Hamburg Community Centre, which needed some mechanical improvements to meet code.

Coun Hallman asks when the splashpad will open. Ms Jackson says the province allows them to be open, but she doesn't have an exact date yet.

Coun Hallman asks of the old drinking fountain on Peel/Huron in NH. Ms Jackson says she will need to get back to her.

Coun Hallman asks Jeff Molenhuis (Director of Public Works) about an insurance matter.

Coun Hallman says she's pleased to see that the Baden Outlook will be featuring profiles of Wilmot's firefighters. She asks Rod Leeson (Fire Chief) if any of the community's other news publications could be included in this initiative.

Chief Leeson says that it would be counterproductive to include every publication.

The chief says the Township is looking into buying tablets as part of a program to engage local school students. He says a number of videos will be published soon for public viewing.

Coun Fisher, who publishes Baden Outlook, says the magazine is offering the space to the fire department free of charge.

Melissa Hammell, Cassidy Caron, Guy Freedman and Robert Watts from First Peoples Group are here to discuss the PM Path consultation.

Ms Hammell introduces herself and the team.

Ms Hammell talks about the consultation FPG led in Kingston with its SJAM statue. She describes the three S's which form part of FPG's assessments: Symbolic, Substantive, and Systemic.

Ms Caron describes this draft process that will be adapted to the community's needs as needed.

Coun Hallman says she's excited to work with FPG on the path to Wilmot's reconciliation. She asks if FPG will be reaching out to the Mississaugas of the Credit. Mr Freedman says yes, and asks council to put forward an envoy.

Coun Hallman asks for a description of the survey process. Ms Caron says that it hasn't been developed yet, although there has been a discussion with the Township's working group.

Coun Hallman says there are people in the community - particularly Indigenous residents - who prefer not to work with politicians, so is it possible for them to connect directly with FPG? Ms Hammell says yes.

There will also be one-on-one conversations between FPG and individual councillors. The public's names will not be included in reports, to provide anonymity and protect identities.

Coun Hallman says that one of the problems with the process in 2016 (which brought the project to Wilmot) was a lack of transparency. She asks fellow councillors to allow for agendas, minutes, and for Couns Fisher and Pfenning to be part of the working group.

Coun Gordijk says she believes that was the spirit of the original motion, and she thinks that's what all of council believed would happen. Mr Freedman says he's willing to work with however council decides.

Mr Watts says there are some aspects of the process (interviews) where privacy should be expected. Coun Hallman says general minutes would suffice.

Council has issued a direction to staff that will enable two councillors to be part of the consultation process (Fisher and Pfenning).

Coun Hallman asks about who will be responsible for paying for honorariums. Mr Freedman says this will only be paid to acknowledged elders.

Coun Hallman asks what historical data has been provided to date. Mr Freedman says this will be part of the information gathering exercise.

Coun Hallman asks about how recommendations are balanced, between Indigenous people and settlers. Mr Freedman says the process is about creating a safe space for people to feel they can share their opinions. He asks residents to trust FPG.

Coun Gordijk says she's cautious of the fact that the PM Path is on municipal property, rather than a park, like in Kingston. She wonders about other PM statues that would be coming in the future that may cause as much trauma as SJAM.

She's worried by the Indigenous opinions being outnumbered. Mr Freedman says as an Indigenous person, he has never felt outnumbered by Canadians, when it comes to being heard.

Mr Watts is talking about making sure voices get counted that usually get discounted. He says FPG will create a safe space for all voices to be heard. It's about finding dignity.

Coun Fisher ask FPG to talk about some of their previous work. Mr Freedman describes some of the team's successes and projects.

I just gave a delegation via Zoom. This is a transcript of the main part.

Resident John Bailey is the next delegation and is discussing some of his concerns with the consultation process. He mentions how the PM Path was rejected by both City of Kitchener and Wilfrid Laurier before Mayor Armstrong and the former CAO.

He describes the lack of discussion and transparency in 2016.

Mr Bailey mentions that Mayor Armstrong is the only member of council who doesn't read the land acknowledgment at the beginning of council meetings.

He questions the viability of the PM Path project as financial donations are unlikely now. He suggests a private location would be more appropriate than a municipally owned one.

He says there are a lot of white settlers who want the PM Path to continue, but also many white settlers who want it to end.

Mr Bailey says Wilmot will not accept racism here.

Next delegation is New Hamburg resident Cheyenne Thorpe, who is of Indigenous heritage. She says that despite the comments of a council member, she does not consider herself an outsider.

She says the PM Path consultation is coming at a time of active racism in our community. She refers to the sharing of a WLM video by Mayor Armstrong, when he was asked to denounce white supremacists, but refused.

Ms Thorpe asks if the mayor can see the connection between the WLM video and refusal to denounce white supremacists, and the WLM posters last week.

Coun Hallman says there are members of the community who are Indigenous who are scared to come forward to be part of the FPG consultation. She says she's sorry to Ms Thorpe and wishes she had been a better ally last summer.

Coun Pfenning acknowledges that people having to relive trauma and retelling their stories causes further harm.

Mr Freedman assures Ms Thorpe that part of the process will be consulting with community members, including the delegations who spoke this evening.

The next speaker is Nancy Burris (sp?). She sapys it needs to be noted that Mayor Armstrong understands Indigenous people because he used to be married to someone of Indigenous background.

She asks for better communication about the consultation process. Ms Burris says she emailed Coun Hallman on Saturday about the PM Path but it was not acknowledged. She suggests it's because she doesn't want the public to know about the process.

Ms Burris says it's a coincidence that the WLM posters were reported on by people who have been talking about the amount of racism in Wilmot (Couns Hallman and Gordijk, and John Bailey).

Coun Hallman corrects Ms Burris that she did not find the posters herself; it was found by a resident who sent it to her, and she forwarded it to the police.

She adds that she's waiting to hear from Indigenous people on her mailing list about whether it would be appropriate to share the information about the PM Path.

Ms Burris says she doesn't understand why Coun Hallman won't share information that's on the Township's website.

Pat and Dennis Mighton are up next. Pat says she's looking forward to the process beginning. She says that she's upset that Coun Hallman didn't inform residents that FPG would be introduced tonight. (It was announced by the Township last week.)

Pat asks how residents will be notified about process. Coun Hallman suggests contacting the clerk.

(I don't understand why this is being dumped on an individual councillor, rather than the municipality, specifically Dawn Mittelholtz, Dir of Clerk's Services/Dir of Information)

David Atkinson is next to speak. He says racism is unacceptable. He says a small number of residents, including some who have spoken tonight, and some councillors. He says it's irresponsible to paint the whole town as racist.

He says Wilmot residents deplore racism in all forms. He criticizes Coun Gordijk for describing the racist underbelly in Wilmot (quoted in the Record on Friday).

Coun Pfenning says that at no time has she said that the majority of Wilmot residents are racist. She says she has never claimed that, and has stated the opposite. She suggests Mr Atkinson read her previous statements.

Mr Atkinson says he wants to decouple racism from the the PM Path project.

Coun Gordijk says that she doesn't believe all Wilmot residents are racist, but there is racism here. She lists some racist incidents and says there is a current of racism here.

She stands with IBPOC community.

Mr Atkinson objects to the use of the word "underbelly" to describe white supremacy in Wilmot.

Amy Coslovich is next. She says everyone here should denounce the descriptions of racism. She says that the fight against white supremacy and racism is happening across the world, not just here. She objects to Wilmot being painted as being filled with racists.

She says she's pleased that the FPG will be leading the consultation. She thinks the PM Path could be used to counter racism.

Coun Pfenning points out that some of the previous delegations have their hands raised on Zoom, asking to speak again.

Cheyenne Thorpe is back. She says FPG is getting a good glance at the uphill battle at hand.

She points out that the questions about whether or not Wilmot is racist is only directed at the women on council. She points out that some delegations have dismissed the harm caused by SJAM. She says that it's not BIPOC nor women nor council who have been racist.

Ms Thorpe says they have been the ones who are seeking to educate.

John Bailey is back. He says whenever he speaks as a delegation at council, he hears from so many people who say they are scared to speak up due to a possible backlash.

He praises Coun Gordijk for acknowledging racism in Wilmot. He says Coun Gordijk (and me) have done a lot for the community, along with other councillors, and it's abhorrent to suggest certain councillors are seeking to destroy he community.

Dave Atkinson is speaking again. He says we need to speak to each other, not over each other. He says he only addressed Coun Gordijk because she was quoted in the Record.

At Coun Hallman's urging, Mayor Armstrong tells Mr Atkinson he needs to observe decorum.

Coun Gerber says he appreciates the patience of FPG.

Coun Pfenning refers to Mr Atkinson's statement just now that if you're not quoted in the news, he'll leave you alone.

The FPG part of the meeting is wrapping up.

Coun Gerber says he's looking forward to nation-building together.

Coun Hallman says she's looking forward to the reconciliation journey.

Coun Pfenning adds her thanks. She says what keeps her going is hope.

On to other business. Andrew Martin (Manager of Planning/EDO) is giving a brief presentation about a Sign By-law Variance for Cressman Meats.

The recommendation has been approved.

Next: announcements. Coun Hallman mentions an uptick of crime in New Dundee and reminds people to lock their doors. She also asks people to register for their COVID vaccinations.

Coun Gerber congratulates Lacey Smith (Youth Action Council) on her new-born baby.

Coun Pfenning also talks about registering for a vaccination and asks people to reach out to council members if they need assistance.

We're adjourned at 10:49pm.