Thread by @LoveWilmot

Tonight's council meeting begins at 7pm, preceded by a closed meeting at 6pm. Get the agenda package at calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalen…, watch live at youtube.com/channel/UCcA8f…, or follow along here 👇

The start of tonight's council meeting is running a bit late, due to the closed meeting that was before it.

Mayor Armstrong gets things started and reconvenes in open council. He extends condolences to families affected by the mass grave in Kamloops. He says we all have to do our part to effect change. Reminds people that tomorrow marks the start of National Indigenous History Month.

After a minute's silence, Coun Fisher reads the land acknowledgement.

The minutes of the previous council meeting have been approved.

First up is a public meeting regarding the Development Charges Update Study (see p85). Patrick Kelly (Director of Finance) is presenting his report.

Andrew Granda from economists Watson & Associates is delegating to council. (See p88)

This is Mr Granda's overview of the proposed schedule of charges presentation.

Next steps:

The report has been received for information purposes.

Next: The Cultural Heritage Landscape Study (CHL). Harold O'Krafka (Director of Development Services) introduces Christopher DeGeer (University of Waterloo Heritage Resource Centre) who is giving a presentation. The staff report begins on page 103.

From the report: "Identifying and conserving cultural heritage resources that are significant to a community is an important part of planning for and managing change...

...It necessitates and highlights the important integration of Policy and Development Planning with Heritage and Culture programs and activities."

How to get engaged:

Coun Hallman asks is the U of W has a way to reach out to the Indigenous community. Mr DeGeer lists the methods.

Coun Gordijk asks about culturally sensitive areas, such as burial grounds, and follows up with a question about protecting areas of the Haldimand Tract.

Coun Pfenning says she's looking forward to the result. Mr DeGeer says he's also looking forward to working on the study. O'Krafka says there's a link on the Township's website that will take them to the engagement exercise wilmot.ca.

Next is the Consent Agenda, which has only one item - Notice of Procedural By-law Amendments (see p114). The report is approved.

Next up is RFT Award Administration Building/Castle Kilbride HVAC & Boiler Equipment Replacement, which is being presented by Sandy Jackson (Director of Facilities & Recreation Services) - see p149.

Coun Hallman says the work is absolutely necessary because they'll protect the health and wellbeing of people in our community.

Coun Pfenning asks about the expected life of the system. Ms Jackson says the expected life of new equipment is 20 years (estimated).

RECOMMENDATION
THAT RFT 2021-22 be awarded to Keith’s Plumbing & Heating Inc. for the supply and installation of new HVAC & Boiler equipment, as per their submission dated May 18, 2021, in the amount of $930,313 including HST.

Carried.

Mayor Armstrong announces that the Pride flag will be raised at the admin building tomorrow at 9am. It will be raised at all other municipal buildings on the 9th, where flags are currently at half mast.

Coun Pfenning says she'll be reading a portion of a letter she's written to the PM, about the 215 children whose remains have been discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops. She warns that sections of it might be distressful to viewers/listeners.

(In 2009, the government declined to spend $1.5 million on studies of the grounds at former residential schools to identify burial grounds.)

Coun Pfenning asks for people to send their own messages of support for the Indigenous community.

Coun Hallman has a Notice of Motion.

Because the Notice wasn't available in advance, there needs to be approval from two-thirds of council to proceed with it. All five councillors vote to proceed, and they all vote in favour of the motion.

Coun Fisher praises the food bank drive in Baden at the weekend.

Coun Gordijk says it's been a hard weekend to process the news and the pain of our community. She thanks Coun Pfenning for her words and bringing a voice to the pain of our community. She says her heart is breaking and she can't find the right words. She also thanks Coun Hallman.

We're adjourned at 8:05pm.