County of Brant Council Minutes — February 28, 2023

Agenda

1. Delegation – Tigercat International Inc. (Steve Crosby and Ken MacDonald)
2. Delegation – Family Physician Recruitment Taskforce (Lebene Numekevor and Sandra Vos)
3. Delegation – Brant County SPCA (Cheyanne Richardson and Robin Kuchma)
4. Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings
5. RPT-0130-23 – Paris Business Improvement Area (BIA) 2023 Board Executive Appointments and Annual Budget
6. Consent Items to be Received
7. Planning and Development Committee Report – February 7, 2023
8. Policy Development and Strategic Direction Committee Report – February 14, 2023
9. Administration and Operations Committee Report – February 21, 2023
10. RPT 127-23 – 2023 Proposed Budget
11. Committee of the Whole – 2023 Budget Report (January 12, January 18, February 2, and February 21)
12. RPT 74-23 – Council Appointments to Emergency Management Program and Investment Committees
13. RPT 123-23 – Request from Tigercat Inc. for Late Payment of Development Charges at 160 Consolidated Drive
14. Resolution – Parking By-law Amendments at 95 Lorne Card Drive
15. In Camera Session
16. By-laws

Votes at a Glance

#	Motion	Result	Tally
1	Paris BIA 2023 Board Executive Appointments and Annual Budget (RPT-0130-23) be approved	Passed	unanimous
2	Receive as information: GRCA, Long Point CA, Shuniah petition, Library minutes, Via Rail letter, Police Board, Library Jan minutes	Passed	unanimous
3	Receive as information: City of Brantford Housing Support positions, Shared Social Services budget, John Noble Home minutes	Passed	unanimous
4	Approve Planning & Development Committee recommendations 1-2 and 4-7 of February 7, 2023	Passed	unanimous
5	Amendment to add reasons for refusal to ZBA44-22-DN (409 German School Road)	Passed	unanimous
6	Refuse ZBA44-22-DN (409 German School Road) rezoning application as amended	Passed	unanimous
7	Approve Policy Development & Strategic Direction Committee recommendations 1, 3, and 5 of February 14, 2023	Passed	unanimous
8	Amendment to referral of Fence/Swimming Pool By-law: add wording to re-write by-law to meet intention of resolution	Passed	unanimous
9	Refer Fence By-law and Swimming Pool By-law back to committee to incorporate temporary pools definition and re-write by-law	Deferred	unanimous
10	Amendment to Council and Committee Structure rec #4: delay A&O Committee day meeting until Clerks has staff capacity for virtual advisory committees	Passed	unanimous
11	Approve RPT 69-23 Council and Committee Structure as amended (rename committee, revise meeting schedule)	Passed	unanimous
12	Approve Administration and Operations Committee report of February 21, 2023	Passed	unanimous
13	Remove Brant Power Reserve Fund funding from 2023 budget and amend Committee of the Whole recommendation #7	Failed	unanimous
14	Amend Committee of the Whole recommendation #7: approve 2023 Operating Budget $68,304,328 and Capital Budget $100,719,456	Passed	unanimous
15	Approve Committee of the Whole 2023 Budget Report (Jan 12, Jan 18, Feb 2, Feb 21) as amended	Passed	unanimous
16	Appoint Cllr Peirce to Emergency Management Program Committee and as Acting Mayor for Emergency Management Plan	Passed	unanimous
17	Appoint Cllr Oakley to the Investment Committee	Passed	unanimous
18	Appoint Cllr Miller to the Investment Committee	Passed	unanimous
19	Approve Tigercat International Inc. late payment of development charges at 141 Consolidated Drive until occupancy or Oct 1, 2024	Passed	9–2
20	Amend Parking By-law 004-19 to add parking restrictions at 95 Lorne Card Drive / Tom Brown Drive area	Passed	unanimous
21	Approve Policy Development and Strategic Direction Committee In-Camera report	Passed	unanimous
22	Approve Administration and Operations Committee In-Camera report	Passed	unanimous

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Full Minutes

4.1. Delegation – Tigercat International Inc. (Steve Crosby and Ken MacDonald)

Steve Crosby, Vice President of Manufacturing at Tigercat International Inc., outlined the company's product lines and plans to build a new manufacturing facility in the County of Brant. He requested that payment of Development Charges for the new facility be deferred until occupancy in late 2024, and that staff be given authority to negotiate the interest rate on those charges. Crosby noted the new facility would add 500–600 local jobs. The delegation was referred to item 9.3 for further consideration.

4.2. Delegation – Family Physician Recruitment Taskforce (Lebene Numekevor and Sandra Vos)

Representatives from the Family Physician Recruitment Taskforce presented on their goals and successes, including recruiting 48 physicians since 2018 with a 97% retention rate. They requested County funding of $12,000 for 2023/2024, $24,000 for 2024/2025, and $36,000 for 2025/2026. Council received the delegation as information and referred the input to the County of Brant Physician Recruitment Program.

4.3. Delegation – Brant County SPCA (Cheyanne Richardson and Robin Kuchma)

The Brant County SPCA presented on its programs and services, including adoptions, fostering, and spay/neuter initiatives. The SPCA is planning a new animal shelter and asked the County to support the build in principle, with a financial plan to be presented during the 2024 budget process. Council received the delegation and agreed to support the new shelter build in principle.

5. Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings

Council approved the minutes from the January 31, 2023 regular Council meeting, the February 7, 2023 Special Council meeting, and the February 16, 2023 Special Council meeting.

7.1.1. RPT-0130-23 – Paris Business Improvement Area (BIA) 2023 Board Executive Appointments and Annual Budget

Council approved the 2023 executive board appointments and annual budget for the Paris Business Improvement Area. By-laws to formally appoint the BIA executive board members and approve the budget were directed to be brought forward to Council for consideration.

7.2. Consent Items to be Received

Council received a package of informational items including minutes and correspondence from various bodies such as the Grand River Conservation Authority, Long Point Region Conservation Authority, Municipality of Shuniah, County of Brant Public Library, City of Brantford (regarding Via Rail cancellations), and the Police Services Board. Items related to City of Brantford housing positions, shared social services budget, and John Noble Home minutes were considered separately due to a conflict of interest declared by Councillor Garneau.

8.1. Planning and Development Committee Report – February 7, 2023

Council considered several planning and zoning matters from the February 7 committee meeting. These included deferring a zoning application at 510 Brant-Waterloo Road, approving a telecommunications tower at 120 Golf Links Road, refusing a zoning amendment at 409 German School Road (with reasons including it being inconsistent with the Additional Residential Unit Policy and setting a problematic precedent), and approving zoning changes at 655 Watt's Pond Road, 238 Third Concession Road, and 35 Indian Line. The March 7 Planning and Development Committee meeting was also cancelled.

8.2. Policy Development and Strategic Direction Committee Report – February 14, 2023

Council addressed several policy matters including adopting a new Fireworks By-law, referring a new Fence and Swimming Pool Enclosure By-law back to committee to clarify rules around temporary pools, endorsing a revised planning application review process to comply with provincial Planning Act changes, approving changes to the Council and Committee structure (including renaming and rescheduling committees), and approving the renaming of Jury Lane to Kipp's Lane.

8.3. Administration and Operations Committee Report – February 21, 2023

Council approved a wide-ranging committee report covering topics including the Burford Town Square arts and heritage strategy, a taxi fare waiting time increase from $40 to $50 per hour, numerous parking and traffic changes across the County (including a new all-way stop at Silver Street and Oak Avenue in Paris), seasonal river access parking permits for 2023, advisory committee appointments and minutes from Heritage, Communities Improvement Plan, Tourism, Brant Connects, and Accessibility committees. A resident communication opposing the four-way stop at Oak Avenue and Silver Street was also discussed.

9.1. RPT 127-23 – 2023 Proposed Budget

The General Manager of Corporate Services presented the 2023 budget options. A motion to remove funding from the Brant County Power Reserve Fund from the 2023 budget was defeated. Council then approved an amendment to the Committee of the Whole's budget recommendation, setting the 2023 Operating Budget at $68,304,328 and the Capital Budget at $100,719,456, with specific funding sources including reserves, debt, and the Contingency Reserve for studies affected by provincial Bill 23.

8.4. Committee of the Whole – 2023 Budget Report (January 12, January 18, February 2, and February 21)

Council approved the full package of 2023 budget decisions developed over multiple Committee of the Whole sessions. This included approving numerous service and staffing decision packages, tax ratios for various property classes, use of the Brant County Power Reserve for fire decontamination and a leachate offloading station, a draw from the Contingency Reserve to reduce the tax levy, and a direction for the 2024 budget starting point. The final operating and capital budgets were approved as amended.

9.2. RPT 74-23 – Council Appointments to Emergency Management Program and Investment Committees

Council made several committee appointments: Councillor Peirce was appointed to the Emergency Management Program Committee and designated as Acting Mayor for emergency management purposes when the Mayor is unavailable. Councillors Oakley and Miller were each appointed to the Investment Committee.

9.3. RPT 123-23 – Request from Tigercat Inc. for Late Payment of Development Charges at 160 Consolidated Drive

Staff reviewed a request from Tigercat International Inc. to defer payment of Development Charges on a new facility until occupancy or October 1, 2024, whichever comes first. Council approved the deferral and authorized staff to negotiate a Late Payment Agreement with an interest rate reflecting the financial cost to the County. The vote was recorded at 9 in favour and 2 opposed.

11.1. Resolution – Parking By-law Amendments at 95 Lorne Card Drive

In response to resident safety concerns at the corner lot at 95 Lorne Card Drive in Paris, Council approved new no-parking restrictions on Tom Brown Drive and Lorne Card Drive to improve visibility and safety when travelling around the curve. The estimated cost of $800 was available in the 2023 Sign Operating budget, and an amending by-law was directed to be prepared.

13. In Camera Session

Council met in closed (In Camera) session to discuss litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals. Following the closed session, Council approved the In Camera reports from both the Policy Development and Strategic Direction Committee and the Administration and Operations Committee.

14. By-laws

Council gave first, second, and third readings to 15 by-laws covering a range of matters approved at this meeting, including zoning amendments for three properties, a new Fireworks By-law, a street renaming, committee appointments, parking and traffic by-law amendments, debenture authorization for $36,012,850, Paris BIA appointments and user fee, a new Fire Chief appointment, a public transit funding agreement, and the confirming by-law.

This post was automatically generated by BrantVotes from the official County of Brant council minutes. Always refer to the official minutes for authoritative records.