MINUTES
Joint Council Meeting
Hilton Township /
Incorporated Village of Hilton Beach
Jocelyn Township / Township of St. Joseph
April 24 , 2002
Councils from all four
municipalities met at the Hilton Community Hall. Present for the Village
were Reeve Hore and Councillors Crack, Hope and Stevens; for the Township
of Hilton were Reeve Wood and Councillors Fischer, Leask and See; for the
Township of Jocelyn were Reeve Yandeau and Councillors Bates, Chisholm,
DeLuca and Wierzbicki; and for the Township of St. Joseph were Reeve
Aelick and Councillors Hall, Sabine, Vernelli and Wildman.
Reeve Hore called the
meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Maureen Wooder presented the
Museum Board budget for the year 2002. It was noted how onerous the
requirements had become for obtaining the provincial operating grant of
$1200 and the merit of satisfying those requirements was questioned. The
levies for each of the municipalities remained the same as last year. The
2002 Museum Board budget was approved in principle, as presented.
Bryon Hall presented the
Planning Board budget for the year 2002. The budget included an
expenditure of $45,000, which is hoped to fund the majority of the cost of
the new Official Plan. The levies for each of the municipalities remained
the same as last year. The 2002 Planning Board budget was approved in
principle, as presented.
The use of road salt on
Highway 548 by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) was discussed.
Councillor Hope from the Village spoke on the issue and felt the excess
road salt was detrimental to vegetation, road surfaces, vehicles as well
as our water sources. He asked if there was an interest in pursuing
alternatives that might lessen the use of road salt while not compromising
the safety aspects. Councillor Hope offered to write the MTO on behalf of
the Island and set up a possible meeting that would include the Road
Superintendents and Reeves of each community.
As Acting Fire Chief for the
Township of St. Joseph, Councillor Wildman pointed out the shortcomings of
the civic addressing signs as they currently appear on Island properties.
He noted how difficult it is for the fire fighters to identify the correct
property when travelling down the rural roads and the placement of signs
is not consistent. When the Island adopted the civic addressing signs in
1995, there was an option of placing the sign on the house (as long as it
remained visible from the road) or parallel to the road. In hindsight, it
is clear that double-sided signs mounted perpendicular to the road would
be of a great deal more assistance in identifying a property. The
suggestion was made that all councils amend their original by-laws to
encourage new signs be double-sided and mounted perpendicular to the road.
It was also noted that residents be made aware that the need to obtain and
erect a civic number sign was a requirement and failure to do so could
result in a fine.
Reeve Yandeau addressed the
issue of individuals altering the state of unopened road allowances
without the knowledge or approval of respective councils. There have been
instances where individuals have worked on an unopened road allowance and
improved it to such a state that some people may consider it an opened
road and travel it unsuspecting of any danger. There were concerns
councils could be held responsible for any resulting personal injuries of
such users. While the public may have the right to access public roads,
they do not have the right to improve or change the condition of that road
without the express approval of council. The need for co-operation and
communication amongst loggers/snowmobilers/ municipal councils regarding
such issues is imperative.
The meeting was adjourned at
9:15 p.m.
_______________________________
Rodney I. Wood, Reeve
__________________________________
Valerie Obarymskyj, Clerk Treasurer
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