Council Highlights - April 6, 2021
View the full agenda package for Council
Town to assist with programs at Centennial Park tennis court
Based on the needs of the Pelham Tennis Association (PTA), and the resources the Town of Pelham currently utilizes, a partnership would benefit both parties, and would lead to successful programming and further opportunities for community involvement. This would help to alleviate the stress of the PTA members, while also providing an opportunity for the Town to offer programs, leading to additional revenue, while also supporting a growing demographic of tennis and pickleball players who are already advocates of the Town facilities they currently utilize.
Through this partnership, the Town of Pelham will:
a) Provide safe facilities; clean and sanitized washrooms; maintaining courts; provide a way to control access.
b) Provide all programming by taking registration, instructor contracts and bookings, while also developing a plan for and monitoring contactless screening of participants for contact tracing
c) Retain all program revenues to offset operating costs
d) The marketing and advertising of programs, lessons and memberships both through the Town website and social media platforms
e) Providing program insurance, as well as costs associated with being a member of the Ontario Tennis Association and the Ontario Pickleball Association.
f) Promoting both tennis and pickleball volunteer opportunities through the existing volunteer data base, as well as through advertising, seeking passionate players who will take on active roles in a meaningful way
g) Expanding on existing programming (ex. Adding after school programs, senior/retiree’s programs, opportunities for beginners)
Through this partnership, the Pelham Tennis Association would be responsible for:
a) Purchasing portable pickleball nets to be used on multipurpose courts to allow for additional playing space
b) Contributing to the payment for painting additional lines on multipurpose courts if required
c) Organizing volunteers to advocate for the facility, assist during busy program times and monitor the condition of the courts
d) Organizing volunteers to help assist new players, teaching them the basics of the game
e) Organize a strong group of both tennis and pickleball volunteers to work together to develop, promote and advance the interest of both racquet sports in Pelham
The community is eager to get out and be active after a long winter season at home, and many inquiries have been received awaiting an opening date for Pelham’s community courts. The Recreation, Culture and Wellness Department is prepared to open these locations when possible, and will have portable washrooms available on site until park washrooms open in the spring.
2021 Gypsy Moth management program
Lallemand Inc. /Bioforest (BioForest) worked in conjunction with staff to develop aerial spray blocks to fit within the available spray budget. Consideration was given to the Gypsy Moth Management Policy S802-03, as well as, the 2021 defoliation forecast, and a number of other criteria. To allow the 2021 Gypsy Moth Aerial Spray Program to be implemented, and to allow for the aerial application of Btk to manage gypsy moth population on both public and private lands, the existing By-Law 4208(2020) is required to be repealed and replaced with By-Law 4334(2021) to include the spray blocks identified.
A key component to the overall 2021 gypsy moth management strategy is communication. Staff have developed a communications plan including print and social media posts outlining the Town’s plan and approach to managing the infestation, as well as home control methods. Bang the Table will be utilized in lieu of Public Meetings to satisfy the requirements of Policy S802-03. As proposed in the 2020-PW-24 Gypsy Moth Services Project, BioForest has developed a Forest Health Volunteer Program with the purpose of increasing the knowledge and awareness of forest health issues in the community. The program will help build a motivated group of volunteers, and engage them in activities that assist the Town with forest health and pest management.
The implementation of aerial spray application over urban/residential areas is highly specialized. Low-level, aerial spraying over residential areas requires the use of a double-engine helicopter, as well as, federal and provincial permits. Staff have explored options for aerial spray service providers, including competitors in the rural spraying industry. Staff have confirmed that Zimmer Air Services remains the only applicator in eastern Canada with the ability to spray over urban/residential areas. As a result, it is necessary to enter into a non-competitive procurement contract with Zimmer Air Services as don in 2009, 2019, and 2020.
Council will not adopt proxy voting
Since the Council meeting of February 1, 2021, only one example has been found as it pertains to the use of proxy appointments, being the Region of Peel.
The Region of Peel is the upper tier level of government encompassing Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga. Peel Regional Council is comprised of 25 members including a Regional Chair, the Mayors of Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga and Council Members representing wards from each city or town. Some Regional Councillors from Brampton and Caledon represent two wards from the lower tier. Mississauga is represented by each of its Ward Councillors.
The City of Mississauga is the only municipality using proxy voting, as it does not have the option of appointing alternatives whereas Brampton and Caledon have this capability, due to the shared representative capacity. To further explain, for the City of Mississauga, all local municipal councillors sit at the Regional level as well as the City Council. In contrast, Brampton and Caledon each have some Regional representatives serving two local wards, and have the ability to appoint an alternate local Councillor to attend the upper tier meeting in their absence. Mississauga was afforded the opportunity to appoint a proxy at the Regional table, but may only appoint a fellow Mississauga Councillor to vote on its behalf. If this rationale were to be applied to Pelham, it would equate to representation by Ward, meaning that a Ward One Councillor could only appoint the other Ward One Councillor as their proxy, and the same for Wards Two and Three.
For the reasons outlined in the February 1, 2021 Report analysis, staff is not recommending the adoption of Proxy voting given the fact that a proxy appointee does not count toward quorum and that a legal meeting can occur as long as a quorum is achieved and maintained. This Council has not found it necessary to cancel or postpone any meetings due to lack of quorum.