Village of Merrickville-Wolford Committee of the Whole Minutes

Meeting #:

Date:

Monday, March 10, 2025

Time:

3:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Location:

Council Chambers

Members Present

• Mayor Cameron
• Deputy Mayor Barr
• Councillor Gural
• Councillor Ireland
• Councillor Maitland

Staff Present

• Kirsten Rahm, Treasurer/Manager, Finance
• Julia McCaugherty-Jansman, Clerk
• Brad Cole, Fire Chief
• Dan Halladay, Chief Building Official
• Darlene Plumley, CAO
• Chad Kean, Manager of Public Works

Others Present

• Anthony Hommik, Senior Planner, Jp2g Consultants Inc. 

  Felicia Akbar, Royal Bank 

  Jordan Bress, Royal Bank

  Shawna Perkins, Royal Bank 

  Rob Thompson, Rob Thompson Construction Ltd.

  Mark Touw, Arcadis Professional Services Inc.

  Holly Crawford, Arcadis Professional Services Inc.

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m.

2.

Approval of Agenda

• Moved By Deputy Mayor Barr
  Seconded By Councillor Ireland

  THAT the Agenda for the Committee of the Whole Meeting held on March 10, 2025, be approved as presented.

  Carried

3.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof

None.

4.

Motions for Consideration

• Moved By Councillor Gural
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the Motions for Consideration document as presented.                      

  Carried

5.

Public Meeting

• Moved By Councillor Ireland
  Seconded By Mayor Cameron

  THAT the Committee of the Whole enter into a Public Meeting to consider the application to amend Zoning By-law 23-08, as amended, of the Village of Merrickville-Wolford, File Number ZBA-01-2025.

  Carried

5.1

ZBA-01-2025 (Rob Thompson Construction Ltd.)

Councillor Maitland as the Chair gave an overview of the proposed application and noted that this Public Meeting was to discuss a Zoning By-law amendment under Section 34 of the Planning Act. The Clerk stated that notice of Public Meeting was advertised on the Village website and publicly on February 7th, with a Public Meeting sign posted on the property on February 14th. Notices were mailed to properties within 120m on February 10th. All other notification requirements were met. Anthony Hommik, Manager of Planning Services/Senior Planner for Jp2g Consultants Inc. provided a brief overview of the Planning Report from Senior Planner Forbes Symon and the proposed zoning by-law amendment. 

The proposed Zoning amendment would serve to amend By-law 23-08, as amended, by permitting reduced lot frontage for 3 lots, permit Additional Residential Units (ARUs) on 12 lots and prohibit them on all other lots, to establish a site-specific watercourse setbacks, and to establish the required setback from County Road 15. 

Agency comments were received from RVCA and Enbridge Gas. No concerns were identified from either agency. One comment was submitted from the public. It did not meet the deadline for inclusion within the March 10th agenda package but will be included with the documents when the draft zoning by-law amendment is brought back to Council for final consideration and decision. 

The applicant provided a brief presentation of the application and its purpose. They confirmed that the minimum lot size is 0.2 ha and that all lots meet this proposed lot size. 

Deputy Mayor Barr asked about the wording included in the Planning Act that states that ARUs cannot be prohibited. She inquired about the use of the word prohibition of ARUs in the proposed amendment. Senior Planner Anthony Hommik stated that this provision applies to fully serviced urban lots that have water and sewer, and that this same permission or prohibition does not extend to rural lots. He noted that the ability of rural lots to accommodate ARUs are dependent on the hydrogeological assessment. 

The opportunity was provided for members of the public to comment. No comments from the public were offered.

Council had no further questions pertaining to the application.

Councillor Maitland closed the Public Meeting to consider File No. ZBA-01-2025.

• Moved By Councillor Gural
  Seconded By Mayor Cameron

  THAT the Committee of the Whole close the Public Meeting portion of the meeting and enter back into Committee of the Whole. 

  Carried

6.

Public Question Period to Committee

None.

7.

Presentations

7.1

Royal Bank - RBC Public Sector Banking Services Presentation

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the presentation from the Royal Bank regarding RBC public sector banking services. 

  Carried

8.

Delegations

None.

9.

Consent Agenda

Item 9.1 was requested to be pulled from the Consent Agenda by Councillor Ireland to discuss separately. 

• Moved By Councillor Ireland
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT item 9.2 listed under the Consent Agenda be accepted as presented.

  Carried
• Moved By Councillor Ireland
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT item 9.1 listed under the Consent Agenda be accepted as presented.

  Carried

9.1

Correspondence - Parkview Homes

9.2

Correspondence - Moderna Homes

10.

By-laws

None.

11.

Staff Reports

11.1

Public Works Department

11.1.1

Work Plan for Infrastructure Deficiencies

• Moved By Deputy Mayor Barr
  Seconded By Mayor Cameron

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report regarding the work plan for infrastructure deficiencies;

  AND FURTHER THAT the Committee directs staff to bring the final request for the proposed Terms of Reference and applicable costs for a Master Plan for the Infrastructure Deficiencies as outlined in this report to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting.

  Carried

11.1.2

CCTV Scope of Work Proposal

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Councillor Gural

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report regarding the CCTV Scope of Work Proposal;

  AND FURTHER THAT the Committee directs staff to bring the final request of the proposed CCTV of storm and sewers outlined in this report to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting;

  AND FURTHER THAT the proposed budgeted amount of $25,000 be drawn from the “Studies” in the 2025 Capital Water and Wastewater budget to cover the cost of this proposed scope of work.

  Carried

11.1.3

Award Geotechnical RFP

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report to Award the Geotechnical RFP;

  AND FURTHER THAT the Committee directs staff to bring the final request to award the Geotechnical RFP for Armstrong Road, Pioneer Road, and Bolton Road, to PRI Engineering for the total cost of $50,029.32, inclusive of non-recoverable HST to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting.

  Carried

11.1.4

Award Calcium Chloride Tender

The following wording was added as a friendly amendment to the motion for clarity: "with the additional funds of $2,080 being drawn from reserves." 

• Moved By Councillor Ireland
  Seconded By Councillor Gural

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report to Award the Calcium Chloride Tender;

  AND FURTHER THAT the Committee directs staff to bring the final request to award the Calcium Chloride Tender to Da Lee Dust Control at a cost of $0.388/L, at an anticipated volume of 160,000L, for an anticipated total cost of $62,080 (excluding HST), to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting, with the additional funds of $2,080 being drawn from reserves. 

  Carried

11.1.5

Award Re-Gravel Tender

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Deputy Mayor Barr

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report to Award the Re-Gravel Tender;

  AND FURTHER THAT the Committee directs staff to bring the final request to award various roads of the Re-Gravel Tender to D. McConnell Construction as outlined in this report to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting.

  Carried

11.1.6

In-Kind Requests - Public Works Department

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Councillor Ireland

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report outlining the detailed in-kind services provided by the Public Works Department as requested by Council at the February 24^th Regular Council Meeting.

  Carried

11.2

Fire Department/Emergency Management

11.2.1

In-Kind Requests - Fire Department

• Moved By Councillor Gural
  Seconded By Mayor Cameron

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report outlining the detailed in-kind services provided by the Fire Department as requested by Council at the February 24^th Regular Council Meeting.

  Carried

11.3

Finance Department

None.

11.4

Building Department

None.

11.5

CAO/Administration

11.5.1

Revised Committee Structure Report

• Moved By Deputy Mayor Barr
  Seconded By Mayor Cameron

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the report regarding the revised committee structure;

  AND FURTHER THAT Committee provide direction to staff to bring back to the March 24^th Regular Council Meeting for final consideration. 

  Carried

12.

Action Items

12.1

2025 Bursary Request Letter - St. Michael Catholic High School

The motion was changed by way of friendly amendment to receive for information only. The bursary amounts for high school graduations have been previously approved and allocated within the 2025 Budget. 

• Moved By Mayor Cameron
  Seconded By Councillor Ireland

  THAT the Committee of the Whole receive for information the bursary request letter from St. Michael Catholic High School Graduation Committee.

  Carried

13.

Discussion Items

None.

14.

Notices of Motion

None.

15.

Announcements/Statements from Members

Mayor Cameron acknowledged the Chef's dinner fundraiser event that happened on March 7th at Main Street Restaurant. The purpose and intent was to raise funds for an accessible washroom within the Village. He highlighted that this event raised more money than any other initiative that they have hosted. Mayor Cameron noted that the Chamber of Commerce has offered to match the total amount fundraised dollar for dollar. He offered congratulations to all participants and contributors to the successful event. He thanked Main Street Restaurant for organizing the event so quickly and reiterated that it was a tremendous success worth acknowledging. 

16.

Closed Session

None.

17.

Rise and Report

None.

18.

Adjournment

• Moved By Councillor Ireland
  Seconded By Councillor Gural

  THAT the Committee of the Whole adjourn at 4:31 p.m.

  Carried