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I'm proud of my role in Algonquin Highlands' longstanding financial stability and that will continue when I'm Mayor.
We have a terrific combination of no debt, robust Reserves, continued investment across many sectors and minimal tax increases.
Amid existing pressures and competing needs, the pandemic wrought havoc on municipal operations across the province, but AH managed very well. The June 23, 2022 edition of The Highlander reported:
Township auditors Pahapill and Associates has commended Algonquin Highlands for the way it manoeuvred through the COVID-19 pandemic.
After providing a review of the municipality’s 2021 financials, which were described as being in excellent standing, chartered accountant Carl Pahapill said council and staff had done a good job of managing money through the pandemic and seeing several key projects to completion.
“My view is you’ve done exceptionally well. There were significant challenges [throughout COVID] and probably a non- financial challenge was the difficulty to maintain quality staff... You’ve done an excellent job there,” Pahapill said. “Algonquin Highlands is one of the best run municipalities we work with.”
The township concluded its 2021 financial year with no outstanding debt and financial assets, cash and cash equivalents totalling just over $8.2 million – up from almost $7.7 million in 2020.
There is no easy or painless resolution to the delivery of high speed to our community. The pain is real and felt broadly!
While progress has been made from Bell, Rogers, Xplornet and some small, private providers, they have all been challenged by the region’s geography and density; the latter meaning that many folks in AH are just too spread out to make the case for fibre.
While groups of people can (and have) pooled funds to get Bell fibre on their road, it’s not widely available for reasons of cost, access and distance, and this creates an inequity among taxpayers.
The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) was created to advocate on behalf of taxpayers in Eastern Ontario. It covers 45,000 square kilometres and includes 13 upper and single tier municipalities representing 90 local municipalities. The EOWC speaks with one voice ensuring its views are heard and considered by federal and provincial policy makers, business leaders, the media and the public.
The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is a non-profit organization created by the EOWC and dedicated to improving rural connectivity, supporting economic growth and enhancing our quality of life. EORN creates innovative public-private partnerships to address the digital divide in both cell and broadband service to support a stronger future for rural eastern Ontario.
AH already has a financial commitment to the EORN project through the County of Haliburton. As Mayor my door and mind will always be open to new ideas and strategies but the suggestion of going it alone to just "get" highspeed for everyone is fairly unrealistic and quite likely to be beyond the scope and capitalization of this township without enormous Tax Rate increases. It's also contrary to existing county-wide work on finding efficiencies to keep costs and red tape down for taxpayers.
Learn more about the EORN high speed cell project here.
The role and duties of a Mayor are entrenched in the Municipal Act; and there are legislative and procedural limitations to the role.
The Mayor is the only member of Council that has a substantive and direct working relationship with the CAO - so it needs to be a strong, fair, respectful relationship. As Deputy Mayor I've been heavily involved in the work of Council, but I've never had that executive role. As such, I look forward to developing my own executive leadership relationships, and bringing my experience, voice, and expectations to the process.
A Mayor is not "the boss", nor a singular decision-maker; they don't work with staff on day-to-day duties or projects, and they don't provide direction (that's the CAO's job).
A Mayor provides executive leadership to Council and is the 'link' between Council and Staff through the CAO. But decisions are made by all Councillors at the council table.
While being Mayor was once a part-time gig, it's now a full time role that goes far beyond regularly scheduled Council meetings. A Mayor needs to be ready to respond to whatever comes up, be that a Tuesday afternoon or three in the morning (in the case of emergencies).
Aside from regular and last-minute meetings there are community events on evenings and weekends, lots of public speaking and other representational roles such as ribbon-cuttings, cheque presentations, luncheons and dinners with local organizations - and even a golf invitation now and then! There's also a litany of correspondence, and a highly engaged public seeking information and assistance and discussion.
It's a busy job and I look forward to taking all I know and have learned and crafting it into a new voice at the head of the table.
Lake health is top of mind for me as Mayor, and I know it's very important to you. I’ll ensure that conversation continues.
Lake health isn’t just water quality, it’s water quantity, climate change, fisheries, calcium, septic systems, invasive species, Crown Land use, short term rentals, and even emergency management. That’s not a full list and many of those matters fall to upper levels of government.
Good work around many of these issues is already being done by different groups. That’s why County Council has supported the idea of forming a Watershed Council to consolidate the scientific data from lake associations, ULINKS, CEWF, CHA and others to create a county-wide consortium of knowledge and data. That’s where the facts and subsequent municipal decisions will come from.
The framework of a Watershed Council is being investigated now, and it’s my hope County Council will see a rough draft at its October meeting.
And let's remember … supporting lake health can, in certain circumstance, be at odds with other development ideas and the mandate/jurisdiction of other levels of government. We have Official Plans and Zoning Bylaws, so we can plan and protect.
An updated Airport Development Plan was approved in the 2022 budget, and while it's anticipated that an RFP will be developed and released prior to the end of the year, Council two years ago pressed the Pause button on the airport due to economic and other changes from the pandemic.
There are multiple misconceptions about the airport and it’s financial situation. While it’s true the airport does not make a profit, neither do most municipal facilities or departments. In fact, municipalities are prohibited from making a profit at all.
The airport’s losses are currently about $63,000 not the $450,000 being suggested by some; and that loss is significantly less than it was due to our ongoing vigilance in its operation.
There are suggestions that the airport must make a profit or be closed down or sold; however, it must be remembered that the airport is not only a valuable transition point for Forestry Firefighting, it's also the ministry's Northeastern Base with an existing long-term contractual obligation that can't be abandoned.
It's also an important conduit for the work of Hydro One, for air ambulance and for stocking lakes with fish in partnership with the Outdoors Association. Closing the airport would be a blow to these valuable community services.
As Mayor I’ll ensure future discussions involve cautious, incremental and viable action toward improving the airport's bottom line, and look at new ideas.
Please take the time to read the linked documents yourself, and feel free to touch base with any questions.
In essence, the purpose of the bylaw is to better manage the things we do on land that may negatively affect natural filters, wildlife habitat, aquatic creatures and other things vital to lake health, our lifestyles and local economy.
By way of history, County Council began entrenching shoreline protection into our community starting with the first iteration of the Tree Cutting By-law a number of years ago.
The initiative first garnered attention based on the work of Lake Stewards across the county, and what they were discovering about the lake health. That information, the findings of the Love Your Lake program and what we knew, and saw, was happening across the county, prompted County Council to unanimously agree that it was time to take a closer look.
The development of a protection bylaw was discussed in open meetings for four years in total. Those meetings were covered by local press, so it was a bit of a surprise when the issue was "discovered" by the public. Nothing was hidden or rushed but rather, has been a negotiated and thoughtful process - albeit a notably contentious one.
The development of the by-law attracted an incredible amount of attention, along with confusion, concern, and both support and opposition. Unfortunately, the issue was widely discussed on social media where speculation and misinformation fuelled the debate, and created a tremendous amount of angst. Based on my continuing conversations with the public, there's still significant misunderstanding of what the bylaw really means (see the basics at the bottom of this post).
Given the public feedback, Council resolved to take a step back and hire a consultant to take an independent look at the proposal. There was a robust engagement process, Open Houses, individual interviews and surveys. Members of Council each had what was likely hundreds of individual conversations in their own communities.
Our job is to listen to the people and fold the balance of those opinions into a multi-faceted decision-making process. All voices were heard, whether they were in support or opposition, and all of those voices helped craft and re-craft the process. Each iteration of the document came as a result of the terrific input that we received, all toward developing a more clear, and less onerous process.
Some feel the bylaw goes too far and others feel it doesn't go far enough. Some are upset with what they feel is control of their property and all of these positions are understood and respected.
In truth, though, municipalities have had some form of control over waterfront for many, many years in terms of setbacks, building size, building permits, fences, and more. The Shoreline Bylaw is not a newly created “land grab”.
There is little doubt that this work will continue. The by-law needs to be given a trial to see how it works, what needs modification and so on.
Meanwhile, it's my hope that the County will be placing much more emphasis on lake health overall. We will have to strengthen by-law enforcement, something that has often been voiced as a necessary component in our changing community .
Education programs need to be developed; encouragement provided; and incentives for restorative work along some shorelines will need discussion.
Each of the municipalities must continue with their Septic Inspection Programs, something which I've enthusiastically supported for Algonquin Highlands, and which will remain top of mind when I'm Mayor.
Ultimately, if new voices at the table want to revisit the bylaw, that's part of the democratic process. I will continue to support protective measures and hope we can all find our way to using what we've learned toward continuing to move forward.
Find the overview of the bylaw here.
See what the application looks like here.
Find the entire final Shoreline Bylaw here.
What needs a permt?
· Site alteration (blasting, filling or grading)
· Removal of natural vegetation
· Removal of a stump from a steep slope
What doesn't need a permit?
· Minor Landscaping
· Maintain or replace existing features like retaining walls or stairs
· Remove up to 25% of natural vegetation
· Prune and remove trees that are sick, dying or dangerous trees
· Limb trees to improve your view
· Activities associated with a Building Permit, the process for which remains with your local municipality
· Create an access to the lake less than 5 metres wide
· You can continue to mow your lawn*, maintain your garden, play on the beach, have a dock/deck/firepit/gazebo, etc.
* Property owners are strongly encouraged NOT to have lawns to the lake and to work toward re-naturalization
What will it cost?
It’s estimated that the enhanced shoreline program will cost approximately $175,000 in its first year with its implementation date of April 2023. Annually thereafter, it is anticipated to cost $200,000. Additionally, County Council has expressed interest in an over-arching lake health program to consolidate the stewardship efforts of many excellent community organizations. See the note on Lake Health to learn more about this.
This isn't necessarily an election issue as most candidates seem to be on the same page.
Algonquin Highlands began looking at solutions for the concerns about Short Term Rentals in the spring of 2020. The idea was to find a way to manage, not eliminate, such rentals because we understand the value they bring to the community.
In 2021 all four lower tiers delegated authority for the issue to the County of Haliburton in order to provide a unified approach across the county.
There has been extensive research, detailed reports including community comparators, substantial consultation and robust public participation.
County Council is looking at starting with a registration program and moving to a licensing system as the program develops, similar to many other communities. The last meeting on this topic was August 10, 2022 and the work continues.
A management program supports a safe, organized rental market that remains beneficial to visitors, property owners, neighbours and the local economy.
Staff and consultant’s reports on this issue can be found on published agendas via the County’s website.
The Councillor-Taxpayer relationship is paramount to a community's success. Elected officials and members of the public each need to do their part to develop relationships that lead to useful discussion. As Mayor, it will be my absolute expectation that when a Councillor speaks at the Council table, it’s their Ward Voice, not their own voice.
I really enjoy my work and talking to people. I welcome all opportunities to talk to people and have enjoyed many interesting conversations and 'porch chat' visits over the years. I will continue to be available when I'm Mayor.
Algonquin Highlands’ new Communications Plan includes a robust new interactive portal called “Let’s Connect Algonquin Highlands”. So far, this new portal has had a few fun contests as we learn how it works, but when it’s fully rolled out, we will be asking for opinions on all sorts of things, so sign up now!
The idea of holding a referendum on a certain issues seems a popular topic in some circles. However, they are a costly, time-consuming process and the results aren’t necessarily binding. Instead, let’s all work together to make the existing democratic structure work better.
As Mayor, you have my commitment on that!
Whether we like it or not, by-law enforcement is absolutely necessary to ensure that the community is orderly, safe, and clean.
Algonquin Highlands has increasingly heard from the public that more enforcement is needed for things like fireworks, Fire Bans, noise, rentals and much more. In response, all five of the County’s municipal entities are taking steps to increase their complement of by-law officers.
Interestingly, by-law enforcement and the need to increase enforcement efforts is the second most important issue that Ontario cottagers are concerned about according to FOCA. Learn more about FOCA on their website.
The Township is highly aware of multiple parking challenges across the Township in places like Oxtongue, Livingstone and Bear lakes as well as the Hawks. The biggest challenge is deciding which area gets parking first, and how it would be paid for.
Parking challenges at Big and Little Hawk are particularly problematic, and worsening. The Hawk parking problems have been discussed off and on for years and over many Council terms, including site visits and discussions with the MNR about selling Crown land. The most recent discussions look like this:
February 2019
Parking at the Hawks was raised in February 2019 and Council directed staff to contact MNR about acquiring Crown land. Find that report here:
July 2019
Council discussed the outcome of those MNR discussions in July, 2019. Find that report here
September 2019
Council discussed the parking again in September 2019 when a detailed report came to council. Council chose to issue an RFQ to develop parking lots. Those reports are on this agenda.
With the shut downs of the pandemic, projects like these did not advance but Council continued to receive updates to various projects throughout.
October 2020
As part of a strategic review of Council's long list of progressive projects, an update was received about parking at the Hawks. Part of that report stated:
“The cost to purchase land and create one parking lot on each road was estimated in 2019 at $250,000 to $350,000. This was a very basic estimate to clear land and apply gravel. As this project is evolving with more factors coming into play, staff feel the cost for the two lots could be closer to $550,000 - $650,000. This cost could vary depending on the purchase cost of land, results from geotechnical studies, design of the lots, costs for installation of hydro or solar power, payment collection devices, automatic gates, surface treatment, subsurface materials required, etc.”
That report and the Strategic Priorities list is here:
Council deferred the project until things normalized after the pandemic which, at that time, seemed to have no end. The creation of new parking lots is a complex and costly process that will impact operations in terms of staff and equipment. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, it means it has to happen carefully.
Because of competitive needs for parking, Council has informally discussed the idea of partnerships in the form Either Local Improvement Areas (LIA) or Public-Private-Partnerships (P3). However, the scope of access and parking issues across the Township has been exacerbated by the pandemic and much more discussion and review needs to occur.
With operations relatively restored, Council this summer asked newly appointed Minister of Natural Resources Graydon Smith to work together on Crown land issues – including the multiple parking problems. The minister’s response was included in the September 15, 2022 agenda.
We have an excellent working relationship with MPP Laurie Scott, and she has been aware, and supportive of, Algonquin Highlands’ efforts to address our parking concerns.
As Mayor, the continuation of this complex, challenging file will be a priority.
Housing is the biggest challenge we face, bar none, and there are no easy solutions. The lack of housing impacts every aspect of our economy.
There are dire housing needs for the elderly, the limited-income, the young, the just-starting-out and, of course, for the doctors, nurses, tradespeople and others who are the foundation of our growth and community sustainability.
The location of development is entrenched in each of the Provincial Policy Statement, and the Official Plans of both the County and the Township. And then there’s Zoning, all of which are intended to provide planned use of land; a complex issue that has been compounded by the pandemic.
Algonquin Highlands enjoys growth higher than the provincial average based on census data from 2016 and 2021 surveys – and that was prior to the influx of residents from the pandemic!
There’s plenty of work ahead not only catching infrastructure and services up for existing growth, but also in planning for continued growth.
As Mayor, I’ll encourage revisiting the idea of creating a local Housing Taskforce that would see the City of Kawartha Lakes (our current Service Manager) work with the Homebuilders, the Chamber of Commerce, local developers, and organizations such as Places for People for a comprehensive approach to this crushing issue.
See the tabs below for some thoughts on housing-related challenges that folks are asking about.
It’s been suggested that new housing be developed on Crown Land. It’s not that easy!
The Ministry is reluctant to divest itself of Crown land and if it did decide to convey land to Algonquin Highlands taxpayers would have to pay market value. We know this as a result of Crown land purchases over the past few years (e.g. the land where the Trails office sits). And based on investigations of acquiring Crown land for parking, it's very costly.
New lots need surveys, entrances, culverts, roads, Hydro and maybe even environmental or archeological assessments. Taxpayers, developers and homebuyers would have to absorb those costs.
We need a Housing Taskforce and as Mayor I’ll re-introduce that discussion at the County table with existing partners.
In this popular discussion, it's critical to differentiate between Tiny Homes as housing and Tiny Homes as a lifestyle choice. Both have value. As noted above, Council reduced the minimum footprint in the most recent Zoning review.
If Tiny Homes are to be used as a housing solution they need to be close to villages, where those who need Tiny Homes have easier access to stores, banks and other services. Tiny Homes as a lakeside lifestyle choice is a different discussion.
As noted above, when I'm Mayor, I’ll revisit the creation of a local Housing Taskforce that would see the City of Kawartha Lakes (our current Service Manager) work with municipal Planners, the Homebuilders, the Chamber of Commerce, local developers and organizations such as Places for People for a comprehensive approach to this crushing issue.
Secondary dwellings are already possible via the Province’s More Homes More Choices Act and Algonquin Highlands’ recently updated Zoning Bylaw includes both.
We also reduced the minimum footprint for houses to make housing more affordable. The challenge with secondary residences is that it creates an opportunity to create more tourism rentals rather than housing which is why controlling short term rentals is an integral part of the bigger housing picture.
Another complex process. Not unachievable, but you can't just find 40 acres and build houses.
Subdivisions definitely provide housing and add taxation revenue to the Twp coffers, but they also cost a lot to build and maintain including additional staff, equipment and costs for road maintenance, snowplowing, fire and ambulance service, and more.
Subdivisions can be achieved as long as everyone fully understands the process and the impacts. Let's develop that Housing Taskforce and get the right people talking about this.
Too many rules, some say.
People are concerned about trailers on waterfront, condos next to cottages, fences blocking neighbours’ views and and many more zoning-related issues.
Much of our zoning is provincially directed but it's ultimately up to all of us to determine who we want to be when the Zoning Bylaw is updated. The Zoning Bylaw review is a legislated public process which Algonquin Highlands completed just this summer. It won't happen again for several years.
This latest Zoning By-law review was extended due to the pandemic and advertised widely on the Township's website and social media channels. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of written comments, and just one person attended the final public meeting. This is one example where direct engagement with the Township is vital to the democratic process. I encourage everyone to subscribe to agendas, follow the Township's social channels and sign up to Let's Connect Algonquin Highlands.
As Mayor I’ll ensure the new Communications Plan and public engagement portal (Let’s Connect Algonquin Highlands) results in more public participation in just who we are and who we want to be.
Unfortunately, this project has been delayed due to a continuing vacancy in Operations Manager position, a situation that prevails across the municipal sector in Ontario and beyond.
In the absence of the senior Public Works role, Council supported hiring an engineering firm for the remainder of 2022 to get - and keep things moving. The Operations Manager role has been modified into a Project Manager position for which recruitment will begin in early 2023. A Project Manager role will bring more versatility to operations.
The engineering firm has an RFP under development. The new ventilation system, funded by a Trillium grant, will be incorporated into this process.
We all look forward to seeing this project move ahead. The DRC is a tremendously valuable - and greatly-missed community asset.
This has been a very frustrating project.
A provincial Accessibility grant was received to make modifications to the library. In June 2020, a report was received about the tender results. That report is here:
The project was late to start due to Covid, and then subsequently plagued with Covid-related issues including provincial closure of construction sites, supply chain issues, a faulty lift with service delays, and now the accessible door simply isn’t available. Anywhere.
The township’s portion of the job has long been complete, and the item will be on the October 13th agenda.