Sunday, March 6, 2016

Sunday March 6, 2016


Ladies and Gentlemen



A glorious spring-like day. Time to retire the snow shovel and start tuning up the lawn mower. A great summer is ahead for Midland.



Monday March 7th starts with an early 8:00 am meeting of the Snowmobiling Ad-Hoc Committee. This brand new committee will be recommending the framework for snowmobile trails and regulations for snowmobiles within the Town of Midland. At 5:00 pm that evening is the quarterly meeting of the Citizens Healthcare Steering Committee. While there will be reports on our District Health Unit and the new transit system, the main discussion will be about our hospital. The meeting is at the Brian Orser Arena in Penetanguishene. Please attend if you can.



At 5:30 pm is a special closed meeting of Council on labour and personal matters. At 6:00 pm at Town Hall is a public presentation by Hemson Consulting on your Water/Wastewater rates. Then at 7:00 pm is the General Committee meeting. The meeting will feature a number of year end reports updating Council on how our water, wastewater and transit services fared last year. Additionally:

-       Decision on the Watercross event in Little Lake Park this summer

-       Discussion on how to treat the many leases that the Town has established with different groups

-       Disclosure of the 2015 “sunshine list” – we are now up to 35 on the over $100,000 list

-       Plans for our own RibFest this August 4th



On Tuesday the 8th I am at County for the 9:00 am Council meeting where we will discuss;

-       County funding for our hospitals including GBGH

-       Setting of the tax rate structure for all municipalities in the County



On Wednesday you are invited to participate in the Great Lakes CafĂ©. This is a moderated evening of dialogue, idea exchange and creativity around ways that we can celebrate our Great Lakes. Your comments will be included in a report to the International Joint Commission, the body that oversees the use of our Great Lakes. The event is at 7:00 pm at the NSSRC. Please register at  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/celebrating-the-great-lakes-north-simcoe-tickets-21520149346



Thursday the 10th sees the YMCA Spring Job Fair at the MCC from 1:00 to 5:00 pm.  





Weekend



Sunday

-       9:30 am to 2:00 pm - Pancake breakfast at Phil’s Pub and Eatery.  All proceeds go to We are the Villagers.



Council Issues Update



GBGH



The mayors continue to work with GBGH on the two most contentious issues facing our hospital:

-       Ensuring GBGH has the “basket of health services” that we need in our community

-       Having the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN modify the funding formula so that our mid-sized community hospital is not continuously strapped for funds

Each and every one of us has a role to play in maintaining our local health services. Please get involved.





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And in closing some good news. Pillsbury had been set to close their operation this June. General Mills has now advised that they will be open until at least January next year. Our economic development group EDCNS is also working with at least one company that is interested in buying the property and ensuring a level of employment stays at the facility. I will keep you updated.



Gord McKay







Your Year for Getting Aboard – Midland is on the Move - 2016

                                                                                              


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