Sunday, April 2, 2017

Sunday April 2, 2017


Ladies and Gentlemen



The Bay may still be frozen but there are lots of plans for fun on the water this summer. The Pearl Mist cruise ship has just confirmed its schedule for Midland with 9 visits this summer, running from June 4th until September 1st. The Victory will publish its schedule shortly giving us 15 + visits in total.



And Captain Eric of Keewatin fame has planned something special. He has to move his 350 foot long, 43 foot wide, eight million pound (3,800 tons) vessel back to its original moorings – and he wants you to help. He is asking the community to grab a rope this April 22nd and pull the Keewatin back to the dock. If we succeed in doing this I understand we will have set a new world record for the heaviest object ever moved by human power. More details to come.



The Week Ahead



Monday the 3rd is time to tuck into a great dinner in support of We Are the Villagers.  The Mayors Mac & Cheese extravaganza is at Lot 102. There are three sittings 4:30 pm 5:45 pm and 7:00 pm.  Try to get a ticket in advance, but if not just gather the family and come over and we will fit you in.



On Tuesday at 7:30 pm at the MCC is the fifth event in the “Our Health” series. “Happy Mouth, Happy Body" will feature four local experts to help us better understand the importance of oral and dental care– Dentist John Augimeri, Hygienist Kelly O’Hara, Denturist Rick Iaboni and Orthodontist Sean Corsini. Tickets are available online or by calling the MCC at (705) 527-4420. Register early to avoid disappointment. 



Wednesday April 5th sees the second meeting of the County Healthcare Coordination Pilot. This initiative will improve public awareness of the changes coming to our local healthcare services as well as provide a way for citizens to help direct these changes.  The meeting is at 9:30 am at the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN office in Orillia. At 7:00 pm it’s the Planning and Development Committee meeting at Town Hall. A long agenda including:

-       Discussion of the Second Units by-law

-       Expansion of the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Balm Beach Road

-       Tree planting at the Devonleigh Homes development

-       Launch of the downtown parking study



On Thursday the North Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness hosts their regular meeting at Shelter Now at 1:30 pm. The day is also the start of a series of interviews to fill the Town’s Legal Counsel/Clerk and Engineer positions. At 5:00 pm Council will hold a closed meeting to receive initial bid responses from organizations interested in acquiring the MPUC.



Friday April the 7th at 7:00 pm is a book reading by Orland French , the author of Letters to Vimy.  The reading features his responses to actual letters written from the battlefields of the Great War by his uncle. The reading is at the Huronia Museum.  At 8:00 pm at the MCC, A Passion for Fashion presents the 19th annual Spring Fashion Show & Fundraiser. The fashions are inspired by the “Music of Motown".  Proceeds from the event go to Huronia Community Foundation, Special Olympics Huronia and CLH Foundation.  



Week - End



Saturday April 8



-       10:30 am it’s the Easter Egg-stravaganza at the Midland Library. Activities,  geared for ages 2-9, include building an Easter glow-bug and see what happens when it lights; finding your balance with wobbly eggs; painting, an egg-engineering challenge; and a chocolate-y visit from Buster Bunny. The event is free, while supplies last.

-       11:00 am to noon - Buster Bunny will be downtown handing out Easter treats



Sunday April 9



-       The 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge. A commemoration at Base Borden starts at 7:30 am

-       7:30 pm -  Jacob Moon and the Commissionaires bring soul and gospel music to the MCC.  https://www.youtube.com/watch/?ref=0&v=1TkmMVPbSKE



Council Issues Update



Budget



Council has largely wrapped up its 2017 budget deliberations. The municipal portion is set to rise some 3.1%, higher that in the past few years.  There are a number of structural reasons for the increase including investment in new systems especially information technology, one time staffing adjustments and a greater commitment to economic development, specifically a designated share of 0.5% of our taxes. These changes allow the Town to make some long needed adjustments which will allow us to deliver our services more efficiently and in future bring our tax rate increases back into the range of the rate of inflation.



I will go out on a limb and predict that once the County and school levies are factored in our overall tax rate increase for 2017 will be between 2.0 and 2.5%.





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We have a dedicated “pickleball crew” in Town (thanks Garry) who wanted me to spread the word on this fast growing sport. The new dedicated outdoor courts at Tiffin Park have received rave reviews. Take a look at:  www.midlandareapickleballclub.ca . If you are still wondering what pickleball is all about check out this video on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/XN1LPyeRk1s





Gord McKay





The Year for Getting It Done - 2017

                                                                                              


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