Sunday, January 28, 2018

Sunday January 28, 2018


Ladies and Gentlemen



Temperatures are back on the plus side and have put a damper on local snowmobiling and cross country skiing. Early forecasts are that the lake level will be higher this year than last. Mother Nature keeps us on our toes.



The Week Ahead



Monday the 29th has a 7:30 am start as the NSCFDC Marketing Monday series continues with “Networking – Identifying local networking opportunities and how to become a star networker”.  This free program is at the Midland Library.   Register online at www.nscfdc.on.ca/upcoming-events.php



On Tuesday the action is in the evening. At 7:00 pm you are invited to a travelogue about two intrepid Midlanders and their adventures in Morocco. Please see  http://www.midlandlibrary. com/event/an-evening-in-morocco-with-kevin-lise/


At 7:30 pm at the MCC, Keith Rose’s Our Health series returns with, INTERVENTION – A LOOK AT THE REALITY OF ADDICTIONS. A challenging and thought provoking event as three panelists take a look at the reality of addictions. Jack Vandenberg, the manager for addiction services in Simcoe County. Tina Brand-Lawson a frontline addiction counsellor in Midland. Andrew Hurst, a recovering addict and alcoholic, who has experienced firsthand the devastating effects of addiction. Dr. Rose will moderate the questions from the audience.  Admission is FREE with registration.



On Wednesday the 31st the cruise ship business case project moves forward as the Committee selects the consulting firm to conduct the work. This Ontario-wide study should wrap up in July and include recommendations about upgrades for the port of Midland.



Thursday the 1st of February. The Governance Review process starts its second phase at 8:30 am with our procedure by-law (how Council operates). At 6:00 pm is a special meeting of Council to consider recommendations arising from our Service Delivery Review project. I have not seen the agenda yet. Please check the Town website. The meeting may be closed.



On Friday – let the good times roll – its Winterfest.  A weekend of winter fun for the entire family. Festivities start with one of my favorite events – the good ‘ol downtown road hockey game. Starting at 4:00 pm, bring a stick, a smile and dress like Wayne Gretzky. Games will take place between Dominion Avenue & Hugel Avenue and between Hugel Avenue & Elizabeth Street. There is FREE Hot Chocolate from Grounded Coffee; FREE Pizza from Papa's Pizza Mama's Chicken after the game. Come and join the fun.



The rest of the weekend is packed with Winterfest activities. Check it out at:   http://www.midland.ca/Shared%20Documents/2018winterfestschedule%20Updated.pdf





Week - End



Saturday February 3



-       6:00 pm - We Are the Villages Snow Angel Gala at Restaurant Ste. Marie www.wearethevillagers.com or 1-855-528-5252

-       7:30 pm - Jack de Keyser is at the MCC. Jack and his 6 piece band return with a brand new tribute to the great Chicago blues giants. https://www.youtube.com/watch/?ref=0&v=GHrzwWxfwX0

-       8:00 pm – The Legion honours 125 years of policing in Midland with a tribute to the Midland Police Service



And the Week After



I will be away next week-end so will not be able to publish News from the Town.  Here are some of the events to look forward to for the week of February 4th.  Always busy in Midland.



Monday February 5      

-       NSCFDC Marketing Monday education session at 7:30 am at the Library.  The topic - Traditional Marketing – Using the Basic Channels – radio, print, TV, the web.




Wednesday February 7

-       The Planning and Development Committee meeting at 7:00 pm at the Town hall. Check the Town website for the agenda



Thursday February 8

-       Doug Griffiths makes a presentation based upon his book “13 Ways to Kill Your Community”.  https://www.13ways.ca/speaking/book-doug-griffiths/  That is at 7:00 pm at the NSSRC.

-       North Simcoe is one of eight communities in Ontario selected to participate in the Business for the Arts’ Sponsorship and Governance Mentorship Program.  The program equips small arts organizations with in-depth training, tools and mentorship to help them deal with Corporate Sponsorship and Board Governance issues.  The information session starts at 10 a.m. at the Library. More information at bit.ly/NorthSimcoe

-       Champlain Farms, an applicant for cannabis production, is holding an open house at
177 Robert Street East, Penetanguishene at 1:00 pm. There will be a presentation, a light lunch and tours.



Saturday February 10th

-        CLH annual gala dinner at 5:00 pm at the Quality Inn

-       Township of Tiny Carnival D’Hiver  from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Perkinsfield Park



Council Issues Update



OPP



This past week the Ontario Civilian Police Commission agreed to permit the transition of policing in Midland to the OPP. It is expected that on February 8th the MPS officers and staff who have accepted positions with OPP will be sent for training at the Police College. In parallel all outstanding issues on severance and contracts will go to the police conciliation/arbitration process.



Midland Bay Landing



Over the last few months the Town has received a lot of interest from various developers about our waterfront property. This underscores the need to get our Municipal Development Corporation in place, under proper Council direction. I expect the Town will post for MDC Board members early spring.  Another opportunity for you to get involved.





Gord McKay









The Year for Forging Our Future - 2018

                                                                                              








Sunday, January 21, 2018

Sunday January 21, 2018


Ladies and Gentlemen



Our weather rollercoaster continues. Lately I have been receiving more calls about cleaning up the sand than to remove the snow.  Such is life in the Town.



The Week Ahead



Monday January 22nd starts at 7:30 am when the NSCFDC hosts Marketing Monday, an education series to help small business learn about marketing fundamentals.  The first event is entitled – “Marketing Foundations – Define your market and develop your marketing plan”. The workshop is free and takes place at Midland public library. Register online at www.nscfdc.on.ca/upcoming-events.php



At 6:30 pm Midland Council holds a closed meeting covering two items – nominations for the Youth Committee and staff changes related to our Service Delivery Review project. At 7:00 pm it’s the regular Council meeting including:

-       Three awards of merit for outstanding citizens

-       A deputation by SSEA on our climate change plan

-       Tender results for a new transit bus

-       Recommendations on snowmobile trails in Midland

-       Preparatory by-laws for the 2018 municipal election



On Tuesday County Council takes place at 9:00 am. Council will learn about the new Georgian College Advanced Technology Innovation and Research Centre.  Later that day at 3:00 pm the Housing Working Group meets at Town Hall.



Wednesday at 2:00 pm our OPP Transition Committee meets to discuss the latest developments. Please see OPP item below.



On Thursday the 25th the Town has scheduled two meetings for you to help us determine the future of our bus transit system. The Transit Operational Review Public Open House will be held from 2 – 4 pm and again 5 – 7 pm at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre. Please attend one of the meetings and/or provide your comments on-line at www.surveymonkey.com/r/midlandtransit.



Friday sees a meeting of the Physician Recruitment Committee at 8:30 am. The Committee is dealing with the question of whether it is still needed (seems we now have a good supply of doctors) and if so what its go forward plan should be.  Then at 1:00 pm the Cruise Ship Industry  Group meeting reviews the start-up activities for our cruise ship business case project.



Week - End



Saturday January 27



5:00 pm – Robert Burns annual dinner at the Midland Legion

8:00 pm - Sugar and Gold – Stories of the Underground Railroad. This full length stage production is a dynamic musical featuring riveting stories of the Underground Railroad written by Diana Braithwaite, a direct descendant of the first fugitives who arrived in Canada from America. That’s at the MCC.



Sunday January 28



7:30 pm - The Real Rabbie Burns with the Celts, a Celtic music supergroup well-known for their themed shows. Drawing heavily on the back-story, they entertain and amuse with true stories and anecdotes of the real Rabbie Burns.



Council Issues Update



OPP



A bit of drama in these final days. The Midland Police Service Board and the four police bargaining units have gotten into some protracted discussions that question whether the transfer will take place as hoped in mid-February. The matter is now before the Ontario Civilian Police Commission who will decide on Monday whether to let the transfer go ahead or delay their approval resulting in a three month delay in moving to the OPP. See attached letter for further details. I will update you Tuesday on what has happened on this important issue.  



Keewatin



Lots of rumors on the potential move of the Keewatin from Port McNicol to Midland. What can be said with some certainty is that the owners of the Keewatin have indicated they will likely have to move the ship and that they would like to keep it in North Simcoe. No information has come to Council on this matter. So while we are all interested in the future of this significant tourism attraction we will have to wait until February when the principals come before Town Council.





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Last year the County announced its long term Transportation Plan. It focused on inter-urban connections with the first bus route being from Barrie to Midland. The County plans a soft launch of the service right after Canada Day, with a free introductory service likely until Labour Day. Hopefully early ridership will lead to the long term success of this much needed link.





Gord McKay









The Year for Forging Our Future - 2018

                                                                                              






Sunday, January 14, 2018

Sunday January 14, 2018


Ladies and Gentlemen



To paraphrase Charles Dickens - It was the coldest of times. It was the warmest of times. And the result has been a significant challenge for our road crews in plowing the streets and removing the excess snow. Many of you have called about the conditions and Public Works is literally moving mountains to get our streets back in good repair. A collective thanks to the men and women who are out all night in -30 degree weather keeping our streets cleared.



The cold weather has also brought a significant increase in the number of fatal fires. They have devastated families as close as Waubaushene. Our Fire Department asks that you make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test your smoke alarms monthly. Make sure everyone recognizes the sound of the alarm. Develop and practice a home fire escape plan. Fire prevention is everyone’s job - stay safe!



The Week Ahead



On Monday the Town’s Humans Resources Committee meets at 2:30 pm. The Committee will be addressing some of the recommendations from the Service Delivery Review, and how to better deploy our staff.



Tuesday the 16th I head to Toronto for a meeting with staff at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. This is all in aid of establishing Midland as a long term cruise ship port.



On Wednesday the 17th the Downtown Safety Committee meets at Town hall at 2:00 pm to review how recent changes to programs have affected our collective safety. Over at the Midland Cultural Centre, “A Day in the Life” will host sports personality Rod Black. Rod has been hailed as one of Canada’s most recognizable and distinguished sportscasters. Having worked for both CTV and TSN, Rod has been involved in hosting and announcing almost every sport: hockey, basketball, baseball, football, tennis, figure skating, golf, curling, boxing, auto racing and horseracing. He was involved as host or announcer at the 1992, 1996 and 2012 Summer Olympics. A Day in the Life starts at 7:30 pm.



A quieter close to the week. On Thursday I visit Father Knox, Director of the Martyr’s Shrine to discuss how we can work together in welcoming the many visitors to our area.  And on Friday I am at County for the 9:00 am meeting of the Housing Advisory Committee. This meeting will recommend our affordable housing targets for the next 3 years.





Week - End



Saturday January 20



-       8:00 pm - ABBA magic at the MCC. Your chance to enjoy all the ABBA classics



                                                                *****



Three items you may find interesting.



1)     Midland’s 2017 building permits totaled $34.9M, compared to $28.6M in 2016. While year over year comparisons have to be taken with a grain of salt, this still represents significant growth in development activity – and a vote of confidence in our municipality.



Within those numbers are 27 new single detached and 50 new second suite housing units.  Second suites represented 59% of all housing units created and has become a major contributor to resolving our affordable housing shortage.



2)     Hospice Huronia has come up with a novel fund raising method – an annual “No-Golf Tournament”.  So don’t come out and play. Just register with Hospice Huronia - $125 each or $500 for a foursome  - and then spend your time doing nothing. You can donate at  www.hospicehuronia.ca.  An anonymous donor will match all funds raised up to a maximum of $25,000. The No-Golf date is January 20th, rain or shine.



3)     It’s not every day that our Butter Tart Festival gets a mention in the New York Times… https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/dining/butter-tarts-canada.html.  Pretty cool.



In closing something for your calendar.



NSCFDC is starting a Marketing Monday education series. This series of free programs takes place from 7:30 to 9:00 am at the Midland Public Library.  Upcoming lectures are:

-       January 22nd - Marketing Foundations – Define your market and develop your marketing plan

-       January 29th - Networking – Identify local networking opportunities and how to become a star networker

-       February 5th - Traditional Marketing – How to use the basic channels – radio, print, TV, web

-       February 12th - Social Media – Choosing the right platform and getting results








Gord McKay









The Year for Forging Our Future - 2018

                                                                                              






Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sunday January 7, 2018


Ladies and Gentlemen



I hope that you survived the “Deep Freeze of O-18”.  When the snowmobilers tell you it is too cold to go sledding you know that it’s cold. With the freeze behind us, the Town is back to work.





The Week Ahead



Monday January 8th starts at 10:00 am with a meeting of the Aboriginal Relations Advisory Committee at Town hall.  At 2:00 pm the Midland Accessibility Advisory Committee meets.



At 7:00 pm, it’s the General Committee of Council.  A very short agenda with one critical topic - a report from the Governance Review Committee on recommended changes to many of the Town’s committees. We currently have over 40 committees that municipal Council and staff participate in. More committees are likely to be added as we deal with new services, such as the new Municipal Services Corporation that will look after the Midland Bay Landing development.  While the report recommends keeping most of the Committees it emphasizes the need for an improved “Terms of Reference” for each committee. The Terms of Reference are Council’s “marching orders” to ensure a committee is properly tasked and responsive to the overall direction of the Town.



Tuesday the 9th features the first County Council meeting of the month at 9:00 am in Midhurst. Then at 6:00 pm, the Midland Public Library is hosting an “Arteprenuer” information session.  This County-wide program helps equip independent artists, arts administrators and creative entrepreneurs with vital business skills needed for success across all arts disciplines and industries. The session is open to all.  And at 7:00 pm the Midland Heritage Committee meets at Town hall, also open to all.



On Wednesday the 10th Councilors will participate in interviews throughout the day on our transit operations. The review was directed by Council last year to ensure that we have the bus services and resources to serve the people of Midland.



At 7:00 pm the Planning and Development Committee takes place at the Town. The agenda includes;

-       A Public Meeting (you may speak) regarding a zoning change request from Oz Developments to permit office use in their building at 1000 Wye Valley Rd.

-       Kaitlin will present their new vision for the Bayport development

-       Staff reports on the three recent zoning by-law public meetings:

o    Hanson Lands zoning changes for their Hwy 12 development

o    Lot separation at 344 Fuller

o    De Santis application for a residential building at 281 Midland Ave.

-       Site plan review for Bourgeois Leasing development at 290 Cranston Cres.



Thursday starts in Orillia as the North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN, the County and local mayors meet to discuss area healthcare services. The meeting focus will be on:

-       Involving local government in health care capital decisions

-       Providing better at-home healthcare supports to those not able to care for themselves

At 4:30 pm the Committee of Adjustments meets at Town Hall. You are welcome to attend.



Friday January 12th at 10:00 am, the OPP Transition Committee meets at Town hall. This Committee oversees the transition of our policing service from the MPS to the OPP.



Week - End



Sunday January 14



-       10:00 am - Connexus Church celebrates its formation with a gathering at the Galaxy theatre. (You may already be aware of Connexus as they provided the music we enjoyed at our downtown Christmas tree lighting)





Council Issues Update



OPP



The Town has now received an Agreement in Principle from the Ontario Civilian Policing Commission to transition to the OPP. They are still looking for full certainty that the Town will properly respect termination details for existing MPS contracts. Still anticipating the transition to occur in mid-February



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I want to end on a note showing the true “Spirit of Midland”.  Kevin Leonard through his association with the Ys-Men’s club, has led the organization of the Midland “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Campaign” over the last two years. This Campaign seeks to stop violence towards women - all funds going to our local women’s shelter , Rosewood.



Recently Rosewood launched its new social enterprise – Operation Grow.  Operation Grow is a high-tech urban farm that provides a safe environment for Rosewood clients while making fresh locally grown greens available to our community all year long. Kevin has again stepped forward by having his firm Huronia Alarm & Fire Security donate the access control security system to the Operation Grow facility.



Thank you to Kevin, Huronia Alarms and the Ys-Men for all they do for Midland.





Gord McKay





The Year for Forging Our Future - 2018