Saturday, March 3, 2018

Saturday March 3, 2018


Ladies and Gentlemen



Days are definitely getting longer. Bur almost everyone I speak too qualifies their spring-like optimism with “there’s going to be one more snow storm”.  Fingers crossed.



The Week Ahead



Monday March 5th starts Teen Tech Week at the Library. The Library will be showcasing their favourite technologies online.  Teens are invited to snap a photo or video of themselves using these amazing resources at MPL and share it on social media using #MPLTeenTechWeek on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. For each photo/video you share, we’ll enter your name into our prize draw. Open for ages 13-18.



At 7:00 pm it’s General Committee and a short agenda. (The meeting has been moved up a week due to school March break next week). The main agenda item is the proposal to adopt the Articles of Incorporation for the new MBL Development Corporation. Town Councilors will also be challenged to participate in the Elmvale Maple Syrup festival’s log-sawing contest.



On Wednesday at 7:00 pm the Planning and Development Committee takes place at Town Hall.  The agenda includes:

-       The Hanson Development community design guideline

-       Draft Plan of Subdivision for the Sunrise Pier tower on Aberdeen

-       Site plan application for a low rise commercial building at 880 King Street



Thursday the 8th is a busy day. The YMCA Job Fair takes place at the MCC from 1:00 to 4:30 pm. Bring you resume and meet the area employers who are hiring. For information:  https://employmentresources.jimdo.com/  or call 705-528-0845.  At 2:30 pm the four municipalities meet at Town Hall to discuss the latest developments in bringing high-speed internet services to our area.



At 7:00pm our Library screens “SWIFT. SILENT. DEEP”, the first historical documentation of the hardcore ski culture in the United State. It explores the roots of North America’s most infamous ski fraternity, the Jackson Hole Air Force, the beginnings of the modern American ski bum and the birth of the extreme skiing movement.  (And it’s FREE). If you want to get involved in sports and community activities our Town is hosting the first day of “Joint Registrations” at the NSSRC. Running from 7:30 to 8:00 pm, all the major sporting and activity clubs will be there. Other registration dates are Friday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm and on Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.



Friday the 9th is a special day as I travel to Orillia for the graduation ceremony for the MPS officers who transferred to the OPP. The formal ceremony will commence at 1:00 pm in the auditorium at OPP General Headquarters located at 777 Memorial Avenue in Orillia. The ceremony is usually one and a half hours in duration. You are invited to attend. Also from 7:00 to 8:30 pm its sports/activity registration at the NSSRC.





Week - End



Saturday March 10

-       10:00 am to 1:00 pm – Sports/activity registration at the NSSRC

-       8:00 pm - Get ready for St. Patrick’s Day with the “Real St Patrick” featuring the Celts. That’s at the MCC.









Council Issues Update



Budget



Council held its second marathon budget meeting this past week. We are now finished the first draft of the operational budget. At this point the Town tax portion would increase by 2.99%.



Rate-based services – water and wastewater - are set to increase by about 6%. This high rate is required to deal with the significant funding shortfall for future service infrastructure and the fact there was no rate increase in 2016-2017.  The annual rate increase is likely to go back to 3% in future years.



Council will be back for the next round of budget discussions on March 22nd.





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Our Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre has been doing some amazing things. They have just updated their program offerings.  Please take a look at their program calendar at:  http://gbcancersupportcentre.ca/programs/programs-and-events



Midland, Penetanguishene and the County have just completed their Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, undertaken to improve access and safety along County Road 93. In general it recommends that County Road 93 be re-engineered:

-       From Hwy 12 to Yonge Street with 1.5 meter paved shoulders on both sides

-       From Yonge to St. Andrews Drive (GBGH) with 3 meter multi-use trails on both sides of the road

-       From St Andrews to Thompson Rd. (Penetanguishene) with a 3 meter multi-use trail on the east side of the road

The report will be available for your inspection during normal business hours at Town Hall and the Midland Public Library from March 9 to April 9, 2018. The report will also be available for download on the County and Town websites. Construction work should take place in 2019.







Gord McKay









The Year for Forging Our Future - 2018






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