Regular Council Highlights – December 13, 2022

Kawartha Lakes – The following are highlights of the Regular Council Meeting on December 13, 2022.

The Regular Council Meeting can be viewed in full on the City’s YouTube channel.

2023 Budget Overview

Council received an overview of the proposed 2023 Budget which recommends modest cost of living increases in line with the long-term financial plan. Watch on YouTube for a general explanation of finances and how tax dollars are invested. Follow along with the budget process on our Budget page at www.kawarthalakes.ca/budget.

Cleaning up historical by-laws relating to load requirements on roads

Historically, prior to amalgamation, Townships and Counties enacted by-laws to restrict weight of vehicles to protect the integrity of their roads where roads were not designed and constructed to support certain types of traffic. There are currently over 20 different by-laws. In addition, Kawartha Lakes also has By-Law 2016-062, which delegates authority to the Director of Public Works to impose seasonal load restrictions to protect the integrity of the municipality’s road network. Staff proposed in the Regulate and Delegate Authority for Reduced Load Requirements for Municipal Highways report to repeal all existing load restricting by-laws from previous townships and Victoria County and consolidate those into one by-law. This new by-law will provide delegated authority for restrictions for ease and clarity. The new by-law was adopted by Council.

Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) Review and Endorsement

Kawartha Lakes has two Accredited Operating Authorities, the Water and Wastewater Division (internal) and the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) which operate the drinking water systems across the municipality. Mayor and Council are responsible to ensure the safety of drinking water to users of the 21 water treatment systems in Kawartha Lakes. Council received and re-endorsed the Drinking Water Quality Management System Review and Endorsement report for the Quality Management Systems for the Water and Wastewater Division of Kawartha Lakes and for OCWA and related audits.

Telecommunications Policy Updates

A report was received that recommended a change to the Telecom Policy which primarily deals with the installation, maintenance and decommissioning of telecom towers in Kawartha Lakes. The changes allow for carriers to site towers with access off unmaintained roads, and removes the requirement that the property owner sign the agreement and have it registered on title. This requirement was updated as these sites require infrequent maintenance. Road maintenance obligations for continued access will be borne by the telecommunications provider.

Dissolution of High Water Bill Adjustment and Mandatory Service Connection Appeals Committee

Council adopted a report recommending that any appeals to high water bills or requests for exemptions to the Mandatory Connection By-Law will go directly to Council for a decision. Council adopted the recommendation; the High Water Bill Adjustment and Mandatory Service Connection Appeals Committee is disbanded.

Consolidated Fees By-Law Amendments

Staff annually conduct a review of the Consolidated Fees By-law (By-Law 2018-234) to establish the payment of fees for Information, Services, Activities and Use of City Property in Kawartha Lakes. The 2023 Proposed Amendments to By-Law 2018-234 (Consolidated Fees By-law) report was adopted effective January 1, 2023.

Kawartha Lakes Innovation Cluster Partnership Update

The Kawartha Lakes Innovation Cluster Partnership report was received, asking Council to authorize a three year partnership agreement between Kawartha Lakes and the Innovation Cluster - Peterborough and the Kawarthas at Launch Kawartha. This new space is managed by the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) at 165 Kent Street in Lindsay. The City will fund the Innovation Cluster at $20,000 a year over three years. Since 2020, this partnership has given high growth companies in Kawartha Lakes access to mentorship, capital, and training.

2022 Kawartha Lakes Business Count

The 2022 Kawartha Lakes Business Count insights report was received. The report highlights manually collected data from 525 businesses and employment properties that participated in the inaugural survey.

The majority of data was collected from businesses in downtowns and industrial areas of Lindsay, Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Coboconk-Norland, Omemee and Pontypool.

Highlights reported by these businesses are:

• A total of 4,175 jobs
• 1,853,137 square feet of floor space occupied by surveyed businesses
• 74 percent of business surveyed plan to hire in the future

Release of Fenelon Falls Powerlinks Funds

The Fenelon Falls Powerlinks Committee requested the release of $750.00 from the Fenelon Falls Powerlinks Fund to the Fenelon Falls and District Chamber of Commerce to purchase and install an aluminum sign on Trent Severn Waterway property that points to the falls. Council adopted the recommendation and released the funds to the Fenelon Falls and District Chamber of Commerce. View the Release of Fenelon Falls Powerlinks Funds report.

Bobcaygeon & Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund 2023 Allocation

The Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund Grant Committee requested the release of $63,930.37 from the Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund for eight different projects throughout Bobcaygeon. The recommendation for funding allocation was:

• Bobcaygeon Canada Day Committee - $9,570.00
• Bobcaygeon Music Council - $9,000.00
• Ontario Open Fiddle and Step - $3,510.37
• Globus Theater - $7,000.00
• Impact 32 – Beautify Our Bobcaygeon - $12,850.00
• A Sheila Boyd Foundation - $10,000.00
• Bobcaygeon & District Lions Club - $7,000.00
• Environmental Action Bobcaygeon - $5,000.00

Council adopted the recommendation and released the funds. View the Bobcaygeon Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund 2023 Allocation report.

The Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund Grant Committee requested the release of $251,314.22 from the Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund for five different projects throughout Lindsay. The recommendation for funding allocation was:

• A Place Called Home - $40,000.00
• Lindsay Agricultural Society - $58,395.81
• Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives - $70,000.00
• Kawartha Art Gallery - $7,918.41
• Pinnguaq Association - $75,000.00

Council adopted the recommendation and released the funds. View the Lindsay Legacy C.H.E.S.T. Fund 2023 Allocation report.

Request for All-Way Stop – Sussex Street North and Wellington Street, Lindsay

Staff has received multiple requests from the public and the former Ward Councillor to
investigate the safety concerns at the intersection of Wellington Street and Sussex
Street North in Lindsay. After investigation, it was determined that an all-way stop at the intersection of Sussex Street North and Wellington Street would help make the intersection safer. Council adopted the recommendation as written. View the All-Way Stop – Sussex Street North and Wellington Street report.

Request for Traffic Control – Sebright

At the June 21 2022 Council Meeting, Council received resolution CW2022-162, regarding speed concerns on Kawartha Lake Road 45 in Sebright. Staff were to investigate the 60km zone through Sebright to determine whether an all-way stop is warranted at the intersection of Kawartha Lakes Road 45 (Monck Road) and Kawartha Lakes Road 6 (Kirkfield Road). Upon conclusion of the justification review carried out by staff it was confirmed that an all-way stop at the intersection of KL Road 45 and KL Road 6 is not justified. Council received the report as written. View the report.

Next Council meeting

Council will resume in the new year with a Committee of the Whole meeting on January 10, 2023 at 1pm. The week after that meeting, there will be a Special Council Meeting for budget deliberations on January 17, 2023 at 9am.

Public attendance in Council Chambers is available by appointment through the Clerk’s Office. Otherwise, the meeting will be broadcast live on the City’s YouTube Channel and broadcast live on Cogeco cable television.

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