Council Meeting:
The following are highlights from the Council Meeting.
Appointment of Chief Building Official
Council appointed Steve White as Chief Building Official, for the Municipality of Port Hope. Steve White has served our community as a Building Official over the last five years. He is well suited for the role and provides excellent leadership to Building Services as well as Municipal Law Enforcement.
Committee of the Whole:
The following are highlights from the Committee of the Whole Meeting.
Delegation – Cameco Corporation
Dale Clark, Vice-President and Doug Jensen, General Manager of Cameco Corporation made a delegation to Council regarding the renewal of their operating licence for a one year period.
Delegation – Northumberland County
Sarah Tanner, Community Services Manager for Northumberland County provided a delegation to Council regarding the Community Safety and Well Being Plan.
Community Improvement Plan Update
Staff provided an update to Council regarding the Community Improvement Plan (CIP). Since full implementation of the CIP in 2019, eight projects have been approved. This will generate over $1.6 million in building and development activity, in addition to the Municipal revenue from taxes, charges and permits. This year, two projects have been approved for a total of $13,595.01. Two additional proponents have submitted CIP Pre-Applications and the CIP Committee awaits their submission.
Heritage Port Hope Advisory Committee Priorities
Staff submitted a report regarding the 2021 priorities from the Heritage Port Hope (HPH) Advisory Committee for Council’s initial review.
The following priorities were determined by the Committee at the February 8, 2021, HPH Special Meeting. They are listed in order of priority as recommended by the Committee:
- Hiring a dedicated Heritage Planner
- Listing/Designation of Properties/Heritage District Expansion (Part IV/Part V)
- Windows Policy Development
- Contractors List, combined with Community Engagement
- Website
- (HIAC) Heritage Incentive Grant Funding
- Colonel Williams Statue
The priorities document has been referred back to staff to provide additional information to assist Heritage Port Hope in developing a work plan. The final work plan will be brought back to Council for final consideration and approval.
Filming Readiness Study
Recently, MPP Piccini and Northumberland County have called on local stakeholders to investigate strategies to bring more filming opportunities to the Northumberland region as a means of stimulating the local economy. In response, staff provided Council with a report outlining their intention to conduct a Film Readiness Study, which identifies opportunities and risks associated with attracting increase filming volumes to the community and positions Port Hope for future success. Additionally, staff plan to update the Film Policy and Film Guide as well as investigate and negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cinespace Film Studios, which has 33 years of experience providing space locations to the film industry in Ontario, and the USA.
All document updates and MOU authorizations are subject to Council’s future consideration and approval.
Parks, Recreation and Culture Activity Report
Staff provided an update to Council on the current status of modified municipal events happening this summer, due to the ongoing global pandemic. These updates include planning for:
- Modified Canada Day
- Modified Arts Festival
- Sports Fields Bookings
- Booking smaller events and community initiatives.
Minutes and video recordings
Meeting minutes will be available pending approval at the next Council meeting on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at which point they will become the official record of the meeting.
Recordings of the June 1, 2021 Council and Committee of the Whole meetings are available at porthope.ca/council.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
