In an effort to keep Ward 3 updated, I'm going to post quick summaries of the highlights from council meetings. Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
This video of the meeting will be active for two weeks.
1) King Township's Drinking Water Quality Management Standard
Link to the full staff report:
King Township has six operators, all certified in water, that work under Samantha Fraser, Director of Public Works and Kyle Snell, Manager of Environmental Services who is also a certified operator. They oversee King's four distinct municipal drinking water systems:
• Ansnorveldt
• Schomberg
• Nobleton
• King City
The Township is required to have an annual external audit which has done in July and did not reveal any adverse findings.
It's interesting to note that the Ministry of Environment encourages consideration of Climate Change such as freezing, flooding and persistent draught. King Township reviews infrastructure, design criteria, and procedures to address and mitigate these issues.
2) Mayor's Comments
• Congratulations to Team Canada on winning the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and especially to Nobleton resident Adam Fantilli who scored two goals and three assists over seven games in the tournament.
• There will be an in-person budget open house on Tue Jan. 17 from 6-8pm at the Municipal office.
• Winter Recreation Programs - winter session registration is open now until the end of March
• The King Curling Club won the Ontario Wheelchair Curling Provincial Championships this past Sunday and advanced to the National Championship being held March 19 to 25 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
• The King Council Annual Pancake Breakfast will be held January 28th from 9-11am at the Dr. William Laceby Nobleton Community Centre & Arena followed by a free skate.
• The Township has created a new By-law Investigation Portal that allows people to check the status of by-law complaints. Visit https://www.king.ca/by-law
• King Township won the 2021 Canadian Award for Financial Reporting from Government Finance Officers Association. The award is to encourage local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements and to prepare annual financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure and to recognize individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal.
3) York Regional Police - Auto/Cargo Theft Unit
Link to the full presentation:
Auto thefts are the #1 issue facing the police in York Region, GTA and Ontario in general. As affluent areas, King and Vaughan have been heavily targeted because there are more high value cars. York Region Police are working with the the insurance industry and car manufacturers to make cars more resistant to theft, but you can follow these tips to help protect your car:
• Use a steering wheel lock. It will also act as a visible deterrent
• Install a lock on the data port. This blocks access to the computer port where the thieves gain access to reprogram the vehicle’s keys
• Never leave a running vehicle unattended
• Exercise caution when buying a vehicle privately
• Keep valuable items out of sight
• Maintain control of your vehicle keys at all times
• Beware of vehicles being offered for sale at lower than market value
• If possible, park your vehicle in a locked garage. Most vehicles are stolen from a driveway
• Consider purchasing a high-quality video surveillance system. Ensure cameras are properly placed and functioning for day and night time use. Familiarize yourself with the system so it can be reviewed and accessed easily
• Inspect your vehicle regularly and call police if you notice any suspicious potential tracking devices
4) Water and Wastewater Rates
Link to the full presentation:
Council approved a Water and Wastewater rate increase for 2023 that will be about $40.50 extra per year for an average household.
Just 5,500 of King Townships 11,000 properties are hooked up to the town's water and wastewater infrastructure making it hard to recover costs. That said, King's rate is below the average charged by York Region municipalities.
King Township has three tiers of billing:
Tier 1 - up to 73m3 per Quarter (about 71% are in this category)
Tier 2 - from 74m3 to 105m3 per Quarter (about 7% are in this category)
Tier 3 - over 105m3 (about 22% are in this category)
5) Alterations at Marylake Augustinian Gates
The Marylake Augustinian Father Entrance Gates are designated on the Township’s Heritage Register. The Gates needed to be repaired, but the owner did not apply to Council for approval as required by Ontario Heritage Act (OHA). The Owner has now filed a Heritage Permit application and is seeking retroactive approval.
Staff recommended - and council approved - that:
• A review of the works be carried out by a heritage peer reviewer retained by the Township in consultation with the Heritage Advisory Committee; and
• That the review costs and expenses be recovered from the Owner; and
• That the actionable recommendations from the peer review report be implemented by the Owner within a set timeframe, to the satisfaction of the Director of Growth Management Services and in consultation with the Heritage Advisory Committee.
6) King Housing Affordability
Under New Business, Councillor Asselstine discussed housing diversity and affordability in King Township. She noted that King's Official Plan speaks to affordability, inclusivity, tenure, income, density, and tools to achieve 25% housing affordability and asked that King staff and council look more closely at these issues. She suggests that King needs a more detailed plan for housing that reflects the vison of King and responds to the needs of the communities.
In the future, and after receiving more information on the topic, Councillor Asselstine intends to bring forward a motion to develop a housing strategy in King Township.
This is very well done. The links to presentations are helpful along with highlighting specific titles and topics in blue – well-formatted and easy to read.
Good job!
This is excellent! I look forward to your continued posts.