Mayor DeViet opened the meeting by welcoming Scott Roper, who was formally appointed as Middlesex Centre’s new deputy fire chief later in the meeting.
Mayor DeViet also recognized that June is Pride Month, and that June 6th was the second anniversary of the tragic loss of the Afzaal family, whose lives were taken in a senseless act of violence. She restated the vision of Middlesex Centre, which references our commitment to be a welcoming community, and our corporate value of Respect, which states, "We are an open, courteous and inclusive workplace that values and celebrates the varied backgrounds and experiences of our community. We ensure every resident can participate in our community and engage with our municipal government."
Sarah Savoie, accessibility coordinator with the County of Middlesex, then presented an overview of the Joint Annual Accessibility Status Report for 2022. This report highlights the actions taken by the County and all lower tier municipalities towards accessibility over the past year. Ms Savoie also reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the County and municipalities in responding to Federal and Provincial accessibility legislation, such as the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, among others.
2022 Year-End Surplus and Reserve Funds
The estimated operational surplus for 2022 is $2.58 million. Approximately $1.1 million of the surplus came from additional revenue earned, including unexpected growth in 2022 and the conservative budgeting approach taken to facility bookings due to the pandemic. Lower than expected wage and benefit costs also contributed to the surplus.
Council approved the transfer of this surplus to the municipality’s reserves and reserve funds, including $2 million to the tax rate stabilization fund.
In Brief
During the meeting, Council also:
- Received the budget to actual and the capital budget to actual reports for year-end 2022
- Received an annual report on the municipality’s asset management plan (AMP). The report finds that Middlesex Centre’s AMP is meeting the requirements of the municipality’s asset management policy and the regulations of the Provincial government under the Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act. AMP improvements between June 2022 and June 2023 include updating the municipality’s asset management policy, implementing new asset management software, updating condition assessment data for roads and bridges, and continuing to develop a financial strategy to address future infrastructure priorities.
- Received the municipal treasurer’s statement on 2022 Development Charges
- Authorized an agreement between the municipality of Middlesex Centre and The Ice Academy of Montreal. The Ice Academy, led locally by Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Scott Moir, will bring a world-class ice dance program to the community at the Komoka Wellness Centre.
- Received a report from Public Works and Engineering on the need to move forward planned work (and associated budget) for a culvert on Ivan Drive near Coldstream Road to the 2024 municipal budget as the culvert is experiencing significant structural deterioration.
- Received the findings from a closed session investigation related to the potential sale of the Komoka Community Centre in 2022. A member of the public requested a third-party investigation of whether the municipality had complied with the requirements for closed session meetings as set by the Municipal Act. The investigation, led by Aird and Berlis LLP, found no contravention of the Act with the meeting being held in closed session.
- Met briefly in closed session to discuss matters related to an economic investment and to the disposition of a municipal easement. Questions related to closed session meetings may be directed to the Municipal Clerk.
Next Council Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Middlesex Centre Council Meeting is set for Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 6:00pm. Meeting times are subject to change, so please confirm with the meeting agenda when posted.
For More Information
For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting agenda or contact the Municipal Clerk. You can view the meeting on YouTube.
Meeting highlights are prepared to give residents timely updates on council decisions. The Council Meeting Minutes are the official record of the meeting.