04 16 2009 OMEGA MinutesTOWNSHIP OF ORO-MEDONTE
ORO-MEDONTE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP ADVISORS (OMEGA)
MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, April 16, 2009 @ 7:35 p.m.
Council Chambers
Due to technical difficulties, no digital recording of the meeting is available.
Present:
David Edwards
Wilf McMechan
Meryl Drake
Steve Cromwell
Ruth Fountain
David Kennedy
Jim Purnell
Regrets: Councillor Terry Allison
Gerry Murphy
Allan Johnson
Andy McNiven
Doug Shelswell
Mike Vandergeest
Kim Wand
Josephine Martensson-Hemsted
Bob Barlow
John Bosomworth
Council/Staff Mayor Harry Hughes Councillor Sandy Agnew
Present: Councillor Mel Coutanche Lisa McNiven, Manager Engineering
Marie Brissette, Committee and Environmental Services
Coordinator
1. Councillor Coutanche called the meeting to order.
2. ADOPTION OF AGENDA:
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-01
Moved by David Edwards, Seconded by Steve Cromwell
It is recommended that the agenda for the Oro-Medonte Environmental Group
Advisors (OMEGA) meeting of Thursday, April 16, 2009 be received and adopted as
amended to include:
7 c) Bruce Keeling, Chairman, The Maple Tree Committee (branch of Maple Leaves
Forever), correspondence dated April 8, 2009 re: Grant for Maple Trees.
8 f) Content and timing of minutes.
Carried.
3. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & THE GENERAL NATURE
THEREOF - IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACT:
None declared.
4. MINUTES:
a) Minutes of OMEGA Meeting held on February 19, 2009.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-02
Moved by Meryl Drake, Seconded by Ruth Fountain
It is recommended that the minutes of the Oro-Medonte Environmental Group
Advisors (OMEGA) meeting held on February 19, 2009 be adopted as amended:
1. Remove the hyphen in Oro-Moraine Brochure, Motion No. OMEGA-090219-7;
2. Add Couchiching Conservancy and Oro Moraine Association after NVCA, Motion
No. OMEGA-090219-8.
Carried.
5. ITEMS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING:
a) Highlight key messages.
The recommendations from the previous OMEGA meeting that were considered by
Council, were reviewed.
6. WORKING GROUPS UPDATES:
a) Oro Moraine
• Oro Moraine - Indicators Report Card.
It was noted that the Working Group met with the Couchiching Conservancy, NVCA,
LSRCA, Oro Moraine Association and Members of Council on March 31, 2009.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-03
Moved by Andy McNiven, Seconded by David Kennedy
It is recommended that the verbal update from the Oro Moraine Working Group re:
Oro Moraine - Indicators Report Card Working Document, be received.
Carried.
Page 2
OMEGA Meeting -April 16, 2009
b) Growth Issues
• Process for input into the upcoming Official Plan Review.
The Group discussed the benefit of having a joint meeting with the Planning Advisory
Committee in order to review the current Official Plan and applicable Provincial
requirements.
Councillor Coutanche distributed a chart listing groups that could provide input to an
OP review.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-04
Moved by Steve Cromwell, Seconded by Ruth Fountain
It is recommended that the verbal update from the Growth Issues Working Group re:
Process for input into the upcoming Official Plan Review be received.
Carried.
c) Habitat
• Draft Tree Preservation By-law.
The Working Group felt it would be beneficial to review the requirements from the
Lake Simcoe Protection Plan in order to utilize that template. It was also suggested
to invite members of the Committee of Adjustment to participate in the drafting of the
by-law.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-05
Moved by Meryl Drake, Seconded by Kim Wand
It is recommended that the verbal update from the Habitat Working Group re: Draft
Tree Preservation By-law be received.
Carried.
d) Water Quality / Lake Management
• "Ribbon of Life" Waterfront Property Owners Workshop - June 13,
2009.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-06
Moved by Josephine Martensson-Hemsted, Seconded by David Edwards
It is recommended that the verbal update from the Water Quality / Lake Management
Working Group re: "Ribbon for Life" Waterfront Property Owners Workshop - June
13, 2009, be received.
Carried.
Page 3
OMEGA Meeting -April 16, 2009
e) Sustainable Agriculture
It was noted that a meeting to discuss developing a local food procurement policy
was to be held with representatives from Simcoe County Farm Fresh and Local Food
Plus on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Township Office.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-07
Moved by Josephine Martensson-Hemsted, Seconded by Andy McNiven
It is recommended that the verbal information from the Sustainable Agriculture Group
be received.
Carried.
7. COMMUNICATIONS:
a) Keith Sherman, Co-ordinator, Severn Sound Environmental Association (SSEA),
correspondence dated April 1, 2009 re: Formation of the Interim Sustainability
Plan Steering Committee.
The item was noted.
b) George Smitherman, Deputy Premier, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure,
correspondence dated March 26, 2009 re: Official Plan, Growth Plan Conformity.
The item was noted.
c) Bruce Keeling, Chairman, The Maple Tree Committee (branch of Maple Leaves
Forever), correspondence dated April 8, 2009 re: Grant for Maple Trees.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-08
Moved by Doug Shelswell, Seconded by Meryl Drake
It is recommended that correspondence dated April 8, 2009 from Bruce Keeling,
Chairman, The Maple Tree Committee (branch of Maple Leaves Forever) re: Grant
for Maple Trees, be received.
Carried.
Page 4
OMEGA Meeting-April 16, 2009
8. OTHER BUSINESS/QUESTIONS:
a) Funding requests.
Councillor Coutanche provided a chart outlining the process for funding requests.
The Group asked that requests be submitted utilizing the Township's current
Grant/Subsidy Form in order to acquire the appropriate information, and that requests
be reviewed by the Group bi-yearly rather than sporadically.
It was noted that this item, supported with a current list of all Environmental Initiative
requests granted to date, and a copy of the Township's Grant/Subsidy Form, would
be on the next agenda.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-09
Moved by Mike Vandergeest, Seconded by Meryl Drake
It is recommended that
1. The correspondence dated February 20, 2009 from Andy McNiven re: Funding
requests to OMEGA, be received.
2. That OMEGA reviews any funding requests at their meeting of June 15, 2009 and
October 19, 2009.
3. And that OMEGA utilizes the Township of Oro-Medonte's current Grant Request
Form for any subsequent Environmental Initiatives requests.
Carried.
b) North Simcoe Community News - OMEGA information.
The Group read the article and commented that future articles should reference the
items being reviewed by OMEGA rather than simply noting funding requests the
Advisory Group has approved.
c) Issues and Opportunities from Council.
No matters had been referred from Council for this meeting.
d) Review of Issues and Opportunities from November 15, 2007.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-10
Moved by Mike Vandergeest, Seconded by David Kennedy
It is recommended that the excerpt from the November 15, 2007 OMEGA minutes,
and excerpt from the November 28, 2007 Council minutes, be received.
Carried.
Page 5
OMEGA Meeting -April 16, 2009
e) Severn Sound Environmental Association Tree Seedling Distribution Project.
It was noted that the trees were to be distributed in the coming weeks.
f) Content and timing of minutes.
Members requested that the minutes offer an outline of the discussions and that the
minutes be provided to members in a timely manner.
9. NEXT MEETING DATE:
Members noted that the suggested change of meeting date to Monday had previously
been discussed and was not favourable to the Advisory Group.
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-11
Moved by Mike Vandergeest, Seconded by Andy McNiven
It is recommended that OMEGA meets every third Thursday of every second month
with meetings starting at 7:30 p.m. from May to September and 7:00 p.m. from
October to April.
Carried.
10. ADJOURNMENT:
Motion No. OMEGA-090416-12
Moved by Steve Cromwell, Seconded by Wilf McMechan
It is recommended that we do now adjourn at 9:24 p.m.
Carried.
~z
Co-Chairperson, Councillor Coutanche
Absent
Co-Chairperson, Councillor Allison
Co-Chairperson, Councillor Agnew
i ~
Committee oordinator, Marie Brissette
Page 6
OMEGA Meeting -April 16, 2009