MINUTES

COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CARLETON PLACE

Immediately Following Committee of the Whole
Town Hall Council Chambers
COUNCIL PRESENT:
  • Mayor Randell
  • Deputy Mayor Tennant
  • Councillor Seccaspina
  • Councillor Atkinson
  • Councillor Comley
  • Councillor Cavanagh
  • Councillor Hinton
STAFF PRESENT:
  • Diane Smithson, CAO/Deputy Clerk
  • Trisa McConkey, Treasurer

Mayor Randell called the meeting to order at 7:53 p.m.

  • Motion No.20-135-01
    Moved by:Councillor Atkinson
    Seconded by:Councillor Hinton

    THAT the Agenda be approved as amended to delete Section 7. Announcements.

    CARRIED

Deputy Mayor Tennant is the owner of property close to one of the Strategic Properties.

Councillor Cavanagh is the owner of property close to one of the sites being proposed by staff to be considered as a Strategic Property.

  • Motion No.20-135-02
    Moved by:Councillor Cavanagh
    Seconded by:Councillor Seccaspina

    THAT the Council Minutes dated November 26, 2024, be accepted as presented.

    CARRIED
  • Motion No.20-135-03
    Moved by:Councillor Comley
    Seconded by:Councillor Hinton

    THAT Council receive the Consent Report dated December 10, 2024.

    Consent items from the November 26, 2024 Regular Committee of the Whole Meeting:

    1. Status Update on Short-term priorities arising from the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan

    THAT Council receive as information the Manager of Recreation and Culture’s report dated November 26, 2024, providing a progress update on the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan.

    1. Establish Delegation requests for the 2025 ROMA Conference

    THAT Council supports the following delegation requests for the 2025 ROMA   conference: 1. To the Ministry of Finance regarding changing the parameters for the Annual Repayment Limit. 2. To the Ministry of the Solicitor General regarding provisions to reduce the size of OPP Detachment Boards under the Community Safety and Policing Act.

    Consent items from the December 10, 2024, Regular Committee of the Whole Meeting:

    1. Carleton Lifestyles Subdivision (Franktown Road) Carleton Lifestyles Ltd. (09-T-22002) (Communication 135187)

    THAT Council accept the amended conditions of draft approval for the 347 Franktown Road Subdivision (347 Franktown Road) as identified in the Director of Development Services Report dated November 26, 2024 and subject to the following additions:

    • That the Owner shall provide an updated Traffic Impact Assessment which considers the cumulative traffic impact of development to the satisfaction of the Town prior to registration of the plan;
    • That the Owner shall install a sidewalk and accompanying drainage infrastructure along the frontage of the property on Franktown Road to the satisfaction of the Town; and
    • That the density of Blocks 4 and 5 shall be limited to no more than 35 units per net hectare.

    AND THAT Council directs staff to forward the conditions of draft approval to the County of Lanark.

     

    1. 355 Franktown Road (residential infill) 11309455 Canada Inc (09-T-23001) (Communication 135191)

    THAT Council accept the amended conditions of draft approval for the 355 Franktown Road Subdivision as identified in the Director of Development Services Report dated November 26, 2024 and subject to the following additions:

    • That the Owner shall provide an updated Traffic Impact Assessment which considers the cumulative traffic impact of development to the satisfaction of the Town prior to registration of the plan;
    • That the Owner shall install a sidewalk and accompanying drainage infrastructure along the frontage of the property on Franktown Road to the satisfaction of the Town; and
    • That the density of Block 2 shall be limited to no more than 35 units per net hectare.

    AND THAT Council directs staff to forward the conditions of draft approval to the County of Lanark.

     

    1. Water & Wastewater Rate Study and Water Financial Plan (Communication 135195)

    THAT Council authorizes staff to sole source the Water & Wastewater Rate Study and Water Financial Plan to Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. as outlined in the report prepared by the Director of Public Works dated December 10th, 2024; and

    THAT the budget deviation of $38,831.62 be paid for from the Water and Sewer Reserve.

     

    1. 2025 Cyber Insurance Policy (Communication 135196)

    THAT the Treasurer be authorized to enter into agreements as required with CFC for the placement of cyber insurance services for the period January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026, in the amount of $26,188.00 including non-refundable PST.

     

    1. 2025 Insurance Renewal (Communication 135197)

    THAT the Treasurer be authorized to enter into agreements as required with Intact Public Entities for the placement of insurance services for the period January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026, provided that the total cost is within the 2025 budgeted amount of $635,460 including non-refundable PST.

    1. Carleton Place Environmental Advisory Committee (CPEAC) Resignations

    THAT the resignations of Derek Trevorrow and Bill Slade from the Carleton Place Environmental Advisory Committee (CPEAC) be accepted with regrets.

    CARRIED
  • Deputy Mayor Tennant declared a conflict on this item. (Deputy Mayor Tennant is the owner of property close to one of the Strategic Properties.)
  • Councillor Cavanagh declared a conflict on this item. (Councillor Cavanagh is the owner of property close to one of the sites being proposed by staff to be considered as a Strategic Property.)

The following consent item was pulled and dealt with separately:

  • Motion No.20-135-04
    Moved by:Councillor Atkinson
    Seconded by:Councillor Hinton

    THAT Council accepts as information the report from the Director of Development Services dated December 10, 2024 providing an update on "Strategic Properties"; and 

    THAT Staff be directed to bring the report back in January 2025 to consider investigating adding properties 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 19 in the development of site-specific policies of "Strategic Properties" for inclusion in the Development Permit By-law.

    CARRIED

The proposed tax rate increase for 2025 was 8% coming out of the Town’s budget meetings; 4.1% for OPP and 3.9% for Town purposes.  Significant public feedback was received on the proposed increase following the public budget meeting on November 26, 2024 which was circulated to members of Council for their consideration.

It was noted that the Town received one-time funding from the Province of Ontario in the amount of $428,787 to offset the Town’s increased 2025 policing cost of $622,270.  As the Town will also be receiving a significant increase in OPP cost in 2026, the suggestion was to use a portion of the funding for 2025 and the remaining amount in 2026.  By doing this, the proposed 4.1% OPP tax rate would be reduced to 2.6%.

Additionally, the Town has $140.000 that was previously allocated to the Library which is no longer required.  It was suggested that this funding could be used to offset the proposed 3.9% tax increase to the Town portion of the tax rate bringing the rate down to 2.9%.

After a discussion and comments regarding the proposed tax rate, the following motion was presented:

  • Motion No.20-135-05
    Moved by:Councillor Hinton
    Seconded by:Councillor Atkinson

    THAT Council approves a total tax rate increase for 2025 of 5.5% comprised of 2.6% for OPP and 2.9% for Town purposes.

    CARRIED

The Year of Service Awards Ceremony took place at the Committee of the Whole meeting which commenced at 6:00 p.m. this evening. 

  • Motion No.20-135-06
    Moved by:Councillor Comley
    Seconded by:Councillor Cavanagh

    THAT By-law 85-2024 (Confirmation of Council Proceedings for December 10, 2024) be read a first, second and third time, and finally passed.

    CARRIED
  • Motion No.20-135-07
    Moved by:Councillor Atkinson
    Seconded by:Deputy Mayor Tennant

    THAT the meeting be adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

    CARRIED