Council Follow-up, week of March 7

Circulation List: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=914230&GUID=4FC7E811-9148-4E72-B2E0-B1C37B70CA33&Options=info|&Search=

A relatively uneventful yet productive week of meetings.

City Council

Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=913790&GUID=2B2A60DC-9DC9-433B-A8DD-B5FAB0F1FCC3

Watch Again: https://youtu.be/YOpW28GZyBk

Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=913790&GUID=2B2A60DC-9DC9-433B-A8DD-B5FAB0F1FCC3

Engage's Summary: https://www.engagebarrie.org/post/city-council-monday-march-7-7pm

Final approval on the Wastewater Asset Management Plan, the 2022 Economic Recovery Programs (Patios, Business in the Parks, Open Air Dunlop), an amended mandate for the Barrie Arts Advisory Committee, and several other items on consent.

The Council Compensation Recommendations were approved, but without extending the OMERS Pension Program to Members of Council (just the Mayor). This was a disappointing decision, as it keeps Barrie behind comparative municipalities, and it has been shown that a healthy Benefits program can attract a more diverse group of candidates to run – especially lower-income and younger candidates. It was interesting to note the number of arguments that a young person wouldn't be attracted by a pension – and yet, the two youngest Members of Council were the Councillors voting to keep the pension!

The item regarding Pickleball Courts was amended to add that an Outdoor Racquet Sports Strategy would be created, to provide direction on outdoor pickleball and tennis recreational facilities across the City, and included in the 2023 Capital Budget for Council consideration.

Regarding the request for the Province to address Joint & Several Liability for Municipalities, Legal Services indicated they were in favour of this, and had been for some time, so there was no point referring the item back to them. Therefore, the initial motion was reinstated, to support the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's call to the Province to align municipal liability with the proportionate responsibility for incidents, and capping awards.

The City of Barrie International Partners website has been launched at https://internationalpartners.barrie.ca – Dave Morrison, Chair of the International Relations Committee, and website developer Ciaran Byles-Ho gave the presentation.

There was also a presentation by the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, with a Capital Plan update by Charlotte Wallis (Chair of the RVH Board) and Janis Skot (President & CEO), showing the upcoming phases of the new South Campus, and new phases of the (existing) North Campus.