Executive Committee – Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 5pm

Updated: Jun 23

Minutes: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=M&ID=1309685&GUID=359D1E89-7392-4A0E-99A0-0087B63A4151

Watch Online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQLVEkVmkFE

Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1309685&GUID=359D1E89-7392-4A0E-99A0-0087B63A4151

City's Legistar: https://barrie.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1309685&GUID=359D1E89-7392-4A0E-99A0-0087B63A4151&Options=info|&Search=

Meeting Location: Council Chambers

Committee Members Present: Nuttall, Thomson, Morales, Nixon, Harvey, Hamilton

Also Present: Riepma, Courser, Nigussie, Harris

💡🗣️ Items for Discussion

Sponsor: Nixon
Notice: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14233094&GUID=9D626117-AAEF-4478-A36C-2B42F6797760
Have Development Services investigate possible solutions to minimize the possibility of traffic and pedestrian incidents at the intersection of Mulcaster Street and Worsley Street caused by blind spots when travelling west on Worsley through the intersection at Mulcaster, and report back to the Community Safety Committee
APPROVED on Consent

Sponsor: Harvey
Notice: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14233098&GUID=60866E3C-C3D1-403B-B30E-3C9516DDD9A1
Direct Development Services to prepare an intake form for consideration in the 2026 budget for the purchase of temporary road vehicle blockades (including but not limited to the Archer 1200 and the MVB 3X modular vehicle barriers) for use at road closures for events such as Open Air Dunlop, New Years Eve Countdown and the Remembrance Day ceremonies along with other events and festivals throughout the City to ensure the safety of the attending patrons
APPROVED on Consent

Sponsor: Harvey
Notice: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14233096&GUID=B6DF0F22-63B0-4411-947D-076A37604569
Direct Development Services to add stop signs for north and southbound Reid Drive at King Street, where the roads intersect at the south end of King Street to make a 4-way stop
APPROVED on Consent

Sponsor: Harvey
Notice: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14233097&GUID=C1B8A072-A714-4529-8E52-A615976F06AB
Direct Development Services to:
- amend the Community Safety Zones bylaw to add Marsellus Drive from south leg of Downing Crescent to 85m west of Farmstead Crescent
- amend the Rates of Speed Bylaw with Marsellus Drive to be maximum 40km/h from the south leg of Downing Crescent to 85m west of Farmstead Crescent
- APPROVED on Consent

Sponsor: Thomson
Notice: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14233095&GUID=AB3CE777-6814-4648-8B9A-8757B8A39AF9
Direct the CAO to establish a 2-year pilot program to pursue programs and services supported by Canadian owned/based Artificial Intelligence Companies
Bypass the Procurement Bylaw so the CAO can procure such services and programs during the period of the pilot project
Set an annual budget for the program at an upper limit of $600,000 to be funded from the Reinvestment Reserve
Have the CAO report back to Finance and Responsible Governance on the programs and services procured, including any efficiencies and return on investment achieved by the City
APPROVED on Consent

Report: given orally by Rick Pews, Director of Corporate Facilities
Schematic design work continues
Staff Report will be given at the next General Committee meeting on June 11

Report: given orally by Rick Pews, Director of Corporate Facilities
Design and development work proceeding quickly with continued input from Lakehead's Academic team
Constructors and contractors are finalizing space layouts to meet the University's specific needs
Developing detailed design plans and phases, and targeting to have the first set of building permit plans completed and ready for submission by mid-June
Following parallel workflows to ensure that the longest lead portions of the project can be started first
Funding and operating agreement discussions with Lakehead's executives are expected to continue throughout the summer months

Report: given orally by Rick Pews, Director of Corporate Facilities
Updated site fit, testing, block planning and preliminary costing work has been completed to meet the anticipated capacity needs for the Hewitt & Salem Secondary Plan areas
Staff Report will be given at the next General Committee meeting on June 11

Report: given orally by Rick Pews, Director of Corporate Facilities
Schematic design work continues
Staff Report was scheduled for June 11, but additional work needed to ensure costing is accurate, anticipate it will be ready for August General Committee meeting

Report: no update was included
Thomson asked about site selection, noted it had been narrowed down to two sites, one City-owned and one private
Staff confirmed they were finalizing the assessment of both properties, but there were issues of timing and resources with the City-owned property that were not problematic with the privately-owned property, so if a quicker turn-around was desired, the
MOTION by Thomson:
- 1. That staff in Corporate Facilities be authorized to negotiate a lease agreement with the property owner in north-west Barrie for the purpose of locating and constructing a boutique library to be executed by the Mayor and the City Clerk, in a form acceptable to the Director of Legal Services and General Manager, Community and Corporate Services 2. That a Corporate Project be created and be funded by the Development Charge Reserve and financial contributions available by the Barrie Public Library Board, and that staff in Corporate Facilities report back to Council via confidential memorandum detailing the final location, terms and conditions of this agreement
- CARRIED, unanimously

Brought forward by Nuttall, so no approval vote was taken - this may be because of Strong Mayor Powers, it was not made clear

Nuttall began by talking about the encampments, and via staff established that encampments could not be cleared because there were no accessible shelter spaces available (and it is illegal to remove someone from an encampment without providing a viable and acceptable alternative)
- The conversation unfortunately descended into many stereotypes and finger-pointing against the County, but also seemed to tie in with Nuttall's proposed annexation of neighbouring land (even though the lands in that annexation area would not fit most of the requirements of the proposed HART Hub; AND since, as acknowledged in the conversation, it's the County responsible for the HART Hub, there is no requirement for Barrie to own the land if they moved the HART Hub to another municipality's land)
MOTION by Thomson (at Nuttall's request - again, it's unclear how this did not require approval to introduce, if the mayor had to get Thomson to put forward the motion):
- To add a report on the progress of the HART Hub to the Executive Committee monthly Agenda under Strategic Plan Updates
- CARRIED (vote not shown)