Shari Gottschalk

The council meeting addressed various community and planning matters, including approvals for a Food and Craft Festival, multiple Zoning By-law Amendments, and Minor Variance Applications. Key operational decisions included awarding a tender for the reconstruction of George Street, authorizing legal services to address a historical land title omission, and approving a grant for a local road association. Furthermore, the council initiated a community mural survey, supported minor softball diamond rentals, and discussed the development of a medical centre in partnership with the Peterborough Housing Corporation. Additionally, staff were directed to create a policy for managing funds from the transfer station bottle drives.

The council meeting included an introduction of a new public works employee and a presentation regarding the 'Talking Forest' mobile application, which offers digital guided trails for educational and tourism purposes. The council discussed potentially partnering with a local school to implement the application. Additionally, a delegation was heard regarding the mobile canteen bylaw, focusing on complaints about operational hours and the possibility of waiving associated fees for vendors.

The council held a public meeting to discuss zoning bylaw amendments. Specifically, the council approved a zoning amendment application for the redevelopment of a property on Route 87D at Jack Lake, allowing for the construction of a new dwelling and attached garage with specific setbacks. Additionally, the council reviewed a zoning bylaw amendment application for a property on Fire Route 44 at Round Lake; however, due to incomplete information regarding the location of a proposed septic holding tank and resulting setback concerns, this application was deferred pending further site plan updates.

The council discussed various items, including a public meeting for a zoning by-law amendment concerning an enlarged accessory building at 250 Burnt Dam Road, which was previously deferred. They also reviewed building department activity reports, capital project updates for the first quarter of 2026, and the award of a request for tender for new pick-up trucks. Additionally, the council addressed correspondence regarding the Alto high-speed train project, received committee liaison reports, and deliberated on by-laws and potential property acquisition in a closed session.

The council meeting focused on the introduction of a new planning assistant and a delegation regarding the township's drinking water system financial plan. The discussion covered the requirements for the municipal drinking water license, operating expenses for the system, capital cost projections for a new water well, and potential funding strategies including government grants and user water rate adjustments to ensure the system becomes fully self-sustaining.