County Council Highlights for July 5, 2016

Grey County Council met on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers. Below are highlights from the meeting.

• The Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) updated council on the approval process for redeveloping long-term care homes. The South West LHIN oversees long-term care planning in Grey County and any changes to the number of beds or their location must also be approved by the Province. The LHIN has a goal to achieve between 80-110 beds per 1000 people over the age of 75, within 25km.
• The LHIN provided feedback on Grey County’s three long term care redevelopment scenarios. The option of building an addition on to Grey Gables in Markdale would create an undersupply of beds in Hanover and Chesley areas and would not be supported by the LHIN from an access perspective. The other two scenarios (rebuilding Rockwood Terrace as is, or building a larger Rockwood Terrace and moving beds from Grey Gables) maintain the desired level of access.
• Council heard a presentation from Carol Lawrence about the history of Grey Gables and Rockwood Terrace.
• Kris Kennedy spoke to Council about the social, supportive and economic impact of long-term care in the community.
• A report outlining the next steps for collecting information about the impacts long‑term care redevelopment will have on the community will be brought forward to an upcoming Social Services Committee meeting.
• Council approved the Tourism Destination Development Action Plan. Staff will begin working on the strategies.
• Grey County will hire one Manager of Economic Development instead of filling two vacant staff positions in tourism and economic development. This decision supports the goals of both the Economic Development Strategy and Tourism Destination Development Action Plan.
• Staff will create a by-law to allow all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side-by-side off‑road vehicles (ORVs) on most county roads as a one-year trial. These vehicles will be allowed between dawn and dusk between May 1 and November 10. Councillors will review a list of restricted roads at an upcoming meeting and will review the by-law will in one year.
• ATV clubs asked Grey County to allow ATVs and side-by-side ORVs on the CP Rail Trail from Sunny Valley Road south to Owen Sound. Some sections of the trail are on Niagara Escarpment land and the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) doesn’t allow motorized vehicles on trails. Grey County will contact the NEC and research the situation further before Council makes a decision.
• Staff will investigate additional risks and labilities of the ATV changes. They will also identify infrastructure upgrades needed.
• County Council approved the Town of The Blue Mountains Official Plan.
• Staff will schedule a public meeting to discuss the proposed expansion of a grain elevator in in Southgate.
• Grey County will enter into a service agreement with the Thames Valley Children’s Centre for speech and language services. Public Health is no longer providing these services.

The Clerk’s Department maintains the official record for Grey County. This publication is intended to provide meeting highlights only. For official records, please refer to the meeting minutes or contact the Clerk’s Department at 1‑800‑567‑4739.