October 12 Meeting Highlights

Grey County Council met on October 12, 2023, in the Council Chamber and virtually on Zoom. The meeting was immediately followed by a session of Committee of the Whole. Recordings of the meetings can be found on Grey County’s YouTube Channel.

County Council

• Council accepted the minutes of the September 28 Grey County Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.  Council  Committee
• Council received the minutes of the May 26, June 23, July 28 and August 11, 2023 Board of Health meetings. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra spoke to council about the minutes and highlighted the opiate crisis and interventions that are underway.

Committee of the Whole

• Darlene Lamberti of the Centre Grey Health Services Foundation thanked Council for the Grey County’s contributions to the newly opened hospital in Markdale. Grey County’s contributions will be recognized through the naming of the ambulatory care department at the hospital. Grey County contributed $1 million to the project through a combination of donated land and funding.  Presentation
• Council received the Integrity Commissioner’s Annual Report. The Integrity Commissioner provides advice to Grey County on ethical policy development, education about ethical behaviour of council members, and if required, investigates complaints related to breaches of the Council Code of Conduct if they cannot be informally resolved. Report
• Council supported a new Grey County Economic Development, Tourism and Culture Master Plan titled The Grey’t Reset. This plan provides a 10-year vision and a five-year action plan for economic development and Grey Roots Museum & Archives. The new plan adapts to significant changes experienced following the pandemic. Report  Presentation  Master Plan
• Council extended the delegated authority given to County planning staff in approving plans of subdivisions for vacant land.  Report
• Council approved proposed changes to speed limits along Grey Road 119 in the Town of The Blue Mountain. Council supported recommendations to raise the speed limit to 70kmph almost most of the road for consistency but reducing the speed to 50kmph in the community of Banks. A by-law will be brought forward to a future meeting to formalize the changes and new speed limit signs will be installed.  Report
• Council approved a Non-Union Compensation Policy. This policy outlines how compensation reviews will be undertaken, the job evaluation process and inputs into the annual salary adjustment calculation, with the goal of providing a pay structure and target pay that is fair, compliant with employment laws, affordable, and competitive.  Report
• In follow up to direction to Grey County staff to approach the Bluewater District School Board regarding the possible purchase of an inactive school track field property in Meaford for the purpose of future affordable housing, staff advised that the opportunity was discussed but that no further action would be taken by the school board. Provincial legislation requires schoolboards to sell surplus land at a fair market value. The deferred resolution relating to this matter was withdrawn by Councillor Keaveney. A new motion was unanimously supported by council directing staff to send a letter of advocacy to the Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Education asking for them to intervene and enable relief from the fair market value provision where the property is being repurposed for affordable or attainable housing.    

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.