Mayor DeViet opened the meeting by congratulating Middlesex Centre firefighter Tim Webb from Arva Station for receiving the 2023 London Ontario Golf Heart Award. Tim was recognized with the Heart Award for being a life-long turf management professional, a mentor and a staple of the London golf community.
Mayor DeViet also encouraged local businesses to consider applying for municipal Community Improvement Plan (CIP) funding. The CIP looks to revitalize areas in Middlesex Centre by providing grants of up to $7,500 for façade, signage, accessibility, energy efficiency and other improvements. The application period is open February 1 to March 31 this year.
Presentations to Council
There were several presentations to Council at this meeting.
Ania Bialecki of Enbridge Gas and Jamie Kovacs of the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council announced funding provided to Middlesex Centre Fire Services through Enbridge’s Safe Community Project Assist. The donation of $5,000 supported the purchase of firefighter training materials.
Mike DeVos of Spriet Associates presented two drainage reports: 1) Risdon Municipal Drain Culvert and 2) Government Drain No. 2 Branch 6 Municipal Drain. Council deferred a decision on the Risdon Drain to allow for more information to be gathered, and authorized drainage works to proceed on Government Drain No. 2.
Ken Phillips of the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority presented an overview of the authority’s activities in Middlesex Centre in 2022, and introduced some of the changes coming in 2023 in response to provincial legislation.
In Brief
During the meeting, Council also:
- Received the Treasurer’s Statement on the Cash in Lieu of Parkland Reserve Fund and the Delaware Hydro Reserve Fund for 2022.
- Provided direction to staff to move forward with work on the Saker Site Municipal Drain.
- Authorized a lease agreement for 13.5 acres of agricultural lands on Longwoods Rd.
- Received the minutes from the Community Services Advisory Committee Meeting from December 19, 2022.
- Received the year-end building activity summary for 2022. Overall, the number of new dwellings was significantly less than the previous two years but healthier than that of 2019. In total, Middlesex Centre issued 108 permits for new single family dwellings and 75 permits for new townhouse units, as well as 479 permits for renovations, pools, and other building activities, with a total value of $154 million.
- Supported moving forward with a grant application to the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Fund for retrofits to the Ilderton Arena. Funds will be sought to support the energy efficiency (replacement of the refrigeration plant), safety (rink boards and glass) and accessibility (washroom improvements) of the arena.
- Approved a by-law to delegate authority to municipal officers and staff to undertake certain administrative actions related to approved projects and/or expenditures.
Next Council Meeting
The next regularly scheduled Middlesex Centre Council Meeting is set for Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. Meeting times are subject to change, so please confirm with the meeting agenda when posted.
For More Information
For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting agenda or contact the Municipal Clerk. You can view the meeting on YouTube.
Meeting highlights are prepared to give residents timely updates on council decisions. The Council Meeting Minutes are the official record of the meeting