Mayor DeViet began the meeting by congratulating Arnie Marsman, Director of Building & By-law Services, on his 25 years of service with the Municipal Law Enforcement Officers’ Association of Ontario.
The Mayor also commended the Clerks Department for delivering a successful election.
Council Business
Infrastructure and Environmental Services
- Council heard an overview of the Engineer’s Report for the Bear Creek Municipal Drain Branch 5 located in Komoka, from Mike DeVos of Spriet Associates. The Court of Revision for the drain work will meet on Dec. 2.
- Council approved a motion to reconsider its previous direction on the proposed green bin program. Staff were directed to bring a report to Council reviewing how the program operates in other municipalities and providing additional financial analysis of other implementation options.
- Council approved Middlesex Centre’s 2026-2027 Winter Maintenance Plan. The Winter Maintenance Plan establishes the framework for delivering winter maintenance such snow removal on municipal roadways, sidewalks, trails, parking lots, and municipal facilities.
- Council received the 2026 Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks annual inspection and audit summaries for Middlesex Centre’s water distribution systems. The inspection concluded that operational practices and records met all applicable regulatory requirements and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the municipality received a final inspection rating of 100%.
Community Safety and Fire Services
- Council approved the 2026-2031 Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, led by the County of Middlesex on behalf of Middlesex Centre. The plan is a joint initiative with the County of Middlesex and its lower tier municipalities in response to provincial requirements for municipalities to prepare and adopt community safety and well-being plans. The 2026–2031 plan identifies six interconnected priority areas: Housing Stability and Homelessness; Child, Youth and Family Well-Being; Access to Services and Mobility; Economic Well-Being; Mental Health and Addictions; and Violence Prevention.
- Council received a progress update on the Fire Services Master Plan.
Budget and Council Remuneration
- Council approved a motion to refer the Council remuneration review to the 2027 budget development process. The increase to the mayor’s compensation will be introduced incrementally over the next four years.
- Council received the September 2026 budget-to-actual report and the Q3 capital budget-to-actual report.
Customer Service Review
Graham Pressey, Senior Engagement Manager for Blackline Consulting, presented the results of Middlesex Centre’s 2026 Customer Service Review to Council.
Residents generally described staff as pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful, with 93% strongly or somewhat agreeing that staff were pleasant. The review suggested that the main opportunities for improvement relate less to staff interactions and more to the processes, systems and information that support service delivery.
Recommendations from the review will be incorporated into future work plans and budgets.
Planning Matters
Sitting in public meeting and as part of the regular agenda, Council heard two application requests to amend the Zoning By-law.
Closing Remarks
As this meeting marked the last of the 2022 to 2026 term, council members had an opportunity to provide remarks:
- Councillors and Deputy Mayor Brennan offered heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Councillor Coles and Mayor DeViet as they embark on their next chapters.
- Councillor Jean Coles thanked Council and staff, noting that everyone shares the common goal of doing what is best for the community. She highlighted accomplishments she was particularly proud of, including keeping the Bryanston school property open, Ilderton Arena renovations, the Active Transportation Plan, Ilderton’s 150th anniversary celebrations, and the development of new parks. She also thanked residents for their questions, input, and engagement; expressed gratitude to her family for their support; and wished incoming Ward 1 Councillor MacRae success in the role.
- Mayor Aina DeViet thanked residents for their active participation in local government, noting that community engagement helps make government better. She recognized the contributions of her Council colleagues, committee members, and staff, and reflected on the municipality’s accomplishments despite challenges faced throughout the term. She concluded by wishing all the best to incoming Council members as they begin their term.
Next Council Meeting
The inaugural meeting of the 2026-2030 term of Middlesex Centre Council is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the municipal office located at 10227 Ilderton Road. The inaugural meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed.
For More Information
For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting agenda or contact the Municipal Clerk. You can watch 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.