The council could call on the feds to return the Champlain statue to city control

Addiction treatment, a new sewage pumping station, the fate of the Champlain Monument and other civic issues will be discussed at Monday’s council meeting.

City politicians will meet at 2 p.m. in the Orillia City Center council chambers. Crash Here read the 58-page agenda.

Before the regular meeting at 1:00 p.m. a review of the 2025 budget will be presented to city politicians; deliberations will begin on Tuesday and Wednesday, during which the city’s operating budget will be discussed. For now, the city is designing tax increase of almost 7%. next year.

Community Empowerment Collective

An official from a local addiction treatment center will give a presentation about services that help people “work through addiction recovery with behavioral physical therapy.”

This non-profit organization is seeking support and promotion from the city because it wants to help people struggling with addictions in its community.

Universal stop/roundabout at Orion and Monarch

A potential stop or roundabout at the intersection of Orion Boulevard and Monarch Drive will be discussed Monday.

The idea was originally proposed by councilors Jay Fallis and Jeff Czetwerzuk, who had heard numerous safety complaints from residents near the western Orillia intersection.

Despite the concerns, city officials are recommending against implementing a 24-hour stop or roundabout, noting that the intersection meets the criteria set out in the Ontario Traffic Manual for such measures.

According to the city authorities’ report, the intersection does not provide enough space for a roundabout. The length from kerb to kerb is approximately 21 meters, while public transport buses/similar vehicles require 32 meters for a single lane roundabout.

The intersection was also not considered a “major collision requiring mitigation,” according to the staff report.

Bayview sewage pumping station

City officials are seeking a $3 million budget increase to build a new sewage pumping station in Bayview, bringing the total project budget to $8.5 million.

The station, originally built in the 1940s, has “significant deficiencies,” prompting the city to decide to rebuild it rather than replace components of the current station that have gone out of service.

While the 2023 budget approved a total construction budget of $5.5 million, an additional $3 million is needed “for staff to award the project to the highest bidder,” staff states.

Hillcrest Lodge Corporation Property Taxes

Hillcrest Lodge has requested an extension of its property tax exemption as it continues to work with the Toronto United Church Council to acquire land for a non-profit housing facility on Matchedash Street North.

To qualify for a property tax exemption under the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, a nonprofit organization must own the land on which its affordable housing development is located, which it leases from the United Church at a rate of $1 per year through 2054.

The current deadline for the land transfer is late 2024, but Hillcrest has requested an extension until June 15, 2024 to finalize the move.

Without the extension, “Hillcrest would theoretically become liable for all delinquent taxes and accrued interest, an amount beyond our tenants’ ability to absorb, which would result in bankruptcy,” Hillcrest’s letter to the council stated.

Solution to the totem system

Tim Lauer County will ask council to support a staff report on the logistics of establishing a universal voting system in the city that could disband the current district system.

Lauer spoke to OrilliaMatters about the idea last week.

Council inquiries

County Commissioner Janet-Lynne Durnford will seek council support regarding a staff report regarding the creation of a Community Safety Zone on Borland Street, from West Street North to Laclie Street, and Peter Street, from Jarvis Street to Benner Street.

Fallis County will ask city officials to consider a 72-hour waiver for recreational equipment during the next government-initiated cleanup changes to Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance 2014-44.

Mayor Don McIsaac and the County. Jeff Czetwerzuk will ask his colleagues for help in having employees send correspondence to Parks Canada requesting that the Samuel De Champlain statue be returned to city control. It was removed several years ago for cleaning and repairs and has been in storage since then – under the care of Parks Canada – following a wave of controversy following its removal from Couchiching Beach Park.