A mid summer's Council meeting

When I sat down to write this blog post, I couldn't limit my topic to just one issue.  So I've decided on a longer blog covering 4 issues.

Yesterday's meeting had some major issues before Council.  It was too bad that the material wasn't part of a regularly scheduled meeting when more people would know to attend.  This was a 'special' meeting and not part of the regular schedule.

York Region Growth Plans

Up first was a presentation from the York Region planner about growth.  Many of the numbers concerning Newmarket are old news. What was eye-popping was the growth planned for some of the neighbouring municipalities.

In particular, East Gwillimbury is expected to grow from approximately 24,000 residents today to well over 100,000 residents in 15 years.  The first thought that came to mind was the sewage lagoons in Holland Landing.  These lagoons are already filled beyond capacity.  When 75,000 more people flush their toilets, where is it going?

When East Gwillimbury grew at the intersection of Yonge and Green Lane, they relied on Newmarket to provide water and sewage services.  Is that the plan going forward?

There has long been talk about building a new water treatment plant to replace the Holland Landing lagoons but this plant has been deferred time and time again.  Earlier this spring York Region Council approved yet another deferral of this much needed infrastructure investment.  Simply put, the Region doesn't have any money to build a new plant.

With few answers made available to the public, it seems clear that York Region's growth plans are really the stuff of pipe dreams (both literally and figuratively).

Sports Users Fees

We learned at Council that the Town of Newmarket has a philosophy for charging higher user fees for recreational programs that isn't shared by neighbouring towns.  The Town believes that the users should pay for the programs whereas neighbouring towns subsidize use.

Town staff acknowledged that the rates charged to various sports leagues cost more than elsewhere.  It was acknowledged that these rates were affecting participation in some programs (due to affordability) and it was suggested that some children may need financial assistance to continue to belong to an organized sports league.

With all of that in mind, Council voted to approve a proposed 3.5% rate hike (although the final approval won't take place until September 14 to allow for the proscribed public notice period).  These higher rates will take effect on January 1st.

When asked why they decided on 3.5%, the Director sheepishly admitted that was the amount of increase assigned in the town's budget.

In other words, town staff acknowledge our rates our high but don't have any explanation why we are raising these fees again other than the Finance Director tells us to.

If any Council member found any of this troubling, they didn't seem to raise any objections.  On the contrary, Regional Counicllor John Taylor asked staff to come up with some reasons that he could use to justify the increase, such as the construction of a turf field.

Snow Removal

Most residential streets have snow piled on either side as the plows pass.  In some areas, it is impossible to do this.  In those areas, the snow is collected and dumped at the Ray Twinney Complex.  This arrangement has been going on for decades.

A few residents who live on McCaffrey Road don't like this arrangement as it involves trucks coming and going as they dump their loads.

The Ray Twinney Complex parking lot is an ideal place to dump snow because it complies with strict environmental rules.  The lot has a oil grit filtration system in place ensuring that melting snows don't pollute water ways.

Without that filter, which we learned cost in the range of $40,000 to install, it is illegal to dump snow.
In a clear case of kowtowing, Ward 7 Councillor Christina Bisanz has taken it upon herself to demand that the snow dumping happen elsewhere.  She showed naivete when she demanded this change happen immediately (in time for the 2015 winter season) and used a regional road (Davis Drive) as justification for making this change.  Davis Drive snow is the responsibility of York Region not Newmarket.

That said, no one can ever say that this council doesn't stick together through thick and thin.  It won't happen this year but likely for the 2016, Council will approve spending in the range of $100,000 plus annual costs to make the 5 or 6 affected homeowners on McCaffrey Road happy.

If you don't think $100,000 is a significant amount of money, keep in mind that the estimated cost of plowing sidewalks throughout the town is approximately $200,000 annually.  It is opportunity cost and the greater number of Newmarket residents have lost out, especially the elderly who cannot walk on our neighbourhood sidewalks each winter.

Voting Records

I had a quick glimpse of how council members are voting this term.  Based on what is posted on the Town of Newmarket web page, there are only two instances where an issue was not decided by unanimous votes.  In January, Councillor Kerwin voted against a closed door meeting item and in March, Mayor Van Bynen was the only yes vote on a tax levy issue.  Every other vote, and there have been hundreds, have been unanimous.

What is scary is that Regional Councillor Taylor, Councillors Vegh, Twinney, Hempen, Sponga, Broome Plumley, and Bisanz vote alike on every single issue.  Its like they have one mind between them.  Think of your spouse, (or if no spouse, a close friend).  You may agree on many things but can you honestly say you agree 100% of the time?  If that is unreasonable, then the only other explanation is that certain council members are mailing it in.  They just don't care anymore.

If you watch many meetings, you will see with the exception of Taylor, the remaining 5 have very little to say on any issue.  If they do speak up, it is usually to parrot something that Taylor has already said.  This is why Council meetings, which used to be two or three hours long last term, are now measured in minutes since December.

I am very concerned about the future of our democracy in this Town.  Where issues should be raised - Council Chambers - debate has fallen silent.  Our Council has taken to agreeing with whatever the town staff place before them.  No questions asked.

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Newmarket Residents Are Allowed Only One Colour of Paint

I have seen another social media account poking fun at the Era for publishing a story about a woman painting her fence.  On the surface, it may be appropriate to mock the paper if this is the kind of news that the Era considers worthy of its front page.

But from the stories I've heard over the past 12-months from readers who contact me, maybe it is about time that we start paying attention to the Town of Newmarket bylaw enforcement.

Not a week goes by when I am not contacted by someone having difficulty with how bylaws are being enforced.  The types of complaints may vary from height of a pergola being added to an existing backyard deck; to a dispute over a new fence; to property standards not being met.  What is the common theme in each complaint I hear about is as follows:

1) The bylaw officer doesn't enforce the bylaw consistently and according to the written bylaw
2) No communication from the bylaws officer after initial contact is made
3) No attempt is made to find a common sense solution

In short, the bylaw officer gets involved resulting in neighbours getting angry with neighbours, and then the bylaw officer leaves the scene so that anger can fester.

Over two years ago, someone complained about spray paint vandalism on Ms. Bujko's Manning Crescent fence.  Weeks ago, the bylaw officer contacted Mrs. Bujko and informed her that she had to remove the vandalism.  Mrs. Bujko decided to paint over the vandalism using periwinkle and magenta paints.

Despite no one complaining about Mrs. Bujko's colour scheme, the bylaw officer went back to Mrs. Bujko and demanded that she only use one colour on her fence.  Mrs. Bujko will have to choose only periwinkle or magenta but she can't have both.

Whether you agree with Mrs. Bujko's colour scheme is not the point.  Its about basic property rights.  She owns her fence and her paint job is not bothering anyone except for the Town of Newmarket's bylaw officer.  Surely this bylaw officer has bigger fish to fry?

Why did this small problem need to escalate to the point of being front page news?  The answer is not as pretty as Mrs. Bujko's periwinkle/ magenta fence.  This problem escalated because senior management at the Town of Newmarket and/ or our elected officials let things get out of hand.  Its a symptom of a failing management team at the Town of Newmarket.

That's why this story is front page news.  Overzealous bylaw enforcement highlights for all residents to see exactly how our tax dollars are being wasted.