city council group picturePower up for another city council meeting.

Council will hear a presentation on solar power, talk about their operations review and tax ratios.

Other items on the docket include the Ring of Fire, an English University and the Connecting Link.

Our live blog starts at 6:00pm.

(Keep refreshing the page as the night goes along for updates.)

We start with O’Canada with Brianna Sutherland.

First item on the docket is the city honouring Art Pultz for his recent awards from Rogers.  He won the Rogers Communications Employee of the Year Award and 2014 Rogers CEO Award.

He received a $10,000 cheque, which he gave to the Timmins Chamber through the Business Takes the Lead Program.

“His contributions have been above and beyond,” said Mayor Steve Black.

Pultz is the General Manager at Q92/KiSS 99.3 and is well deserving of this honour.

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Next is Asphalt mixes and quality with Simon Hesp and Pat Seguin.

Hesp is here from Queen’s University, to discuss performance of pavement and trying to prevent cracking.

Hesp says Superpave was developed in the late 1980’s, and fully implemented in Ontario by 1998.

He’s running through a ton of details, really scientific.  See the whole presentation HERE. (There’s a couple videos in the presentation.)

The main point is to make sure any road work being done is done properly, and lasts a long time.

Doody mentions travelling to Mattice, and Highway 655 to the 11 have no potholes whatsoever.  Once he hit the 11, there were potholes.

“The biggest failure” according to Hesp, that leads to potholes is moisture damage, getting into cracks in the road.

Bamford asks if there’s a difference in cost for the different type of asphalt, which Hesp replies that it’s minimal.

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Next is a presentation on recurrent energy with David Kline.

He wants to develop solar power projects in Timmins, with three locations pointed out.

One is a 400 acre lot that’s currently the Dome tailings.  The project there would take up 375 acres while another is east of Highway 655, another 375 acre project.  Each would hold 50MW of capacity.

The third is south of Highway 101 and west of Nighthawk Lake, taking up 560 acres which would hold 75MW.

Economically, this would create 200 construction jobs per project, with one full-time and 2 part-time when the project is in operation.

$18-million would be developed in property taxes over 30 years.

Recurrent Energy has completed 20 projects in Ontario, all of which are still operating.  10 are in the Barrie area, 6 near Smiths Falls and 4 in the London area.

Kline is here to work with Timmins, and would see a public meeting hosted in May.

If all goes well, Kline hopes to see construction start in June 2017.

Grzela brings up how this area gets a lot of snow and if solar panels would work with snow on them.  Kline says you have to clear them off periodically, but there will be around 2 months where the panels wouldn’t get used.

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Next is the Canadian Cancer Society Youth Troup with Heels for Hope fundraiser.

They are requesting a street closure on May 30th on Third Avenue, between Pine and Cedar from 8am to 3pm.

This looks like it will pass with flying colours.

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A pre-screening application is now up with Luc Duval.

The area in question is north of Walmart.

The presentation is for information purposes only.

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Now to Ontario’s Forest Products Sector Plans for Generations.

This is to inform the organization Greenpeace of the impact their campaigns have on families, communities and the economy.

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Next is street closures on the 2nd Annual Touch a Truck event.

That event runs September 12th from 10am to 1pm.

This will come back for approval.

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Noise exemption for the Relay for Life event.

That will come back for approval.

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Dome Avenue will get re-constructed for $1.1-million.

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Connecting Link culvert replacement.

The location is near the “Y” outside South Porcupine.

This will come back.

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To a deeming by-law on Sony Street, as council is flying through each resolution.

This will come back.

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Purchase of a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).  It would be bought from AJ Stone for close to $683,000.

It will come back for approval.

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Next is the renewal of Microsoft licensing.

This will come back.

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Jim Howie spoke on the quarterly financial report, the ratios for setting tax rates in 2015 and tax rate by-laws for 2015.

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Bamford now speaking on the privatization of Hydro One.

He would like to see hearings take place across Ontario before any change is made.

Bamford says the taxpayers in the province sees around $1-billion in dividends annually, while this move will generate a one-time payout of $4-billion.

“This is a bad deal,” he said, adding if the province is so confident in this plan, they’d have no trouble going around to have hearings.

“Hydro One belongs to the people of Ontario…this is an essential service,” Bamford said.

Doody and Dubeau offer their support for Bamford’s motion.

This will come back for approval, to send a letter to the province.

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Dubeau is up to ask about the core services review.

He says it’s important the review is done in an impartial, independent and transparent manner.

He adds while KPMG are professional, they would like to have council representation at all meetings.

Rinaldo says they hired a very efficient review, and to be a part of the process takes away the integrity of the review.

Dubeau says his intent was to have representation in conference calls between the Director of Human Resources, the CAO and KPMG.

Black says “Oscar” from KPMG doesn’t support the resolution, that the process works and is why KPMG is getting paid to do it.

Oscar will be at council May 11th.

Doody says his meeting with KPMG went very well.  He says KPMG’s reviews were very well received by officials.  Doody adds it’s all about saving money, and doesn’t believe they’re going to pull a fast one.

He says in the end, council gets the final decision and can ask any question they want to make the best decision possible.

“I have a feeling, people are trying to find fault in what were doing,” he said.

“You can’t expect people to speak truthfully with their supervisors in the room,” said Dubeau, in regards to the format of the review.

Dubeau adds there are many questions still to ask, which can be asked to the KPMG rep on May 11th.

Black was part of the process in choosing KPMG.  Campbell argues otherwise, adding council wasn’t part of it either.

Black says he will not be supporting the motion, with Dubeau stepping in immediately with a point of order.

After 49 minutes of council arguing this subject, they move on to the special meeting.

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First up is the new hours for the Deloro Landfill, including closing the landfill on Sunday’s between November and April.

Wawrzaszek argues the city made money in February, with Dubeau echoing his sentiments.

There’s some talk about people dumping illegally.

Grzela, Rinaldo and Black vote in favour, while everyone else (besides Marks, who isn’t present) vote against it and hours will not change.

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Next is a vote on the operational review from earlier.

Bamford, Doody, Grzela and Rinaldo ask to defer, which it won’t.

Dubeau, Campbell, Bamford and Wawrzaszek vote in favour, while Grzela, Doody, Rinaldo and Black voted against it and the resolution was defeated.

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The Mushkegowuk Council has a plan in place to build railway to get Ring of Fire resources to Timmins.

They sent their resolution to Timmins for support.

The railway would be north-south from the Ring of Fire site, and east-west to get to Timmins.

Council unanimously approves the motion.

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Now voting to build an English-speaking university in town, and send the resolution to all NEOMA-represented towns, the Mushkegowuk Council and the Wabun Tribal Council for support.

This will also be sent to Ministers and the Premier.

Doody hopes this is just the first step to making this a reality.

Rinaldo adds this would be great for the community, and even if the city doesn’t meet some qualifications, we’re in a unique situation with the Aboriginal community.  The Aboriginals, in which, don’t want to travel so far to go to university and the city would be able to provide the need.

It is also passed unanimously.

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Next is their Hydro One petition, and is also passed unanimously.

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By-law time!

Deeming by-law for Jennifer and Gilles Paul on Sony Street is passed.

Reconstruction of Dome Street, done by EBC is passed.

Agreement with Caron Equipment for culvert replacement of Connecting Link is passed.

Establish tax ratios for 2015 is passed.

Fix rate of taxation for 2015 is passed.

Adopt Additional Tolls for Limits on New Construction for Commercial, Industrial, Multi-Residential Property Classes is passed.

Adopt capping limits for commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes is passed.

Establishing percentages by which taxes decreases are limited fr 2015 for commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes is passed.

Levy special charge of BIA for 2015 is passed.

Agreement with AJ Stone for purchase of SCBA equipment is passed.

and council is adjourned!