It feels like we just got back to council business, and now it’s going back on break! In this second of two meetings for this September, it will be a pretty laid back agenda for the most part, recognizing staff members’ accomplishments, and then we’re talking about wasteful future, which will hopefully result in less waste. Enjoy the council chambers while you can because we won’t be back till November!
NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting via telephone, but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on Friday September 9. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.
NOTE #2: Because of ongoing renovations to the council chambers, this meeting will only be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.
CLOSED MEETING:
1) 2022 Chief Administrative Officer Performance Evaluation – Because this is a matter of human resources, in this case the performance of the CAO, this matter has to be discussed in-camera under Section 239(2)(b) and (d) of the Municipal Act, related to personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees, and labour relations or employee negotiations.
2) Blue Box Transition Update – Although this is on the open session agenda, circumstances around Section 239(2)(d) of the Municipal Act relating to labour relations or employee negotiations force it to be discussed in-camera first.
STAFF RECOGNITIONS:
1) Leslie Muñoz, Manager of Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, will be recognized for receiving the Action Canada Fellowship.
2) Ontario Water Works Association’s Water Efficiency Committee’s 2022 Award of Excellence for the City of Guelph’s Water Loss Management Strategy goes to a team from the City of Guelph that includes Supervisor of Environmental Programs Heather Yates, Supervisor of Water Treatment and Maintenance Nathan Siniowski, Acting Manager of Technical Services (Water), Tara Roumeliotis and Senior Hydrogeologist of Environmental Services Dave Belanger, plus Matt Alexander and Richard Hope of AECOM Canada Ltd.
3) Water Canada 2022 Water’s Next Awards in the Water Resources category goes to the City of Guelph’s Division Manager of Water Services Wayne Galliher, Hydrogeologist of Environmental Services Scott Cousins, Manager of Technical Services (Water) Emily Stahl, Hydrogeologist for Environmental Services Albanie Douglas, and Senior Hydrogeologist for Environmental Services Dave Belanger, plus Matt Alexander from AECOM Canada Ltd.
Single-Use Items Update – Way back in April, council passed a slate of plans to reduce single-use plastics after marathon meetings at both Committee of the Whole and the regular meeting. Unfortunately, those best laid plans went out the window when the Federal government announced their own single-use plastic ban regulations back in June, and those plans supersede any regulations that the City has created. So the reprieve for plastic straws is out, and so are several exemptions for polystyrene foam containers and cups.
Blue Box Transition Update – As you may be aware, Ontario is moving to a system of waste collection that will be paid for in a producer-responsible model, meaning that the producers of packaging will pay for the collection and recycling of household waste; the expected budget savings for Guelph will be nearly $2.5 million per year. Council needs to give staff direction on the proposed interim transition under a non-profit set up by producers, Circular Materials Ontario, and other matters working towards the start of the change in January 2025.
Guelph Politico 