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Please be advised that the flags at Town Hall have been lowered to mark the passing of Ron Hodgkinson, a former member of Council.
Ron served as a member of Council for the Town of Thornbury from 1965 to 1967 and from 1971 to 1978.
Sadly, Ron passed away on January 25th at the age of 84.
Ron’s family will receive friends at the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., in Meaford on Sunday February 2nd from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and a memorial service celebrating Ron’s life will be conducted at Saint Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Thornbury on Monday February 3, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Additional information can be found on the Ferguson Funeral Home Website.
All the snow removal equipment is out at this time and sidewalks are also being cleared. Main roads are in good condition and secondary roads may be slippery. We ask residents to be patient and use extra caution when driving.
We would also like to remind residents not to park cars on roadways so roads will be clear for snow removal equipment.
For more information please contact:
Town of The Blue Mountains
Operations Department
Phone: 519-599-3131 x 276
The Agenda for the January 28, 2020 Committee of the Whole meeting has been revised to remove item B.3.3 FAF.20.009 Options to Fill Vacant Deputy Mayor Office.
This report has been added to the January 27, 2020 Council meeting agenda as item H.2 FAF.20.009 Options to Fill Vacant Deputy Mayor Office
The Agenda for the January 27, 2020 Council meeting has been revised to include the following additions:
The Town of The Blue Mountains wishes to inform residents that Mayor Alar Soever is resting and recovering after suffering a mild heart attack this weekend.
Mayor Soever self-admitted to the hospital on Saturday over concerns for his health. He is currently resting comfortably in the Meaford Hospital, while a course of treatment is decided on.
The Town would also like to advise residents that options to fill the vacant Deputy Mayor position will be considered next Tuesday, January 28th, 2020 at the Committee of the Whole meeting.
Further updates, if necessary, will be provided when available.
For more information, please contact:
The Committee of the Whole Agenda for January 28, 2020 is available.
For full meeting details, visit the Council Calendar.
The Agenda for the January 27, 2020 Council meeting is available.
For full meeting details, visit the Council Calendar.
Please note that the public meeting regarding the Application for Plan of Subdivision and Zoning By-law Amendment Blue Vista begins at 5:00 p.m.
The following Special Committee of the Whole meetings have been scheduled for the purposes of reviewing the Proposed 2020 Budget.
For full meeting details, visit the Council Calendar. All meetings are held at Town Hall, Council Chambers.
The Town of The Blue Mountains Council is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2020 Grants and Donations Program. We welcome not-for-profit organizations servicing The Blue Mountains to request funding or subsidization of Town-owned facility space through this process. The deadline for applications is Friday, February 28, 2020. The Grants and Donations Committee will make recommendations to Council on April 3, 2020 and Council will consider the recommendation of the Grants and Donations Committee on April 21, 2020.
For further information, please email the Administrative Assistant for Finance and IT Services or call 519-599-3131 extension 227.
The Town of The Blue Mountains has launched a survey to gain feedback and ideas from local business leaders and residents regarding the creation of a new five-year Economic Development Strategy.
To gain feedback, two surveys have been developed:
Both surveys are available until February 19th, 2020 and can be accessed online by visiting: https://yourview.thebluemountains.ca/economic-development-2020. Paper copies of the survey are available at Town Hall and at the Blue Mountains Public Library.
“The creation of an Economic Development Strategy is important to ensure that our community grows in an economically viable and sustainable manner.” explained Chair of the Economic Development Advisory Committee, Councillor Peter Bordignon. “Feedback and input from residents and local businesses is extremely important as it will help to ensure that the economic vision is aligned with community interests”.
The results from this survey will be reviewed and analyzed by the Economic Development Advisory Committee and Town staff. The outcomes will be used to develop action items and specific tactics within the strategy. The strategy is being developed in partnership with the Economic Development Advisory Committee and the Ontario Ministry of Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs. This strategy is expected to be published by Summer 2020.
For more information, please contact:
Tim Hendry
Communications & Economic Development Coordinator
(519) 599-3131 ext. 282
The Blue Mountains Attainable Housing Corporation is seeking applications in the form of letters of interest, and resumes, from members of the public for appointment to The Attainable Housing Corporation Board of Directors.
The Board’s composition is a 9 member Board of Directors, of which 7 Directors have been previously appointed. The Board is currently seeking 2 additional Directors.
In the letters of interest and resumes, applicants are encouraged to include background information and any special qualifications or interest related to attainable housing. The Attainable Housing Corporation is seeking candidates preferably with experience in communications and project management however, all interested individuals are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants should be prepared to participate in day-time and evening meetings at least once monthly and commit enough time to read meeting materials in advance of the meeting.
All Applications should be submitted no later than Friday, January 31, 2020 at 1:00 pm to:
Personal information provided by the applicant is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and will be used for the purpose of candidate selection. The Attainable Housing Corporation is an equal opportunity corporation. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board is calling on employers like you to help us better understand the workforce issues and challenges facing local businesses. The EmployerOne survey collects information on a range of issues including annual projected vacancies, hiring intentions, recruitment strategies and challenges. After analysis, the data is released to schools, community partners, government agencies and the public so that they may see the skills needed to join our local labour force.
This survey is open to all employers – with at least one employee – in the Bruce/Grey/Huron/Perth region. The results help guide strategy development to support talent retention and attraction.
To complete the survey, please visit: https://surveymonkey.com/r/FCLMPB2020
https://surveymonkey.com/r/FCLMPB2020
The Committee of the Whole Agenda for January 14, 2020 is available.
For full meeting details, visit the Council Calendar.
The Agenda for the January 13, 2020 Council meeting is available.
For full meeting details, visit the Council Calendar.
Please note that the public meeting regarding the Zoning By-law Amendment Application for K9 Balance Kennel begins at 5:00 p.m.
All the snow removal equipment is out at this time and sidewalks are also being cleared. We ask residents to be patient and use extra caution when driving.
We would also like to remind residents not to park cars on roadways so roads will be clear for snow removal equipment.
For more information please contact:
Town of The Blue Mountains
Operations Department
Phone: 519-599-3131 x 276
On January 6th Deputy Mayor Odette Bartnicki notified the Clerk and Council of her decision to resign. The Deputy Mayor stated: “It has been a great honour to serve the Town of The Blue Mountains as Deputy Mayor. I am proud to have worked with many members of the public to achieve collective goals and I know that together we have made a positive difference in many ways. I have also been privileged to work with excellent staff at both Town and County levels, as well as elected officials from Grey County and across the province. I am especially thankful to those who have supported me and my family through the past few months. This unwavering kindness is deeply appreciated and will never be forgotten.”
Deputy Mayor Bartnicki and her family request that members of the public and media respect their personal privacy at this time. An information meeting or media release will be provided by Ms. Bartnicki and family as soon as possible.
“On behalf of Council, I would like to thank Odette for her service and wish her all the best in the future”, stated Mayor Alar Soever. “Council will be deciding over the next few weeks on how we fill the position of Deputy Mayor.”
For more information, please contact:
The Town operates its water system in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and all applicable Ontario Regulations. As a result, there is no concern related to chlorine levels within the Town of The Blue Mountains drinking water system. Drinking water within the municipal water system is safe and is actively monitored and tested by the Town’s licensed Water Operators to ensure that the high-quality standard for our drinking water adheres to all Provincial Regulations as legally enforced by the Province of Ontario.
Test results from the municipal drinking water system can be viewed at the Town Hall, Operations Department located at 32 Mill Street, Thornbury ON during regular business hours.
The Town’s Water Operators have been flushing watermains throughout the summer and fall months. If you’re a resident returning to a seasonal property, you may wish to flush your internal plumbing to rid of any standing water in your plumbing system. Please review the Water - Frequently Asked Questions document for more water specific questions and answers.
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the Town’s accomplishments and commitments over the next five years in meeting the Accessibility Standards in five key areas including Customer Service, Information and Communication, Employment, Transportation and Design of Public Spaces. The plan was created by the Town of The Blue Mountains staff in consultation with the Grey County Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee.
2019 Accessibility Progress Report
The 2019 Progress Report is the Town’s annual update on the progress of measures taken to improve accessibility and implement the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (Ontario Regulation 191/11). This Progress Report includes the accessibility initiatives that were completed in 2019 to implement the strategies outlined in the Town’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan as adopted by the Town of The Blue Mountains Council on September 30, 2019.
In addition, the accessibility page on the Town website has been updated to include Provincial resource guides to assist festivals and events, and small businesses on accessibility best practices and standards.
To view either the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan or the 2019 Accessibility Progress Report please visit: https://www.thebluemountains.ca/accessibility.cfm
For more information, please contact:
Human Resources
(519) 599-3131 ext. 265
Tim Hendry
Communications & Economic Development Coordinator
(519) 599-3131 ext. 282
The Town operates its water system in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and all applicable Ontario Regulations. As a result, there is no concern related to lead levels within the Town of The Blue Mountains drinking water system. Drinking water within the municipal water system is safe and is actively monitored and tested by the Town’s licensed Water Operators to ensure that the high-quality standard for our drinking water adheres to all Provincial Regulations as legally enforced by the Province of Ontario.
The recent reports of lead levels exceeding Provincial standards is related to water coming in contact with lead material found in private plumbing lines and private plumbing fixtures.
Since 2008, the Town has offered a free lead testing program for private homes. Throughout that time, over 200 water samples have been collected with only one private business identified as exceeding the acceptable limit. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the lead found within the water resulted from private plumbing within the home and as a result the issue was corrected by the homeowner.
Within the coming days, Mayor Alar Soever will be contacting the parties identified within recent media reports to offer support and to foster open communication with the Town.
For more information, please contact:
Please be advised that Town By-law No. 2014-65 indicates that no person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway, including those portions of the highway commonly referred to as the shoulder, sidewalk, walkway, pathway, boulevard or ditch, without written permission from the Director of Operations.
Please be advised that the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990 Chap. H-8 Section 170(12) indicates that no person shall park or stand a vehicle on a roadway in such a manner as to interfere with the removal or clearing of snow from the roadway. It should also be noted that Town By-law No. 2003-11 prohibits overnight parking on Town streets from November 1st, 2019to April 1st, 2020 from 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Let’s work together to make this a safe and enjoyable winter.
For more information please contact:
Town of The Blue Mountains
Operations Department
Phone: 519-599-3131 x 276
The purpose of these applications is to consider a development proposal for a proposed waterski wakeboard cable park and associated buildings and structures. The proposed facility is comprised of three separate cable systems which would tow participants along a series of man-made, isolated ponds. Other amenities are proposed on the site including a pro shop, passive recreational uses, surface and overflow parking areas, and a commercial plaza and overnight accommodations as part of a future phase of development.
The submitted Official Plan Amendment application has the purpose of amending existing site-specific land use permissions relating to the former Cedar Run Horse Park in order to provide for the proposed Water Ski Wakeboard Cable Park and accessory buildings/uses as permitted uses. The amendment does not propose to change the Urban Employment Area or the Hazard designations currently applied to the property.
The submitted Zoning By-law Amendment application has the purpose of adding a "Water Ski Wakeboard Cable Park" as a permitted use to the existing REC3-92-h10 zone category. The proposed amendment will also remove a "Horse Park" as a permitted use and will include implementing provisions.
Public Meeting Date: November 18, 2019 at 5:00 pm. - Town Council Chambers
Snow Plowing Restrictions - Please be advised that Town By-law No. 2014-65 indicates that no person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway, including those portions of the highway commonly referred to as the shoulder, sidewalk, walkway, pathway, boulevard or ditch, without written permission from the Director of Operations.
Parking Restrictions - Please be advised that the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990 Chap. H-8 Section 170(12) indicates that no person shall park or stand a vehicle on a roadway in such a manner as to interfere with the removal or clearing of snow from the roadway. It should also be noted that Town By-law No. 2003-11 prohibits overnight parking on Town streets from November 1st, 2019 to April 1st, 2020 from 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Let’s work together to make this a safe and enjoyable winter.
The Blue Mountains Community Watch
Crime Stoppers - Grey Bruce or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
For more community news please visit the following local news outlet links.
For information please visit our Public Engagement page.
Visit our Public Notices page for an up to date list of Town public notices and public information centres.
