Here’s what’s happening
You may have seen the news that a Tottenham family lost their wife/mother and their home in a January 1st house fire. The community is reaching out with donations of items and gift cards, which can be donated at the Tottenham District Chamber of Commerce or you can donate money via a Go Fund Me page that has been set up.
I will be attending the #NewTecumseth Mayor & Council New Year’s Levee this Sunday, January 7th, 2018 from 1:30 pm to 3 pm at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre, 7300 Industrial Parkway, Alliston (2nd level) and enjoy some light snacks and refreshments. There will also be free public skating from 12:30 pm to 1:50 pm – it you’d like to join in, please bring your ice skates.
Here is a service available in the community that may be of interest to you or someone you know:
CHATS (Community & Home Assistance to Seniors)
CHATS offers a Home Adaption & Maintenance Program (HAMP). Services offered include:
Maintenance
- Snow Plow Services
- Eaves Trough Cleaning
- Window Cleaning
- Spring & Fall Yard Clean-Up
- Lawn Cutting Services
- Walkways Repair (re-level walkways, remove trip/fall hazards)
Adaptions
- Hand Rail Installation or Repair
- Tub Cut-Outs
- Comfort Height Toilets
- Accessible Shower Heads
- Single Lever Faucets/Dorr Handles
- Motion Sensor Lighting
For more information visit http://www.chats.on.ca/hamp
Share the Road Pilot Project
Share the Road Pilot Project for the 20th Sideroad, along the 5th Line and north on the Adjala/Tecumseth Townline came back with a price tag of $9 Million for 19.5 km of road. While it would be nice to make this road more bike friendly, as it is a heavily utilized route for cyclists, the price tag is way too steep. However, as part of the Multi-Modal Transportation Study in the 2018 budget, cycling routes will be studied and identified and we will start planning for the future. The most economic way to integrate active transportation (cycling routes) is to install them when redoing roads and this is something that I will continue to advocate for.
2018 Projects affecting Ward 7
- Road improvements continuing on 15th Sideroad north to the 10th Line
- Sideroad 10 and 6th Line Intersection will be re-engineered for better site lines.
- Tottenham Library is being moved to the Tottenham Community Centre. A new 5000 Square foot addition will be designed and built this year. The cost for this project is $1,850,000 and is funded mostly by development charges. Currently the space is leased and constructing a Town owned asset is more financially responsible.
Tottenham Airfield Update
The TAC fill situation has been a nightmare for the people who live close to the site because of noise, dust, soil breaches and concerns about the quality of the soil. It has negatively impacted residents who drive on Highway 9 because of the trucks exiting the site, the mud and the stones. It has also been a burden to the municipality and has cost money for staff time for proper oversight.
The Engineering staff prepared a report for the December 11th meeting, which addressed the concerns of council that prompted us to give notice to TAC that their permit was being revoked in April 2017. The concerns were to be addressed in a timely manner and this report summarized the issues and the subsequent actions of TAC to address them. The oversight we have had in the past was by the MOECC (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change) and lacked critical data. Our current oversight is a vast improvement from where we were when I joined council. The review of Soil Audits, Ground Water Monitoring Reports, Test wells, and restrictions to the Table 2 or lower soil are an immeasurable improvement to ensure the safety of human health and the environment. The completed reports, which have been reviewed by our consultant, will now be on the town’s website instead of accessible only via FOI (Freedom of Information) requests.
Council has also supported my request for a review of the cost per truck that the town receives to ensure that our staff time to oversee this file is being properly compensated by TAC. All indications from the site owners are that they are looking to reduce the amount of fill they bring in so that they can finish by the May 2019 fill permit deadline.
Election 2018
While the election is still many months away, if you pay close attention to local politics, you will know that the campaigning has already begun. I intend to run in Ward 7, as there are a number of initiatives that I have been working on that I would like to see completed. These include the Tottenham Airport, Beeton Heritage District, Tottenham Library, Rural Internet and The Transportation Study.
This term of council we have managed to keep the tax increases aligned with the rate of inflation. I will begin my door-to-door campaigning in August and there are many ways you can help. Organize a kitchen party where I can chat with your friends and neighbours, put out a sign, tell someone about my newsletter, or volunteer to help. All help will be appreciated as the ward has grown by approximately 30% with the new ward boundary map. Ward 7 will now extend up to the 8th Line and will include the new subdivision on Tottenham Road and the 3rd Line.
Follow me on Instagram at sharrisonmcintyre
Correction: Last newsletter should have said the flood damages cost the town $850,000 not $50,000.