TIMMINS - Council is back at the table tonight with a packed agenda to tackle.
The Oct. 15 meeting takes a look ahead at what updating city infrastructure will cost, snowmobile crossing, the voting system, and more.
Here's some of what's on the agenda:
- With a new snowmobile crossing on Algonquin Boulevard at Hollinger Park, a $51,299 contract is up for approval to allow for the installation and partial removal of chain link fence. As part of this year's Connecting Link roadwork, the former rail bridge on Algonquin Boulevard was removed. Because it was being used as a snowmobile crossing, a new crossing was installed in front of the park. The new trail, according to the report, connects to the crossing by going behind the Hollinger Park grandstands. About 116 metres of the current chain link fence needs to be removed, and 347 metres of new fencing to be installed before the start of snowmobiling season. The cost was not included in the 2024 parks and rec budget. Staff is recommending awarding the contract to Azilda-based M&G Fencing, the next lowest bidder was South Porcupine's Northern Fencing, with Imperial Fence in Scotland, Ont., submitting a $136,284 bid.
- The cost to replace the city's infrastructure and capital assets is $3.22 billion, according to a KPMG presentation on the asset management plan. The group estimates that an estimated $60 million per year is needed to tackle infrastructure reinvestment requirements. In 2023, the city set aside $38 million for capital costs, which leaves a $21 million shortfall. The presentation notes that there is no immediate fix to the issue, and the current rate of capital spending isn't enough to meet the needs and "will fall progressively further behind due to inflation and other pressures." The strategies suggested are structured use of debt to support sustainable reinvestment, adopting a comprehensive reserve strategy, adopting multi-year capital levies, finding new revenue sources such as development charges or infrastructure rate components, updating performance standards, using innovative buying strategies, and consolidating infrastructure. Read the full presentation here.
- New crosswalks could be on the way at two intersections. Staff is asking for pedestrian crossovers to be installed at Mountjoy Street South at the Terry Fox Trail, and on Airport Road just west of Theriault Boulevard. The estimated cost of the Airport Road crossover is $50,000 and is not in the 2024 budget. If approved, it would be added to the 2025 budget. The Mountjoy Street project needs signage and paint marking, which staff says can be done with internal resources and included in next year's budget.
- Should there be changes to how people are elected in the City of Timmins? Coun. Steve Black is asking for a review of the current ward system. If approved, the request is for a report that includes changing to a system with two councillors per ward with north/south/east/west boundaries, an election at-large or the status quo. The ask stems from a 2015 operational review, in which KPMG suggested revising existing boundaries to allow for better strategic decision-making. While the item is on tonight's agenda, the breakdown is from a 2016 meeting. Read it here.
None of the items have been approved by council.
The full agenda is available online here.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at city hall. You can watch it live online here.
