ust meeting when the full council was not present were once again on the agenda at this week’s meeting of Trent Lakes Municipal Council.
Deputy Mayor Ron Windover asked that both motions be re-introduced but withdrew one during the meeting. He was not at the meeting on August 10, 2021 when both motions were defeated.
Council first discussed whether or not to re-consider the motions at all.
Councillor Carol Armstrong told council that reconsidering a defeated motion is extraordinary and should only happen if new information is available or if there has been a change in circumstances.
“It’s not because someone doesn’t like the results,” she said. “It is very dangerous to set a precedent to reconsider votes made by council.”.
Mayor Janet Clarkson said the new information is the fact that there was a full council at this week’s meeting.
Council voted to reconsider the motions and Armstrong asked that the votes be recorded. Mayor Clarkson, Windover and Councillor Lambshead voted to allow the motions to be re-introduced. Councillors Armstrong and Peter Franzen voted against the motion.
The first motion about council salaries had been introduced by Mayor Clarkson at the August meeting. The motion was for staff to hold a public meeting where residents could discuss increasing what council is paid. Clarkson and Councillor Terry Lambshead supported the motion with Councillors Carol Armstrong and Peter Franzen voting against.
Mayor Clarkson said that the motion was intended to try and open up opportunities for different people including those who are still working so they can run for council.
“Once people are retired they tend to become centered on their future and in making sure taxes don’t go up,” she said. “When I look around at county council I question the change in peoples’ attitudes as they get older and I think we need to bring in some young blood.”
Franzen pointed out to the Mayor that of the five people on Trent Lakes council, three are still working and said he does not think there is a problem.
Councillor Armstrong said that Peterborough County is already looking at compensation, and she quested why Trent Lakes needs to look at it as well.
“The county already hired a consultant to look at this and we’re funding it,” she said.
Chief Administrative Office/Treasurer Donna Teggart told council Trent Lakes is involved with the county review and that a report will be submitted to the county later this fall.
The motion was defeated with Councillors Armstrong, Franzen and Lambshead voting against it and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor voting for it.
Deputy Mayor Windover then withdrew the second motion he had asked to be reconsidered.
It was a motion for staff to look into banning fireworks in Trent Lakes for a number of reasons. That motion failed at that time with the Mayor and Franzen supporting it and Councillors Armstrong and Lambshead voting against.
Windover said he had received so many calls and emails on this subject because residents are already upset that the current by-law (which allows fireworks four days of the year) is not being enforced. He said they question how the municipality would enforce a full ban when it cannot enforce a partial ban. YouTube Channel.
