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MINUTES - Council - 19590804:: •,! 151 MINUTES OF THE 16TH REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL HELD IN THE COUNCIL .. CHAMBER ON TU!J]SDAY, AUGU~~L:J:!!!.L _ _!259 AT 8:00 P .Iii. PRESENT: MAYOR: REEVE: DEPUTY REEVE: COUNCILLORS: DAVIS: NISBET: CORRESPONDENCE D.J. MURRAY (IN THE CHAIR) C.F. DAVIS O.K. NISBET ADAIR, CORBETT, DAVIDSON, PATRICK AND STODDART. "That the minutes of July 6th and 15th, 1959 be adopted as printed and circulated." Carried. A letter from the Aurora Board of Trade concerning the acquisition of a small lot fronting on Wellington Street West owned by the .Town of Aurora was read. DAVIS: "That the Committee of the Board of Trade be notified NISBET: to arrange a meeting with the Works Committee of 'Council to discuss this matter." Carried. A letter from the Loyal True Blue & O~ange Home requesting permission to hold a tag day in Aurora on September 12th of 1959 was read. NISBET: "That permission be granted." CORBETT: Carried. A letter from Consolidated Building Corporation Limited inviting Council to a dinner and to visit the Football Game in Toronto was re.ad •. This letter was held over until after the Council Iile.et:i,ng. A letter and a resolution from the Citie of Barrie with regards to emergency brakes on trucks was read. This letter :ttas referred to the Police Committee for study. . A letter from Mr. A.B. Griffin, Lot No. 33, Huron Court, Aurora further to various complaints with respect to his lot was read. DAVIS: CORBETT: DELEGATIONS "That this letter be filed with previous letters of Mr. Griffins." Carried. John Thompson, the Town Assessor, reported to Council on progress made with respect to the Assessment Department. Mr. Thompson.reported that the supplementary assessment had now reached a figure of $1,093,961.00 and in addition that the.typing,of the new assessment plates was pro-" '}5'2 16TH REGULAR - 2 - August 4, 1959 gresBing very well. In answer to Deputy Reeve Nisbet's question the Assessor stated that the average assessment on homes in Regency Acres would approximate $4,000.00 on single dwellings and $3,000.00 on semis and that this assessment is comparable. with the Aurora Heights Subdivision. Deputy Reeve Nisbet stated that congratulations were in order to the Assessment Department on keeping that Department up to date. Miss Dorothy Dodgson of ~oss Street, Aurora, appeared before Council and presented ~ copy of a letter from herself to Council which was then read. This letter reads/as follows: in part "As sole owner of the Property known as 19 Ross Street in the Town of Aurora, I herewith request that an Amendment be passed concerning the present Zoning By-law; namely, that my Property be rezoned from "Industrial" to the original "Residential"' said Property being more particularly known and .described as Block "A" in accordance with a Plan registered in the Registry Office for the North Riding of the County.of York for th:e Town of Aurora as Number 289." DAVIS: CORBETT: "That this matter be referred to the Planning Committee and a report be brought in at the next regular meeting of Council.• Carried. It was decided that the Planning Committee would meet on Monday evening at 8:00P.M. when Miss Dodgson might be present. Mrs •. P. Lloyd appeared before Council in connection with her property on Wellington ·St. E. and stated that she was unable to procure. mortgage moneys to build houses on .her.property and further compihained that the Planning Board had no~ submitted an amendment to the Official Plan to the Department of Planning and ~evelopment to assist her in this matter. General discussion took placa and it was decided that a meeting would be held nex-t Monday evening at '9 :00 P.M. With the Town of Aurora PlanningBoard to attempt to iron out this situation. Mrs. Florence Murray ap~eared before CoU'ncil Witli regards to Mr. L. Sauro requesting her to remove the carport and cement foundation on her property. Mayor Murray advised that this area was non-conforming so that the buildings on the allowance could not be rebuil~ only destroyed, The matter of, a retaining wall to protect the carport ·and the question of trees on the p:ooperty being located in the middle of a drainage ditch were discussed. It was decided to ieave this 1.6TH REGULAR - 3 -August 4• 1959 , ~:()13 matter with the Town Engineer and Mr. Sauro's Engineer to resolve ~d Council will visit the site with the Engineers on Thursday evening at 7:00 P.M. Miss Eakins appeared before Council requesting information with regards t·o the fence desired between her property and the Public School and Swilllliling Poo'l. Mayor Murray advised that no decision had been reached at the present time and if was decided that the Mayor and Miss Eakins would meet with Mr. John OffoTd of the Public School Board to discuss this matter. · REPORTS OF COMMITTEES Deputy Reeve Nisbet presented a report of the Police Committee in which the Committee respectfully submit the following: The Committee met on Thursday, July 23rd 1 1959 and discussed the requirements of the Police Department for a new police cruiser. It was subsequently deemed advisable and economical to trade at this time and the following prices were obtained: I . 1. Lorimer Motors Ltd, -$1,3.50. Net Difference 2. M.S. Macpherson Motors Ltd. -$1,585. " " . . .~·· ... ··· 1959 Meteor 6 cyl. as per attached offer The Committee recommend that a police cruiser-coach.( be purchased from Lorimer Motors Ltd. at a net cost of $1 ,350.00. NISBET: DAVIDSON: "That the report of the Police Collllilittee be approved and the Seal of the Corporation be attached hereto," ·Deputy Reeve Nisbet stated that prices had been requested for the same type of car from all the three dealers and further recommended that ' ! --,' any future police committees inClude in their yearly budget the amount of a trade-in for the police cruiser since repairs are extremely heavy in the second year. Mayor Murray stated that we have been bwing heavy vehicles to last two years and·now find out they will not last this period, Reeve Davis stated he would go along with the Police Committee on this recommendation and stated that the Council might have justified in trading this cai earlier since there havebeen quite large bills for repairs lately. Councillor Stoddart agreed that the best proceedure would be to trade in each year. Chief Langman stated that the heavy battery does away with idiing and thereby . saves equipment. The Chief further requested Council's pleasure as to whether the crest of the .. ·. :1 :.S 116 TH REGULAR - 4 - August 4, 1959 Town of Aurora should be, painte.d on the cruiser and it was decided that the name "TOWN OF AURORA" with ·~POLICE" underneath be painted on the cruiser. The Motion was then Carried. Councillor Patrick presented a report concerning the well at the north end of Town and stated that the 7" test well is proving successful. Councillor Patrick felt we should continue· on with the 12 11 well. Deputy Reeve Nisbet stated that first a proper test should be made of the well to see if it is successful. Mayor Murray stated that we should make positive of the capacity of the well firs.t. Reeve Davis stated a test should be made and the well harnessed and then if water is there it would be feasible to proceed with a larger well,~· Council members decided that an expert should be acquired to test the well property and determine DUI: the largest size well that may be developed and it was decided that the Ontario Water Resources Commission be approached the following morning in order that a representative might come to Aurora and carry out this test. Counaillor Patrick then brought to Council's attention the fact that the overflow pipe in the elevated tank was leaking and the Town Engineer then explained the .situ~tio~ and ask Council when it wou~d be convenient to ·empty the tank, locate the leak and repair it. It was decided that they would wait two or three months before the tank ~ . -' . might be emptied and repaired. Deputy Reeve Nisbet asked Councillor Patrick what progress is being made with.regards to the stand pipe and Councillor Patrick stated that the Town Engineer was obtaining costs in connection with putting a pipe down .the middle of the tank. Mayor Murray brought to Council's attention the fact that the amount of work undertaken with respect to the Harrison Avenue sewer project . came about without his knowledge. Mayor Murray :=:tated he did not realize it was on such a large scale. Councillor Patrick stated that according to the minutes this.prgject was placed on a number 1 priority basis. Mayor Murray advised that no one was instructed to go to such a great expense. . .. Councillor Patrick stated that he felt the.Town Superintendent·and ~ "• ' <, n-• ' 1' Engineer were criticized when things are,n 1 t done and also criticized . . 16TH REGULAR - 5 - August 4, 1959 ;, '115 5 if they are done at a large·expenditure. Councillor Patrick felt that Council should decide this matter here and now. l'llayor Murray still requested on whose authority this large expenditure of money was authorized. Councillor Patrick stated that Mayor Murray had noticed the large machinery on the job and that the Town Engineer had been .instructed to get this job done. Reeve Davis asked if the Town Superintendent was aware what was going on and stated that the Engineer had taken a man from the Disposal Plant to the Harrison Avenue job. Reeve Davis stated that two or three men at the Sewage Plant were placed there on the recommendation of the Engineer and ask who was in charge of the workmen. Deputy Reeve Nisbet stated that the Ontario Water Resources Commission had recommended three men at the Sewage Treatment Plant not our Engineer. Councillor Corbett felt that the Town Superintendent should have full control of the workmen. Councillor Patrick then stated he would like the Town Superintendent and the Town Engineer to voice their opinion on the activity in this situation, and further·stated that it was his feeling that the present committee . ' . set-up is. perfect. Deputy Reeve Nisbet st'ated that Council had authori~ed the Superintendent and Town Engineer to open a hole and see what the situation was. An emergency meeting could have been called with regards to this matter. Mayor Murray stated that he had talked to the Town Superintendent and only made suggestions to him, all of a sudden the project had exploded into a large job. Councillor Patrick felt that the Town Engineer had been hired to solve problems and he had carried out his duty as he felt it right and that it would seem that there was no faith in the Town Engineer. Reeve Davis stated that he took exceptio·n to this remark. Councillor Corbett stated that it was ~is understanding that the Town Superintendent was in charge of the Town men when hired and had not hear of any difference being made in this set-up. The Town Superintendent stated that this let him out of the cost of the job because the Town Engineer had taken the men and he had just co-operated with him. Councillor Stoddart asked when did it become obvious that this was not a minor affair and was the Committee advised accordingly. Councillor Adair asked if it could have been done in a less costly way. l'llayor Murray stated he did not know but it's always Council's perogrative to authorize such large expenditures. Councillor Davidson stated that it puts the man in charge to make a major decision and that major decisions should only be made by Council. Councillor Davidson stated that he was not infavour of any one man ·~ ,:1 \56 16TH REGULAR - 6 -August 4. 1959 making a major decision and !ill go along with the set-up of the Engineer if this was ~he only way he could rectify the situation, DAVIS: NISBET: "That we carry on past the hour of 11 :00 P ,l\'I," .Carried. Further discussion developed and it was subsequently decided that in the future no monies be spent without prior authorization of Council. CORBETT: "That we adjourn," The meeting then adjourned, 7J,