Minutes of Meeting 8 January 1996

Main Programs
City Ward 0T8 Councillor, Karin Howard, was not able to attend: Meeting of Council on 17 Jan at 10am to discuss addition $3m+ reduction in city budget.

Regional Councillor, Wendy Stewart, was not able to attend, but sent in a report:
The reduction in transfer payments from Province to Region is greater than expected (or budgeted for by the Region in Nov 95); therefore Region will need to review and modify its finances and plans. Wendy is still committed to not increasing taxes.
Full interchange at Hunt Club and Airport Parkway is the only system expansion project to be included in the budget, and is confirmed by Region for earliest implementation.
Bowesville Road: Transportation Committee Public hearing date set, 7 Feb at 1:30pm. Corporate Services Committee for the land sale (property report) on 20 Feb. Both the hearing results and report to be considered jointly by council on 28 Feb.
Because Region is reconsidering everything it does, it welcomes suggestions, opinions, etc., from anyone.

Better bus service: OC Transpo public meeting to be held at Riverside Park United Church, Room 6, 3191 Riverside Drive on Wed 31 Jan at 7:30pm. The more people who turn out, the greater the chance of improving community-based service to Hunt Club and Riverside Park. Call Nancy Seaby for more information.

Medical and other resource center for the Hunt Club area: Gloucester is suggesting to share cost and put up a center around Sawmill Creek. South Ottawa Gloucester Resource Action Team meeting was held 18 Dec. Call Ann Brandel for more information.

In pursuit of better water quality: The study on Hunt Club Creek has been completed, and recommendations made to the City. Region hosted two stormwater management/environmental assessment workshops with considerable public input from all sectors (including the HCCO). Stormwater management guidelines should be completed by end of 1996. Call Peter Vasdi for more information.

In pursuit of more cost-effective government: Discussed the concept of consolidating municipal governments within region into a single regional government sharing government tasks with neighborhood-oriented boroughs. This could result in less duplication in management. Region would handle services that affect whole region, such fire, policing, transportation, and the collection of wealth (large organizations raise more money). Boroughs would be funded by the city and would allocate those funds within the borough in more neighborhood-sensitive manner to handle services that are more local. Right now we duplicate many of these high-level services by both region and city.Call Bill Royds for more information.

Speeding and property damage as a result of cars going out of control along McCarthy south of the railway lines: Regional police (as per Superintendent Devon Fermoyle) continue to monitor and enforce speed limits. Additional suggestions to calm/direct traffic: Because the NCC has had to repair their fence several times due to car damage, it may be more effective to spend that money on putting a guardrail between the sidewalk and the road and/or putting in a sidewalk along the west side of McCarthy. Art Miskew will contact the appropriate people and pursue the matter. Call Art for more information.

Next HCCO meeting is Mon 6 Feb at 7:30 p.m. at the Hunt Club Riverside Community Centre at the corner of Paul Anka and McCarthy. Anyone is welcome. Call Fred McLennan for more information.

Miscellaneous Tidbits Pursued by Various Directors
Alan Asselstine: - City library is in group C of the budget, meaning that the bookmobile service may be stopped.
Bill Royds - City of Ottawa has relatively few debts, meaning that the city budget was breaking even. However, the recent cutbacks in revenue mean that they will need to look at their expenses. Every car trip by a citizen costs the region $0.55 (ave). This is a subsidy to people in the region. (plowing roads, maintenance) paid by everyone, even those not using cars.