Innisfil Heights study okayed despite New Tec opposition
Weighted vote carries the day
By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe November 24 2011
New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern failed to convince county council on Tuesday that the county should not participate in a study of the business case for infrastructure servicing for the Innisfil Heights employment lands by Highway 400.
The project involves looking at the cost of waste and wastewater, which are a lower-tier services and not part of the county’s responsibilities, MacEachern said. It’s also taking on an expense that should be borne by the developers, not the landowners.
Innisfil Mayor Barb Baguley rejected any implication that this was an attempt to get the county into water and wastewater servicing. She said the town will go ahead with the study any way, but she wants Simcoe County as a partner, to signal to the province that municipalities are united on the issue.
Cost is 25 per cent of the cost of the study, up to $125,000.
Even though a majority of votes cast was against funding the study (16-15), the weighted vote was 60-55, ensuring the vote passed.
Recorded vote:
YEAS: Councillors Baguley (6); Clarke (3), Cooper (5); Davidson (6); Duffy (3), Ferguson (3); Foster (4); Deputy Warden Hughes (5); Councillors Kramp (3); Lloyd (4); Warden Patterson (5); Councillors Rawson (2); Savage (3); Warnock (3); White (5) – TOTAL – 60
NAYS: Councillors Burkett (3); Collins (4); Dowdall (3); Hough (4); Keffer (4); Lawrence (4); Macdonald (3); MacEachern (6); Marion (1); Marshall (2), McKay (4); McLean (3); Miller (5); Milne (5); Small Brett (2); Walsh (2) – TOTAL – 55
Councilllors’votes are weighted according to the population they represent so, for instance, Baguley and Davidson from Innisfil have 6 votes each, while Penetanguishene’s Marshall has 2, and Marion has 1.
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