Letter inflames Tiny council

By DOUGLAS GLYNN Midland Free Press November 20, 2012

PERKINSFIELD — The use of Tiny Township’s logo on a letter signed by North Simcoe’s four mayors has inflamed a conflict among councillors.

The logo appeared — along with the logos of Midland, Penetanguishene and Tay Township — on a letter sent to the mayors of 40-plus shoreline communities.

The letter, dated Oct. 25, was signed by mayors Gordon McKay of Midland, Gerry Marshall of Penetanguishene, Scott Warnock of Tay Township and Ray Millar of Tiny Township.

A copy of the letter was emailed to Tiny council members Oct. 30 by Sue Walton, the township’s senior administrative co-ordinator.

As reported in The Free Press on Nov. 8 the letter asked the mayors and wardens of shoreline municipalities to join the four area mayors in seeking provincial and federal aid to deal with the economic impact of low water levels in Georgian Bay.

Last week, Tiny council passed a motion by a 3-1 vote directing township staff to send the same shoreline mayors and wardens a letter indicating the original letter “was neither received nor discussed by the Township of Tiny Council prior to issuance.”

The motion was supported by its mover, Coun. Nigel Warren, its seconder, Coun. Andre Claire and Deputy Mayor George Lawrence. Coun. Gib Wishart voted against it.

Coun. Warren says he moved the motion because using the township’s logo was a procedural matter.

Asked about the logo’s use, Mayor Ray Millar, who was not at last week’s meeting, said letterhead is available to all members of council.

“It is a red herring issue,” Millar said.

“The idea of the letter arose from a discussion during a North Simcoe heads of council meeting,” he said. “It was decided that the letter would be prepared by Midland Mayor Gord McKay for signature by all four mayors.

“It is instructive to note that Deputy Mayor Lawrence, who attended that meeting, did not raise any objections or concerns at the time,” he said.

Millar said he is at a loss to understand his fellow councillors’ concern.

“Not one of them has made any attempt whatsoever to contact or discuss the matter with me either before or after they passed this motion. The motion was passed in my absence on a recorded vote, with Coun. Wishart the lone dissenting vote.

“It is my understanding that the three members of council are not alleging any breach of the Municipal Act or the municipality’s procedural bylaw. I further understand that they do not object to the content of the letter.

Millar said this is not the first time he has encountered opposition.

“An action of this sort is not out of character for this group of council,”?Millar said.

“During this term of council we’ve seen opposition on policing issues, parks and recreation master planning, green-energy initiatives, and most recently, Great Lakes water levels.

Where does this leave you as mayor? Millar was asked.

“Out in the cold,” he replied.

Millar said the four mayors and deputy mayors meet quarterly to discuss matters that affect all four municipalities.

In August, the four mayors had all signed a letter to Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton calling on the federal government to “take swift and decisive action to restore the lake levels of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.”

The August letter focused on restoring lake levels, while the October letter placed greater emphasis on the need for funding for shoreline remediation.

Millar was asked why the mayors seemed to shift the emphasis.

“We aren’t going to be able to turn the tap and fill Georgian Bay back up to pre-existing levels, That’s not just going to happen. What we can do,” he said, “is alleviate some of the hardships the residents along the shores are experiencing.”

The other mayors were asked if their councils had been aware of the Oct. 25 letter.

McKay said his council did not formally endorse it by a motion, but was aware of it and approved it.

Warnock  mentioned it at his council’s recent budget meeting. “The letter was simply a solicitation of support going forward.

“Once there is a response and some working group is formed, I will be asking for council’s support of such a working group by a formal motion.”

Marshall says his fellow council members were aware of the letter.