February E-Newsletter 2023

February 2023

2023 Budget Update

Special budget meetings to review the 2023 Proposed Town Budget began this morning and will continue throughout the week, with the final special budget meeting scheduled for Monday, February 6, 2023. The meetings are open to the public and will be live-streamed and archived on the Town website.

The Proposed Budget was released on January 13, 2023, for public review and input. It includes operating and capital budgets as well as proposed fees and charges.

Following review and direction from Council, the budget will be revised and posted to the Town website. A public meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, 2023, with approval of the budget anticipated by the end of March.

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Winter Parking Reminder

The Town would like to remind residents that Winter Parking Restrictions are in effect.

Overnight parking is prohibited on all Town streets from 2:00 am to 7:00 am. Winter Parking Restrictions remain in effect until April 1, 2023.

Winter parking and snow removal restrictions are necessary to help ensure that snow removal operations can be completed safely and effectively. The Town would like to thank all residents for their cooperation throughout the winter season.

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Volunteer Recognition Awards & Committee Recruitment

The Town is pleased to announce the return of the annual Volunteer Recognition Awards event happening on Saturday, April 22 in celebration of National Volunteer Recognition Week.

The annual event aims to celebrate and honour outstanding residents, community groups and organizations who work to enhance the quality of life in The Blue Mountains.

To support the event, the Town is seeking applications, in the form of letters of interest, from members of the public for appointment to the Volunteer Recognition Awards Sub-Committee. The Committee will be responsible for reviewing and evaluating the submitted nominations and selecting the winner(s) for each of the award categories.

All applications should be submitted no later than Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 1:00 pm.

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Now Hiring Summer Student Positions

Calling all students! The Town is now hiring summer students for the following departments:

Water Services
Wastewater Services
Roads and Drainage
Town Landfill & Recycling Depot
Parks & Trails
Thornbury Harbour
Town Golf Course

Closing dates for summer student positions vary throughout the first two weeks of February. For full details and job descriptions, visit the employment opportunities webpage.

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Seasonal Update Regarding Town Trails

With the snow here to stay, the Parks and Trails team has resumed regular grooming of the Georgian Trail and trails at the Municipal Recreation Complex.

The Georgian Trail is maintained as a multi-use trail for walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and other eco-friendly activities. There will not be set tracks for cross-country skiing due to limited space.

The Town will be grooming a hard-packed loop trail at the Municipal Recreation Complex with set tracks for cross-country skiing alongside the groomed trail.

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Microchip and Register Your Furry Friends

With the increase of visitors to the community and with limited local shelter space, it has become increasingly difficult for Town By-law staff to return lost dogs to their owners quickly.

New this year, the Town has purchased a microchip reader that will help to identify the owner and safely return the dog before it is taken to a local shelter.

The Town would like to remind everyone that all dogs are required to be licensed in accordance with the Dog and Animal Care By-law. The By-law applies to both permanent and seasonal residents. Licence(s) must be purchased before March 31 each year.

By licensing your dog and providing the microchip number, the information will be stored in the Town's animal control database and will be used to help return your furry friend quickly and safely to your family. The Town also strongly recommends that owners register their dog's microchip number with a 3rd party national microchip service to provide an extra layer of protection.

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Featured Projects

Craigleith Wastewater Treatment Plant Sewage Pumping Station Environmental Assessment

A virtual Public Information Centre was held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 to review the preliminary preferred alternative solution. A recording of the meeting and the presentation deck – which includes an evaluation of all the alternative solutions – are now available on the Town’s website. For more information, please visit the project web page.

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Official Plan Review

Last year, the Town began the process of updating its Official Plan. When complete, the Official Plan will guide all future land-use decisions in the Town.

Phase 1 was approved by Council in principle late last year. The approval was a non-binding position endorsing the intent and direction of the Phase 1 outcomes. Following the endorsement of Phase 1, Town Staff launched the second phase. Residents will have many opportunities to share feedback throughout Phase 2.

For more information, visit the project webpage.

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Bridge 2 & 3 Replacement

The Bridge 2 & 3 Replacement project is nearing completion.

However, due to production delays, a key piece for the completion of Bridges 2 and 3 will be delayed. The Town's contractor is awaiting the delivery of the handrails which are expected near the end of February. Until then, the Town's contractor has temporarily closed and blocked off both ends of the project site.

For more information, please visit the project web pag e.

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