Dozens of initiatives and more to come!

The best way to advocate for residents is by launching initiatives and moving proposals (motions) to be voted on at Mono and Dufferin County Councils. That’s why I’ve promoted over 40 substantive initiatives and motions since returning to elective office over three and a half years ago. Successful motions and meaningful initiatives are more than just words, they result in actions.

High speed Internet and better cell service throughout Mono

We started by establishing an Internet Task Force. While its work was interrupted by COVID, we have seen installation of high speed wireless equipment on Mono’s water tower along with fibre optic service installed by North Frontenac Telephone Company through part of Mono.

Rogers Communications recently announced its intent to install high speed fibre optic service throughout Mono.

-Creation of a Mono Internet Centre, a high speed WiFi hotspot at Town Hall for the public. The Dufferin Board of Trade also made its office on Hockley Road available for Mono residents wishing to access high speed Internet.

-A Motion petitioning the Federal Government, Cell and Internet providers to establish automatic, no cost to the user roaming to alternative providers in the event of outages.

Land Use and Planning

-Support for the 5th Line unopened road allowance remaining in public ownership and a commitment to pre-consultation before any Council decision to declare public land surplus.

-Commitment to a Town wide discussion of how we protect and manage our public lands.

-A Motion moved at both the local and County levels scoping the work of County planning consultants looking at growth targets to ensure, among other things, we are not overwhelmed by housing sprawl or subject to hostile annexation bids by neighbouring municipalities.

-A Motion calling for an exploration of residential Development Charges based on structure size.

-A Motion calling for reasonable planning conditions for new homes greater than a typical size. In other words, such things as greater setbacks.

-Creation of a working group to develop guidance to realtors and prospective buyers regarding Mono’s Official Plan, zoning and By law enforcement regime.

-Support for those property owners who did not wish to remain on Mono’s Heritage Registry.

-A Motion calling for the Province to impose a temporary moratorium on all new gravel mining until a number of key issues are addressed.

-Passage of a Motion to examine issues with Mono’s existing definition of ‘accessory’ structures, size and location of such structures as well as approval process under our current Zoning and Official Plan.

By law initiatives and enforcement

-Creation of a transparent web based By law enforcement process that shows outstanding By law charges, Orders and their current status and ultimate disposition.

Over the last three years, our By law enforcement has increased dramatically as has voluntary compliance and conviction rates.

-Support for a number initiatives to control parking surrounding Mono Cliffs Provincial Park and the Island Lake Conservation Area.

-A Motion to bring forward a By law regulating residential fencing, addressing among other things, height and type.

-Passage of an amendment to Mono’s Setting of Fires By law to establish a realistic fire size.

-Creation of a By law to ban night time discharge of firearms except to protect livestock.

-Plugging loopholes in our By law to Regulate Site Alterations, Placement of Fill and Removal of Topsoil i.e Fill By law. Fill must now be sourced within Dufferin County and long driveways are no longer exempt from permits if required.

Traffic and Public Safety

-A call to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to establish advance green light turning signalization on Highway 10 at County Road 16/7 as well as other safety changes at this unsafe intersection.

-A Motion in support of a county wide tow truck By law to better regulate the local tow truck industry.

-Establishment of Mono’s Community Safety Task Force. The Task Force presented a report Council that, among other things, resulted in more policing in Mono.

-Repeated calls for Automated Speed Enforcement anywhere in Mono regardless of speed limit.

-A Motion to send a letter to the Minister of Transportation and MPP detailing Mono’s concerns over design and safety issues regarding local Provincial highways. Issues raised and still not resolved include traffic lights at Camilla.

-Passage of a Motion calling for an increase in basic Provincial Offence speeding fines.

-Passage of a Motion calling upon the Province to make timely and qualified Justice of the Peace appointments in order to keep POA courts open and functioning.

-Coauthored a letter with Mayor Allan Thompson calling on the Province to take immediate action to address serious problems in Provincial Offence Courts.

-Passage of a Motion to examine creation of Administrative Penalties as an alternative to Court fines.

-A Motion calling for better traffic light synchronization along the Highway 10 corridor and elsewhere within Dufferin County.

-Passage of a Motion calling on the Province to better regulate vaping and, in particular, to roll back its decision to allow direct marketing of vaping.

Transparency and Good Governance

-Live streaming and recording of both Mono and Dufferin County Council and committees on YouTube.

-A Motion rebranding Mono’s Municipal Office as ‘Mono Town Hall’.

-Participation on Mono’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

-Establishment of a Mono Electoral Reform Task Force.

-Passage of a Motion to reform Mono’s committee appointment process.

-A Motion calling for a discussion with Hydro One about their forestry practices with the view to minimizing blackouts due to lines being bought down by encroaching trees.

-A Motion ensuring all staff performance evaluations are done on a timely basis.

-A Motion insuring periodic reviews and Requests for Proposals for professional services such as legal, engineering and accounting.

-The reactivation of an on-going ‘to do’ list to Council’s agenda with the ability for any member of Council to add items to this list.

-Circulation of draft committee minutes on a more timely basis for Council’s review.

-A Motion to hold Council meetings in locations such as Rosemont, Hockley Village and Monora (on hold due to COVID).